Spring has Sprung: Time to hit the road and start exploring!
Come along with us as we begin our Roads to Adventure Itinerary series! Let us be your guides to charting an excellent adventure through our beautiful region in every season. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for updates on our seasonal itineraries that will take you all across Grayson County to discover the hidden gems awaiting you.
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
— Ranier Maria Rilke
Entry 2: Weathering a Snowy Spring Getaway
So you’ve made it to the outdoor-lovers playground of Grayson County, Virginia for your long weekend Spring getaway. The weather apps must be lying—it’s beautiful today, a breezy 65 degrees, sunny skies, peepers singing from the creeks, forsythia bursting into life among the daffodils. How could it POSSIBLY be calling for SNOW tomorrow?!
That’s the enduring mystery of a mountain springtime for you. Especially in the Blue Ridge. When you wake up ready for a day of adventure only to be met with a snowy scene outside, you’ll be happy for the thoughtful care our vacation rental owners put into their Grayson County getaways. Weather doesn’t always cooperate—but these vacation rentals? Well, they’re designed to stand the test of being ‘stuck inside’. In fact, some of them are so well-appointed you might not want to leave when the Sun comes back out!
Highland Hideaways is a family-owned vacation hotspot, offering multiple accommodations from a Hobbit-themed glamping pod to classic log cabins with room for family and friends. Each of their unique rentals comes with access to their rainy-day cure-all—an indoor retro arcade cabin! Send the kids over to play Mario Party or air hockey during a cold spring squall while you relax with a cup of coffee and a good book. When the weather clears up, there’s a tether ball court, a disc golf course, and even a ‘drive-in’ movie theater on site for your enjoyment.
Just across Highway 58 from Highland Hideaways runs Wilson Creek, a premier fishing creek teeming with trout for our licensed fishers (fishing licenses are available online at the Virginia DWR website). Be sure to check out Fish Blue Ridge’s comprehensive guide on fishing in Grayson County and beyond! Take a short drive down the road to visit Grayson Highlands General Store & Inn for a delicious meal and to stock up on snacks, groceries, and souvenirs—they’re even hosting Open Mic nights and game nights! Pull up a chair and stay a while to chat with some locals and engage with the mountain culture while you’re there.
The tempestuous spring weather never lasts too long in these mountains, so one blustery cold day could very well be followed by the most spectacular sunny skies you’ve seen in months. When the weather does turn, you’re just a few minutes from adventure at Grayson Highlands State Park where the wild ponies roam rain or shine.
We’ll be taking you to Whitetop (and just about everywhere else in Grayson!) in the next installments of our Roads to Adventure series, so be sure to follow along for the ride!
Entry 1: An early Spring retreat to Independence, VA
The car is packed. The work week is over. The weekend awaits. Where are you heading on this crisp, March day? To the mountains, of course.
Specifically, the Blue Ridge Mountains of Southwest Virginia. Just a few hours drive from multiple metro-hubs (Roanoke, Harrisonburg, Raleigh, Charlotte, and Knoxville), you can hit the pause button on your busy schedule and enjoy a slower pace. Head down the roads less traveled to Grayson County, Virginia, where you won’t find an interstate highway cutting through the natural landscape. Our winding country roads follow less intrusive lines carved out centuries and eons ago, whether by the settlers of the pre-Revolutionary “New World”, Native American tribes, or the ancient New River itself.
If your goal is to disconnect from the rapid pace of daily life, well, you’re heading in the right direction. Grayson County boasts an abundance of natural wonder, preserved lovingly by both long-term residents and visitors who tend to discover this hidden gem and never want to leave. Even if it’s just a quick weekend road trip to break up a city winter’s gloomy monotony, Grayson is blooming with possibilities for adventure, relaxation, and reconnection.
Book yourself in for a long weekend at Healing Water Falls—the name really says it all. Disconnect from the busy day-to-day hustle and reconnect with yourself through Nature at this Zen hideaway tucked beside a breathtaking private waterfall just outside of Independence.
No internet. No traffic. No agenda. Nowhere to go but the deck for a slow cup of coffee or the luxurious bathtub for a long soak. Trust us: you’ll be halfway through the first draft of that novel you’ve been meaning to write before the weekend is out.
If it’s a little more room you’re looking for, Grayson County offers vacation rentals of all shapes, sizes, and travel budgets—just check out our “Places to Stay” page as a jumping off point while you plan your trip! From sprawling Appalachian farmhouses to cozy cliffside cabins and everything in between, we’re certain you’ll find your perfect place to get away from it all.
After you’ve sufficiently recharged by turning off and tuning out, head out on the road for a morning of Spring exploration. Take historic Highway 21 through Elk Creek or scenic Highway 58 through Mouth of Wilson to the heart of Grayson in the county seat town of Independence. If it’s a full country-cooked spread and sit-down service you’re after, check out Grayson Diner for breakfast. If you need something to keep you on the move, drop in on Almost Famous Coffee for your morning fuel. New York bagels delivered fresh daily? Can we say “YES PLEASE.” Pair your massive everything bagel loaded up on lox and cream cheese with a handcrafted coffee drink or a fruity smoothie to start your day off right.
Now that we’re fed and caffeinated, let’s do a little shopping. Who says a small town has no swag? Just hop across Main Street to check out Independence’s newest local shop, Whiskey River & Wildflowers, where you’ll find a wide array of antiques and crafts at their vendor stalls. Stop by the Historic 1908 Courthouse for visitor information, a healthy dose of history, and to browse the Grayson County Tourism Gift Shop for souvenirs. You know you need a Grayson County road map (and a t-shirt—maybe a keychain and a mug) to prove you’ve been to Virginia’s best-kept secret.
In need of a quick hike to brush off the breakfast calories and forget how much you just spent on a birdhouse at Whiskey River? Head down the road and around the corner to the Grayson County Recreation Park, where we’ve been hard at work cutting fresh trails through the budding forests of our Appalachian home. Powerhouse Falls is another great spot right in Independence to catch some nature and some history all at once; be sure to bring the camera and if it’s a warm Spring day, test the cool mountain waters by dipping your toes in at the base of the rip-roaring creek.
The adventure doesn’t stop with this little taste of Independence: Grayson County’s winding roads lead to countless destinations worth discovering and exploring no matter which direction you go. Check back soon for the next installment of our Roads to Adventure series to see where we’re heading next!
By: Christian Cooke, Grayson County Tourism & Economic Development
