For a book nerd like me, it doesn’t get much cooler than visiting a place you’ve read about in a novel. We’ve gotten to do a lot of this since my older daughter and I read Virginia is for Adventurers by Tara Z. Fisher, a fun chapter book whose scavenger hunt plot takes readers on an adventure all over the state (if you’d like more information, I’ve written a lot about this book and its awesome author here and here).
From the moment we finished the very first chapter, my daughter was obsessed with the idea of exploring Wytheville, VA, the main character’s hometown. During our Southwest Virginia vacation this past summer, we finally had the opportunity to stop by for a visit. We did so during our special Mom-and-Big-Kid Day while my husband and toddler were having some quality time together. Wytheville was Activity #2, sandwiched between Hungry Mother Outdoor Adventures Zipline and Soho Xcursions Aquapark – we crammed a lot into one day!
We arrived in Wytheville at around 11:30am on a sunny summer Saturday, so our first stop was a quick pass through the Wytheville Farmers Market before its noon closure. Open every Saturday morning from May through October and every second and fourth Saturday from January to April, the market stalls dot the interior of a building and the adjacent open-air pavilion. We noted everything from produce and baked goods to crafts and fresh flowers. There was even a special area for little kids that my toddler would have loved.
After checking out the Farmers Market, we strolled through a pedestrian alleyway adorned with plant life and overhead lights. I bet it’s lovely in the evening.
The alleyway brought us to Main Street, where we were met with the most iconic landmark in the town: the 30-foot-tall pencil outside of Wytheville Office Supply. Reminiscent of the nostalgic giant roadside attractions of yesteryear, the giant pencil has been delighting visitors for three quarters of a century. Though the store was closed when we visited, we made “a point” of photographing the enormous writing utensil.
The pencil isn’t the only oversized object on Main Street. Just a few doors down from Wytheville Office Supply, The Paint Store has its own claim to fame.
By the time we got our fill of giant inanimate objects, we were ready for lunch. We crossed the street and headed to Skeeter’s.
A local institution, Skeeter’s has been selling its famous hotdogs for nearly 100 years. In Chapter 1 of Virginia is for Adventurers, Meg expresses her love for Skeeter Dogs, so I knew we would be stopping by. My daughter was particularly excited to eat there because Tara Z. Fisher had surprised her with a Skeeter’s t-shirt during an author visit at her school, and she was wearing it for our Wytheville excursion. The delightful employees noticed it and joked that they were going to put her to work, which she found very funny.
Note that Skeeter’s is open seasonally, so check the website before you visit to make sure it’s open.
When we were done eating, we wandered just a few hundred feet to the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum next door. Undoubtedly Wytheville’s most famous past resident, First Lady Edith Bolling Wilson was President Woodrow Wilson’s second wife, whom he married while still in office. The free museum is located in the building where she was born and raised alongside her ten siblings. We watched a video about her life, read through a timeline on the wall, and checked out some of the memorabilia. I learned some interesting facts about her, including that she was the first woman in Washington, DC to drive an electric car, and she was the first honorary president of the Girl Scouts (something I appreciated as a former scout and current leader).
The knowledgeable docent kindly led us upstairs to the living quarters, which is undergoing restoration. It was a unique little peak into the past.
Once our tour was complete, we walked back across the street to the Bolling Wilson Hotel. Though not associated with the former First Lady, the beautiful historic hotel was given her name as a means of attracting out-of-town guests.
We went inside the hotel and asked if we could go up to the Perch, the hotel’s seasonal rooftop bar. The receptionist gave us permission since the bar wasn’t open yet (during operating hours, children are not allowed up there). The Perch offers fabulous views of Main Street, surrounding neighborhoods, and gorgeous mountains in the distance.
After climbing down from the Perch, we wandered back up Main Street on the hunt for Wytheville’s LOVEwork. Our search took us down a different pedestrian alleyway, which was decorated with a mural timeline of key events from Edith Bolling Wilson’s life.
Eventually, we reached the large LOVEwork in front of Wither’s Park and near the town’s public pool. The art installation pays homage to the area’s railroad history, the hot air balloon painted on Wytheville’s water tower, the intersection of two important highways, and the significance of baseball in the town’s history.
Although we had been exploring on foot up until this point, our last stop in the Wytheville area (and another location in the book) required a 20-minute car ride up a windy mountain road. Located on top of Big Walker Mountain, Big Walker Lookout is a 100-foot-tall observation tower that offers panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, if you are brave enough to tackle the adrenaline-fueled climb to the top (I was, but barely).
Tickets to climb the tower cost $8 for adults and $5 for kids 3-12 (children under 3 are free). The fee also includes access to a somewhat treacherous swinging bridge near the bottom of the tower.
A visit to Big Walker Lookout isn’t complete without a stop at the adjacent, kitschy Country Store. Here you’ll find gifts, ice cream, fudge, and all sorts of other treats and surprises. On the day we visited, the store was even hosting live music and a bake sale.
I’m so glad that Virginia is for Adventurers inspired us to visit Wytheville. We really enjoyed our afternoon there, and it was exciting for both of us to get to see so many of the places mentioned in the novel. If you’ve ever wondered if you should stop in Wytheville, we hope this post “points” you in the right direction!
Old Dominion for Young Virginians 