Ashley & Josh
Things To Do
The Draper Mercantile and Trading Company
Locals call this place "The Merc," and it is absolutely delightful! The quaint Draper Village features an awesome coffee shop for brunch/lunch, retail shopping, a tea shop, and more! Plus it's within walking distance of the New River Trail.
New River Trail State Park
Right across from The Merc is parking for The New River Trail, one of Josh and my very favorite places in the region. Featuring several miles of (paved!) trail perfect for a long walk or a bike ride. If you go far enough (about two miles!) you'll get a stunning view of the New River itself - the oldest river in North America!
Spinning Jenny Vineyard
This tiny, family-owned vineyard has delicious wine, great views of the mountains, and a super friendly, small-town atmosphere. It's a perfect place to relax for a couple hours while snacking on a cheese plate.
Bisset Park
Bisset Park is a HUGE public park in the heart of downtown Radford, with hiking trails, walking trails and New River access. Because of Radford University nearby, downtown boasts lots of activity and retail/restaurant locations. Josh and I really love Long Way Brewing, which is inside a repurposed church and about a two-minute drive from the park!
Downtown Blacksburg
If you're up for a bit of a drive, there's obviously a ton going on in Downtown Blacksburg. (Keep in mind, our wedding does fall on a home football weekend at Virginia Tech, so there will be traffic.) For dinner, Josh and I really like Cabo Fish Taco or Gillie's (a vegetarian restaurant!) The Hahn Horticulture Garden at Virginia Tech is beautiful any time of year (and where we took engagement photos!) The Lyric Theater is iconic in Blacksburg and a great place to catch a movie or show.
Sinkland Farms
October is the *perfect* time to visit Sinkland Farms, which hosts an amazing Fall Festival for the entire month! (In fact, Josh and I thought we might get married here because it's so close to home and has awesome mountain views, but they stay so busy with pumpkin-picking they don't even book October weddings!) The festival includes lots of good food and other events, too.