Family Field Trips: Foodie Day Trips

ROANOKE, Va. (WDBJ) - As the school year winds down, Layla Khoury-Hanold, a freelance food journalist & author, joins us on Here @ Home to share four family-friendly foodie day trips to take with your kids this summer.

First, she suggests to pick up some donuts and go berry picking in Blacksburg!

Three Birds Berry Farm allows you to pick blueberries, which are their main crop, as well as blackberries, raspberries and golden raspberries. You pay based on what you pick, $3/pint or $20/gallon.

The season typically runs from mid-June to August, though you should always call ahead for up-to-date hours and berry availability.

Layla suggests to make time for a stop at Carol Lee Donuts for warm, fresh donuts before you go!

Layla’s second suggestion is a picnic hike at Carvins Cove Natural Reserve.

Before heading out - check out Donnie D’s Bagels and Deli in Daleville for a bagel sandwich. Take it with you and enjoy a picnic at Carvins Cove Natural Reserve, which encompasses a 630-acre water reservoir and 12,000 acres of wooded forests.

Next up - Layla says enjoy a tour of a Bee Sanctuary and go for lunch in Floyd.

On the way to Floyd is a hidden gem called Spikenard Farm & Honeybee Sanctuary, which promotes healthy bee colonies and offers beekeeping classes and educational events.

They host open days where you can tour the farm and interact with the beekeepers, as well as special themed events. They have a summer festival coming up the third week in June.

The organization’s mission is to serve the bees first, so they let the bees consume as much honey as they want. So, there’s not always honey for sale, but when there is, be sure to pick up a jar.

In downtown Floyd, there are loads of lunch options. Layla suggests the Floyd Country Store. They have a great selection of sandwiches, wraps and salads, plus a really fun selection of souvenirs, toys and sundries to look at. For sweet treats, hit up the Soda Fountain next door for ice cream and old fashioned malts and floats, and stop by chocolate shop Cocoa Mia for chocolate truffles and confections to take home.

Finally, enjoy a soak and take in the views in Warm Springs.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out the newly renovated Warm Springs Pools, which are part of The Omni Homestead Resort. It’s a little further away but worth the drive for a soak in the warm, mineral-rich, crystal-clear waters.

Afterwards, you can put together a picnic with sandwiches and snacks from the Milk House Market and then stop at the Dan Ingalls Overlook for lunch with a gorgeous mountain view. The overlook is also on your way out of town if you’re heading back the same day.

Warm Springs has loads of outdoor activities such as hiking and fishing, so you can definitely spend at least a couple days of here.

For more on these day trips and other food and drink recommendations, sign up for Layla’s newsletter or follow her on social media:

Social media: @words_with_layla (Instagram) and @words_withlayla (Twitter)

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