I first visited Lynchburg roughly 35 years ago for a weekend conference. I recall walking around downtown after 5 p.m. on a Friday, and it was empty. With no one in sight and not much to do, I ended up spending all my time in the conference hotel (yes, it’s still there, but the branding is different now) and left town with no compelling reason to return.
Twenty years ago, I did return to Lynchburg’s downtown with my three children in tow, drawn by Amazement Square, a children’s museum with four floors of interactive exhibits and learning opportunities. My kids, then roughly 2, 5, and 8, were all delighted and happily played for hours. Even better, after a late lunch, they all fell asleep for the car ride home.
We didn’t explore beyond Amazement Square that day or after any of our other daytrips, so I can’t pinpoint exactly when downtown Lynchburg began to change. But change it has, which I noticed even more on a recent visit. Now, I wish I still had our kids under my roof so I could throw them in the car for a long weekend, which is what you’ll need to fully explore this appealing, varied, and easy-to-navigate small city.
A River Runs Through It
As with so many towns and cities, Lynchburg came into being because of a river. Namesake John Lynch grew up in nearby New London, the seat of Bedford County. Despite that town’s success along a trading route, Lynch realized more business would be possible if there were an easy way to cross the Fluvanna River (now known as the James River). After Lynch established his ferry service in 1757 north of New London, a community developed along the hills by the river. In 1784, Lynch petitioned the General Assembly for a town charter, which was granted in 1786, creating the town of Lynchburg.
With the river offering both power and water, and the ferry enabling the easy transport of goods to Charlottesville and Richmond, the town expanded quickly. First came tobacco warehouses, then industry through the 19th and 20th centuries. The Lynchburg Hosiery Mill was a textile producer that made parachute material and cushioned socks for soldiers in World War II. The Craddock-Terry Shoe Company — now transformed into a boutique hotel anchoring one end of downtown — was once the fifth largest shoe company in the world, known for its boots and work shoes. Other industries included Lynchburg Foundry Company, which fashioned iron pipe and castings, and Lynchburg Cotton Mill.
Evidence of Lynchburg’s industrial past is readily visible downtown, as massive, historic brick buildings have been repurposed for modern business and residences. Now, people can stroll along the Bluffwalk, an elevated pedestrian walkway that starts at the Craddock Terry Hotel and extends to 10th Street Restaurants, and public art and a seating area offer plenty of interest for the eye. People live and work downtown, and there’s activity day and night. Lynchburg is a great place for a long weekend or an easy spring break trip. You don’t have to spend a lot of time getting there — no more than two hours by car from Richmond — and once you’re there, if you stay downtown, you can park your car and walk just about anywhere. Sites and activities that aren’t downtown are readily accessible. And there’s plenty to please family members of all ages. Fair warning, though: Lynchburg’s hills rival San Francisco’s, so plan your routes carefully, and if it’s a hot day, pace yourself.
Where to Explore
If you have at least one child under the age of 13, your first stop has to be Amazement Square (27 9th St., amazementsquare.org). Going far beyond what you might expect from a children’s museum, Amazement Square repurposed an insecticide manufacturing plant with the goal of engaging children at every stage. Budding artists will love Paint Box, where they can literally decorate the walls with their designs. Construction and engineer wannabes can explore Once Upon a Building, using pulleys and diggers to prepare a site or bring a design to fruition. My kids spent untold hours in Raceways and Voltageville, where golf balls demonstrate physics in real time. Special exhibitions rotate, but the most popular areas like On the James, an elevated replica of the James River, are always available.
For a great overview of the city and region’s history, visit the Lynchburg Museum & Visitor Center (901 Court St., lynchburgmuseum.org). Part of the appeal is just getting there. Situated inside the 1855 Old Court House, the museum is at the top of Monument Terrace, a combination war memorial and walkway. But if you’ve got a stroller in tow, take advantage of the citymaintained outdoor public elevator, which offers service between Church and Court streets on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Inside the museum, permanent exhibitions highlight the area’s history from its original Indigenous residents to more recent inhabitants, including NASA astronaut Leland Melvin who still calls Lynchburg home. Pick up a scavenger hunt at the information desk to play while you wander. Along the way, you can try on a period hat, compare what’s on your feet with the offerings in a Craddock Terry salesman’s shoe trunk, and rest a while on a passenger bench from the city’s old Union Station.
The Lynchburg Community Market Heritage Crafters Gallery and Artist Alley (1219 Main St., Tuesday–Saturday, 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Saturday 7 a.m–2 p.m.) features artisans at work. The Scrappy Elephant (829 Main St., scrappyelephant.com) helps anyone get their craft on thanks to their abundant selection of fabrics, markers, paper, and even wood and metal.
