Floyd is a small Virginia town with a lot of personality. It is a key destination along The Crooked Road, Virginia’s heritage music trail. This important piece of the town’s history plays a key role in the vibrant culture of Floyd. Lively music and the arts are imbued in every facet of the town.
From its repertoire of live events to their selection of artisanal shopping, wineries, and breweries, there are many exciting things to do and experience in Floyd.
Enjoy a glass of wine at Chateau Morrisette
Located along the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 171.5, Chateau Morrisette is a convenient stop along your next South West Virginia Road trip or a trip to Floyd. Come for the wine and stay for the delicious farm-to-table meals at their sit-down restaurant.
Dog owners rejoice for Chateau Morrisette is known as “the winery dogs built”. This picturesque vineyard welcomes canine companions of all shapes and sizes to its tasting room, festival, and grounds.
Website: https://www.thedogs.com/
Tele: (540) 593-2865
Location: 291 Winery Rd. SW Floyd, VA 24091
Visit Mabry Mill: the most photographed attraction along the Blue Ridge Parkway
Less than 5 miles down the road from Chateau Morrisette is one of the most picturesque attractions along the Blue Ridge Parkway, Mabry Mill. The site was built in 1903 consisting of a watermill, gristmill, sawmill, blacksmith shop, and woodworking shop.
Today the National Park Service both owns and maintains Mabry Mill. Thousands of visitors are attracted to the site each day to take part in the tours, cultural demonstrations, Sunday afternoon musical performances, and traditional southern fare at the restaurant. Although Mabry Mill is technically in Floyd County rather than the downtown area, it is only a few miles away and well worth the visit. If you are on an East Coast road trip and need ideas, it is a great spot to visit and I highly recommend stopping for a picture here.
Website: https://mabrymillrestaurant.com/
Tele: (276) 952-2947
Location: 266 Mabry Mill Rd SE, Milepost 176, Meadows of Dan, VA 24120
Peruse the Republic of Floyd Emporium
If one were able to capture all of the hippy and quirky aspects of Floyd and throw it into one shop, this would be the place. The Emporium offers a selection of unique gifts, humorous trinkets, and other Republic of Floyd novelty items. Exploring the massive selection of beers and hot sauces is sure to keep you occupied. The staff is just as fun as the contents of the shop making the Emporium a must-see on your next visit to Floyd.
Website: http://republicoffloyd.com
Tele: (540) 745-2898
Location: 114-B S. Locust St. Floyd, VA 24091
Shop local at Floyd Farmers Market
Every Saturday from May to November, artisans and local vendors from around Floyd county gather to sell handcrafted gifts as well as fresh produce and baked goods. The 3,000-square-foot open-air pavilion connects members of the community with locally sourced produce and crafts encouraging entrepreneurship and strengthening the local economy.
Website: https://www.facebook.com/FloydFarmersMarket/
Location: 205 S. Locust St. Floyd, VA 24091
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Attend the Friday Night Jamboree at Floyd Country Store
Topping the list of things to do in Floyd is the Friday Night Jamboree. Considering its location along Virginia’s heritage music trail, music is embedded in the history and culture of Floyd. Every Friday night both locals and out-of-towners flock to the Floyd Country Store to take part in the traditional gathering of musicians, dancers, and spectators.
During the warm summer months, the music and dancing flood into the streets with fiddlers and bands performing on sidewalks and in parking lots. You do not have to be a lover of clogging and fiddlin’ to appreciate this vibrant and uplifting experience. Country Living Magazine hails the Friday Night Jamboree at Floyd Country Store as one of the two best places in the country to hear bluegrass music.
Website: https://www.floydcountrystore.com/
Tele: (540) 745-4563
Location: 206 S. Locust St. Floyd, VA 24091
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Listen to live music at Dogtown Roadhouse
Dogtown Roadhouse is one of the more popular spots in downtown Floyd for music, food, and libations. The tasty menu of wood-fired pizzas contains both traditional and more original recipes like the “Appalachian” combining sausage, caramelized onion, aged white cheddar, and goat cheese over a local Apple Butter Base, or the “Dogtown White” topped with Gorgonzola cream sauce, mozzarella, fresh grapes and almonds.
Guests can choose indoor seating to enjoy live music from the main stage, or sit on the outdoor patio which overlooks the park making it the best spot in Floyd for people-watching.
Website: https://dogtownroadhouse.com/
Tele: (540) 745-6836
Location: 302 S. Locust St. Floyd, VA 24091
Grab a pint at Buffalo Mountain Brewery
This family-owned small-town brewery is rated the #1 Best Local Craft Brewery in Southwest Virginia. They brew small-batch beers on-premise with approximately 1000 pints of beer going into each fermentation tank. The menu of craft beer is ever-changing with limited releases and a small selection of permanent crowd favorites.
The on-site restaurant, McDaniel’s Tavern, is rooted in the family’s Scots-Irish heritage. Currently offering typical tavern fare, the owners hope to expand the menu to offer traditional Irish, Scottish, and English tavern food.
Website: https://buffalomountainbrewery.com/
Tele: (540)745-2491
Location: 332 Webbs Mill Rd. North Floyd, Virginia 24091
Attend one of Floyd’s famous annual events
In addition to live music, this small town has gained a reputation for hosting some of the best annual events around. These include Floyd Fest, a five-day lineup of “Music, Magic, and Mountains”; Floyd Yoga Jam, a rejuvenating festival featuring over 100 yoga and movement classes taught by over 50 renowned yoga instructors; and the Black Dog Music Festival held at Chateau Morrisette winery.
