Botetourt County: History, Nature, Wine Tasting in Virginia

Are you visiting Botetourt County for the first time? Below is a list of “Insider Tips” for things to see and do in “The Tot.”

When I have a visitor from out of town the first place they want to see is Roaring Run, but I also take them to Historic Fincastle – for a more local, authentic experience.

When I want to escape the tourists, my favorite place to visit is Appalachian Trail.

If this is a romantic trip, I recommend The Blue Ridge Parkway for kissing with a view.

The best place to walk the dog is Greenfield Park.

Museums are wonderful, but if you are traveling with kids, you’ll want to visit Roaring Run Day Use Area. I recently had a hip replacement and was worried about the level of fitness needed for this hike. It was an easy, glorious 3/4 mile hike along Roaring Run Creek.

Food in Botetourt County:

If you are looking for typical Botetourt cuisine, I recommend Town Center Tap House or Three Li’l Pigs- both in Daleville, or Maw & Paw’s in Eagle Rock, Virginia.

The best place to go for coffee & a breakfast treat is Land of A Thousand Hills coffee shop (1 of 3 open nationwide) – great house blends or local Mill Mountain Coffee – great scones. Both places are located in Daleville, Virginia.

Looking for cheap food in Botetourt County? Try North Star Restaurant in Buchanan, Virginia or The Greenwood Restaurant in Troutville.

For an expensive, yet quality meal, go to Pomegranate Restaurant in Troutville, Virginia.

Outdoors in Botetourt County

Seeing a lot of Botetourt County? Botetourt is best known for great hiking trails and convenient river access. Don’t forget Ikenberry Orchard’s, a 5^th generation, family run store. My visit was timed in the fall, so local produce featured dozens of types of apples and plenty of pumpkins.

When you come to Botetourt County, get your picture taken at Kelly’s Real Deals on Route 11 or Troutville Town Park by the Old Red Caboose.

The best vantage points are taken by walking to the top of Tinker Mountain.

The Upper James River Water Trail offers great views and is the best place to watch the seasons change or experience Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s also fun to watch fireworks from the Buchanan Carnival on and around July 4th.

In this part of Virginia, outdoor enthusiasts will want to hike Tinker Cliffs or Appalachian Trail, bike Patterson Creek or Bike 76, horseback ride at Apple Orchard Falls and walk Troutville Town Park or Cherry Blossom Trail.

Looking for a little exercise? Walk along the Roaring Run Creek or Cherry Blossom Trail at Greenfield.

If you are a museum lover, Botetourt County’s best museum is Botetourt County Historical Museum in Fincastle, Virginia.

What about night life in Botetourt County? Go dancing at Pomegranate or Daleville Town Center (Spring-Fall) for live music.

The Fincastle Herald & The Botetourt View will keep you posted on what’s happening in and around Botetourt County in Virginia.

You can tell a lot about Botetourt County from visiting artist studios or Buchanan and attending Open Studios – Botetourt or Friday Night Drive-In event.

In the spring you should attend Buchanan’s Civil War History Weekend (held the last weekend in April.)

In the summer you should attend The Buchanan Carnival (around July 4^th) and float on The Upper James River Water Trail.

In the fall, go wine tasting on the Wine Trail through Botetourt County, Virginia. Blue Ridge Vineyards is one of the state’s first vineyards, while Virginia Mountain Vineyards is surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Then end your day at Fincastle Vineyards & Winery, another small producer featuring Bordeaux blends.

Historic Botetourt County

Did you know that Botetourt County once stretched all the way to the Mississippi River and that Fincastle Historic District was named to the National Register of Historic Places and The Virginia Landmarks Register in 1969? Plan a visit to Historic Fincastle in the Fall and run in the Bank of Fincastle 5K/10K or plan to attend Open Studios-Botetourt, a free, self-guided tour to artist’s homes around the county.

Come to Botetourt County for The Historic Fincastle Home Tour and Candlelight Christmas Home Tour in Buchanan in December.

Insider Tip: Check out the often over-looked Gene’s Old & New Antiques & other antiquaries in Botetourt County.

I’ll bet you didn’t know that just outside of Botetourt County, you can visit three of the largest single track trail systems east of the Mississippi – Carvins Cove, Mill Mountain & Explore Park in Virginia.

Have you traveled to Virginia’s Blue Ridge? What are your favorite things to do in Virginia? For additional insider tips follow Luxury Travel Writer @NancyDBrown on Twitter and @Botetourt.

Article written by, video and photos courtesy of Travel Writer Nancy D. Brown of What a Trip, Travels from Northern California. For additional information on Botetourt County, Virginia, visit http://www.visitbotetourt.com