"Bedford and Bedford County" Bedford by HotSpotJ

Bedford is a very small rural town located about 25 minutes Northeast of Roanoke, Virginia. I have immediate family from the Bedford area and when I was younger I would visit on an almost weekly basis. Bedford County is a rather large county per area, but the town of Bedford is very, very small. This place is not for those who want any hint of a metropolitan influene, because there is none; this place is for those who enjoy true country settings with country foods and country accents.

George Bush at the Memorial in 2001

Bedofrd and Bedford County, spread out amongst the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, has two major claims to fame:

1- The Beale Fortune- An enormous amount of gold Bullion supposedly buried in the Bedford County/ Montvale area, many treasure seekers have came here empty handed, this treasure has been featured on many television programs including "Unsolved Mysteries"

2- June 6th, 1944- the D-Day invasion on the Ohama Beach, Normandy, France. Bedford experienced the highest per capita casualty rate of any other town on this bloody day. For this reason the National D-Day Memorial is located in Bedford. A Company, 116th Regiment, 29th Division of the Virginia-Maryland National Guard was massacered as they stepped onto Omaha Beach, being cut down by the pre-sighted German artillary. Many families in this area were forever devastated by that day over 60 years ago.

• Pros:Beautiful surrounding hills and mountains, southern hospitality
• Cons:Absolutely zero nightlife or metro culture
• In a nutshell:A great place to stop in on a road trip