All Companion Tours have been cancelled.

The Companions Program will showcase Southwest Virginia's beauty and rural lifestyle through tours to various attractions in the region during each day of the CDGO Conference. Each day's fee includes transportation, tours, activities, and lunches. Sign up to go on one or all of the tours! A discounted price of $135 is available to those who sign up to attend all three tours. The offering of these tours is subject to a minimum number of people signing up for them.

Smith Mountain Lake is located east of Roanoke, buffered by the Blue Ridge Mountains, which is why it is called, "Where the Mountains End and the Fun Begins." Your cruise experience is designed to provide a festive atmosphere with good food and live entertainment, all the while cruising on one of the most beautiful lakes in the East.

Virginia Tech is Virginia's largest university boasting 25,600 students and is one of the top 50 research institutions in the United States. It is an institution that embraces a history of putting knowledge to work. Participants will see how VT has evolved from its humble beginnings in 1872 to its technological advancements. The tour around Virginia Tech will include a visit to the Smithfield Plantation, a state historic landmark built in 1790. Participants will go on to Mountain Lake where they will enjoy a lunch in the beautiful mountain setting.

The Blue Ridge Parkway follows the Appalachian Mountain chain and provides seemingly endless views of many parallel ranges connected by cross ranges and scattered hills. The trip will provide a magnificent view of the mountains and valleys with large varieties of trees, shrubs, and wildlife. The bus will stop for a break at Mabry Mill to allow the group to see the various demonstrations and exhibits on early southwest American lifestyle. The group will then travel to the Chateau Morrisette where they will enjoy an elegant lunch, followed by a tour of the winery and a wine tasting.