In addition to its own opportunities for connecting with nature, Roanoke provides you with easy access to five Virginia State Parks: Claytor Lake, Douthat, Fairy Stone, Smith Mountain Lake and Natural Bridge.

Claytor Lake State Park is a go-to destination for water enthusiasts. Its 4,500-acre lake offers roughly 4 miles of lake frontage, including a sandy beach. While the water draws many people in, it’s not all this park offers.

If you're looking for fun in the sun and a way to cool off near Virginia's Blue Ridge, then we have a few parks we know you'll love.

If you are looking for a place to cool off this summer, then you are in luck, we have a couple more suggestions, and then a couple more after that. This is part 2 of this series.