Activities in Bedford, VA

The World's Best Little Town

"The world's best little town" is not just a headline. It's actually the nickname of cozy Bedford, Virginia, located between the cities of Lynchburg and Roanoke and just a short drive away from Peaks of Otter. Bedford is a small but historic community, which was named one of the "15 Best Small Towns to Visit" by Smithsonian magazine in 2019.

Bedford is home to America's only monument to D-Day's Normandy landings - the National D-Day Memorial - which honors the heroes of the Allied Forces. The town's Bedford Boys were 34 local men who served in the National Guard's 116th Infantry Regiment during the famed amphibious landing on Omaha Beach in World War II. The D-Day Memorial was dedicated on June 6, 2001, by President George W. Bush.

But there's more.

There are restaurants and shops. The Bedford Museum, Bower Center for the Arts, and Bedford Boys Tribute Center. Picture-perfect Smith Mountain Lake. Orchards with country stores and u-pick fruit. Thomas Jefferson's personal retreat, Poplar Forest, voted one of Virginia's Top 10 Attractions by readers of USA Today. And so many awe-inspiring views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Bedford was voted a Top Adventure Town by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine in 2020 and also offers more than 120 holes of disc golf and 30+ miles of biking trails.

Whether you've come for the acclaimed wineries, breweries, or Appalachian Trail hikes, oh, what charms you'll find in Bedford.

For more information about the region including an events calendar, visit the Destination Bedford VA tourism site. The Bedford Area Welcome Center, located in the town of Bedford beside the National D-Day Memorial, is open daily from 9am - 5pm and can be reached at (877) HI-PEAKS.

All this and more is located within an hour's drive, and just waiting for you to explore!