If the weather is cooperating, set aside plenty of time to explore the riverfront, either on foot or while cycling. The Craddock Terry Hotel makes bikes (and helmets!) available for adult-sized riders; for children’s bike rentals, visit Bikes Unlimited (1312 Jefferson St., bikesunlimited.com). You can walk or ride to Percival’s Island, stopping first at the LOVE sign at the base of Washington Street for a family selfie. Farther along Jefferson Street, kids will enjoy Riverfront Park’s playground, which debuted in 2025 and features a splash pad, large field, and ropes and rocks for imaginative play and movement. The padded surface cushions falls while still being accessible to wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Stroll down Blackwater Creek Trail to the Hollins Mill Tunnel, just over a mile from the park, and enjoy a sudden drop in temperature.
Night Life
The new Riverfront Park Amphitheater (1100 Jefferson St.) is the latest addition to Lynchburg’s downtown. Scheduled to open in spring 2026, the venue will offer live music, festivals, movies, and other community events. Be sure to check the schedule of the Academy Center of the Arts (600 Main St., academycenter.org) for plays and concerts.
More culture can be found courtesy of Jazz@720 (cammentertainment.com/720), which brings musicians to The Glass House restaurant (1019 Jefferson St.) on Friday nights. Tickets are $15-$20, and food and drinks are available. For an opportunity where parents can really school their kids, visit the Super Rad Arcade Bar (58 9th St., thesuperradarcade. com). With a flat per-person fee, everyone can try their hand at electronic games old and new: Tetris, Asteroid, pinball, Mario Brothers, Frogger, Pac-Man (and Ms. Pac-Man), and driving and motorcycle riding. Yes, it’s loud. And also, way cool.
Beyond Downtown
The Anne Spencer House & Garden Museum (1313 Pierce St., annespencermuseum.org) occupies the former home of renowned Harlem Renaissance poet Anne Spencer. A Virginia Landmark on the National Register of Historic Places, the interioris considered one of the most intact house museums in the nation with up to 95% of the original furnishings still in place. The garden, open sunrise to sunset, invites quiet contemplation in the trellis-enclosed patio or exploration via winding pathways and rubbing activity stations. You can even read some of Spencer’s poems, printed on hanging acrylic panels.
The Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College (1 Quinlan St., maiermuseum.org) features American art from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. Free and open to the public, the museum’s current structure was built to serve as a secure off-site location for the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. in the event of national emergency.
The campus of Liberty University holds the Liberty Mountain Snowflex Centre (4000 Candlers Mountain Road, liberty.edu/campusrec/snowflex), which offers year-round sledding, tubing, and skiing. With a synthetic surface atop natural slopes, a misting system mimics snow, allowing for lessons and practice at any time. Water-resistant attire is recommended, and long pants are a must to protect against scrapes from the synthetic surface. Be sure to visit the second floor of Barrick-Falwell Lodge, filled with donated hunting trophies including a polar bear pelt, moose head, standing grizzly bear, and various deer and birds.
A little farther afield, Thomas Jefferson’s private retreat Poplar Forest (1776 Poplar Forest Pkwy., poplarforest.org) offers Friday Field Days. With guidance from the historic landmark’s own archaeologists, visitors can learn about current on-site excavations and develop a fuller understanding of the lives led by everyone, both enslaved and free, who lived at Poplar Forest.
After leaving Poplar Forest, consider a stop at Givens Books & Little Dickens (2236 Lakeside Drive., givensbooks.com) for books, games, and other goodies to satisfy any interest.
Rest and Recharge
While downtown Lynchburg has private rental options, I think nothing beats a luxury hotel for ease and comfort. The Virginian Lynchburg (712 Church St., thevirginianhotel.com), is a Beaux Arts beauty. Built in the early 20th Century at the corner of 8th and Church streets, the hotel has been fully renovated and restored to its early glory. Anyone can visit Skyline, its rooftop bar and restaurant, in the afternoon and evenings, but only guests are welcome at breakfast.
At the other end of downtown is the Craddock Terry Hotel (1312 Commerce St., craddockterryhotel.com), where the lobby celebrates its history as a preeminent shoe manufacturer with historic shoes on display. Each guest room has a unique shoe door marker: flip flop, work boot, sneaker, etc. Perhaps best of all, guests who set a shoeshine box outside their door in the evening are rewarded with a simple breakfast (juice, muffin, yogurt, and fruit) to start the day off right. Guest rooms feature high ceilings, brick walls, and oversize windows with spectacular views.
However you do it, make Lynchburg a destination for 2026. You won’t be disappointed.
