We spent a gorgeous September afternoon at Chiles Peach Orchard, and it turned out to be a perfect…read moreday for apple picking. The staff greeted us with warm smiles and helpful tips, making the experience feel welcoming from the start. Their marketplace has a wide selection of apple varieties, most of them are ready for sampling. While wandering the rows, we stumbled upon a few new favorites--crisp, sweet, and just the right amount of tart. If you're looking for a family‑friendly outing with fresh fruit, friendly faces, and plenty of tasty discoveries, Chiles Peach Orchard is a must‑visit. Notes: This maybe not in their control - lantern flies were everywhere, they don't bite, but they are invasive bugs, be careful not to get hitchhikers. Also, they sometimes add an admission fee on specific picking days, so check their website beforehand to avoid surprises.

As summer was ending, we decided to stop by Chile's Peach Orchard…read more We were excited to try the peach soft serve and peach donuts. The soft serve was pretty good. It had some peach flavor, but honestly, nothing out of the ordinary. I was told the peach donuts were just all right, not as standout as others (apple cider donuts). What did stand out was the peach Bellini, which was really good, especially because it was such a hot day. We wanted to check out the peach orchard, but unfortunately, they had sold out for the day, so we weren't allowed to go. It was probably around two or three in the afternoon, so we were surprised they had shut down so early. We did enjoy the views and live music, which was really cool. Definitely check out their weekly events!

Discovered the IX Art Park, well looking for quirky roadside attractions to check in my travels…read more Ended up visiting the Famous Butt Statue, and stumbled upon a Farmers Market Enjoyed the hip, electric vibe and checking the art work out as I walked through the farmers market. Ended up purchase a leafy lettuce plant, to grow my own lettuce and salad turnips.

Vegan Festival at IX Art Park, absolutely fabulous. A great day for a vegan family with vegan teens…read more& young adult to enjoy great food, shop companionate wares, and listen to music on the subject that matters most for our planet: veganism!! Good set up with a stage, lots of space for booths, indoor restrooms, grass areas, picnic tables, and even swinging benches in a gazebo. Tons of modern art installations to ponder. The location is a decent drive from home but totally worth it as "veg fests" near us have tended to be vegetarian which, no thanks. If this is an annual event, it's definitely going to be a tradition for me and my family . First time out here makes me excited for more C-Ville VEGAN FESTIVALS to come.

We love this place and have been back three years in a row. It's a great family friendly experience…read morewith the BEST strawberry ice cream ever!

This place is absolutely stunning! Went out to pick blueberries and had an amazing time! Surrounded…read moreby mountains, not too busy, especially for a Saturday, and they had the best strawberry slushies I have ever had! We found it by accident, as we originally planned to pick somewhere else but they had been completely picked out of blueberries the day before. I came across Seaman's as I was googling other things to do in the area and am so glad I did! They had an abundance of delicious blueberries!

This is our second time coming to this Arts & Crafts Festival... what a nice drive from Richmond…read more I love Crozet, it's a cool area. They have this festival twice a year, spring and fall. Last fall we had a blast here. This year, in May, was a different story... but I'll get to that later. This festival is smaller that most I've been to but I like it because you can see everything in a short time. Plenty of parking. It's not expensive to get in, $7. There are door prizes given away every 1/2 hour (last year I won a quilt!) It's designed well, food trucks in the back, lots of picnics tables and seating under a large tent, and an even bigger tents housing all the artisans booths. Nice for those hot days like today. The band was good! Three guys and a gal playing accordion. We dug it! Cool songs. Now for the not so great... you know, you don't want to compare, but sometimes it's appropriate. So last year we spent a pretty penny and left with a load of cool crafts... handmade soaps, food stuffs, plants, jewelry (earrings $10), greeting cards, art work, etc. This year we left with nothing! Why? The prices were exorbitant. We noticed that this year all the booths we bought from last year were gone. In their place were expensive booths. Now I understand that creativity has its price, but these are local folks selling their crafts and art, it's not a museum. I won't belabor the point or delineate the number of times we were in sticker shock, suffice it to say we were disappointed. We all agreed to come back one more in the fall and see if the difference is a seasonal thing. If not, I highly doubt we will be venturing to the Crozet Festival again. I'll keep you posted and revise my review then. Empty handed and dismayed, we headed off to a nearby winery to drown our sorrows!! (Wink, wink)

We went out to a campground for a trip during Veterans day weekend. Before we set out to return to…read moreVB I wanted to visit this interesting museum that was in the area. Unfortunately the weather was cold and windy the whole time. But low and behold rental golf carts. We zoomed around to each location and really had a great time. The staff were so informative and really cared about the history being displayed. I really recommend coming to visit as a family and learn more about the area and what things were like for our ancestors.

