I've stopped in the Lexington Visitor Center during pretty much every visit to Rockbridge County,…read moreVA and am impressed by how consistently friendly and helpful the staff are. I don't know whether they are employed or volunteer their time, however their knowledge and passion for the history of the environs is impressive. It is conveniently located in historic Lexington and is located just a few doors down from the Stonewall Jackson House & Museum. If you've not been to Lexington in the past or would like more ideas about places to see, this is a great stop. They have a private parking lot AND clean public bathrooms! ( I like the clean part!) PS. A special thanks to Etta with whom I had a delightful discussion!

The Lexington Visitor Center is an excellent place to begin a visit to this historic town. You will…read moresee highway signs announcing it along I-81 and in town. Displays showcase the principal attractions. The helpful docent at the desk will give you a walking tour map and mark it up with a suggested route. A tour will usually begin with the Stonewall Jackson House just up the street. Free parking is available all day at the visitor center, though the parking lot fills up. Restrooms.

As far as local visitor centers go, the Roanoke one is a winner. Not only does it include…read moreeverything that you'd expect to find in a standard visitors center (loads of free maps, brochures, and local publications that help you navigate the area), but there's a museum here, too. I didn't get a chance to go through the museum during my stop, but the fact that it was there was a nice touch. The staff here was friendly, welcoming, and helpful. The restrooms were clean and free. Parking out front was simple. Overall, a great little stop to make before you had out and start exploring everything the Roanoke area has to offer.

Nice place to stop in before hitting up the blue ridge parkway. We didn't have time to do the…read moremuseum, but we did swing into the gift shop. Everyone was really polite.

My family has lived on the lake for over half my life. I was curious what information was available…read moreat the center. There are lots of brochures on area cities that seem standard for tourists. There is real estate and rental information available. If you want to hunt or fish, you can grab a brochure. There were limited items to purchase. They looked like leftover swag glasses from events. The employees were nice. Bonus points on the swag keychains that float.

From the owner: With more than 20,000 acres of pristine waters and 500 miles of picturesque shoreline, Smith…read moreMountain Lake is an outdoor lover’s paradise located at the foot of the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains. Whether you seek days full of activities or more serene time spent relaxing, our region's amazing beauty and natural resources make for the perfect destination.

After visiting Visit Fredrick, there's no shortage of idea on how to enjoy Frederick. With helpful…read morestaff, the center comes with exhibits, artifacts, an informational video, and plenty of brochures on everything to do in the area from nature to history to food. The center has free parking, restrooms, and drinking fountains too.

Beautiful visitors center with a warm and welcoming staff. Attractive and informative displays and…read moremany wonderful brochures. Be sure to get a map for the downtown Frederick Walking Tour which provides a wonderful overview and introduction to this amazing historic town.

Perfectly positioned Visitor Center for information on the Peaks of Otter area. The very helpful…read morepark ranger gave us hiking maps for the area which includes views of Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Harkening Hill. The Visitor Center also has a small shop, exhibit area, and clean rest rooms. There is also a cancellation station for your National Park Service stamps. We also recommend a stop at the Peaks of Otter Lodge just down the street. There's a nice, flat 1.0 mile walk around Abbott Lake in the back. gorgeous in mid-October!

If you're in the western part of Virginia anywhere near Peaks of Otter, I absolutely suggest a…read morevisit. The three mountains -- Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Harkening Hill -- are stunning. There's a few ways you can take them in, including a walk or picnic around the lake, a meal or stay in the lodge, camping, and/or hiking up the mountains. Sharp Top has a shuttle that takes you within 1,500 feet of the summit. Ahead of visiting, I didn't do sufficient research, but I will say they should add to the Peaks' website to be a little more clear about the hike level. The website currently states this: "Not everyone can hike a nearly 4,000-foot mountain, but it would be shame to deny anyone the view, so we provide transportation to within 1,500 of the scenic summit!" With that in mind, I thought the last portion (quarter-mile each way) would be fairly easy. It was not. My mom immediately took the shuttle back down to ground level upon seeing the trail, but I proceeded. On the way up, I was able to follow some other hikers, so it wasn't as daunting. On the way back down, I was solo. Lots and lots of steps, narrow path at times, very uneven with many rocks to contend with. Not for the faint of heart! I don't regret the hike at all. The view from the top of Sharp Top was nothing short of incredible. I hadn't climbed a mountain in any capacity since college, so while it was challenging, it also felt like such a feat to complete it without hurting myself. I was really proud of myself. I only wish I was better prepared -- so for those interested in the hike: bring water, possibly a walking stick, and really good shoes. Oh, and bug spray. The summit was fillllled with flies. No one on the shuttle down had spotted any bears, but I hear they're pretty prevalent along with snakes, deer, and other wildlife. After the hike, I stopped by the visitor center and purchased both a shirt and a stuffed otter (so cute). My cat thinks the otter is his new toy, but for me, it's a nice reminder of the day I randomly and safely climbed to a summit, unprepared and solo.

