Autumn is Awesome

This is another post by Excursion staff member Kelly Teufel.  Here, she shares her thoughts on Fall in Virginia and the city of Lynchburg. 

By Kelly Teufel

My experience of autumn in Lynchburg has been awesome. I am from West Palm Beach, Florida so I am used to beaches and 80-degree weather during fall. Excursion sent me to visit Lynchburg for a week and experience the area with our readers.

In Florida there are not any seasons it is just hot all the time. So the change was definitely needed and now, after living in Virginia for four years, I love seasons. Autumn is my favorite probably just because of what it brings and the holidays it leads to. In Florida its weird to carve pumpkins and drink hot chocolate. I just love that in Virginia, we have the opportunity to do the simple things like apple picking, pumpkin patches, festivals and hiking. 

When I think about these things I think of fall. I enjoy being outside and when you are outdoors in autumn the cool air is so wonderfully refreshing. I believe Virginia has made me want to keep living in a place where there is more than one season. Virginia has one of the best falls I have ever experienced.

Refueling in Lynchburg

By Vanessa Park

So, you've decided to take our advice and make a weekend trip to Lynchburg.  You know what to put in your backpack, which trails you want to hike, what events you want to go to and even where you will spend the night.  But all that activity can really take it out of you.  At the end of a long day though, you'll need to refuel.  These are our favorite restaurants and coffee shops in the Lynchburg area.  

The Muse- 1208 Main Street
If you talk to enough coffee-loving Lynchburg locals, you'll hear that The Muse is the place to be in Lynchburg.  But The Muse is more than a great coffee shop, their sandwiches, wraps and soups are local favorites.  Open 7-10 on week days and 8-11 on weekends, the muse is convenient, good eating in Lynchburg. 

Market at Main- 904 Main Street
For brunch and breakfast, there's no better choice than Market at Main.  It's a great place to learn more about the city while enjoying a great meal in a fun downtown environment. 

The White Hart Cafe- 1509 Enterprise Drive
Lynchburg's White Hart Cafe is one of Lynchburg's most popular coffee houses and lunch spots.  If you're looking for a great cup of Coffee, the White Hart may be just the place for you- they roast their beans in house.  But the cafe isn't just about coffee, Lynchburg locals love the entire White Hart menu. 

Waterstone Pizza- 1309 Jefferson Street
Waterstone Pizza is one of Lynchburg's most popular restaurants. Offering great pizza and salads, Waterstone is not your average pizza joint, but loved by locals nonetheless.  A visit to Waterstone is a great way to see more of Downtown Lynchburg. 

We hope you get to try at least one of these Lynchburg hot spots!  Let us know what you think and be sure to share your favorite Lynchburg restaurants with us in the comments section!

More on Devil's Marble Yard

The fall issue of Excursion included a feature on trails in the Lynchburg area.  Here, Kelly Teufel, an Excursion staff member shares with you her personal experience at Devil's Marble Yard in Lynchburg,

I went to Devil's Marble Yard Trail, recommended in the last issue of Excursion Magazine.  I went with a bunch of friends and my siblings.  I was an experience I will never forget. 

We started our journey at 1 p.m. on a Sunday. We started walking through the trail and crossed over some baby brooks. We went in autumn so the leaves were falling and the scenery was beautiful. The leaves were red, orange and yellow and it was about 65 degrees and absolutely beautiful. At the end of our trail we saw the large boulders of rock. It was a tad intimidating because we couldn’t see the top of the mountain so we didn’t know when it would end. So we started our hike and climbed up the mountain. 

We stopped half way up for a water break and to eat lunch. The view from that point was beautiful, but we knew that the top would be ever more spectacular. We chatted and decided we wanted to rush through lunch so we could get to the top. So we started to climb again and when we reached the top we turned around and saw the most beautiful view. We saw birds flying into the valley. We took a bunch of photos to capture the moment. 

We waited for the sun to set between two mountain peaks and it was breathtaking. After the sun was almost completely down we climbed down and headed back to town. I would highly recommend this trail for your next adventure.