I'd past this on numerous occasions whilst driving south on I-81 and decided that this would be the…read moreday when I would visit and check it out, having long been interested in Frontier life, particularly in America. Immediately upon my arrival just before noon on a Saturday in early april, I wished that I'd arrived closer to the opening hour as the main parking lot was packed and I ended up about a 5 minute brisk walk to the visitors center. Since I travel 81 somewhat frequently, I purchased an annual pass which cost $30. Be advised that there is considerable walking necessary, a total of 2 miles according to my walking app and fitness tracker, and not all is level.i enjoyed all of the exhibits, some of which were oridinal (from England) and were reassembled here. There was a demonstration on making stew in early England as well as nail making. Ireland and Germany were featured along with living historian type people, all of whom were amazingly knowledgeable. Having some lung issues, I needed to bolt from a smoky dwelling,neither from the stove or a coal-fired nail forge. There is a small gift shop in the visitors center where I purchased a hood sweatshirt, lio balm, and "dirt-scented" soap ( I could not resist!) It's a fun place for my interests, and I shall return, likely in mid-June. Next time I'll arrive earlier!

My first visit to the LockN music fest was guaranteed to be a great experience with Tedeschi Trucks…read moreheadlining. They really broke it out and delivered with the 12 epic musicians onstage collaborating. I will say that the new 'COVID friendly' format with the musicians spread over 3 weekends detracted from the festival vibe. With such a late start each day, camping onsite doesn't give you better access. Fewer bands, fewer vendors, and fewer food options as well... altho the food was great! Hoping for a return to the full day of music!

I went to LockN the first year they held it. I don't think ANYONE expected the kind of turnout it…read morereceived! I heard reports that the count was at 60,000 people that year! It has certainly calmed down a bit, and I hear that it's much more family friendly. But that first year was absolutely amazing. Don't get me wrong, there were tons of kids there, but as a parent, please be aware that if you're going with kids, you absolutely have to keep your eyes on them 100% of the time, they could easily get lost with that kind of turnout. I stood at a high point that first night, and I watched everyone milling around like ants on a lawn, it was like watching ants (except people were wearing glow stick necklaces, which made it even cooler). Truly amazing. I think the music was the best that first year too. Food vendors everywhere! The variety was unreal. The porta potty system was as expected, rough! But I gotta say they certainly tried!! Never seen so many porta potties in my life One of these days I will certainly go back when the music lineuo changes a bit. Hasn't been my music taste for a few years. But everyone reading, you should certainly go for the experience. Just be safe!

I've visited here thrice over 2 decades and learn something new every time. I went on a Saturdsy in…read moreearly April was was unreasonably warm at 80 degrees. Our tour guide Wanda was informative. A family with 4 children between ages 3 to 8 were the others on my tour. The parents indicated that they were being home schooled which to me explained their good behavior and genuine interest in history. Understandably, the presentation was geared to the 4 children which I was fine with. The adjoining museum holds a surprising amount of Jackson paraphernalia, and the attendants were most helpful. Heard of Stonewall Jackson but interested in Major Jackson the family man and husband? Then check this out!

I did not visit the house but I stopped and reviewed this wonderful historical marker that is…read moreplaced outside. It's worth pointing out that we're in the south and Virginia fought for the Confederacy which may be a problem for some. The marker has the same text on both sides, reading "Virginia Military Institute instructor Maj. Thomas J. Jackson (1824-1863) and his second wife, Mary Anna Morrison (1831-1915), bought this house in 1858. Built ca. 1801, this typical middle-class dwelling was the only house Jackson ever owned. Enslaved African Americans Amy, Hetty, George, Cyrus, and Emma worked and lived on the property. Jackson left Lexington in April 1861 to fight for the Confederacy. Later known as "Stonewall," he became a lieutenant general. Mary Anna Jackson moved to North Carolina but owned this house until 1906, when it became the community hospital. The house has been a museum since 1954 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places." This is marker number Q-11-a and was erected by the Department of Historic Resources in 2021. [Review 19589 overall - 1426 in Virginia - 560 of 2023.]

Lovely afternoon at The Paramount Theatre where we attended a ballet production of Snow White and…read morethe Seven Dwarves. Our tickets were inexpensive for genuinely good view of the stage in row J. Ushers were friendly and eager to assist everyone who needed help finding their seats. The antique decor, paintings of 17th century ladies & gents, and yellow upholstery all give an authentic live theater experience. There was a strange little wall mounted water fixture (see picture) that I really liked even though I'm not sure what it is practically for. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance. We expected live instruments and were surprised it was set to prerecorded orchestral music, but the sound quality was great so no worries. My only real complaint is that when we stopped by earlier that afternoon to buy our tickets, the fellow at the window seemed really put out . He answered our questions, but it felt like we were imposing on him. There was no one in line behind us and it's our first time going to a ballet since childhood, so we had some newbie questions. To engage with something like this for the first time is to step outside of our comfort zone, and I wish that the guy helping us had shown a more generous tone in the customer service department. His palpable annoyance very nearly scared us off buying tickets to this show at all.

This historical Theater is gorgeous! I'm so glad we came from out of town to see Mandy Patinkin…read morehere on a recent Sunday night. It was a short easy walk from our Home2Suites hotel. The lobby was nice. Bathrooms really nice. What a wonderful venue!