BEDFORD COUNTY, Va. – Smith Mountain Lake State Park is in the running for a USA Today “10 Best Award” as one of the best lakeside beaches.
Andy Bruns, executive director of the Smith Mountain Lake Chamber of Commerce, expressed excitement about the park’s growing popularity. “But I think people are figuring out that this is a really, really special place and more and more folks are coming here, which is great for our economy,” he said.
Tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Smith Mountain Lake State Park is making waves on a national scale. The state park’s beach is competing for the title of USA Today’s best lake beach in the country. However, the park staff’s first thought was not shock.
“Not surprised,” said Jared Vandergriff, assistant park manager at Smith Mountain Lake State Park. “The park itself had record visitation in 2024 with over 560,000 visitors. Now, 40,000 of those visited the beach, so we had 40,000 swimmers.”
That growing popularity means more opportunities—not just for tourism, but for the entire region.
Bruns noted, “We have seen more business activity in the last few years, and there are plans for even more in the very near future.”
While local leaders are witnessing the economic impact, visitors say it’s the natural beauty and peaceful atmosphere that keep them coming back.
Michael See and Janet See, visitors to Smith Mountain Lake State Park, shared their thoughts. “Beautiful scenery, I mean the Smith Mountain right there, yeah, it’s gorgeous. And for me, it’s just that the lake comes alive, right? It brings so much joy to so many people. You know, we aren’t big boaters or anything like that, but the opportunity is there just to savor it from the shore.”
The sense of peace and joy is exactly what park staff hope to share with every visitor. Vandergriff stated, “We work well with our community partners and promote the area, and Smith Mountain Lake itself is the most scenic lake in Virginia. It’s a destination place; people come here to make memories and enjoy the lake.”
Now, it could be crowned one of the best in the nation. Voting is open once a day through June 2.
For more information and to vote, visit USA Today