Our Favorite Local Attractions

Rockbridge County, Lexington, and Buena Vista offer some of the best activities and scenery no matter if you prefer sipping a glass of wine or tackling the great outdoors! Let us know if we can help plan your trip!

General Information

• Lexington, Virginia Tourism
  • Calendar of Events
• Visitor Centers
• Visit Shenandoah
  

Parks & Recreation

• Glen Maury Park is a 315 acre recreational area providing wooded trails, an Olympic-sized pool, several pavilions, and multiple events throughout the year.
• Lake Robertson is a 31 acre lake designated for non-motorized boating and fishing with other nearby outdoor amenities.
• Blue Ridge Recreation Area contains a 25 meter pool, diving well, and kiddie area.
• Jordan’s Point Park is a mixed use recreational area with playing fields, access to the Maury River, and walking trails including the Woods Creek Trail.
• Boxerwood Garden is a small nature center and woodland garden offering self guided tours, educational programs, and summer events.
• Kids Playce is a giant playground in Lexington for kids of all ages.
• The City of Lexington maintains several other parks of all shapes and sizes.

Scenic Drives

• The Blue Ridge Parkway is one of the most beautiful by-ways on the east coast and you can access it from three nearby places:
  • Route 58 East of Vesuvius, VA is the northernmost at milepost 27.2
  • Route 60 East of Buena Vista, VA is the closest to Lexington at milepost 45.6
  • Route 130 East of Glasgow, VA is the southernmost at milepost 61.4
• Route 39 is a windy road through Goshen Pass and the backcountry of Rockbridge and Bath Counties.
• Route 11 parallels Interstate 81 and provides great views and an escape from some of the traffic.

Hiking

• The Appalachian Trail transects Virginia and Rockbridge County and there are a number of day and overnight hikes that incorporate the AT.
• House Mountain Trail takes you up Rockbridge County’s iconic House Mountain.
• The Chessie Trail is an old railway bed that takes you on a scenic journey from Lexington to Buena Vista (or vice versa) along the Maury River.
• Devil’s Marbleyard is a strenuous hike and technical rock scramble with absolutely stunning views of Arnold’s Valley.
• The Blue Ridge Parkway offers numerous hikes ranging in length and difficulty.
• Some of our other favorite nearby hikes include:
  • Crabtree Falls Trail
  • St. Mary's Falls Trail
• Check out our local tourism page, AllTrails, and Virginia.org for more hikes in our area.

Biking

• Brushy Hill Preserve offers 14 miles of mountain biking (and hiking) trails.
• The local colleges maintain several trails suitable for mountain biking accessible at the top of Woods Creek Trail behind 308 Anderson Dr. The closest parking is at Jordan’s Point Park.
• Visit our local tourism page for more places to road or mountain bike.

Water Sports

• There are numerous navigable and scenic waterways in our area and these are some of the best spots depending on your preferred activity!
  • The James River is ideal as a float trip or whitewater run and has Class I-III rapids.
  • The Maury River has four major sections and includes everything from a lazy afternoon float to Class IV rapids.
  • Irish Creek is a popular whitewater run for experts featuring 7 miles of class II-IV rapids during periods of high water.
• Visit our local tourism page for more info and the best places to put in and take out.

Rentals & Outdoor Retailers

• Journey Outdoors is a fishing and boating store in Lexington.
• Red Newt Bikes is dedicated to on and off road cycling and is in downtown Lexington.
• Walkabout Outfitter is an outdoors store located in downtown Lexington.
• Wilderness Canoe Company in Natural Bridge offers canoe/kayak rentals and river trip planning.

Family Friendly Activities

• Virginia Safari Park is one of the most popular destinations in our area. Drive or walk through designated areas to visit with and feed numerous exotic animals. We definitely recommend a trip to the Safari Park!
• Natural Bridge State Park is home to the Natural Bridge, numerous walking trails, and the Children’s Discovery Area. It is a short drive from the Safari Park and Natural Bridge Zoo.
• Natural Bridge Zoo is another local exotic animal sanctuary open daily March to November.
• Virginia Gold Orchard is open from sunrise to sundown for fruit picking and purchasing.
• Dinosaur Kingdom II is the wackiest walking tour of dinosaur statues you may ever see!
• The Caverns at Natural Bridge is a natural geologic formation open seasonally for guided tours.
• Hull’s Drive-In Theatre is one of the few remaining drive-in theatres in Virginia.
• Lexington’s Ghost Tour hosted by Mark Cline, is an entertaining tour through downtown Lexington.
• Gems of Rockbridge Geocaching Trail is a high tech treasure hunt!

Historical Landmarks & Museums

• Stonewall Jackson House and Museum is dedicated to the pre Civil War life of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson.
• The Brownsburg Museum is a permanent collection of 18th, 19th, and 20th century memorabilia.
• Oak Grove Cemetery is the resting place of “Stonewall” Jackson, two Virginia governors, and Margaret Junkin Preston, an American poet and author.
• Wade’s Mill is Virginia’s oldest continuously operating commercial grist mill.
• Virginia Military Institute Museum is closed to the public during the pandemic.
• Washington and Lee University Museums are closed to the public during the pandemic.
• Miller’s House Museum is closed during the pandemic.
• McCormick Farm Mill and Museum is closed during the pandemic.

Fine Arts & Culture

• The Lexington Carriage Company offers daily historical horse drawn carriage tours of Lexington.
• The Cabell Gallery features local artists and a variety of other works.
• Nelson Gallery features local, regional, and national artists.

Wine & Beer

• Brew Ridge Taps is an absolute go-to if you’re in Lexington! Offering a rotating selection of 18 craft beers and ciders on draft, plus wine, saki, and pre-made cocktails, BRT won’t let you down. Oh, and did we mention they have a huge selection of to-go beer and serve awesome food, too?! - Kid friendly.
• Heliotrope Brewery is another one of our favorites so there’s a good chance you’ll see us here when you visit! Heliotrope is known for delicious craft beers and pizzas with a downtown industrial vibe and rotating art and photography exhibits. - Kid and dog friendly.
• Great Valley Farm Brewery overlooks some of the most beautiful views in Rockbridge County including the back of the Safari Park! All beer and wine are created on site and there’s plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Live music and food truck schedules can be found on their Facebook page but food is not always available here. Kid and dog friendly.
• Devil’s Backbone Outpost Brewery serves beer brewed on site and delicious food from a dynamic menu. It is also home to the brewing and canning facilities for almost all of Devil’s Backbone products. With lots of seating both indoors and out, live music, and a gift shop, you will definitely want this one on your list! Kid and dog friendly.
• Rockbridge Vineyard is a well established vineyard that recently opened an on site brewery featuring locally brewed craft beer.
• Lexington Valley Vineyards has wine flights, wine by the bottle, and snack baskets so you can enjoy an afternoon in the sun.
• Jump Mountain Vineyard is a family owned and operated vineyard and winery that produces everything on site.
• Blue Ridge Vineyard features award winning wines, walking trails, picnic areas, and great views!
• Halcyon Days Cider Co. is an apple orchard and small batch cidery located near Natural Bridge, VA.
• Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail is a self guided craft beer tour through the Shenandoah Valley. Visit eight breweries on the list and receive a Beerwerks T-shirt!