Lynchburg

Lynchburg was founded by John Lynch, a Quaker pacifist, and Thomas Jefferson visited often when he was vacationing at his nearby retreat, Poplar Forest. The revitalization of the riverfront area and downtown is centered around the Bluffwalk Center, a complex of historic warehouses that are now home to trendy restaurants, a boutique hotel, and the Jefferson Brewery. In 2006, the National Trust for Historic Places awarded Lynchburg a "Great American Main Street Award." Lynchburg is also home to Liberty University, whose Snowflex Centre has become the region's top recreational attraction. Snowflex offers year-round skiing and snowboarding to students, locals, and visitors, but there are plenty of other outdoor activities as well, including the Blackwater Creek bike trails. Appomattox Courthouse National Historical Park is a must-see for Civil War buffs, and Jefferson fans will enjoy his octagonal Poplar Forest home.