Bristol, Virginia is many things at once. It's an independent city within the Commonwealth of Virginia, but it's also a twin city to Bristol, Tennessee. These two cities straddle the state line that runs right down the main street, which is named State Street. Bristol is also widely considered the birthplace of country music. The two Bristols join Kingsport and Johnson City in forming the "Tri-Cities" area.
Prior to European settlement, the area was likely occupied by the Cherokee tribe. The first known settler was Evan Shelby around 1765, who brought his family here. By 1774, a fort was erected and became a stopping point for names such as George Rogers Clark and Daniel Boone along with hundreds of other pioneers moving further in the young nation. By the middle of the 19th century, surveyors projected a railroad line junction at the state line, and growth flourished. The cities were incorporated in 1856.
A 1998 resolution passed in Congress recognized this city as the place where country music started. In fact, you can visit the Birthplace of Country Music Museum to learn about how residents made early contributions that influenced country music and its early recordings. This traces back to 1927 when Victor Records producer Ralph Peer started recording area musicians so he could capture the folk music traditions native to the region. The museum itself is a facility of 24,000 square feet featuring a rotating exhibit gallery, several theater experiences, stations for listening to music, and an annual schedule of live performances.
Historic downtown Bristol has numerous shops, restaurants, and activities to consider. The Benjamin Walls Gallery is a great choice for modern art. Walls won seven international awards with his art and has had exhibits in 50 museums across a dozen different countries. Collectors of his art include Grammy winners, Fortune 500 CEOs, and leaders of both politics and entertainment. See for yourself why his art has been exhibited in the Smithsonian five times. Get a bite to eat at a local classic by visiting the Original Burger Bar diner, where burgers have been served since 1942. Bloom started out far more recently, in just 2017, but is now a full-service restaurant offering modern American fine dining several days a week. Bristol Gardens and Grill offers locally sourced meats that they smoke on-site.
Bristol Campground has spacious sites and a location right across the street from the local racetrack. Visitors enjoy free drinking water, a shuttle service to local points, and no flooding. Other amenities include security patrols, lighted pathways, cell reception, and full hookups.
Shadrack Campground is well-known among race fans and is open year-round. Full hookups are available in the many RV sites, and you can enjoy flush toilets, showers, a clubhouse, and a well-stocked general store. Pets are allowed, and you'll get cell reception at this location.
Earhart Campground has thousands of sites for tents and RVs close to the interstate and main drag strip. This massive campground even has a professional music series all its own once a year. Full hookups are available for both pull-through and back-in sites. This park is within walking distance of the race track.
David Crockett Birthplace State Park is near Limestone, Tennessee. Here, you can visit a 105-acre site that preserves the birthplace of a famous pioneer, politician, and soldier. See 18th-century animal paddocks, gardens, and a farmstead. Take in some of the hiking trails located in the park, or get on a kayak or boat on the Nolichucky River. Summer visitors can enjoy a swimming pool, and birdwatchers should check out the limestone bluffs for a number of aviary species.
The Natural Tunnel State Park is an area in southwest Virginia that was likely explored by Daniel Boone, believed to be the first American settler here. Even though he didn't document the tunnel itself, he probably visited the tunnel that measures 850 feet in length and 80 feet in height. Natural acids formed this tunnel out of limestone over thousands of years, and this unique geographic feature is the main attraction in more than 900 acres of the state park. Multiple trails await hikers, with difficulties ranging from easy to hard. Other activities include fishing and picnicking.
Roan Mountain State Park has over 2,000 acres of gorgeous, rough ridges and hardwood forest at the base of Roan Mountain itself. Fishing is abundant along the Doe River, thanks to its many trout. Summer visitors can take advantage of a swimming pool that features on-duty lifeguards and a wading pool for young children. Several miles of mountain biking trails provide anything from beginner rides to challenges for experienced riders.
