null Acres Ranch

It’s unlikely that you’ll ever drag yourself away from the farm, but if you do, there’s plenty of choice for adventures in the open air. You can try out kayaking, tubing and fishing on the Smith River – hire fishing gear at Smith River Outfitters (25 minutes) – or play football at the Smith River Sports Complex (15 minutes’ drive). Stride out along the Mountain Laurel Trails (20 minutes), or go exploring in a 4WD at Catfish ATV Trails and Pond. If you’re traveling with kids, Fairy Stone State Park (both half an hour) offers a sandy beach and a family-friendly splash park, or you can hire a kayak to explore the peaceful landscapes around forest-fringed Philpott Lake (45 minutes). For a change of pace (and scenery), discover dinosaur skeletons and fossils at the Virginia Museum of Natural History, or try your hand at drawing classes at Piedmont Arts in Martinsville (20 minutes), where there are also microbreweries, pizzerias and Mexican restaurants to keep your energy levels up.