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June is Great Outdoors Month: Smith Mountain Lake Family Fun

The beach is less than an hour from Lynchburg at Smith Mountain Lake State Park!

By Sandy Wallace May 26, 2023

June is Great Outdoors Month, a month dedicated to celebrate America's outdoor treasures. Head to Smith Mountain Lake State Park for family fun during the month of June. With a little planning and a short drive, your family can enjoy a day at the beach, a hike in the woods, a kayak or canoe ride on the lake, a camping trip or lots of fun self-guided activities. Smith Mountain Lake State Park is one of 41 Virginia State Parks, located throughout the Commonwealth.

Our family has two favorite activities at Smith Mountain Lake. The activity we enjoy most often is swimming in the lake. At the public swimming beach, we bring floats and rafts to enjoy the gentle waves and watch the boats speeding across the lake. Sometimes we bring a picnic lunch to enjoy in the shelter, but there's also a variety of foods available for purchase at the concession stand. The kids love taking a paddle boat out on the lake. Boat rentals (canoes, kayaks, hydrobikes, paddle boats, pontoon boats, ski boats and jet skis) are available from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Our other favorite Smith Mountain Lake activity is renting a pontoon boat to enjoy on the open waters of SML. This has become an annual family fun day for us. We rent the boat and a tube to pull behind the boat for the entire day. Rentals are available at the public beach, as well as at local marinas. The kids love riding the waves behind the boat, as well as dropping anchor in hidden coves for some swimming time. Everyone's pretty worn out at the end of the day ... a sign of a successful family fun day!

Everyone loves the ice cream boat, which pulls up to the dock throughout the day. There's nothing like cold ice cream on a hot summer day!

Plan a family trip to Smith Mountain Lake State Park this month. You will pay a small fee for parking and the admission fee to the lake is very reasonable. Bring your own floats and use the free inflation station to fill them up. Find your family fun at Smith Mountain Lake!

Check out the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid Parks Guide for information about all of the parks in the Lynchburg area. Celebrate Great Outdoors Month during the month of June and make outdoor memories that will last forever. 

Here's more reasons and ideas for ways to get outdoors during June: 

Here are 10 ways to get outside more in the Lynchburg area - Celebrate Great Outdoors Month during June!

10 Lynchburg VA Area Places to Ride Bikes - Find a new to you bike trail or visit all of the local biking trails.

Plan Ahead for FREE Fishing Days in Virginia - This year, June 2-4 are Free Fishing Days in Virginia.

Hit the Trails on June 3 for National Trails Day® - Check out our favorite local hikes on American Hiking Society's National Trails Day.

Lynchburg Virginia Area Parks Guide - Visit a local park on June 10, National Get Outdoors Day.

Join the Great American Campout This Summer - The Great American Campout is observed this year on June 24.

Take an Outdoor Challenge This Summer - Here's 10 outdoor challenges to take with your family this summer!

Stay up to date with all of the family-friendly activities and events in the Lynchburg area this summer with the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid event calendar. Like us on Facebook for plan ahead event information, happenings around town and more. Our 25 Free and Cheap Ways to Enjoy Summer guide will help you Find Your Family Fun® in the Lynchburg area without breaking the bank all summer long.