Mecklenburg, VA
Sample art that is served by the glass. Check. Eat barbecue that will have your taste buds high fiving. Check. Stand over an entire town and feel like a giant. Check. Get ready to spend a couple days in Mecklenburg, Virginia seeing and doing things you can only see and do here.
Medium Activity
3 days | 19 stops
Day 1
STOP 1: Fishing Charter on Lake Gaston
Kerr Lake and Lake Gaston have some of the best fishing holes in the state of Virginia, if not the country. In fact, the world’s largest Blue Catfish was reeled in right here. So we recommend you rent a fishing charter for the day and try your luck. You may end up with your own fish story and dinner for the next few months.
3 HOURS
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STOP 2: Backyard Brews & Bites
The Backyard Brews & Bites is a hip new backyard beer garden in South Hill, VA. They feature weekly entertainment from music bingo to live performing artists, in a family-friendly atmosphere. They offer plenty of Virginia and North Carolina beer options on tap, Rosemont Wine, some canned ciders, and non-alcoholic beverages.
1 HOURS
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STOP 3: Lost Treasures
Next stop, shopping. Lost Treasures is located in the quaint little town of South Hill. This 10,000 sq. ft space is filled with vendor booths, each stocked with their own unique finds. In one booth you may find a mid-century modern chair. Around the corner you may find an old Bon Jovi album waiting for an 80s big hair revival. Inventory changes week-to-week so there’s always a reason to come back.
1 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 4: Makers Market
You are what you eat. So don’t be fast, cheap, easy or fake. At least that is the thinking at the Southern Virginia Makers Market. This hub brings together a network of regional and local famers making fresh, locally sourced food available to all. Grab a snack. Pick up some meals for an evening picnic. Or send some homemade sausage back home. Pigs can’t fly yet. But they can be express shipped.
1 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 5: Lundy Layne
Excellent gift items are just one of the things you’ll find at this fun, versatile shop. The latest styles are available for folks of all shapes and sizes, with a great line of accessories and jewelry to boot. The home decor will have you finally getting rid of that tired, coffee stained side table, and admiring your new wall art.
1 HOURS
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STOP 6: Miniature Train
Get ready to feel like a giant. Hop over to the Train Depot in South Hill. Inside you’ll find a full scale miniature of the city as it appeared in the 1950s. The model represents over 200 miles of real track and includes a working train, a peek at the Kerr Dam construction, and a UFO marking the site of our visit by aliens in 1967. We promise, it’s out of this world.
1 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 7: 313 Franklin Cocktails & Kitchen
Attention Foodies: Get ready to be schooled. South Hill’s newest culinary find is housed in a converted elementary school. But you won’t find cafeteria trays and angry lunch ladies in this establishment. Instead you’ll be treated to signature cocktails, served along a fresh catch of the day, and paired with a local Rosemont wine. Hands down, this restaurant is valedictorian of the class.
2 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
Day 2
STOP 8: The Donut Shop
If you’ve ever wondered if donuts think about you as much as you think about them, this is the place to find out. The Donut Shop in South Hill serves, you guessed it, donuts. Sprinkled. Glazed. Powdered. Iced. You name it, they’ve got it. Stop in early and get in your hole foods for the day.
1 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 9: Visit Kerr Dam and Reservoir
Built in the 1950s to control floods and produce energy, the Kerr Dam is a modern feat of engineering. Standing over 15 stories tall, it contains over 624,000 cubic yards of dam concrete, 578,000 barrels of dam cement, and 1.2 million tons of dam stone and sand. It’s seven main generators average 425,000 megawatt hours of electricity annually. That’s enough to power over 42 million homes for a year. That’s Dam fantastic.
1.5 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 10: MacCallum More Museum & Gardens
The gateway to another world is just around the corner. The life's work of Scottish heiress Lucy Hudgins, MacCallum More is a meandering, moss-covered testament to a life’s passion. The formal gardens feature an arboretum, herb garden, wildflower garden, rose and theme gardens. Over 200 varieties of plants are represented. Particularly striking is the sculpture garden, which includes a massive Spanish Cloister, shipped and assembled on site piece by piece.
