Welcome To The Hampton Inn Dumfries/Quantico

Welcome To The Hampton Inn Dumfries/Quantico
Hampton Inn Dumfries/Quantico

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

THINGS TO DO AT SMITH MOUNTAIN LAKE














Kara Fitzpatrick Seymour is a Bucks County, PA based freelance writer with past clients that include an array of print publications, Web sites, and public relations companies. A versatile and creative writer, Fitzpatrick Seymour specializes in everything from lifestyle pieces, to travel features, news, business, the environment and more.
By Kara Fitzpatrick Seymour, eHow Contributor
Known as the "Jewel of the Blue Ridge Mountains," Smith Mountain Lake boasts 500 miles of shoreline, numerous family-friendly recreational activities, and affordable accommodations. The 20,600-acre lake is a popular year-round vacation spot in rural southwestern Virginia. There's plenty to do in this slice of Old Dominion paradise.
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Water Sports
It should go without saying that visitors to Smith Mountain Lake have the opportunity to enjoy a range of water sports. Included among those activities are power boating, water skiing, sailing, swimming, fishing, jet skiing--and anything that involves water. The lakefront has seven public boat-launching sites. Public and private marinas are also abundant. To enjoy the shoreline view while relaxing, consider a ride on the Virginia Dare, a 19th-century side paddle wheeler. Smith Mountain Lake also attracts fishermen as it stocks striped bass, smallmouth bass and largemouth bass. Blackmouth bass, crappie, catfish and muskellunge are natural inhabitants of the lake, as well.
Offshore
You don't have to be an avid boater or fisherman to enjoy Smith Mountain Lake. There's just as much to do off the water. The serene views and breathtaking landscape provide the perfect backdrop for dozens of outdoor activities, like camping, hiking and hunting. If you like golf, there are five courses nearby. For the shopper of the family, Smith Mountain Lake has a quaint downtown with a flea market and shops that sell everything from antiques to clothes, jewelry and gifts.If you enjoy wine tasting, Smith Mountain Lake is home to six wineries, including Hickory Hill, Brooks Mill and Tomahawk Mill Winery. Most offer tastings and tours. See visitsmithmountainlake.com/ for more details.
Other Attractions
Smith Mountain Lake has plenty of amusements sure to entertain any family. Check out Hot Shots, where they have mini golf, an arcade, refreshments and bumper boats. Approximately 30 miles out of town is the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum, which is a re-created 1800s-style Virginia-German farmstead. The exhibits at the museum run the gamut from crafts, music and decorative arts. For the history buff, there are plenty of intriguing sites nearby. The Booker T. Washington National Monument commemorates the birthplace of this historical figure.Poplar Forest, Thomas Jefferson's private retreat, is in nearby Bedford County. Also in Bedford County is the Avenel Plantation, where guests such as Robert E. Lee and Edgar Allen Poe stayed.Read more: Things to Do at Smith Mountain Lake

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