5 Best Things to Do in Galax, VA

April 5, 2020 - Updated

Galax, Virginia is a small town at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, rich in history, tradition, incredible natural beauty and spectacular recreation. A visit to Galax, Virginia inludes shopping in the quaint downtown, enjoying the Old Time Bluegrass Music festivals, tubing down New River or hiking the New River Trail. You can learn about the history of the music in the region at the Blue Ridge Music Center, rent a kayak at the New River Outdoor Adventures, listen to the live music at the historic Rex Theatre or learn some lost skills at the Matthews Living History Farm Museum.

1.Blue Ridge Music Center

Located near Galax, Virginia, the Blue Ridge Music Center is a music venue, visitors center and a museum. The center offers concerts, music-related exhibits and programs that celebrate musicians and living musical heritage of the Blue Ridge region. The Center’s mission is to show the region’s influence to the rich landscape of American music. Local musicians offer free Midday Mountain Music acoustic sessions. There are concerts at the Center’s state-of-the-art amphitheater most Saturdays during the season. The concerts include bluegrass, folk, gospel, Americana and country blues. Part of the Center is the 17,000-square-foot Roots of American Music Museum that showcases the rich musical heritage of the Blue Ridge region.

700 Foothills Rd, Galax, VA 24333, Phone: 276-236-5309

2.New River Outdoor Adventures

If you are planning some outdoor fun in Galax VA, New River Outdoor Adventures is the place to go. You can spend a day on the water on beautiful New River in one of their kayaks, canoes, tandem kayaks, or river tubes. They have river floats for the beginners, for the whole family or for the thrill-seekers. If you would rather hit the 57 miles of the New River Trail, they have great bikes for rent and will even provide shuttle service. They also provide camping equipment, organize fishing tournaments and sell fishing and hunting licenses. Whatever fun you plan, they will make it more comfortable and easy.

5785 Fries Rd, Galax, VA 24333, Phone: 276-237-8823

3.Rex Theater

Rex Theater is a 475-seats historic theatre in downtown Galax, Virginia. Every Friday night, in a campaign of revitalization of this important cultural venue and Galax landmark, local musicians broadcast live old-time and bluegrass music concert from the stage of the theatre to five states and World Wide Web. In addition, the 70-year old performance art center offers vintage movie nights, Saturday concerts and community plays. The Rex is also available for special events. Non-profit groups consider it a great venue for community oriented fundraising. The theatre is owned and operated by the City of Galax. The tickets are available at the theatre or at the Visitors’ Center across the street.

113 E Grayson St, Galax, VA 24333, Phone: 276-236-0329

4.Matthews Living History Farm Museum

Matthews Living History Farm Museum is a circa 1900 21-acre working farm near Galax, Virginia, operated by a local Non-Profit organization. The goal of the museum is to bring the history of the region to life through activities and common practices in Grayson County in the early 1900s, as demonstrated at the farm. The activities include gardening, blacksmithing, wood carving, food preservation, quilting, chair caning, soap making, quilting, driving horses or oxen, spinning a fine thread and much more. Most of these activities are the dying arts of the region that the organization wants to preserve. The unique, timeless and unforgettable music of the region is usually incorporated in every event. The same goes for the stories of the founding families of the region. The Museum features a range of historic artifacts, tools, equipment, methods and skills. The visitors can enjoy various workshops, Heritage Day Events, Field Trips, Environmental Education and self-guided tour of the museum.

476 White Pine Rd, Galax, VA 24333, Phone: 276-236-7338

5.Creek Bottom Brewing

Creek Bottom Brewing Company is a popular brewery, restaurant and craft beer company in Galax, VA established in 2013. They opened a second location in Galax in 2017. Creek Bottom produces six year-around beers and several seasonal ales at their attached brewery and pub downtown. The pub offers great wood-fired brick-oven pizza, smoked wings, handcrafted sandwiches and delicious appetizers. There are 22 taps at the pub and 18 taps at their restaurant on Country Club Lane. Creek Bottom also offers craft beers from other breweries. The pub presents a range of special events such as Team Trivia, Bluegrass Jams, Open Mic Tap Takeovers from different breweries. Both the pub and restaurant offer live music featuring local talent.

307 N Meadow St, Galax, VA 24333, Phone: 276-236-2337