Bristol, Virginia & Tennessee: A Good Place to Live
- Allison
- Jul 1, 2020
- 5 min read
Updated: Jan 11, 2023
But is it a good place to play? Yes. So this is Part One of a series.
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Pictures in this post were taken by my sister, Hannah.
Recently, my parents moved to the little town of Bristol. Some of you may know Bristol from the Geico commercials some years back; I think it focused on the fact that Bristol's main street is half in Virginia and half in Tennessee. Then car insurance blah blah blah. You may know it from the Bristol Speedway which attracts thousands of racing fans twice a year. Or, like me, you may not have heard of it at all.
My parents were in love with the place for two years before officially moving there, and I could see why- Bristol's laid back vibe lacked pretentiousness, they could walk to church in less than 30 minutes, and the town has no shortage of live music. (Another claim to fame is that Bristol is the Birthplace of Country Music. I don't really listen to country so I can't really attest to this. @Nashville? @Dolly Parton?)
I myself would not be living in Bristol, but I would be visiting my parents often, and so I set out to find what there was to do for the younger folk in my parent's retirement town. I was not disappointed: Both sides of Bristol are full of hiking, food, music, breweries, and more- but what I found most appealing was that the people seemed genuinely kind. It's the kind of place where random strangers will strike up conversations with you and the mailman waves at you everyday. I do think it's a great place to live, and to visit. Good job mom and dad! So, without further ado, here are some of my Bristol & surrounding area faves. (This is part one of many posts about Bristol, I'm sure.)
Outdoor Adventures
Steele Creek Park- Bristol, TN side. This park is very family friendly, and perfect for a picnic, so bring some sandwiches and sunscreen and stay a while. There are tables around, or you can just toss a blanket on the ground. There is a really cute creek (as the name suggests), and there is also a lake (or reservoir thing?) with a huge trail around it that you can bike or walk. It's very flat. We also saw people taking kayaks into the water, and a lot of people fishing. We parked for free, and I think it was at the Mill Creek Trailhead. I believe you have to pay to park in certain areas, so bring cash, but it's not much. No more than $10 I think. For more info, visit their website: https://www.bristoltn.org/166/Steele-Creek-Park
Clockwise from left: The view walking around the lake, another view of the lake, and a part of the creek. Further down, kids were playing in the creek so bring water shoes!
Backbone Rock Trail, Waterfall & Tunnel- Damascus, VA. This one is about a 45 minute drive from Bristol, but it's worth it if you like to hike but you're not exactly "PRO." Or necessarily "IN SHAPE." Damascus is known for being a hiking town (it's on the Appalachian Trail) but this trail was very easy. The hike around the waterfall is only about a mile long, and the hike above the tunnel is short as well- but take your time, enjoy the sights. IT's really nice to cool off in the waterfall area. It's a little further down the road than the other trail, but ask around once you get there if you are confused. They are VERY close! We went on a hot day, but as soon as we started going up a bit higher, it felt a lot cooler. And we stopped for ice cream after.
The tunnel was cool... you could walk on
the top of it... pictured below! But the waterfall was our favorite part.
Food & DRINKS!
Bristol Station Brewery- Bristol, VA. This is an awesome brewpub in an old Greyhound bus station, with a lot of the old decor and menu still on the wall. They have indoor & outdoor seating, with games like tabletop shuffleboard inside and live music outside. They are always having events here, so be sure to check the Facebook page before you go so maybe you can catch some trivia! The outside is decorated with awesome murals of musicians, and the beers are well-priced and delicious; they have a lot of good ones in rotation. https://www.instagram.com/bristolbrewery/?hl=en
Blackbird Bakery- Oh jeez. This is an absolute Bristol staple. The line is always long, but it's worth it- they have every baked good you can imagine, and ice cream & coffee, too. Our favorites include the tiramisu, carrot cake, or one of the mini cheesecakes. They have live music at night on the weekends, and it's just the cutest, bustling-cafe feeling. You'll want to make multiple trips if you have a big sweet tooth like me!... Also, it's open 24/7!!!!
Donuts at the Blackbird Bakery. Good thing the line is long because you 'll need a while to decide what to get! Decisions, decisions...
The Angry Italian- If you're looking for a real Chicago deep-dish pizza or a Chicago dog, look no further. If you're ordering deep-dish, just be sure to allow 45 minute cooking time... you can't rush perfection. If you don't have time to wait, our other favorite pizza is the Al Bianco. https://www.theangryitalianrestaurant.com/
Bristol Bagel & Bakery- Delicious bagels. Try the trail mix one. They also have bags of day-old bagels for like $3- an actual steal.
Cascade Draft House- I love this place! Right on State Street, it has 40 beers on tap. My favorite thing is that it's very open & airy- we sat right by the giant garage door window in the front which basically opens right into the street. You can bring your own food, and the often have live music too. So be sure to check them out!
Gypsy Circus Cidery- Kingsport, TN. About a 30 minute drive from Bristol, but man this place is awesome. A nice change up if you are always going to breweries (though they also have a couple of beers available)! The cider is SO good, creative, and if you don't usually go for cider because it's ~too sweet~ you can definitely find something that fits your taste buds. Indoor & outdoor seating is available; the outside has hammocks, giants Jenga and Connect Four, and a lot of picnic tables, and the inside has assorted board games. There is food as well! (Really good loaded nachos) They also have fun events on the regular- trivia, music, & more! Will definitely be visiting again- our favorite was the Mexican Cake Slushy (vanilla & spicy- I forget) and the Chai Tea Cider! https://gypsycircuscider.com/home/
Abingdon Vineyards- Abingdon, VA. This place is a gem... it's right off of the South Holston River, and you can wave at boats and kayakers while having a picnic on the grass under the trees. (Make sure to bring a blanket, and maybe some chairs as well! They have picnic tables, but they can fill up fast.) You can get a wine flight, or just go straight for a bottle- they are usually around $25, so this is probably the most expensive place on our list. You can bring your own food, or they have cheeseboards for sale on site (see my post about cheeseboards if you want to build & bring your own). I'd recommend bringing your own food... more money for wine! They also have an array of live music and events happening... for example, they were having a clean-up-the-river event in the morning the day that we visited! Visit their website: https://www.abingdonvineyards.com/
Wish we had taken more pictures here...!
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