Martinsville, Virginia

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National Day of Unplugging is March 6th-7th, 2020

Sure, technology is great and nowadays the world truly is at your fingertips, but do you ever imagine what it would be like to spend a day unconnected from it all? The 2020 National Day of Unplugging is March 6th-7th from sundown to sundown, and if you are unsure of what to do with yourself, start by browsing the VisitMartinsville site to discover new ways to have fun, learn and connect with yourself and others at a slower pace.

Get Outdoors! Martinsville-Henry County is home to a variety of outdoor adventures including hiking, biking, paddling, fishing and more! From the beautiful Philpott Lake and Beaver Creek Reservoir to the enchanting Smith River, fishermen, canoers and kayakers have an abundance of opportunities to navigate the waters in MHC. If it’s too cold for you just yet, how about strolling through one of the gorgeous trails that run along the shorelines of the lakes and the river such as the Dick & Willie Passage or the Fieldale Trail?

Read a Book! Martinsville-Henry County is home to the Bassett Historical Center; a world-class genealogical facility that houses over 20,000 books and items available for public use. If you have ever been curious about your family history or your online search has left you coming up short, take advantage of this day to dust off a book or artifact and look a little closer.

We are also home to a locally owned bookstore, Books and Crannies. Books and Crannies is a general interest/literary bookstore featuring fiction and non-fiction accompanied by a large selection of children's books and a wide range of titles. What better way to unplug than heading in and grabbing a book for you and the kids too.

Parents, consider visiting one of the many parks in Martinsville-Henry County such as Fieldale, Jack Dalton or Corner Escape and borrowing a book at the Lending Library, located at the playground area. The kids can have fun on the playground while you enjoy a great book escape. Lending Libraries allow fellow book lovers to share books for free.

Discover! Did you know that Martinsville-Henry County is home to 8 museums and exhibits? From local history to cultural heritage and the world of arts, MHC is packed with opportunities for everyone to learn a thing or two. That’s right, without the help of Google, you can open your eyes to a world of knowledge!

Virginia Museum of Natural History
Piedmont Arts
Bassett Historical Center
FAHI African American Heritage Museum
Martinsville-Henry County Historical Museum
Martinsville-Henry County Heritage Center & Museum
Philpott Lake History Exhibit
Old West Gambling Exhibit

Embrace the Arts! Piedmont Arts is an award winning museum showcasing works by local, regional and national artists featured in different exhibits throughout the year. While visiting the museum, parents and children can visit the Discovery Room, a mini art studio where budding artists can create and display their work.

Also be sure to visit Studio 107 located in Uptown Martinsville for the opportunity to meet local artisans and shop one-of-a-kind pieces from jewelry to woodturning, to stained glass and fiber arts. While in the Uptown area, you can also stop by Gallery 22 located on Walnut Street to browse the selection of glass art pieces created by Martinsville resident, entrepreneur, teacher and art enthusiast, Aileen Wilson.

Family Fun! Martinsville-Henry County offers something for all ages to enjoy. Uptown Pinball is Martinsville, Virginia's one and only arcade and is the home of 5 of the top 10 ranked pinball machines in the world (as ranked by pinside.com's top 100)! You can bring the family for unlimited arcade, laser tag, and gaming lounge.

Looking for other ways to unplug with the family and have fun? Set up a visit to Infinity Acres Ranch (this is by appointment only). During the visit you can get an interactive meet & greet with friendly animals on a real ranch! Activities included are: walk-a-llama, take selfies with a coatimundi, bottle feed a baby goat, rub a Zebu, talk with a parrot, hold a sugar glider & so many other amazing opportunities.

Now that you have a few suggestions on how to spend a day unplugged, do you accept the invitation? You never know what new interest you may discover or what other ways that you can have fun in Martinsville-Henry County, VA. While you are out, be sure to snap your picture with your favorite ways to unplug in MHC and show VisitMartinsville how you spent your day! Share it with us at Tourism@YesMartinsville.com or tag us on Facebook (after the 7th).