Golf
For an enjoyable morning on the fairways, the Smith Mountain Lake area offers three public and semi-private golf courses to residents and visitors. Mere minutes away from The Coves by car or boat, the designs of these 18-hole championship courses deliver excitement and challenge to novice and experienced players alike. Fine Dining
Causal Dining
Fishing Famous as one of the East Coast's premiere fishing locales, Smith Mountain Lake's 20,600-acres serve as home to a teeming population of stripers, small and large mouth bass, crappie, catfish, muskellunge and walleye - a thriving ecosystem offering a fisherman's paradise to residents and visitors. Located in an area of the lake renowned for its excellent striper catches, The Coves' line-casting residents enjoy a unique fishing experience. Charter and private boat access are both available. Boating Motor boats. Fishing boats. Pontoon boats. House boats. Sail boats. Canoes. Kayaks. With over 500 miles of gorgeous shoreline, it's no wonder boating is one of the most popular activities at Smith Mountain Lake. Boaters can retreat far away from the crowd and anchor in their own quiet cove for a relaxing day of fishing, swimming or picnicking. Blue Ridge Parkway Known as “America’s Favorite Drive,” the Blue Ridge Parkway extends 469 miles from the Shenandoah National Park in Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park in North Carolina. Perfect for an afternoon drive or a weekend getaway, the Parkway offers recreational and historical experiences at stops along the way. For more information call 828-298-0398. D-Day Memorial Located in nearby Bedford, Virginia and dedicated by an act of Congress in 2001, the National D-Day Memorial examines and remembers the sacrifices made by Allied soldiers who breached Nazi "Fortress Europe" at the 1944 invasion of Normandy, France. This Memorial location recognizes the special losses taken by the town of Bedford on D-Day: Twenty-three deaths (the highest per capita invasion death toll of any community in America). Today the Memorial offers educational programs, tours and historical perspective on the closing days of World War II. For more information, call 540-586-DDAY. Explore Park Located just outside downtown Roanoke, 1,100-acre Explore Park overlooks Roanoke River Gorge with recreational opportunities ranging from mountain biking and hiking trails to scenic boating, fishing and picnic sites. In addition, Explore Park offers educational and historical programs leading visitors through re-creations of the 17th, 18th and 19th century cultures and societies of Western Virginia. Natural Bridge Originally surveyed by George Washington for Lord Fairfax in 1750, the Natural Bridge in Colonial American days was rivaled only by Niagara Falls in capturing the imagination of European settlers to the New World. At 215 feet tall and 90 feet wide, this natural span formation, once owned by Thomas Jefferson, remains to this day one of Virginia's most popular tourist attractions. Park activities include historical shows and exhibits, hiking trails, and guided tours through a network of extensive underground caverns. For more information, call 800-533-1410. Peaks of Otter Overlooking Bedford, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian mountain range known as the Peaks of Otter continues to draw visitors from across the country with its stunning majesty. The Peaks - Sharp Top Mountain (3,875 feet), Flat Top Mountain (4,001 feet) and Harkening Hill (3,375 feet) - boast miles of hiking trail networks within the sanctuary of protected wilderness. For outdoor lovers eager to see the beauties that Virginia has to offer, the Peaks of Otter should not be missed. Roanoke The "Star City Of The South", Roanoke serves as the major hub of southwestern Virginia. From its infancy as a commerce crossroads in the 1740s, the city of Roanoke has since grown into a diverse and thriving community, currently home to almost 100,000 Virginians. While offering all the amenities of a large city, Roanoke proudly maintains its unique historical memory with a rich culture of museums, regional and national historical monuments. In addition, Roanoke boasts Virginia's oldest open air market - the Roanoke Farmer's Market, established in 1882 - surrounded by a wide range of shopping spots and restaurants. Roanoke, Virginia is located 35 miles from The Coves at Smith Mountain Lake. Vineyards Every year, the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce gathers wine lovers from around the nation to come experience the captivating fruits of our local vineyards at the two-day Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival. Many of these fine working wineries are open to the public year-round, offering memorable additions to a getaway day trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway. |