It’s a great time to fall for this unique Virginia town
The classic downtown represents Americana at its finest. A combination of walkable streets, locally owned businesses and exclusive lodging options are moving Wytheville to the top of many must-do travel lists.
Wytheville has long surpassed its popularity as a stopover point at the crossroads of two major Interstates (I-77 and I-81) in Southwest Virginia. Now it’s a destination unto itself. It’s an authentic place with remarkable stories to tell, in a downtown that combines hometown comforts with unique surprises. As temperatures fall and seasons change, this is an excellent time and the perfect place to get out and explore.
Dining is a great place to start. There are eateries offering most any kind of fare. For a heartier meal or breakfast all day, Grayson’s Restaurant (100 Grayson Turnpike, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) is a favorite. Here, home-cooked, Southern-style meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner, are the specialty.
Those looking for local brews are in luck. Wytheville has hit lucky number seven twice! Two craft breweries are new to the downtown scene and have quickly become mainstays. 7 Dogs Brew Pub (360 West Spring Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) and Seven Sisters Brewery (355 East Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) each feature a family-friendly atmosphere with live music and, of course, locally brewed craft beers. At 7 Dogs, pub-style dining and Seven Sisters’ line up of food trucks offer delicious, casual menus.
For dinner, there is no place like the Log House 1776 Restaurant (520 East Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382). It offers fine dining in an 18th century, two-story log cabin. The extensive menu includes traditional favorites and dining areas include open spaces and private rooms. Its Christopher’s Lounge is a favorite night spot and, outside, the country garden only adds to ambiance.
Wytheville is also a great spot for dinner and a show. The Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre (170 Malin Drive, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) is a 200-seat German-themed venue which presents Broadway-style professional productions. A four-course, themed, plated meal is served before each performance and every seat in the house is a good one. The theater is also home to the Red Stag Restaurant, a full-service restaurant specializing in German favorites, as well as American fare.
Two of the gems of downtown Wytheville are its very special lodging options, both with a nod to the town’s storied history. The boutique Bolling Wilson Hotel (170 East Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) is part of the Ascend Hotel Collection and offers 30 luxurious guest rooms, Graze On Main restaurant and a rooftop lounge. Just blocks away, the Trinkle Mansion Bed and Breakfast (525 West Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) has four guest rooms in its grand historic home, as well as a quaint garden cottage. The mansion was named in the top 10 B & Bs in the country by 2019 Trip Advisor reviews.
The Trinkle Mansion was originally the home of William Trinkle, a gentleman farmer from a prominent Wythe County family (his brother was Virginia’s governor from 1922 to 1926). The hotel shares a name with many other entities here, the hometown of First Lady Edith Bolling Wilson. Often called the “secret President” and the “first woman President” by historians, Wilson’s amazing story is told at the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum (145 East Main Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382). This museum is one of only eight historic sites across the country dedicated to the interpretation of a first lady.
It is one of Wytheville’s five museums, each with its own stories to tell. The details of the dire “summer without children” polio epidemic, along with much more, are on display at the Thomas J. Boyd Museum (295 Tazewell Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382). The Great Lakes to Florida Highway Museum (975 Tazewell Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) offers a look back to a time when Route 21 was the primary route to Florida from the Midwest. Nearby, the Haller-Gibboney Rock House (205 East Tazewell Street, Wytheville, Virginia 24382) was the home of Wytheville’s first resident physician. Dr. John Haller, his family and their descendants, lived in the home for 140 years as it was used as an infirmary and a school during the Civil War and later as a boarding house. The Wytheville Training School Cultural Center (410 East Franklin Street, Wytheville Virginia 24382) is the region’s only African American heritage museum. Constructed in 1882 as a school for African American children, it now displays photos, stories and memorabilia telling the history of African American education in Wythe County.
There is so much more than history here. Of course, there is shopping! There is an impressive array of local retailers, sure to satisfy and delight those looking for antiques, crafts and unique gift ideas. Specialty stores range from fine jewelry to local crafts to handmade furniture. And few can resist taking a photo of the “biggest pencil in Virginia,” on display downtown.
To begin the journey, check out VisitWytheville.com and plan a visit to this unique downtown and diverse destination. It’s a combination that proves there’s only one Wytheville!
If you go
Outside of town, the Southwest Virginia landscape gives visitors even more reasons to extend a stay in Wytheville and enjoy the beauty and diversity of the outdoor attractions. There are scenic mountain vistas, premier hiking and biking trails, protected lands and pristine waters for some of the best fishing in the region.