Illustration by Shane Rebenshied
Best Bed and Breakfast
First place: Early Inn at The Grove, Rocky Mount, EarlyInn.com, 540-524-2525
Named for Confederate Gen. Jubal Early, whose law office was located on the property at one time, the Greek Revival style manor house has six guest bedrooms and is situated on 10 acres of land where the B&B hosts tented weddings and events. The inn’s Breezeway Bar & Patio are open to the public most weekend nights.
Second place: Trinkle Mansion Bed and Breakfast, Wytheville, TrinkleMansion.com, 276-625-0625
Third place: The Oaks Victorian Inn, Christiansburg, TheOaksVictorianInn.com, 540-381-1500
Best “Do Not Miss” Tourist Attraction
First place: Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum, Wytheville, EdithBollingWilson.org, 276-223-3484
This fall, the museum is launching the Allied Dinners series. Each dinner will consist of a three-course meal based on the cuisine of a different allied country from World War I, including dishes from France, Russia and Italy. Hosted at the Bolling Wilson Hotel, the series will consist of approximately four events throughout the winter and into early 2019.
Second place: Birthplace of Country Music Museum, Bristol, BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org, 423-573-1927
Third place: Mill Mountain and Roanoke Star in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, Roanoke, VisitVBR.com, 540-342-6025
Best Equestrian Event
First place: Franklin County Agricultural Fair Open Horse Show, Wirtz, FCAgFair.com, 540-420-8169
Located at Shadow Ridge Stables and organized by the Franklin County Equestrian Club, the show kicks off the Franklin County Agricultural Fair, which in September is holding its 5th annual event following a 40-year hiatus. Seventy-one competitive classes in both youth and adult age divisions encompass English, hunter and Western styles.
Best Fishing Guide Company
First place: New River Outdoor Company, Pembroke, NewRiverOutdoorCo.com, 540-921-7438
Owners Britt and Leigh Stoudenmire and their team guide fishermen on excursions seeking smallmouth bass and musky in the New River, which is estimated by geologists to be the third oldest river in the world (even older than the Nile), and offer packages with lodging at their cabin retreat. In June, the couple is opening Walker Creek Barn in Pearisburg as an event space for weddings.
Second place: Mountain Sports, Ltd., Bristol, MTNSportsLTD.com, 276-466-8988
Third place: Tangent River Outfitters, Pembroke, NewRiverTrail.com, 540-626-4567
Best Fishing Outfitter
First place: Orvis, Roanoke, Orvis.com, 540-345-3635
Orvis recently introduced its Ultralight Convertible Waders and Ultralight Wading Boots as part of its new Ultralight Wading System, as well as Helios 3D and 3F weighted fly rods. The sporting retailer has also published a revised edition of the iconic Orvis Fly-Fishing Guide.
Second place: Mountain Sports, Ltd., Bristol, MTNSportsLTD.com, 276-466-8988
Third place: Tangent River Outfitters, Pembroke, NewRiverTrail.com, 540-626-4567
Best Fitness Program
First place: Martinsville-Henry County Family YMCA, Martinsville, MartinsvilleYMCA.com, 276-632-6427
In addition to group classes, with new offerings such as Kickboxing, Tai Chi, a slow movement meditation, and Latin Rhythms, which incorporates salsa dancing into the workout, the YMCA in Martinsville has also begun a speed and agility fitness boot camp to help teens build athleticism and train for team sports.
Second place: Synergy at Body Works Fitness and Training Center, Abingdon, BodyWorksFitnessCenter.com, 276-628-9003
Third place: Curves, Wytheville, Curves.com, 276-223-1104
Best Golf Course
First place: Chatmoss Country Club, Martinsville, ChatmossCC.org, 276-638-2484
Those new to the course at Chatmoss can consult the online Chatmoss Yardage Book, a guide to the distance, green depth and ideal strokes for each tee, complete with diagrams of each hole and a map. The club will host its annual Chatmoss Invitational Tournament—begun in 1961—July 28-29.
Second place: The Virginian Golf Club, Bristol, TheVirginian.com, 276-645-6950
Third place: Ballyhack Golf Club, Roanoke, BallyhackGolfClub.com, 540-427-1395
Best Gym
First place: Gym 24, Martinsville, Gym24Fitness.com
A busy schedule is no excuse for missing your workout at Gym 24. Open 24 hours per day and 365 days per year, the gym offers cardio equipment and free weights as well as aerobic classes—from Zumba and yoga to step aerobics, kickboxing and weight training.