This is a useful stop when driving the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP) in Virginia. There is a small…read morebuilding, which was manned by a park ranger (or perhaps a parks volunteer?) who provided maps and answered questions. Small, clean, but dated restrooms were along the side of this building. Parking was free and sufficient, even on a leaf-peeping Saturday in October. The real "attractions" here are beyond the actual Visitor Center's building. If you continue along the path past the restrooms, there's a large lawn along the James River with picnic tables. Very relaxing. If you continue, there are also some short "hikes" right at the Visitors Center. The first, which is more of a "walk", takes you across a pedestrian bridge (which is directly below the bridge with Blue Ridge Parkway traffic) that goes to a historic lock. This trail is mostly flat, except for some stairs, and is mostly in the sun. Separately, if you continue straight, instead of crossing the bridge, there's a short loop hike referred to as "Trail of Trees". This one has identifying markers on the trees, and has more of the feel of a short hike. It has some ups and downs, and you need to watch your footing for roots and rocks. You can also hike along the Otter Creek Trail to reach the Otter Creek Lake in about 3 miles. One final note. This Visitors Center does not have a gift shop, nor any snacks or other amenities for purchase. Our "check tire pressure" light had come on, and the ranger was unable to provide assistance nor were there tire pressure gauges for sale. (We learned later that there's a service station relatively close to an exit off the BRP very close to the Visitors Center, but this wasn't mentioned). See separate entry for H&H Market in Big Island, VA.

There is a visitor center here, but it is really just one room with not a lot going on, other than…read morethe notable exception of a park ranger giving out advice. However, there is much in the area to enjoy. A picnic area on the river lies just outside the visitor center, and a bridge crosses the river (offering picturesque views) to a restored lock of a canal that once ran through the region. A trail goes through woodlands following a creek up to a dam. And, the visitor center also offered parking that wasn't full, restrooms, and a water fountain, which I did not see anywhere else nearby.

I have been to many visitor centers over the years. Most have a physical building and are open 7…read moredays a week. When I was planning to go to Charlottesville on vacation recently I searched on google and found out you can only call them on Weds and Thurs and they don't have a physical building. They have a temporary kiosk. I did ask for info about Charlottesville. The highlights are Monticello, UVA and the DownTown Mall. It was unfortunate that it rained on some days I was there. Nothing you can do about the weather. It was sunny on enough days I could get out and explore. Also, if you are a history buff, Montpelier is about a half hour drive from Charlottesville and is the home of James Madison. It's not as grand as Monticello, but it was okay. The other home, Highland, was the home of James Monroe and is located in Charlottesville. One thing I was not aware of is the original home burned down in 1829 after Monroe had sold the home. It was never rebuilt so what you are actually seeing on the property is a guest house the president never resided in. IF I had known this I would have thought twice about going there. They don't really put this information out there front and center. I only learned about it when I was there. They do have a history tour, but I think I would have probably skipped highlands. the downtown mall is nice, my friend and I got to see a free concert at the venue called the 'Ting' There are many shops and restaurants, but one caveat is there were many homeless there. There is a police presence there. Just thought I'd mention it. I took Amtrak and took their transit buses called CAT which are free. They don't run on Suns though. I did have to take Lyft to Monticello, there are no buses or shuttles to get to the property. There are also wineries and hiking trails in the Blue Ridge mountains to enjoy.

Conveniently location at the end of the mall area next to the pavilion, this is one of the most…read moreaccommodating Visitor's Centers I've ever been to. We stopped here for to-do suggestions for the day. The gentleman who helped us was friendly, asked how old the kids were and if there was anything we were particularly interested in. He mapped out options for us in three areas of town on the map, and made a great suggestions for breakfast. Definitely stop in here for top notch visitors info.

Stopped by at 9:15am on a Saturday, signage says opens at 9am, "Open" light was turned on, but…read moredoors were locked. Very annoying.

A nice Visitor Center for Winchester and the upper Shenandoah Valley. Brochures on the many…read morehistorical sites nearby are available as well as Winchester lodging and dining information. A film on the Civil War in the vicinity plays continuously and there are rotating special exhibits. Docents at the information desk will answer questions. There is a gift and souvenir display.