Summer . . . the time when delicious aromas begin wafting from the docks and decks of Smith Mountain Lake homes everywhere as the grilling season gets under way. If you’re looking to learn a few barbeque basics or get the perfect recipe for your Independence Day cookout, then take a few minutes to [...]

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  “Doctor Marvin!  Doctor Leo Marvin!”  Fans of the 1991 movie What About Bob? can instantly recall the scene from their favorite comedy.  Bill Murray as Bob Wiley steps into the parking lot beside Guttman’s Cafeteria, fresh from baby-stepping off the bus and in desperate need of his favorite psychiatrist Leo Marvin, played by Richard [...]

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Smith Mountain Lake has a number of attractions to offer its residents, from spectacular mountain vistas to fabulous water sports and everything in between. One of the Lake’s lesser known characteristics, however, may be its skilled local artisans. A number of gifted artists call the Lake their home, and now thanks to [...]

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We all know the importance of exercise in a healthy lifestyle, including aerobic exercises like running, swimming, or biking, and most of us have figured out how helpful it is to train for a specific goal such as completing a race.  So how about combining all three of those events into one competition for [...]

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If you’ve lived around Smith Mountain Lake for very long, you’ve probably already heard of Fallon’s Restaurant, the family owned restaurant located just off of Route 122 near the Halesford Bridge. Since their grand opening in 2004, Fallon’s (“fallon” is the Gaelic word for family-run) has been known for serving one of the [...]

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Slave and free man, student and educator, Booker T. Washington was a man whose life greatly promoted the cause of racial equality in our country.  Born on April 5, 1865, Washington grew up on a small farm in Franklin County which is now preserved as a National Monument.  Only a short distance from Smith Mountain [...]

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With summer and the warm weather now fully upon us at Smith Mountain Lake, it’s time to be out on the water in every spare moment.  But maybe after a few seasons of waterskiing you’re itching for another challenge and would like to learn to use that new wakeboard a little bit better than [...]

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Butter Slide, Potato Peeler, Batwing, Indy Glide, Diesel, Elephant, Mexican Roll – all those strange phrases may sound like a list of childhood nicknames, but these are all tricks from wakeboarding, the hottest sport on the water at SML.  If you’re not familiar with wakeboarding, try to picture a cross between skateboarding and aerial [...]

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Has the fast pace of modern life made you pine for the “good ol’ days?”  If it has, or if a couple of hours immersed in the sights of a bygone era sounds appealing, then a trip to the Blue Ridge Institute and Museum might be just the ticket for you.  Part of [...]

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Summer has nearly arrived at the Lake, bringing with it barbecues, bare feet, and lots of sunshine – but summer also means it’s time for striper fishing.  If you’re itching to tie into that true trophy striper, but don’t know where to start, then Captain Kenny Short is your man.  Owner and operator [...]

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