Second place: Planet Fitness, Martinsville, PlanetFitness.com, 276-403-4348
Third place: Body by Lee, Abingdon, BodyByLee.com, 276-739-0188
Best Historic Site
First place: Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum, Wytheville, EdithBollingWilson.org, 276-223-3484
This year, the museum celebrates 10 years commemorating the life and legacy of Edith Bolling Wilson, the only Appalachian-born first lady and second wife of former President Woodrow Wilson. Located in Edith’s childhood home, the museum is one of only eight sites nationwide dedicated to a first lady.
Second place: Abingdon Muster Grounds, Abingdon, AbingdonMusterGrounds.com, 276-525-1050
Third place: Reynolds Homestead, Critz, ReynoldsHomestead.VT.edu, 276-694-7181
Best Hotel
First place: Bolling Wilson Hotel, Wytheville, BollingWilsonHotel.com, 276-223-2333
Built in 1927 and operated as the George Wythe Hotel until the 1970s, the Bolling Wilson Hotel was re-opened in 2010 after serving as a bank for many years. Each floor incorporates design elements, such as the pattern on the fabric of the headboards, inspired by a different beloved element in Edith Bolling Wilson’s life—orchids, canaries and bourbon.
Second place: The Martha Washington Inn & Spa, Abingdon, TheMartha.com, 276-628-3161
Third place: Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Roanoke, HotelRoanoke.com, 540-985-5900
Best Hunting Outfitter
First place: Cabela’s, Bristol, Cabelas.com, 276-285-5700
Cabela’s carries all the necessities for hunting—from guns to optics and scope mountings—but its most recent offerings are all about spring turkey. Items include Primos box calls and Zink striker calls, blinds and decoys. Plus, check out the Turkey Roost on the website, a resource for tips and gear reviews.
Second place: Mahoney’s Sportsman’s Paradise, Abingdon, MahoneySports.com, 276-628-6249
Third place: Mountain Sports, Ltd., Bristol, MTNSportsLTD.com, 276-466-8988
Best Hunting Preserve
First place: Primland, Meadows of Dan, Primland.com, 866-960-7746
Spanning 12,000 acres of Blue Ridge Mountain terrain, Primland offers sport shooting and guided hunting opportunities, including deer in the fall and turkey in the spring, and the preserve’s specialty—pheasant wingshooting—September through April. Staff will clean game on site, and the resort’s culinary team is available to prepare and serve it to guest’s specifications.
Second place: Turkeycock Wildlife Management Area, Franklin, DGIV.Virginia.gov, 434-525-7522
Best Outdoor Adventure
First place: Smith River, Martinsville, VisitMartinsville.com, 276-632-8006
A 44.5-mile stretch of the Smith River bisects Henry County, with 10 river access points allowing visitors to easily canoe or kayak on its waters. Fly-fishing for native brown trout or stocked rainbow trout can be enjoyed year-round, as well as hiking and cycling along riverside trails.
Second place: High Knob Recreation Area, Norton, FS.USDA.gov, 540-265-5100
Third place: Roanoke Mountain Adventures, Roanoke, RoanokeMountainAdventures.com, 540-525-8295
Best Resort
First place: Primland, Meadows of Dan, Primland.com, 866-960-7746
A mountain escape to luxury resort Primland offers full immersion into the outdoors. In addition to hunting, fishing and horseback excursions, guests may also participate in yoga classes held on private meditation decks overlooking forested highland and stay close to nature in its luxury Tree House retreats. Gourmet meals draw from the surrounding land and are made with freshly grown ingredients from on-property gardens.
Second place: Mountain Lake Lodge, Pembroke, MTNLakeLodge.com, 540-626-7121
Third place: Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Roanoke, HotelRoanoke.com, 540-985-5900
Best Retirement Community
First place: King’s Grant Retirement Community, Martinsville, Sunnyside.cc, 800-462-4649
King’s Grant offers two dining experiences for residents—the Trellis Room restaurant, open seven days per week and serving three meals per day with specialties like Anjou pear salad, and Frank’s Place, a café and bar open for lunch and offering outdoor seating as well as a weekly happy hour.
Second place: Warm Hearth Village, Blacksburg, Retire.org, 540-552-9176
Third place: Brandon Oaks, Roanoke, BrandonOaks.net, 540-777-5602
Best Summer Camp
First place: Martinsville-Henry County SPCA Critter Camp, Martinsville, SPCAMHC.org, 276-638-7297
Last summer, the SPCA of Martinsville and Henry County redesigned its annual summer camp to focus on the way children interact with animals. Campers ages 6 through 12 are taught the best methods for safe interaction and proper care for animals through live demonstrations and hands-on learning experiences.
Second place: Camp Bethel, Fincastle, CampBethelVirginia.org, 540-992-2940
Third place: Southwest Virginia 4-H Educational Center, Abingdon, SWVA4HCenter.org, 276-676-6180
