A Fun-Filled Fall Getaway To Wytheville, VA
Picturesque outdoor scenes of colorful foliage; hayrides and haunted houses; festivals and farm-fresh goodies—there’s so much to love about the fall season.
And there’s no better place to soak up the best of this enchanting season than Wytheville, a unique destination nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of southwest Virginia.
Whether you’re planning a getaway for two or a trip for the whole crew, you’ll find everything you’re looking for in our small town with big adventures.
Pack up the family for a fall vacation in Wytheville, VA, where farm fun, haunted houses, scenic drives, and artsy attractions await.
Fun on the Farm
The kiddos will love all the Fall on the Farm festivities waiting at Richdale Farm, a 650-acre, 5th-generation family-owned farm. Take a hayride to the hillside slide; navigate your way out of the winding corn maze; take your best shot with the apple cannon; and pick out the perfect pumpkin to take home and carve a masterpiece jack-o-lantern with.
Keep the farm fun going with a visit to Williams Orchard on W. Lee Hwy. This family-owned-and-operated farm hosts their Fall Festival every weekend in October, with activities ranging from hayrides and corn mazes to pumpkin-picking, pumpkin launchers and apple shooters, and more. The festival takes place on Saturdays 10am-5pm and Sundays 12-5pm.
Don’t let your visit to Williams Orchard end without shopping the wide selection of seasonal treats, farm-fresh fruits and vegetables, fall mums, sweet corn, canned goods, and more at their on-site store.
Hikes and Hand-crafted Wines
While you may be familiar with Beagle Ridge Herb Farm for its gorgeous lavender and herb gardens and walk-through butterfly house, the 210-acre farm also features undeveloped wilderness that you can explore on a guided tour, as well as remote trails that are great for hiking. Make plans to visit this natural wonderland for an unforgettable day immersed in the beautiful Wytheville outdoors.
After a long day of festivities and outdoor adventures, there’s no better place to wind down than West Wind Farm Vineyard & Winery. Here you’ll find an impressive selection of small batch, hand-crafted wines made from grapes grown right on this fourth-generation farm using age-old wine-making methods. Even more special? Each and every batch is hand-tended from harvest to bottle by the family.
While you’re there, be sure to visit the tasting room and browse the diverse selection of unique gifts, gourmet snacks, and home décor to take home from your Wytheville trip.
Horror-Filled Haunted Houses and Attractions
Get your heart racing and adrenaline pumping at Wytheville’s haunted houses and other scare-filled attractions.
The spooky sights and sounds in the post-apocalyptic maze of hallways and rooms at the award-winning Helheim Haunted Attraction will send you running for the hills! The 2022 season is expected to be their biggest and best yet. Follow them on Facebook for updates on dates, tickets, and more.
If you’ve ever wanted to experience a “real” haunted house, look no further than Haunted Graham Mansion, located just outside of Wytheville in Max Meadows, Virginia. This historic mansion was officially deemed haunted by the SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters and has become one of the area’s haunt-season hot spots. You can experience a spook-filled time at the mansion every Friday and Saturday night from September 30th through October 29th.
Another unique, can’t-miss experience is Dinner with a Ghost at the 1870 Octagon Mansion History Museum, which is known for having active paranormal activity. The evening begins with champagne and a delicious 4-course, chef-prepared gourmet meal. Guests then take part in a fascinating two-hour paranormal investigation, complete with digital audio recorders, alarms, REM-pods, motion detectors, K-2 Meters, and DVR cameras.
Scenic Drives to Soak up the Fall Foliage
Easily one of the best parts of the fall season in Wytheville is the brilliantly colored Blue Ridge Mountains, with rich waves of red, orange, and yellow hues. Paired with the cool, crisp autumn air, and the only thing that could be better is a scenic drive to take it all in.
Bring your motorcycle or travel by car for a leisurely ride taking in the stunning fall scenery along the winding loops of the Claw of the Dragon Motorcycle Trail and the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway.
One of the most popular bike rides in the South among motorcycle enthusiasts, the 200-mile Claw of the Dragon traverses southwest Virginia’s captivating back roads, looping through the Blue Ridge Mountains, and takes visitors to parts of seven different Virginia counties. The trail’s epicenter is located in none other than picturesque Wytheville.
No matter what season you’re visiting Wytheville, a drive along the nearby Blue Ridge Parkway—“America’s Favorite Drive”—is a must. However, the fall season offers an unmatched beauty of the most breathtaking scenery found along the 500-mile parkway that follows the majestic Appalachian Mountains, all the way from Shenandoah National Park in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina.
Downtown Wytheville’s Art Scene
When you’ve had your fill of farm fun, haunted houses, and scenic drives admiring the Virginia fall foliage, slow things down with a stroll in Downtown Wytheville and explore the city’s vibrant art scene.
Formato Fine Arts
Formato Fine Arts on W. Main Street is a women-led art gallery, featuring the works of emerging and established local artists. Stop by there Tuesday through Saturday from 12-5pm to see the wide range of interesting pieces, from paintings, sculptures, and prints, to photography and performance art.
You can purchase pieces from the gallery, as well as a range of eclectic items from the gift shop. For an engaging, hands-on experience, you can take a two-hour painting class and leave with a truly one-of-a-kind trip souvenir to cherish for years to come.
Laurel Creek Pottery
Immerse yourself in the heritage of Appalachia at Laurel Creek Pottery, a pottery studio and folk-art gallery located in a late-1800s log cabin on E. Main Street. Here you’ll not only get a first-hand look at the town’s history but also a chance to enjoy a working, barrel-fired ceramics shop.
The shop is open Monday and Wednesday through Saturday from 11am-6pm. If you visit on Friday between 3–6pm, you’re in for a real treat! You can catch Laurel Creek Pottery’s owner, Laura Abbey, doing a live demonstration of her ceramic creation process.
Laurel Creek hosts events and workshops throughout the year, so be sure to check out their calendar to see if your visit lines up with an upcoming event!
Rose Cottage School of Art
On E. Spring Street, you’ll find a creative paradise known as the Rose Cottage School of Art. This unique organization is an artistic hub, where you can take fine art and music lessons and participate in camps and paint nights, as well as a variety of workshops by visiting artisans.
Check out their Facebook page before your visit to Wytheville to see the line-up of upcoming classes, events, camps, and more.
Wytheville’s Theatre Experiences
In addition to an awesome art community, Wytheville is home to unique theatre experiences you won’t soon forget. And with the weather cooling down, local theatres are heating up with a season full of entertainment.
You can look forward to Broadway-style professional productions and four-course plated meals customized to fit the theme of the production at Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre, the only all-musical dinner theater in the state. During the warmer months, the Bier Garten is open for cafe-style dining as well.
Soon, visitors will be able to catch live music and theatrical performances at the historic Millwald Theatre, slated to open later this year. “While a date has not yet been announced, a reopening debut concert is tentatively being planned for the fall,” according to the theatre’s new Executive Director. Follow them on Facebook for the latest updates.
