Enjoying Blacksburg During COVID-19

September 2020

Emily Logue

Blacksburg during a pandemic looks a little different than usual. Restaurants close earlier. Football tailgating is no more. Even the Hokie Bird statues on Main Street have masks on. Regardless of the town we love not being the same right now, our sisters have found safe ways to enjoy Blacksburg during COVID-19.

WAYS TO GET OUTSIDE

One of Blacksburg’s best features is its insane scenery and opportunities to get outside. Some of our personal favorites are visiting Claytor Lake, New River, the Cascades, Bald Knob or Devil’s Bathtub. Bald Knob is perfect if you’re looking for a quick but pretty hike overlooking the mountains. The New River and Claytor Lake are local state parks that are the best for swimming and tubing. Claytor Lake gives you a little taste of the beach in the middle of the mountains. Who would’ve thought there’d be a beach in Southwest Virginia! The Cascades and Devil’s Bathtub gives you a little taste of both. Whether it’s swimming or hiking, Blacksburg has it all. 

Our sisters have also been enjoying working out outside around campus due to McComas being limited in capacity. Either a jog around the Duck Pond or an attempt at the ropes course, you can get outdoors in Blacksburg.

LET’S EAT

Blacksburg has arguably some of the best food of any college town. You can go down Main Street and find so many places with their own menus and tastes. Some of our favorites are Cabo Fish Taco, Green’s Grill and Sushi Bar, 622 North, The Cellar, and Marco and Luca!

Sophie Lane – “Cabo is my favorite place to eat downtown! I always order the chicken tacos and a side of rice and beans. You can never go wrong with it.”

Katie Casamassina – “ Sushi is my favorite food in the world and Green’s never disappoints. My order hasn’t changed in four years. I always get the #24 roll with a side of crab salad with no sesame seeds.”

Although some of our favorite restaurants have resorted to only outdoor dining or takeout, we can still support our local business! And, its a fun way to get out of the house.

DISTANCED SOCIALIZING

There are so many places around Blacksburg to SAFELY hang out with your friends. Whether it’s studying, finding a place to eat, or taking pictures, there is a spot for it all. 

PC ’20 gathered together for a lunch picnic at Hethwood Park last weekend and loved it. It was a great opportunity to see a lot of our pledge class and sisters who we haven’t seen since being back at school. The Duck Pond is another perfect place to have a picnic.

Some of our sisters recently went to Beaver Dam Farm’s sunflower field. The sunflowers are right in season and were perfect for taking pictures. 

Blacksburg Farmers Market is the best place to go on Saturday mornings. It is a perfect way to immerse ourselves in the local opportunities and culture. It Is so easy to meet new people there. You can always find something new.

So much has changed over the last several months, but our sisterhood is alive and well in Blacksburg. We’re thankful for the opportunity to be back together, even if we’ve had to adjust to keep everyone safe and healthy during these unusual times. We are enjoying safely spending our time in our favorite college town that we call home by experiencing the beautiful outdoors that the New River Valley has to offer us, socializing with our roommates and within the CDC recommended guidelines, and keeping our community safe and healthy.