Sunset at Buggs Island Lake (Photo by Sam Dean)
When the John H. Kerr Dam was completed along the Roanoke River in southern Virginia in 1952, it provided much-needed flood relief, became a reliable source of energy for the region and created the state’s only lakeside town: Clarksville.
The reservoir — known to local residents as Buggs Island Lake — submerged Clarksville’s First Street, which ran along the river’s edge. Downtown, which now starts at Second Street and extends to Ninth Street, is easily traversed on foot if you arrive via watercraft, which can be moored for free at the town dock.
While the lake’s 800 miles of shoreline command attention, there are plenty of other ways to spend your time in what Clarksville Town Manager Jeff Jones calls “a hidden charmer” of a place.
Ambler’s Delight
Traveling down Virginia Avenue, the town’s main drag, newcomers might first notice the empty storefronts, which town leaders are working to fill. But a bevy of locally owned shops offer a range of gifts, home decor and apparel.
In Grandfather’s Country Creations, seek out the Richmond Times-Dispatch front pages — used as wallpaper — chronicling JFK’s assassination and Nixon’s resignation. The Corner at Two One Six, a specialty food, gift and art store, might have the widest price range in town: $3 to $878, according to co-owner Carol Dunn.
Hite’s Clothing is where you’ll find Lake Life merchandise as well as that item you forgot to pack. Owner Heather Hite, who took over the business founded by two uncles, moves easily between helping a parent source flip-flops for a forgetful child and fitting teenagers in prom tuxedos.
For the game lover, Baldwin House Hobbies, opened this spring by Tim and Leila Baldwin, carries remote-controlled cars, boats and planes as well as tabletop games. Visitors are welcome to drop in, and regular game nights and tournaments keep the store open well past the 5 p.m. closing time of most downtown businesses.
Lay Your Head Down
There are several ways to enjoy an overnight stay downtown. The Delicate Flower Bed & Breakfast, formerly a long-vacant 19th-century home, has been transformed into a welcoming escape with spacious flower-themed rooms and inviting public spaces, including a plush parlor and front porch.
Just a block away is Cooper’s Landing Inn & Traveler’s Tavern, with suites in the main house as well as six private cottages, perfect for a private getaway or group excursion. Amenities include an in-ground pool, fire pit, gazebo and hot tub inside a renovated smokehouse. Cooper’s Landing also offers fine dining on the house’s first floor under a wisteria-entwined pergola.
A short drive down the road is The Sunnyside Sisters Bed and Breakfast, owned by a couple who moved to the area from the Netherlands. They carried out a renovation during the pandemic, naming guest rooms for the sisters who ran a school for girls in the house in the late 19th century.
Two recently renovated Choice Hotels — Clarion Pointe and Quality Inn — also hug the waterfront.
Embracing Nature
Occoneechee State Park, across the lake from downtown, is a one-stop shop for outdoor activity. Hikers, bikers and horseback riders have miles of trails; the privately managed Clarksville Water Sports offers a boat ramp and watercraft rentals; and an archery range and hunting are set in designated areas. For overnight stays, choose from campsites for tents and RVs, cabins, yurts and two spacious lodges.
Additional campsites and beaches can be found at Longwood and Buffalo parks, managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. Clarksville Marina also has a boat ramp, and YakTrackers and Hazel Branch Outfitters will deliver kayaks and canoes.
For more recreation options, the semiprivate Kinderton Country Club boasts a Donald Ross-designed golf course. And 350-acre White Oaks Preserve has a 100-yard shooting range, guided hunts and opening-day dove hunting.
Buggs Island Brewing Co. (Photo by Ryan Trap)
Local Bites
Locally owned restaurants Buggs Island Brewing, Bridgewater Bar & Grill, Ayala’s Mexican Restaurant, Cooper’s Landing Tavern, and the Pizza Pub are all downtown. For breakfast and sweets, Sugar It Up bakery offers quiche, pastries, cakes, cookies and more.
Relax at Woodbine Vineyards outside among the grapes or inside a fully renovated barn with fire pits and stalls for private lounging. Don’t leave town without a scoop of Virginia-made Homestead Creamery Ice Cream, available inside The Cottage Barn.
Save the Dates
Urban Slide: Clarksville, Aug. 11-12: A 1,000-foot waterslide on Virginia Avenue, between Second and Third streets, brings old-fashioned fun for all ages.
Harvest Days Festival, Oct. 7: Vendors line the streets with seasonal crafts, antiques and collectibles. Catch the last Lake Life Live music series performance that evening at Virginia Avenue and Fifth Street.
