You don’t have to be in Virginia Tech’s Lane Stadium to enjoy life in Blacksburg.  National magazines have called it a “dream town” because it offers a wide range of outdoor recreation opportunities and a large number of high paying technology jobs.

Many of those jobs are provided by Moog Components Group, one of Blacksburg’s leading employers. The company specializes in the design and manufacturing of slip rings, fiber optics and motors. “We have a good work force in Blacksburg, which is supported by the university,” says Greg Boyer, group vice president of sales and business development. He adds that the employee turnover rate is low.

When they are off the job, Moog’s workers can hike or bike on Blacksburg’s 6-mile Huckleberry Trail, golf on the Pete Dye River Course of Virginia Tech or tube down the scenic New River in nearby Montgomery County.

A large part of Blacksburg’s economy, culture and activities revolve around Tech. About 25,000 of the town’s 40,000 residents are students. In the past couple of years, commercial developers have recognized Blacksburg’s growing popularity — Men’s Journal and Blue Ridge Country magazine listed Blacksburg as one of the best places to live — and have started several upscale condominium projects. The Colosseum, The Legends of Blacksburg and The Collegiate Inn (a hotel/condo project) are all in the works.

“Two investors purchased the Holiday Inn and are creating a condo hotel,” says Diane Akers, executive director of The Blacksburg Partnership, a public/private economic development partnership between the town, Virginia Tech and the Blacksburg business community. “All of these projects are designed to target Virginia Tech alumni so they can continue to enjoy Blacksburg.”

Also in development: Smith’s Landing, a luxury apartment complex, and a new town center project, First and Main, which features a mix of restaurants and shops. “There’s a lot of development,” Akers says.

Even though it’s growing, Blacksburg still maintains its small-town feel, thanks to the many small shops and eateries that dot the area. Downtown Blacksburg includes The Matrix Gallery, which is filled with the jewelry, pottery and paintings of local artists. Another favorite destination is the 78-year-old Lyric Theatre, which shows independent and foreign films. The theater is listed on the Virginia and National registers of historic places. 

Major employers

Virginia Tech ranks as Blacksburg’s largest employer, with more than 12,000 employees. The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center ranks second with about 120 companies and more than 1,900 employees. (The center’s current development plan includes five new buildings.) Third on the list of employers is Moog Components Group, which recently added 100 employees to its work force of 1,010. Other major employers include Montgomery Regional Hospital and Wolverine Gasket.

Where to eat

Downtown Blacksburg has a variety of restaurants. They include Poor Billy’s, which serves steak, seafood and sushi in a casual atmosphere; and Boudreaux’s, a local Cajun favorite. In the University Mall area, Zeppoli’s, an Italian restaurant, is known for its homemade pasta and large wine selection. Another culinary mainstay for locals is Gilley’s, a vegetarian restaurant that serves up breakfast in the morning and offers music in the evenings.

Where to stay

One of the preferred stopovers for visitors and alumni is The Inn at Virginia Tech and Skelton Conference Center on the campus of Virginia Tech. The inn offers impressive views of the Alleghany Mountains, a 24-hour business center and wireless networks