What to Do in Lynchburg, Virginia

The historic Virginia city of Lynchburg boasts a walkable downtown, 40 miles of urban trails, a bustling riverfront, outdoor adventures aplenty and some great eateries. If you're headed to this southern destination in the near future, what activities should you add to your itinerary?

Here are a few places to start, if you're a first-time visitor to LYH.

1. Soak up the arts and culture.

Diverse and historic, Lynchburg is jam-packed with arts and culture. Whether you want to stroll a museum, a historic home or an art gallery, you can do so.

Top spots to visit include the Anne Spencer House & Garden Museum, which was home to Harlem renaissance poet Anne Spencer. The Legacy Museum of African American History features rotating exhibits and programs, all focusing on local Black history and culture (plus, admission is just a few dollars!). If it’s not too grim for your tastes, you can visit the Old City Cemetery, which is a Virginia Historic Landmark that dates back to 1806; the cemetery includes a Confederate soldier burial plot, an arboretum of historical plants, and even five museums: the Pest House Medical Museum, Hearse House and Caretakers Museum, Station House Museum, Mourning Museum and Chapel and Columbarium.

For more of an artistic experience, stop by Art Alley, a new, 2021 public art space that features more than a dozen regional artists. You might also like the free-to-visit Daura Museum of Art, with its collection of more than a thousand paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures. To get a full look at Lynchburg’s public art scene, sign up for an art-specific tour.

Photo courtesy of https://www.lynchburgvirginia.org/listings/art-all...

2. Get outdoors.

There are loads of ways to enjoy the great outdoors in Lynchburg, often without even really leaving the city (though if you do get out of town, you'll find you're very close to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Appalachian Trail). The James River is a great place to take to the water for some canoeing or kayaking. Blackwater Creek and Riverwalk Trails makes a good spot to get in a bit of cycling. Peaks of Otter is a favorited hiking spot in the area.

Photo courtesy of https://www.visitroanokeva.com/things-to-do/blue-r...

3. Visit the local shops.

Want to get in a little retail therapy during your visit to Lynchburg? Luckily for you, the city's downtown offers a fantastic array of independent shops and boutiques.

For handmade handbags, duffel bags and backpacks, stop in Meanwhile Back on the Farm. Gilded is your place to go for gifts and souvenirs for everyone in your life (as well as a few fun things for yourself); think local beers and wines, holiday items and greeting cards. For beautiful pottery made just steps away, go to the studio that houses Oxide Pottery; there, three potters are creating works of art in the back, while you shop for your next favorite home decor piece in the front.

Photo courtesy of https://www.lynchburgvirginia.org/listings/gilded/

Need More?

Need more tips for what to do, where to stay, where to eat and where to shop while in Lynchburg, Virginia? Keep an eye out for the upcoming Lynchburg, Virginia, Discovery Map guide and, in the meantime, check out all the cool Discovery Map guides for top destinations around the country.