Find the Andrew Johnson National Cemetery in Greeneville, Tennessee, a site that honors the 17th president of the country. Johnson assumed power following Abraham Lincoln's assassination. This site features two homes Johnson lived in and his gravesite. Enjoy a free guided tour, or do some hiking around the grounds. Red Hill Loop is available to hikers of all skill levels through a forest setting. Nearby Jonesborough features the Christopher Taylor House, a two-story log cabin that was built by a major in the Revolutionary War.
Head to the Southern Appalachians in West Virginia for the Bluestone National Scenic River. More than 10 miles of the river's lower section flow through a gorge that's 1,000 feet deep. Early settlers to the area left artifacts that hikers sometimes still find, especially at the site of the former town of Lilly. Warm water fishing is available, and you can also paddle the river for memorable views of the surrounding terrain and nature.
The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles of roadway offering up mountain beauty across North Carolina and Virginia. This scenic route runs through a total of 29 counties linking to Great Smoke Mountains National Park at the southern terminus and Shenandoah National Park at the northern end. Along the way, you can travel from 649 feet elevation close to the James River up to over 6,000 feet close to Richland Balsam. Stop at the many overlooks to see views of some of the world's oldest mountains while enjoying many visitor centers along the way.
Cherokee National Forest covers more than 650,000 acres in the eastern part of Tennessee. Hike long stretches of the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, or visit Big Frog Mountain. Travel along the Ocoee River, or visit either of the large reservoirs within the forest. Mountainous terrain gives way to deep valleys lush with deep foliage and provides shelter to white-tailed deer, bobcats, and black bears. Fogless nights can feature the beauty of the Milky Way galaxy across the sky above you.
The Nantahala National Forest is more than 500,000 acres of North Carolina land in the southwestern corner of the state, spread across six counties and three ranger districts. Hikers are sure to love the more than 600 miles of different hiking trails, but you can also go fishing, camping, or white-water rafting. Biodiversity is evident here, as you can see mountain lions and beavers among the ferns, wildflowers, and berried plants. Geocaching is a popular activity here that won't require digging or removing vegetation.
Pisgah National Forest is also more than 500,000 acres close to the North Carolina city of Asheville. The nation's first forestry school started here and is now a historic site. Visitors here get to enjoy tall mountain peaks, some with high waterfalls, and an impressive number of hiking trails leading to all sorts of vistas. Camping is widely available, including a handful of equestrian camps. Keep your eyes open for bobcats, deer, foxes, and black bears, but you might also see groundhogs, peregrine falcons, and eastern spotted skunks.
Congaree National Park is South Carolina's only national park and sits about 30 minutes outside of Columbia. You'll find some of the Atlantic Coast's tallest trees here in a place named after a Native American tribe that formerly resided here. This hardwood forest was a rare exception in how the lumber industry spared it. Enjoy educational tours and hikes coordinated by National Park Service rangers all year long, or enjoy the Owl Prowl to learn about nightlife.
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is an enchanting place for hiking, biking, and camping. This particular park gets more visitors than any other national park in the country. Spanning more than 500,000 acres, it's one of the biggest protected places anywhere in the East. Straddling the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, this park has three primary entrances you can get through with your RV, including Cherokee in North Carolina or Gatlinburg and Townsend in Tennessee. Park elevations range from 876 feet up to 6,643. In between, you can find over 2,100 miles of rivers and streams.
New River Gorge National Park might be young as a national park, but the gorge itself is ancient. Flowing water spent eons softly yet persistently carving this place out of the earth, resulting in the East's rival to the Columbia River Gorge or even the Grand Canyon out West. More than 70,000 acres of countryside surround the river, about an hour from Charleston, West Virginia. Enjoy water activities on the river and in the gorge itself, or take advantage of hiking and camping along the shores and valleys to the sides.
Motorhomes are divided into Class A, B, and C vehicles. On average expect to pay $185 per night for Class A, $149 per night for Class B and $179 per night for Class C. Towable RVs include 5th Wheel, Travel Trailers, Popups, and Toy Hauler. On average, in Bristol, VA, the 5th Wheel trailer starts at $70 per night. Pricing for the Travel Trailer begins at $60 per night, and the Popup Trailer starts at $65 per night.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Bristol?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Bristol from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Bristol?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.
