Where  to  walk  the dogs
 (and play with the kids)??
 

Every time I go to a flyball tournament, I wish there was information available about a nice place to take the dogs to work off yet a little more steam, stretch out, hang out, etc., preferably off leash.     Going from a crate to a hotel room with a short potty break doesn't exactly work for them (doesn't anyone else have border collies?)

The Community Center is on the edge of a large grassy Community Park, with a couple of very nice children's playgrounds.   There is at least plenty of space for on-leash walking.  

There's a large "unofficial but widely recognized" offleash dog park in the fields surrounding Smithfield Plantation on the edge of the Tech campus.  You can park at Smithfield after 7 p.m.  (new time -- a little inconvenient, but at least we haven't lost the park altogether).

Directions from the community center:  Make a left out of the parking lot onto Patrick Henry Drive.  Stay on Patrick Henry, which becomes University City Boulevard, until it ends at Prices Fork Road.  Turn left on Prices Fork Road.   Turn right at the first traffic light onto West Campus Drive.  Then turn right onto Duck Pond Drive and right again (past the duck pond) onto Plantation Drive.  Make a left when the road ends, following the signs for Smithfield Plantation. 

We're also near the edge of the National Forest, so if you happen to be coming early or staying over an extra day, ask for directions to great forest walking!