Things to Do at Smith Mountain Lake

Smith Mountain Lake State Park

Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston (Bedford County) is the most visited attraction at SML and one of the most popular state parks in the Virginia system. The park covers 1,235 acres along the east shore, featuring a 500-foot sandy swimming beach (the only designated, lifeguarded swim beach on the lake), a campground with both tent and RV sites, 13 vacation cabins, several miles of hiking and biking trails, a boat ramp, handicapped-accessible fishing pier, boat rentals operated by Bridgewater Marina, and picnic facilities. Admission is charged by vehicle for day visitors. The park provides public access to the water on a lake otherwise dominated by private waterfront — making it valuable not just for tourists but for water-access property owners who want a beach option.

Booker T. Washington National Monument

Located in the Hardy area of Bedford County near the west end of the lake, the Booker T. Washington National Monument commemorates the birthplace and early life of one of America's most significant 19th-century educators. The site preserves the Burroughs tobacco plantation where Washington was born enslaved in 1856 and where he spent his early childhood. The visitor center offers exhibits on Washington's life and legacy, two walking trails — a quarter-mile Jack-o-Lantern Branch Heritage Trail and a 1.5-mile Plantation Trail — and a reconstructed farm and garden. Admission is free. The monument draws visitors from well outside the lake market and is one of the legitimate cultural attractions of the region.

Golf

Smith Mountain Lake has three championship-caliber golf courses within 10 miles of any lake address. Mariners Landing Golf Club in Huddleston is an 18-hole Robert Trent Jones Sr. design with tees ranging from 5,100 yards to 7,200 yards, making it accessible to beginners while challenging experienced players. The Westlake Golf and Country Club in Hardy, designed by Russell Breeden, offers 18 holes with views of the lake and the surrounding Blue Ridge foothills. Water's Edge Country Club in Franklin County on the south shore provides an 18-hole PGA Championship course. All three operate as semi-private or public-accessible facilities, and none requires a residential membership for greens access.

On-Water Recreation Beyond Boating

Kayaking and paddleboarding have grown significantly at Smith Mountain Lake as the popularity of non-motorized water recreation has expanded. The quieter upper arms — above Hardy Ford Bridge on the Roanoke arm and above buoy B26 on the Blackwater — are the most appealing for paddle sports, away from wake boat traffic. Kayak rentals are available at Bridgewater Marina and at the state park. The lake's 500 miles of coved shoreline provide years of exploration for paddlers interested in wildlife observation and geology. The Virginia Dare, a 19th-century style side paddlewheel vessel, offers narrated two-hour cruises covering 10 miles of the eastern shoreline from spring through December, including views of the Smith Mountain Dam. Lunch, dinner, and sightsee-only options are available.

Annual Events

The SML event calendar is most dense from May through October. The Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival, held at Mariners Landing in fall, is the social highlight of the season, drawing thousands of visitors for Virginia wines, live music, and food. The SML Charity Home Tour in October showcases some of the lake's most architecturally significant waterfront residences and benefits local nonprofits. The Fourth of July boat parade and fireworks display — centered on Parkway Marina in Huddleston — is the single largest event on the lake calendar. The Wine and Boos Fall Festival adds a second major fall event. Weekly live music at Mango's at Bridgewater Plaza runs through the season, and GoodHue Boat Company on the Blackwater arm hosts a summer concert series on a pontoon stage.

Wineries and Nearby Virginia History

The Moneta area has two wineries accessible from the lake, adding to a regional winery circuit that extends into the Blue Ridge foothills. Appomattox Court House National Historical Park — where Robert E. Lee surrendered in April 1865, effectively ending the Civil War — is approximately one hour from Smith Mountain Lake. The surrounding Blue Ridge Parkway, one of America's most scenic drives, parallels the mountains to the west and is within a short drive of the Roanoke end of the lake corridor. Bedford City and County Veterans Museum in Bedford commemorates the D-Day losses of the Bedford Boys, Company A of the 116th Infantry, and draws visitors from across the country.