Natural Bridge State Park is much bigger than I thought. When you get there, you go into the…read moreVisitor's Center/ Gift Shop, pay the small fee and start your hike. The main star of the park is the natural bridge itself. It's probably a shorter walk to the natural bridge than it is around the gift shop. I did the Cedar Creek Trail which is only 1 mile long and relatively flat from the natural bridge to the end at the waterfall. The trail is paved a lot of the way and well maintained the rest. Along the way there is a small cave that you can explore, a creak to just sit and relax, and lots of historical markers along the way. I had no idea that Thoms Jefferson once owned this land and the natural bridge itself. There is an urban legend that George Washington carved his initials in the bridge (along with a gazillion others). This hike is quite relaxing and easy to do. We saw a deer along the trail that was less than 10 feet from me and could care less that I was there. There are several other hikes that time didn't permit me to take. These trails will take you to other waterfalls, caverns and even a 2 mile frisbee golf trail. The natural bridge is a must see as it is absolutely gorgeous but next time, I will make time for the rest.

Such a cute little area with the natural bridge. There is a Virginia state fee for adult to enter,…read moreit's nine dollars per person. If you've actually bought something from REI, the receipt concern as a free admission to the park. You'll have to check the fine print. I don't know if there's a minimum spin, but I know that last I went to REI one of the front desk workers told me that the receipt would serve as my admission. And indeed covered it so I paid $0 more entrance to the park To get to the start, you have to go down some stairs, but I did over here a couple of groups at depending on if you need, they can drive you to the start. Natural Bridge had a couple of chairs so I'm assuming that a tour or they are just spots for people to rest. If you continue walking down the trail, you'll also find some other school spots like the saltwater cave, the ghost river, and Lace Falls. When I went a couple days ago, there has been a drought which has caused lace falls to be a bit smaller than normal. The ghost River was a surprisingly cool attraction. As soon as you start walking close to the hole, you can feel the cool breeze and hear the gush of the water. Where the river starts and where the river hint, we have no idea but it's a cool thing to check out.

What a great place!…read more April, who operates the mill, knows her craft and is happy to share it. Our tour of the mill was brief, but April was more than willing to answer our questions and go into any level of detail about the building, milling grain, etc. We purchased several items while there and would gladly go back.

I really love this spot. The grounds are beautiful and the mill is very charming. I've purchased…read moremany of their mixes and they are truly delicious! The owner kindly showed us around and her hospitality was appreciated.

I loved everything about this property. The host sent instructions the day before which were easy…read moreto understand and helped us once we got there to get the key and get everything situated. We stepped in the cabin and it is beautiful. The interior is rustic and it fits so well. The host left information about the area and pamphlets for things to do and see in the area which is a very nice touch too for someone who has never stayed in the area like myself. The kitchen is stocked with things you would need to cook, make tea and coffee which is very cool but bring things to cook (meats and such). There are restaurants about 20 minutes away but if you are looking for the retreat and just wanting to stay at the cabin there is also a firepit and grill out back available. It was awesome to sit in the fire pit area and just listen to the nature in the area.

What a beautiful cemetery for are confederate heroes it's the final resting place for Stonewall…read moreJackson and his family other important people are buried there as well

Five stars for a cemetery -- that's a first for me. But it's just because Oak Grove Cemetery is…read morehistoric and contains part (but not all) of General "Stonewall" Jackson. I say part because I was told that the General is buried here for the most part, but some of his parts are missing. I don't know which parts or where they are, but ain't here. This is one of the stops if you take the horse-drawn carriage tour through downtown Lexington. The tour guide will tell you a bit about the cemetery, and you can look around from the carriage. But if you really want to explore, you need to do so by foot on your own. The cemetery is open to all to explore.

My wife, two teenage sons, and I enjoyed a brief rest stop while driving north on I-81 from…read moreBlacksburg, VA to northern VA. On the plus side, it's free and has an open, dog-friendly grassy area. We gave our 9-year old miniature poodle some time to walk around. It also has a small historical display and pretty landscape with the Blue Ridge mountains in the background. The only minus is that it did not seem to have a full-fledged restroom facility in late April 2025, so you may be limited to a port-a-potty that is infrequently cleaned. However in the summer months, an indoor restroom may be open in the historical display area of the mill. In any case, the farm is a nice place to stretch your legs or take a short break from driving. Dog and kid-friendly!

You can see a museum full of interesting artifacts, a blacksmith's shop, gristmill and lots more…read moreMcCormick Farm. Best of all, it's free! This is the former home of Cyrus McCormick, the inventor of the mechanical grain reaper. At this beautiful farm, you can learn about agriculture, see the old grist mill, walk along a nature trail to see cows in the pasture, and have a picnic in the picnic area. Pets are also welcome! I met the resident cat who roams around. Perhaps you'll meet him, too. Also, I got to see a calf take its first steps while I was there! This is a pretty neat place. This place is also known as the Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center, and is part of Virginia Tech University.

Im not sure why Yelp didn't use the name I sent them. Green Pastures…read more Green Pastures people!

Hidden Bridge in plain sight…read more Made a little detour through a tiny town though it was a bit later than planned. I had the whole bridge to myself. This BSB creaks and moves a little but I didn't feel any dramatic "swing". There were some locks on both sides so it may be considered a romantic bridge? For being late, I was treated to a beautiful sunset over a glossy river and saw a doe with 2 fawns crossing the road. Drive slowly at dusk through Buchanan. There are NO street lights. There is NO designated parking. I just pulled over to a side of a road for about 10 minutes. Enjoy!

A little bit of unique history that gets driven by and probably criticized often, but is so unique…read moreit's awesome. Now this feels like something you'd do at Disney or a theme park, but it's not that at all, because it's as real as possible right to the north of downtown Buchanan. The stone pier you see today is the original from 1851 and this bridge spans 366 feet across the James River and is 57.6 feet tall. And it sways or swings and you can not only feel it, but you can see it too. And it's all made out of wood. Seriously I was hesitant at first, good thing I had my 3 boys worn me, afraid of nothing with death not even a thought (it's not that bad). The view from the bridge are breathtaking and because of the uniqueness of it, it's just cool. You feel like you've walked into yesteryear, where the civil war raged, which it did. Apparently the original bridge was burned down as a strategy by the Confederate General McCausland. We spent about 20 minutes taking it in and our confidence grew the more we tested the old rickety bridge. Good times by one and all and we enjoyed the park and basketball hoops right next to the parking lot for the bridge. It's a beautiful downtown with lots of history. Next time your pass Buchanan, swing on by for a walk on the swinging bridge and step into history.

I've gotta admit even though I was a Poly Sci major in college I didn't know much about Marshall…read moreother than the Marshall Plan. He had a really interesting life and this museum does a great job of showing it all. He was the Army Chief of Staff during WWII, Secretary of Defense, President of the Red Cross, and Secretary of State among other titles. This place shows it all without being boring or long winded, you can also see an Oscar and a Nobel Peace Prize here so that alone is worth a look.

A great museum on a historic school campus. The museum provides insights to Marshall's life and…read moresome World War II history. A phenomenal leader in both the military and senior government with a lasting legacy.