Living in I81-I77 Crossroads

Designated the “Birthplace of Country Music,” musical heritage is vitally important to the region. Bristol’s Birthplace of Country Music Museum is a stop on the “Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail,” and more than 40,000 visitors flock to the internationally known Old Fiddler’s Convention in Galax annually.

Excellent health and wellness services, including a major medical complex and teaching hospital in Bristol and a comprehensive cancer treatment center in Abingdon, are available to residents of the area. Considered the hottest ticket in NASCAR, the Bristol Motor Speedway, renowned as the World’s Fastest Half Mile, is another one of the area’s premier attractions.

The region is home to portions of the Jefferson National Forest and the Appalachian Trail, and close to the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountain ranges. The Virginia Creeper Trail, a 34-mile rail-trail running between Abingdon and Whitetop, has been described as the best mountain-bike trail in the East. The New River also flows through much of the upper region, and outdoor adventures include hiking, mountain biking, canoeing, kayaking, camping, horseback riding, bird watching, hunting, fishing, golfing, and cross-country skiing.