About
Days spent on Smith Mountain Lake provide plenty of fresh air, pristine nature, and fun water activities. Once back on dry land, the nearby towns offer entertainment options that are neither overly crowded nor overly commercial. One such option is the Westlake Cinema in Hardy.
Taking a break from our adventures out on the lake, we made our way to the Westlake Cinema to catch a recently released movie. After being exposed to the blazing hot sun all day, the clean, air-conditioned venue was a welcome and relaxing treat.
The cinema anchors one end of Westlake Town Center, a streamlined retail, shopping, and office complex featuring manicured landscaping. Plenty of parking is available.
The area is surrounded by professional offices of lawyers, doctors, financial professionals, and more, but doesn’t feel the slightest bit crowded. If you branch out a little further, you’ll find a small neighborhood of newer one and two-story homes.
Westlake Cinema: Fun Facts & Cool Features
After an active day on the lake, we chose one of the newly released movies. Westlake Cinema is an upscale movie theater, and you’ll notice this the minute you enter the front doors. The purple and yellow lobby is clean and welcoming, with a few arcade games to pass the time.
We wandered over to the full-service concession counter and ordered, what else, popcorn and a soft drink. What’s a movie without treating yourself to these? You also have other choices, including a variety of candy options. The 13,800-square-foot cinema offers moviegoers a choice between four different screens, all equipped with stadium seating. Our seats reclined and were super comfortable.
Each theater also has state-of-the-art Dolby Digital Surround sound, immersing you in the movie experience. For those with hearing impairments, they offer the use of optional headphones connected to a USL Infrared Hearing System. The theater is also wheelchair friendly and easily accessible throughout. Westlake Cinema offers evening showings, or you can enjoy a matinee on a rainy day. Show times for these screenings change depending on whether it is peak season or off-season.
The cinema is conveniently located, offering dining and shopping opportunities nearby. The cinema anchors one end of the Westlake Town Center and the Kroger grocery store the other. If you’re looking to treat yourself at some point to a manicure or other personal service before a movie, Lake Nails and Maven at the Lake Salon & Spa are within the same area.
Several good restaurants are also nearby, two of which I managed to dine in at different times when catching a move at Westlake Cinema.
Benny Adelina’s is within walking distance and features its signature 28” pizzas. We enjoyed slices of the Sriracha Sausage pizza before our movie one night, but you can also stop in after a movie since they are open until 10 p.m. Another option is to order one and take it back to your home away from home to enjoy.
If you want to make a night of it, however, there are other restaurants nearby as well, including Teriyaki House, offering various Asian dishes, hibachi grill fare, specialty salads, and a children’s menu. We enjoyed the spring rolls, pot stickers, hot and sour soup, and the Hibachi chicken on our visit.
Another option is El Toreno Mexican Bar & Grill, which serves authentic family recipes and offers weekly specials on margaritas and tacos.
When you need indoor entertainment, head to Westlake Cinema!