Blacksburg, VA

Blacksburg, Virginia is a small but vibrant college town set in the rolling hills of southwestern Virginia's New River Valley, within Montgomery County. Home to Virginia Tech, one of the state's largest public universities, the town has a population of approximately 44,000, swelling during the academic year with students from across the country and around the world. The atmosphere is decidedly youthful, walkable, and outdoors-oriented, framed by the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains. It serves as a natural gateway to some of the Mid-Atlantic's most celebrated hiking, paddling, and scenic driving, and lies about 40 miles southwest of Roanoke, the nearest major city, typically reached in around 45 minutes via Interstate 81.

The Virginia Tech campus is the cultural and architectural heart of Blacksburg, a sprawling blend of neo-Gothic limestone buildings, open green spaces known as the Drillfield, and the dramatic lanes of Lane Stadium, which fill with thousands of fans on football Saturdays each fall. Visitors come year-round to tour the campus, browse the museums and galleries associated with the university, and soak in the energy of a classic American college town.

Just a short drive from town, McAfee Knob is one of the most photographed overlooks on the entire Appalachian Trail, drawing hikers to its sweeping vista of the Catawba Valley roughly 30 minutes east of Blacksburg. The out-and-back hike is a rite of passage for locals and a bucket-list outing for visitors, especially in autumn when the foliage turns brilliant shades of red and gold.

A gentler outdoor outing awaits at Cascade Falls, a roughly 70-foot cascade tucked into a wooded gorge about 30 minutes northwest near Pembroke. The short, family-friendly trail to the falls is popular with students and families looking for a quick escape, and it pairs naturally with continued exploration of the surrounding Jefferson National Forest, where countless miles of additional trails wind through the ridges.

About 40 minutes to the west, the small community of Pembroke and the Mountain Lake Wilderness offer another layer of appeal, anchored by Mountain Lake itself, widely known as the filming location for the 1987 film "Dirty Dancing." Hikers, anglers, and anyone chasing a quieter, more cinematic stretch of Appalachian scenery tend to find this corner of the region especially rewarding.

Blacksburg's blend of university energy, walkable downtown dining, and immediate access to the Appalachian highlands makes it a compelling base for short-term rentals. Travelers can spend a morning on a celebrated overlook, an afternoon wandering campus or browsing the shops and restaurants along Main Street, and an evening at a game, a concert, or a quiet trailhead, all without ever straying far from the comforts of town.