Old School connects travelers to bygone times that are here to stay
RICHMOND, Va., 2013-08-02 — /travelprnews.com/ — In today’s travel culture few things are more inviting than the perception of simpler times, small towns, friendly folks and nostalgia for childhood memories. In Virginia we call it “Old School” with a funky vibe found at country stores, town diners, soda fountains, ice cream parlors, drive-in movies and roadside attractions. It’s real, authentic and waiting to be re-discovered, so strap on the retro-rockets, turn back the clock a generation or two and head to Virginia for an “Old School” getaway.
Get a head start on the fun by visiting www.Virginia.org/OldSchool. Lots of cool travel ideas live here with good resources on how to find the hard-to-find. The web site is also mobile-friendly so it can tag along with you on your Old School trip to Virginia. Check out the videos to get some insight into Virginia back-road and small town adventures. Road trip ideas lead to county fairs, old school eats, roadside wonders, music jams, unforgettable characters, retro-lodging, vintage movie houses, Mom and Pop joints and barbecue stands with pictures of happy pigs painted on the windows. From Dinosaur Land to Foamhenge (a scale replica of Stonehenge made of foam rubber) Virginia maintains a lovely marriage of the unusual and the traditional.
The web site also spotlights Virginia’s best Old-School offerings through the Retro View lenses of an old-fashioned 3-D image viewer. While on your Old School Virginia journey you can make your own online reel of funky photos. Snap away while you’re here and upload your reel to the Virginia Old School web site for the world to see. Share with friends via social media and show them the cool things you discover in Virginia. Check out the growing gallery of Retro View reels and see what other folks have encountered in Virginia.
Here’s a sampling of Virginia Old School cool:
- Big band leaders Glenn Miller and Gene Krupa hung out at Lexington’s Southern Inn restaurant when playing for college dances in the 1930s. Take five and enjoy a fine meal here yourself.
- Legendary country music star Hank Williams ate his last meal at the Burger Bar. The old-school joint is still going strong serving musicians and fans each year at the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion (September 20-22 this year).
- Dig through a box in your closet and you may find a picture of you as a child posing at Mabry Mill on Virginia’s Blue Ridge Parkway. Stop by and complete the cycle with a then-and-now shot. Mabry Mill hasn’t changed a bit.
- Virginia is one of the last great bastions of old-time Drive-In Theaters. Check out the 1949 Moonlight Theater in Abingdon, Hull’s Drive-In near Lexington or the Keysville Drive-In Movie Theatre among ten Drive-ins still operating in Virginia.
- When did you last enjoy experiencing a County Fair? They take place nearly everywhere in Virginia. The Tilt-a-Whirl awaits.
The small-town feel of Old School Virginia isn’t confined to small towns. Doumar’s Cones and Barbecue, a historic drive-in located in the heart of Norfolk, has been serving tasty treats for generations. Fredericksburg’s Carl’s Frozen Custard is a legendary ice cream stand as well as a National Historic Landmark. Roanoke’s Grandin Theater has been showing movies to its quaint neighborhood since the 1930s.
Generations ago most American beer was made locally by small breweries creating hand-crafted batches of superior brews. Those days are back again and in a big way in Virginia where some of America’s best craft breweries are drawing raves from happy visitors. Virginia craft breweries are found in small towns, scenic back roads and in urban settings – but wherever they are the vibe is distinctly Old School: local folks brewing up good times.
Simpler times are always current events in Virginia. Plan your Old School Virginia trip by visiting www.Virginia.org/OMldSchool or call 1-800-VISITVA and ask for a free Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide.
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Old School trips and small town adventures in Virginia