Outdoors Attractions

Experience the great outdoors with Choice Hotels®. Our Virginia hotels are conveniently located near a number of picturesque gardens, stunning parks, and astounding wildlife. Take a look at the scenery and greenery that Virginia offers.

In Central Virginia

Belle Isle Historic Park
Hillcrest Avenue and Riverside Drive
Richmond, VA   23221
804-780-5311

World-class nature is what awaits visitors to this gorgeous outdoors expanse. Serving as a Native American fishing village in times of old, it's easy to see the draw the location had to the native inhabitants of the area. The wildlife here has been wonderfully preserved in its original state, and you'll witness plants and animals which thrive in the area, as well as some fascinating stone ruins from days past.

Bear Creek Lake State Park
929 Oak Hill Road
Cumberland, VA   23040
804-492-4410

Experience the wonder of Bear Creek Lake State Park, a location which is tidily nestled in the heart of the Cumberland State Forest. Bear Creek Lake is where the locals go to spend a day cooling off from the sun; an hour from Richmond, it's the perfect location for an out-of-city respite. Enjoy countless water activities ranging from swimming and fishing to a wonderful marina, and afterwards don't miss the wonderful hiking opportunities which await visitors in the surrounding wilderness.

In Chesapeake Bay

Beaverdam Park
8687 Roaring Springs Road
Gloucester, VA   23061
804-693-2107

Beaverdam Park offers some of the most avid outdoors activities in the country. Experience the only public freshwater fishing available to visitors of the Middle Peninsula through activities like boating and canoeing - both of which can be arranged through convenient local rental services. 635 pristine acres of water offer some of the prime fishing and paddling in the state of Virginia.

Belle Isle State Park
Route 3
Lancaster, VA   22503
804-462-5030

Wander through 733 gorgeous wooded acres of forestland, and you're sure to see why this fabulous outdoors destination was christened as a state park. Explore a wider variety of landscapes as you wander through tidal wetlands and agricultural fields before stumbling upon heavily wooded upland forests. Hiking, biking and bridle trailing are at their prime at Belle Isle State Park, the perfect location for your long-awaited natural respite.

In the Eastern Shore Region

Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge
5003 Hallet Circle
Cape Charles, VA   23310

Hoping to get up-close and personal with some of your favorite animals, both domestic and rare? Pay a visit to Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge, where the opportunity to get re-acquainted with the lively side of nature rears its multi-species head. From migratory songbirds which make their massive way through the refuge to stunning packs of butterflies, there's a creature for everyone's desire at this fantastic natural attraction.

In Northern Virginia

Burke Lake Park
7315 Ox Road
Fairfax Station, VA   22039

Enjoy the valuable experiences offered at Burke Lake Park, which is where the inhabitants of Fairfax Station, Virginia go for a day spent in the joyous shade of nature. Enjoy recreation which ranges from traditional hiking trails to rare oddities like a prime disk golf course. Afterwards, Take full advantage of the outdoors on a fitness trail which will pit your body against the forces of nature.

In the Tidewater/Hampton Roads Region

Colonial National Historical Park
1368 Colonial Parkway
Williamsburg, VA   23081
757-898-2410

Want to experience all the beauty of nature without straying far from the annals of history? Consider paying a visit to pristine Colonial National Historical Park, which lives up to every aspect of its dually situated name. Two of the most historically significant sites on the continent can be found in the park, as can 23 miles of scenic wilderness.

In the Shenandoah Valley

Appalachian Trail
5 W. Back Street
Fincastle, VA   24090
520-473-1167

Experience the country's premier hiking trail as it passes through Botetourt on its gorgeous expanse, which ranges from the state of Georgia in the south to the state of Maine at the country's northernmost crest. Enjoy scenic views of some of the most beautiful nature in the state of Virginia, and afterwards enjoy a trailside picnic.

In the Blue Ridge Highlands

Cascades National Recreation Trail
100 S. Park Drive
Blacksburg, VA   24060
540-552-4641

Looking to experience the hike of a lifetime? Visit the Cascades National Recreation Trail, where you'll find a 4-mile round-trip trail which meanders through some of the most picturesque lands known to the state of Virginia. Hike alongside a gorgeous, shaded creek, eventually reaching a dramatic 70-foot-high waterfall - all within gorgeous Jefferson National Forest.

Shenandoah River Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. State Park
Daughter of Stars Drive
Bentonville, VA   22610
540-622-6840

The name may be a bit of a mouthful, but we're willing to bet that a visit to Shenandoah River Raymond R. "Andy" Guest Jr. State Park will reward guests with a rich and entertaining outdoors experience. Situated on the gorgeous South Fork of the Shenandoah River, the park contains more than 1,600 acres, much of which enjoys a healthy commune with gorgeous river shoreline.

In the Heart of Appalachia Region

Gap Caverns
US 25E South
Middlesboro, VA   40965
606-248-2817

Experience the beauty of the subterranean realm of the earth at Gap Caverns. See a side of Virginia that few will ever witness, and you'll be startled at what you find: this gorgeous, quintessential cavern features dramatic stalactite formations and an underground creek which will spark your mind's curiosity as to what else lies out of sight.

In Southern Virginia

Birding & Wildlife Trail: Philpott Lake Dam and Overlook
1058 Philpott Dam Road
Bassett, VA   24055
276-629-2703

One of the most beautiful views in the state of Virginia awaits visitors who explore the Philpott Lake Dam and Overlook, conveniently located along the beautiful, picturesque Birding and Wildlife Trail. View wilderness which ranges from adorable pine and yellow-throated warblers to the hard-to-spot brown-headed nuthatch which scurries its endearingly frantic way through treetops and wooded shrapnel.

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