When you think of Danville & Pittsylvania County, Virginia, chances are, you’re not picturing a vibrant community filled with cool things to do. You might picture the local racing scene or some outdoor recreation–but those are only part of the area’s story.
If you haven’t heard, Danville & Pittsylvania County have recently undergone a gorgeous community glow-up, and it’s definitely turning heads. Rebranded as the SoSi (South Side) Region, this collection of small towns is loaded with unexpected things to do and see.
Now, I only had 48 hours to dive into the area, but I found hidden gems at every turn. Here are a few of my favorites….
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1. The Danville Science Center
I enjoy a good interactive learning experience, but I didn’t expect the Danville Science Center to be absolutely world class.
From the moment I walked in, it had my attention–and I could’ve spent a hours diving into every nook and cranny. The main building has two floors that are packed with fun exhibits. Like a rain maze, a cloud maker, STEM labs, and a 360-degree dome with planetarium shows, dinosaure features and more. And don’t even get me started on the giant room filled with interactive mini-games and exhibits that teach you about physics while you play.
Beyond the main building, the Danville Science Center takes over part of the neighboring Amtrak station, with two additional sections of interactive STEM play, and a gorgeous butterfly house in the back. They actually ship in new butterflies regularly to keep it stocked, since their lifecycles are so short.
Seriously, this is one I’d add to your list even if you don’t have kids!
2. SoSi Safari
One of my favorite little surprises in Danville was the SoSi Safari. TheRiver District has all sorts of animal statues and murals scattered throughout the streets and buildings, and they’ve turned that random collection into a cohesive adventure walk!
There’s an official SoSi Safari guide you can pick up that has directions to all 12 safari stops, and if you take a picture of each one, you can collection a prize! The whole walk is about one mile long and will have you searching for lions, giant blue snails, a red, 7-foot tall elephant named Eldrige, and much more.
It’s a great way to expore the River District with a bit of extra fun!
3. Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History
The Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History was absolutely nothing like I expected–in the best way. When I heard the name, I assumed we’d be entering a series of galleries. Instead, we explored the Sutherlin Mansion, a historic home built in 1859, and the place where Confederate President Jefferson Davis stayed during the last week of the Civil War.
The mansion has multiple areas, and you should definitely explore them all. The Movement is an incredible civil rights exhibit focused on Civil Rights activistis and history in Danville, and, wow, is it powerful. Upstairs, there’s also a lovely exhibit celebrating Camilla Williams, who was born in Danville and went on to make history as the first African American woman to sign with an American opera company and perform a leading role at the Vienna State Opera.
The rest of the house features a variety of Civil War and restored home exhibits, giving deeper insight into what the house would have looked like while Jefferson Davis was there.
The whole tour was fascinating, but The Movement is definitely the part that left a lasting impression.
4. Riverfront Park & Riverwalk Trail
Danville recently opened up an impressive Riverfront Park that’s packed with things to do. There’s a 200-foot pedestrian pier with an awesome overlook of the Dan River and an interactive Sprayground with a water wall, jets, and shade. The park also has a big playground with a climbing tower, seesaws, spinners, and a slide that looks like an adorable river otter. Plus, plenty of spots to sit and enjoy the view.
The park conects directly to the Riverwalk Trail, which offers 9 miles of scenic walking and biking past parks, the riverfront, and even historic sites. It’s such a cool thing to have right in the middle of downtown!
5. River District Social
If you’re looking for a unique spot to cool off at the end of the day, River District Social is really the place to be. Tucked into an unassuming industrial brick building, this local sports bars offers great selection of food and drinks, paired with live music and a variety of games. They have several bays with high-def golf simulators upstairs, if you want to perfect your swing, or head to the lower floor to try your hand at duckpin bowling (spoiler: not my forte) or pool. And of course, there are plenty of screens around to watch whatever game is happening.
It’s a great place to gather with a group and have some fun.
6. VIRginia International Raceway
If you’re even remotely curious about racing, a visit to VIRginia International Raceway is a no-brainer. They have all sorts of events happening throughout the year, from Porche Sprints to Superbike races. Spectators are welcome, and they even have on-site lodging and RV sites for longer events.
But if you want to get a little more involved…there are options for that, too. You can get on the track through VIR club and tracke rentals to race your own car, or keep things a bit more low-key with go-karting, ATVs, off-road trucks, a shooting range, paintball, and more.
Whew! That’s a lot of adventure at one raceway.
7. Old Dominion Agricultural Complex
Last but not least is the Old Dominion Agricultural Complex in Chatham. And while this isn’t somewhere you’ll probably stop at every time you visit, it’s definitely worth keeping an eye on for timely events.
The ODAC is a multi-purpose event space with an 8,000 square foot conference center adjoining a sizable indoor arena and a variety of outdoor warm-up spaces and livestock shelters.
It’s big enough to host some pretty epic events, ranging from horse and cattle shows to rodeos, Indoor Motocross races, concerts, and festivals. They have something happening pretty much year-round, so be sure to check the schedule to see if something catches your interest while you’re in town.
Want to See These Unexpected Stops in Action? Watch the YouTube Video!
Closing Thoughts on These Surprises in Danville & Pittsylvania County
I honestly was not expecting about 2/3 of the things I got to experience in Danville & Pittsylvania County, and I know that I barely scratched the surface. I also primarily explored Danville, so I’m sure the rest of Pittsylvania County has dozens of hidden gems just waiting to be explored.
If you’re looking for an up-and-coming part of Virginia to visit that has plenty to do but hasn’t been swarmed by tourists yet, this is definitely worth adding to your vacation bucket list.
I’ll be sharing even more about my visit in the weeks ahead, including a full review of the Bee Hotel, my recommended weekend itinerary, and more, so stay tuned! The easiest way to do that is by subscribing to the Carried Away Travels newsletter so you get an email when the latest post drops. And even if you’re not quite ready to sign up, it would be a lot if you’d take 10 seconds to like, save, and share this post for someone else to enjoy.
If you’re new around here, I’d also encourage you to keep diving in by reading my first post about the SoSi Region and exploring some of my others posts from Virginia and around the globe.
Until next time, happy travels!
