It's fall break time for Lynchburg City Schools students and their parents. Students will have early dismissal on Thursday, Oct. 5 and be out of school from Friday, Oct. 6 through the following weekend. Some students will be invited to attend Intersession Days on Oct. 9-11. You may have the week off from work, are taking a few days off or working short days, or are sending the kiddos to Camp Grandma for the week. Day trips are a great way to break up the week without breaking the bank. These family field trips will keep the kids busy and you'll still be home in time for dinner.
Visit a pumpkin patch or corn maze. Check out our Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze guide for more information, including location and hours for area pumpkin patches and corn mazes.
Load up the car and head to the nearest apple orchard. You'll find information in our Apple Orchard guide about local orchards, including festival dates and orchards offering pick-your-own apples.
Fall is the perfect time to enjoy a family hike. Stay close to home or head to the Appalachian Trail for an exciting family adventure. Whether your kids are toddlers or teens, the 2,190 mile AT will bring you face-to-face with nature. The AT stretches from Springer Mountain in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, with approximately one-quarter of the AT's miles located in Virginia. There are many AT access points within an hour's drive, including: James River Foot Bridge off Route 501 near Big Island, Tye River parking lot on Route 56 in Montebello, and multiple parking areas on the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive. Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step" so hit the trail for fall break.
Pack a picnic lunch and take a drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Stop at overlooks along the way to enjoy the scenery. There are numerous places where the kids can wade in streams or cross bridges. Check out our Blue Ridge Parkway hiking guide for some fun family hikes to try while you're there.
Visit Natural Bridge State Park, located about an hour from Lynchburg at 6477 South Lee Highway in Natural Bridge. The 215-foot tall Natural Bridge was once owned by Thomas Jefferson and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are six miles of hiking trails in the park, including the accessible Cedar Creek Trail that leads from the bridge to the Monacan Indian Village and Lace Falls with its 30-foot cascade.
If your family enjoys biking on the Blackwater Creek Bikeway, you'll really love High Bridge Trail State Park. The former rail bed is 31 miles long and is wide, level and mostly flat -- perfect for kids of all ages. Kids will love the High Bridge, which is more than 2,400 feet long and 125 feet above the Appomattox River. It's the longest recreational bridge in Virginia and is among the longest in the United States. High Bridge, a Virginia Historic Landmark, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Check the Virginia State Parks website link above for parking information.
Take a short drive down the road to Altavista and check out the Scarecrow Stroll, with scarecrows located outside of many businesses. Vote for your favorite scarecrow and be sure to take some family photos with the displays. While you're in Altavista, check out Shreve Park, home of the First Saturday Trade Lot, or English Park, home of the annual Uncle Billy's Day celebration. Both offer playground areas and English Park, located beside the Staunton River, also offers walking and hiking trails to enjoy.
Virginia Discovery Museum is located at 524 East Main Street on the Downtown Mall in Charlottesville. Kids must be accompanied by an adult and little ones under 1 year old are free. The museum is open from 10-5 Monday through Saturday. Exhibits include: Gravity Wall, Automoblox and Train Table in the Discovery Garage; a 1700s house and stable in the Virginia Heritage Area; Open Studio for creating artistic masterpieces; a kid-friendly Post Office, Discovery Station Firehouse, UVA Children's Hospital and Panera Bread where your little one can have fun trying out a career and lots more.
Mill Mountain Zoo is located in Downtown Roanoke, atop Mill Mountain. Open daily from 10-5, Mill Mountain Zoo can be accessed from I-81/581, downtown Roanoke and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of the animals you'll see at Mill Mountain are: the Red Wolf, Eurasian Lynx, Red Panda, Snow Leopard, other mammals and a variety of reptiles and birds. Kids ages 2 and under are free. While you're on Mill Mountain, check out the Mill Mountain Star. You've seen it from a distance, but it looks much bigger close-up.
Virginia Museum of Transportation is open 10-5 Monday through Saturday and 1-5 on Sundays (closed on major holidays). The museum's collection includes 2,500 transportation items, including the largest collection of diesel locomotives in the South. Children ages 2 and under are admitted free. In addition to a number of rail transportation exhibits, kids of all ages will also enjoy road transportation exhibits, air and space exhibits, a maritime gallery, transportation-themed playground and much more.