Shop inside a magic school bus at OuterSpace
OuterSpace is by far one of the coolest places in the little hippie town of Floyd, Virginia. Walking through the town, it is nearly impossible to miss the giant blue “Magic Bus” parked on the side of the road.
Outerspace is an eclectic haven for creatives, artists, and the curious wanderer. The open-air space is dotted with vintage diner booths and old-school pinball machines mixed with elements of yoga and wanderlust. Peruse the treasures inside the bus or stay for an herb-infused smoothie, fair trade coffee, or other delicious treats. Come out and support this female-owned business!
Website: https://www.facebook.com/outerspaceva/
Email: outerspaceva@gmail.com
Location: 320 S. Locust St. Floyd, VA 24091
Where to stay in Floyd?
Floyd Yurt Lodging – From the same owners of OuterSpace come Blue Ridge yurts. It is primarily a construction business for selling customized yurts to those seeking an alternative and minimalist lifestyle, however, they do have a few yurts of their own which are available for rent.
We spent the night at their “Chic Mountain Yurt” and absolutely loved this charming woodsy getaway. The yurt is furnished with stained glass and vintage pieces creating a warm and cozy vibe. The wrap-around porch provides 360 views of the forest surrounding the yurt. It is truly one of the Unique Airbnbs in Virginia.
Hotel Floyd – This locally owned hotel is a designated “Virginia Green Lodging” establishment, using eco-friendly paints, fabrics and other building materials. Each room is uniquely inspired by a different local business in Floyd, including Chateau Morrisette, Floyd Country Store, and the Outer Space Room. Located in the heart of downtown, Hotel Floyd is an ideal place to stay during your visit to this Virginia small town.
Have you been to Floyd, Virginia? What were some of your favorite things to do during your visit?
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What a cute town, with so many unique things to see!
This looks like such a fun place. I love the idea of staying in a yurt, and would love to visit the brewery. I can also see why that mill is the most photographed place, what a beautiful backdrop
Absolutely. If you Google “Mabry Mill” there are some incredible photos of the place. Professional photographers come from all across the country to photograph this mill. We must have seen over a dozen photographers there during the hour or so we were there!
What a fascinating place. Love the idea of staying in a yurt, enjoying the magic bus, and supporting a women’s business – 3 fer 1! And I can see why the mill is one of the most photographed spots in the area. Thanks for the post.
What a cute place! We love small towns with big personalities. I would LOVE to explore and have a picnic near the Mabry Mill! Thanks for putting this on our radar!
Of course! So happy we could introduce you to a new place.
As somebody who lives in VA I’m shocked I’ve never heard of Floyd. It’s so cute! Thank you for the recommendations! Love the magic school bus!
We are from Virginia as well and had never heard of Floyd. It is truly one of those hidden gems, and we are so grateful that we were able to experience it for ourselves!
That mill looks so cute to visit for some photos! I love that you had a picnic there – so pretty!
I haven’t had a chance to visit Floyd yet but I love visiting small towns + that farmers market (+ the magic schoolbus!!) sounds awesome!!
That magic schoolbus was by far our favorite part of Floyd. Such a unique and memorable place. Plus the smoothies were delicious!
I have been to Floyd!! I actually got my dog in Floyd – the town was so cute!! I wish I knew of some of these things to check out!!
That is so cool that you got your dog in Floyd. You will have to take him back one day and check out some of these places 🙂 We also highly recommend staying at one of the Blue Ridge yurts. They are super cozy and dog-friendly!
You also don’t want to miss the Floyd Artisan Market on Friday nights at the Market Pavilion, it’s focused on local art, while the Farmer’s Market on Thu and Sat is more farm goods and produce. Another must see in Floyd is Blue Ridge Alchemy, a fully functioning glass studio and gallery. You can watch the glass artists melting and blowing glass in the studio, while shopping for locally made gifts and treasures. 😉
We missed the glass blowing studio while we were there, but that sounds amazing to watch! We have a really cool place up here in Alexandria called the Torpedo Factory where artists rent small studio spaces within the venue. The public can then peruse the area watching artists at work and if they want, they can purchase pieces too. I always find enjoyment in observing the creative process that goes into a piece of art.
I grew up in Floyd- It is a magical place- It serves as starting spring waters for lots of local streams and rivers- Lots of culture, arts and good country living- Check it out- https://visitfloydva.com/ Also take time to hike on the Buffalo- Beautiful part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and also the Mascot of the Floyd County High School https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-area-preserves/buffalo
Thanks so much for sharing this additional information about Floyd. How cool that you grew up there! It really is one of those one-of-a-kind small towns. We’d love to go back for Floyd Fest one year!
This looks like such a fun place. I love the idea of staying in a yurt, and would love to visit the brewery. I can also see why that mill is the most photographed place, what a beautiful backdrop. thanks for sharing this fantastic article.
The Blue Ridge yurt is without a doubt one of the coolest places we have stayed! So glad you enjoyed the article. We are from VA, so if you’re interested in discovering new adventures in the area take a glance at the other articles on our site. There is much more to come too!
As somebody who lives in VA I’m shocked I’ve never heard of Floyd. It’s so cute!! Love the magic school bus! thanks for these recommendation and for this lovely interesting article about things to do Floyd.
We love discovering places like Floyd. Virginia is filled with these charming little towns like historic Clifton, Occoquan, and Middleburg. Do you have a favorite town or recommendation of places we must visit in VA?
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