From her boutique, Foxglove Clothing of Danville, in Danville, Virginia’s historic Schoolfield District, owner Anne Mason can see the three smokestacks of the now-shuttered Dan River Mills. For her, the iconic “Three Sisters” feel like guardians standing watch over her city, the remnants representing the progress and work that built this historic city. Beside the smokestacks, where the mill once stood, a gleaming tourist destination buzzes with life as the new Caesars Virginia resort, opened in December 2024.
“I think it’s wonderful. I love to see all the progress being made over there,” she says. Mason’s experience is a snapshot of what visitors and residents see in Danville today: a complex past mingling with a vibrant present; historic and modern hotels; entertainment destinations inside culturally significant buildings. Everywhere they go, visitors who gather with family or friends in Danville find a charming backdrop. Read on for a few of their favorite destinations.
The thriving River District encompasses the area that was once at the epicenter of Danville’s economy, breathing new life into buildings once used for tobacco inspection. Photography courtesy of Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism
Downtown Danville’s River District has long been the city’s commercial heartbeat, comprising of the historic Tobacco Warehouse District and old manufacturing area and the Central Business District. In Danville, it’s the place to go for shopping, restaurants, and galleries — or a stroll along the Riverwalk Trail which offers peaceful views of the Dan River. At every turn in the River District, history sets the scene for life today.
Discover the reactions behind energy and movement at the Go! exhibit at the Danville Science Center. Photography courtesy of Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism
When young visitors play in the Danville Science Center, they often have no idea just how many STEM concepts and skills they’re learning. An entire exhibit is devoted to the importance of water, from clouds to the ocean to a room of rain. And in the nearby Go! exhibit, children are thrilled to step on the tread wheel and run — hamster style — as they learn about converting mechanical energy into electric energy.
The Danville Science Center is just one of the historic buildings now part of a restored complex known as the Crossing at the Dan. When it opened in 1995, the Science Center served as the complex’s anchor, and when the immersive digital Dome Theater opened in 2014, attendance doubled in one year.
“I think that the Science Center helped spur a lot of what’s been going on not only at the Crossing of the Dan, but also in the River District,” said the center’s executive director Adam Goebel in an interview for the River District Stories series. “I feel like we played a major part of the revitalization of downtown Danville and the River District.”
Known among locals as the former headquarters of the Danville Register and the Danville Bee — the major newspapers that merged to become the Danville Register and Bee — The Bee Hotel gives its guests a sense of another time and place between its two historic buildings located in the River District. Restored architectural details like original wood floors and a spiral staircase that once ran from the press room to the newspaper editor’s office layer feelings of luxury and coziness.
“I have vendors from Atlanta and New York, and they’ll tell me, ‘I have to book the Bee,’” Anne says. “They love the staff, and they really like that they can walk to the River District’s coffee shops and restaurants.”
Also in the heart of the River District, Golden Leaf Bistro is housed in one of the many old tobacco warehouses that harken back to Danville’s days as a manufacturing hub for bright-leaf tobacco. Make a reservation for dinner and look forward to a fine-dining experience rooted in fresh, local ingredients. In addition to daily specials, the menu ranges from options like the brussels and fennel salad to bacon-wrapped scallops and spinach pesto-stuffed chicken. Go on a Friday or Saturday night to catch live music.
The Danville Museum of Fine Art and History has undergone several iterations, including as a residence and a library. Photography courtesy of Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism
Exhibits with period furniture reflect the building’s mid-19th century roots. Photography courtesy of Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism
Formerly the house of a Confederate major and the last capitol of the Confederacy where Southern generals met to decide to surrender completely, the Danville Museum of Fine Art and History is now a location on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail — one of only four in Virginia.
Inside the 1859 Italian villa-style house in Danville’s Old West End, four main exhibits take centerstage: The Movement educates visitors on Danville’s civil rights demonstrations while Between the Lines looks into the role of Danville and its citizens during the Civil War. Don’t miss the Camilla Williams exhibit, which highlights the Danville native and first Black soprano in the New York City Opera. The Danville Hall of Fame recognizes illustrious citizens like Janis Martin, aka the “female Elvis” known internationally for her rockabilly style, and Wendell Scott, an accomplished motorsports trailblazer and first Black driver to compete in and own a NASCAR team (for more on motorsports, check out VIRginia International Raceway just up the road).
“I always tell people, ‘If you’re into mid-century modern, stay at the Holbrook,’” Anne says. Adjacent to the Danville Museum of Fine Arts and History, the Holbrook Hotel was originally built as doctors’ offices in 1957. Today, the renovated boutique hotel boasts spacious, light-filled suites with colorful art and playful furniture. Because each room has its own kitchenette complete with a stove, refrigerator, and microwave, they’re often sought-after for longer stays or friend and family getaways.
Just across the street, Crema & Vine is an easy destination for an early-morning coffee or evening glass of wine. They’re neighbors with King Cropp Kitchen, one of Danville’s best farm-to-table restaurants.
Formerly the site of Dan River Mills, the newly opened Caesars Virginia brings a flourish of luxury to Danville. Photography courtesy of Danville Office of Economic Development & Tourism
From its home in Danville’s Schoolfield District, named after the once-prominent textile mill’s Schoolfield Village, Caesars Virginia adds a new allure to the tree-lined streets. With a pool, casino, and restaurant from celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, the resort gives visitors who love Danville’s historic charm another place to anchor their stay.
“I feel like I’m the tourism director for this area,” Anne laughs, who loves passing along her favorite recommendations, including the fine-dining Schoolfield Restaurant just next door. “It’s such a compliment when people come to shop with us. And with Caesars, I’ve got customers who are so excited to have another reason for their family and friends to come visit them.”
Click here to start planning your visit to this historic city in the southside of Virginia. Whether you want to dive into the spirit of living history that shapes the community or relax into a weekend getaway with welcoming accommodations and creative dining, you’ll find it in this charming river city.
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