Center in the Square, located at One Market Square SE in downtown Roanoke, houses four museums and a theatre within a single building. The museums include: Roanoke Pinball Museum, Harrison Museum of African American Culture, History Museum of Western Virginia/O Winston Link Museum, Kids Square, and the Science Museum of Western Virginia with butterfly garden. Most of the museums are closed on Mondays and open 10-5 Tuesday through Saturday, except Roanoke Pinball Museum which opens at 11. Some museums also offer Sunday hours. Visit one museum or purchase Center Passes to enjoy the entire Center in the Square experience. Check the website for ticket pricing.
Maymont Park is located at 1700 Hampton Street in Richmond. The 100-acre Victorian estate of Maymont was gifted to the city of Richmond by James and Sallie Dooley to be preserved for new generations. The grounds, gardens, children's farm and wildlife exhibits are open daily from 10-5. Maymont Mansion, Carriage Collection, Nature and Visitor Center and snack and souvenir shops are closed on Mondays. Admission to Maymont Park is free; however, donations are suggested and appreciated.Pack a lunch to enjoy on the grounds, stroll through the gardens, check out the animal exhibits, and enjoy a day of family fun.
The Frontier Culture Museum, located at 1290 Richmond Road in Staunton, is open daily from 9-5 with "living history" interpreters to bring history to life for your family. Check out the annual Oktoberfest celebration on Saturday, October 7th at the Frontier Culture Museum. The festival opens at 12:00 noon and includes traditional food, dancing, good beer, authentic music, and plenty of fun for all ages. Exhibits include: a 1600s English Farm, 1700s German Farm, 1700s Irish Forge, 1700s Irish Farm, 1700s West African Farm, 1700s Ganatastwi (Native American exhibit), 1740s American Farm, 1820s American Farm, 1850s American Farm and Early American Schoolhouse. Kids under 6 years are free and school-age kids receive discounted admission. Kids and adults can learn a lot about the history of thousands of people who migrated to Colonial America at the Frontier Culture Museum.
Virginia Museum of Natural History is located at 21 Starling Avenue in Martinsville. Open Monday through Saturday from 9-5, exhibits include: Dinosaurs, Hall of Ancient Life, Ice Age, Uncovering Virginia, How Nature Works, an interactive exhibit featuring plants, animals and rocks; as well as exhibits on biodiversity, fossils, Virginia's watersheds, animal skeletons, leafcutter ants, traveling exhibits, and the Discovery Reef play area. Kids under age 3 are admitted free.
Danville Science Center, located at 677 Craghead Street, is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30-5 and Sundays from 11:30-5. See the website for Digital Dome Theater showtimes. Exhibits include: Science on a Sphere, with computers and projectors displaying animated data; Fundamentals of Science, where you'll learn about biology, gravity, friction, force, light and magnetism; the Estelle H. Womack Natural History Collection; two special seasonal exhibits; and a special hands-on learning area for ages 3-7. Kids under 3 years are admitted free.
Greensboro Science Center is located at 4301 Lawndale Drive in Greensboro, NC. You can enjoy an outdoor zoo, aquarium, and lots of interactive exhibits all in one place at Greensboro Science Center. There's also a fun old school carousel to ride, shows in the OmniSphere Theater and Adventure Theater, and more. There's also FLYWAY zipline and SKYWILD ropes and adventure course, both for ages 8 and older participants in good health, and both require additional fees. Greensboro Science Center is open year-round from 9 AM - 5 PM daily and closed on major holidays.
Metro Richmond Zoo is located at 8300 Beaver Bridge Road in Moseley, about an hour and a half from Lynchburg and just west of Richmond. Virginia's Largest zoological park, the Metro Richmond Zoo is home to 2,000 animals from around the world. There's a children's petting area with barnyard animals. You can also feed the bigger animals and attend keeper talks to learn more about the animals, There are extra fees to ride the safari sky lift, safari train, jungle carousel, and penguin falls drop tower or you can purchase an unlimited ride band to enjoy on your visit. The Treetop Zoofari for ages 8 and older and the Junior Explorer Course for ages 4 and older will challenge the adventurous and both require additional fees. Metro Richmond Zoo is open Monday through Saturday from 9:30 AM - 5 PM and closed on Sundays and major holidays.
Check out the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid Fall Family Fun Bucket List for more fun ideas to keep your family busy during Fall Break and beyond.
Choose one or more family day trip destinations or have fun around Lynchburg at Amazement Square, Kids Cove, Nature Zone, Lynchburg Museum, Bounce About, Jump Lynchburg Trampoline Park, FunQuest, Putt-Putt Fun Center, Rise Up Climbing, Jump N Fun, Snowflex or one of the many parks or trails in Lynchburg. However you spend the week, enjoy making memories together.
