With 20,600 acres of water and about 500 miles of shoreline, Smith Mountain Lake has enough to keep an entire weekend packed from morning to sunset.
You can spend your days cruising across the water, hiking through quiet forests, meeting some seriously adorable animals, digging into local history, and grabbing dinner with a front-row view of the lake.
Add swimming beaches, mountain views, wildlife, boat rides, and a few unexpected stops, and you’ve got way more than your average lake getaway.
This Smith Mountain Lake weekend itinerary brings it all together, with two days of fun stops that show you just how much there is to do around Virginia’s second-largest freshwater lake.
1. Smith Mountain Lake Community Park
Smith Mountain Lake Community Park sits along the lake in Franklin County, Virginia, with 37 acres of wooded shoreline, open space, and easy access to the water.
The park’s biggest summer draw is its sandy public beach, where you can swim in a designated area of Smith Mountain Lake and cool off after a morning of exploring.
You can also walk the park’s hiking trails, cast a fishing line from the park’s accessible fishing pier, enjoy a picnic, or let the kids burn off energy on the playground.
Pack lunch for the picnic tables and shelters, then stick around to enjoy lake views from the park’s nearly one and a half miles of shoreline, making this an easy outdoor stop during your Smith Mountain Lake weekend.
2. Booker T. Washington National Monument
After your lake time, head about 20 minutes to Booker T. Washington National Monument in Hardy, where the influential educator and author was born into slavery in 1856.
The 220-plus-acre National Park Service site preserves part of the former Burroughs tobacco plantation and features reconstructed 19th-century farm buildings, including cabins, a smokehouse, hog pen, and blacksmith shed.
Start at the visitor center for exhibits about Washington’s childhood and remarkable life, then follow the easy 0.55-mile Plantation Trail through the historic farm area.
For a longer walk, take the 1.5-mile Jack-O-Lantern Branch Trail through fields and woods, and keep an eye out for sheep, turkeys, chickens, and other farm animals that help show what daily life looked like here.
3. Smith Mountain Lake Farm Alpacas
From history to something much fluffier, make your next stop Smith Mountain Lake Farm Alpacas, where you can meet a herd of curious alpacas up close.
Guided farm visits give you the chance to learn how alpacas are raised, discover what makes their super-soft fiber special, and snap plenty of photos with these funny, long-necked residents.
The farm also offers hands-on experiences that can include feeding and interacting with the alpacas, making this a fun change of pace between sightseeing stops around Smith Mountain Lake.
Before leaving, check out the farm shop for alpaca-fiber products and gifts, and be sure to reserve your visit ahead of time since tours and experiences are offered on a scheduled basis rather than as a typical walk-in attraction.
4. Bridgewater Plaza
After hanging out with the alpacas, head to Bridgewater Plaza in Moneta, one of Smith Mountain Lake’s busiest waterfront stops for food, shopping, and family-friendly fun.
Located beside Hales Ford Bridge on Route 122, the plaza puts you right on the water, with restaurants such as Mango’s Bar & Grill and outdoor tables overlooking passing boats.
You can browse local shops, grab ice cream, play a round at Harbortown Miniature Golf, or catch live music and seasonal events during the warmer months.
Bridgewater Marina is also located here, so you can rent a pontoon boat, kayak, or paddleboard and trade the shoreline for a few hours cruising across Smith Mountain Lake’s 20,600 acres of water.
5. Virginia Dare Cruises & Marina
Once you’ve explored Bridgewater Plaza, see Smith Mountain Lake from a totally different angle aboard the Virginia Dare, a classic 19th-century-style paddlewheel boat based at Virginia Dare Marina in Moneta.
The 63-foot vessel cruises across the lake on narrated sightseeing trips, giving you wide-open views of the shoreline, waterfront homes, wooded coves, and surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.
Depending on the schedule, you can book lunch, dinner, themed, or special-event cruises, with many trips lasting around two hours and serving a meal while you travel.
The marina is located at 3619 Airport Road, and advance reservations are a smart move, especially for weekend cruises when this 20,600-acre lake is buzzing with boats and summer activity.
6. Smith Mountain Lake State Park
After cruising the lake, stretch your legs at Smith Mountain Lake State Park in Huddleston, a 1,248-acre park with forests, quiet coves, and miles of shoreline to explore.
The park has 13 hiking trails, including the 1.4-mile Turtle Island Trail, which crosses a small bridge to a wooded island with peaceful water views.
From Memorial Day through Labor Day, you can cool off at the 500-foot swimming beach, while fishing, boating, picnicking, and wildlife watching are popular throughout the year.
Want to stay longer than an afternoon? The park has cabins, campsites, a boat launch, fishing pier, playground, and seasonal rentals for kayaks, jetskis, paddleboards, and other gear for getting out on Smith Mountain Lake.
7. Smith Mountain Cooperative Wildlife Management Area
Ready for something wilder after the state park?
Smith Mountain Cooperative Wildlife Management Area protects nearly 5,000 acres around Smith Mountain, with forests, steep slopes, and undeveloped land overlooking the lake.
This is the spot for hiking, wildlife watching, hunting in designated seasons, and the chance to spot white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and bears.
One standout adventure is the 5.6-mile Wildlife Trail, which takes hikers into the higher reaches of Smith Mountain, rising more than 2,000 feet above sea level and offering sweeping views across Smith Mountain Lake.
Trails and access points here are much less developed than at the state park, so bring sturdy shoes, water, a map, and plenty of time to enjoy the quieter side of the lake region.
8. Magnum Point Marina & Restaurant
Wrap up the weekend beside the water at Magnum Point Marina & Restaurant on the Blackwater River section of Smith Mountain Lake in Union Hall.
This full-service marina is a handy stop for boaters, with covered slips, fuel, a boat ramp, and supplies for another day on the lake.
The waterfront restaurant serves casual favorites like burgers, sandwiches, seafood, and cold drinks, so you can settle in for an easy meal without leaving the shoreline behind.
Grab a table overlooking the docks, watch boats cruise across the water, and enjoy one last Smith Mountain Lake sunset before heading home.
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