2 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 11: Kahill's Restaurant & Pub
Kahill’s Restaurant has perfected the culinary art of Pub Grub. Grab ample amounts of napkins and prepare your stomach for some mouth-watering goodness. You can order up every day favorites like barbecue ribs or a massive angus burger. Or you can be adventurous and try the open-faced brisket with sunny side eggs. Oh, and save room for some mega bite milky way cake. This place is why diet is a four-letter word. What are you waiting for? As the locals say, “Get in here!”
1 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 12: Woodbine Vineyards
Woodbine Vineyards is a farm winery located in Buffalo Junction, Virginia. We planted our first vines in 2018. Currently we offer 6 wines: Chardonnet, Rosé, Honeysuckle, Cabernet Franc, Merlot & Sweet Virginia Red.
2 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 13: Virginia Avenue Mall
Time to head over to Clarksville for the afternoon. It’s Virginia’s only lakeside town and home to the Virginia Avenue Mall. Now this is not your typical mall. This store is a collection of 40 independent retailers. You’ll find new and gently used items purchased at estate auctions or brought in by someone looking to make a few dollars.There’s artwork, lamps, rugs, jewelry and more. Come in with an eye for deals. Leave with enough shopping bags to fill two trunks.
1.5 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 14: Hite's Clothing
Hite’s Clothing is the local headquarters for all things Lake Life. Browse the latest swimsuits. Pick up a pair of shades. Grab some SPF 50 lotion to protect those cute cheeks (upper and lower). Get in. Get out. Get on the water.
1 HOURS
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STOP 15: Dinner at Cooper’s Landing Inn & Traveler's Tavern
At the intersection of comfort and yum, you’ll find Cooper’s Inn and Traveler’s Tavern. Dine in the main restaurant for a quaint and cozy vibe or catch some live music on the covered patio, festooned with blooming wisteria and dozens of twinkling lights. In true farm-to-table spirit, the menu changes seasonally and features the freshest, locally sourced meats, herbs, vegetables and ingredients available. Signature items include Black Angus beef, wild caught game, steamed seafood and organic produce. So come hungry. You can’t live a full life on an empty stomach.
2 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
Day 3
STOP 16: Sand Dollar Sea Plane
When we said you’ll leave our county with a new perspective on life, we weren’t kidding. This morning, take off on an aerial tour over Virginia’s lake region. See what we mean when we say we have more miles of shoreline than highway in the county. Heck, even the Dam looks small from 1,500 feet.
2.5 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 17: Lunch at Furr’s Deli and Dogs
When the latest Facebook post reads, “Alligator tails will be a new item at the deil Friday,” you know you’re in for an interesting lunch. But tails aside, Furr’s has been a local staple for decades. Grab a fresh deli sandwich, hot dog or some homemade macaroni salad. Then take a seat and catch up on the local gossip. Like that no-tail alligator that’s on the loose.
1 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
STOP 18: Rosemont Winery
Ready to sample art served by the glass? Then head over to Rosemont Winery. The 450 acres that make up the Rosemont Estate has been in the Rose Family since 1858. Today, 32 acres of that land are planted with grape vines. All wines are handcrafted --100% estate grown, produced and bottled. Raise your glass to a wonderful afternoon --that you may or may not remember.
2 HOURS
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STOP 19: Dinner and drinks at Shady Shack
Great music meets flip flops, meets outdoor tables with colorful umbrellas and plentiful drinks --welcome to the Shady Shack. Located on the shores of Lake Gaston, this is the perfect place to say your goodbyes to the weekend, meet a few new friends, have a few drinks, maybe even buy a boat. (NOTE: Drinks and boat purchase are unrelated, in most cases).
2.5 HOURS
VIEW LISTING
