THINGS TO DO - Most are less than a 30 minute drive
Goshen
- Goshen & Little North Mountain WMA - Goshen - Goshen and Little North Mountain | Virginia DWR - 33,697 acres of wildlife management area with outdoor activities and miles hiking trails, just outside of the Goshen.
- Goshen Land Company Bridge - historic Pratt through truss bridge spanning the Calfpasture River opened in 1891, listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
- Goshen Pass - Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve (virginia.gov) - 3.7 mile gorge along the Maury River, just outside of Goshen, VA
- Virginia Scenic Railway - https://www.virginiascenicrailway.com - offers seasonal train excursions.
- Mill Creek Produce - 140 Main Street Goshen, VA 24439 - (540) 292-0455 - seasonal farmers market selling fresh local produce, meats and treats. Within walking distance of the Goshen Post Inn.
- Dollar General - for the basic necessities.
- Goshen Scout Reservation - Goshen, VA - (540) 997-5773 - www.gotogoshen.org - Goshen Scout Reservation is located in the wilderness of the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia and has at its center the beautiful, 450 acre Lake Merriweather.
Rockbridge County
- Natural Bridge State Park - 6477 South Lee Highway, Natural Bridge, VA 24578 - General information (virginia.gov)
- Virginia Horse Center - 487 Maury River Rd, Lexington, VA 24450 - (540) 464-2950 - https://www.vahorsecenter.org
- Virginia Safari Park - 229 Safari Ln, Natural Bridge, VA 24578 - (540) 291-3205 - Virginia Safari Park, U.S. Zoo
- Caverns at Natural Bridge - Explore the Natural Bridge Caverns | Caverns in Virgina (naturalbridgeva.com)
- Lavender Fields at Tantivy Farm - 1350 Decatur Road, Fairfield, VA 24435 - (540) 460-6347 - Home | Tantivyfarm - Beautiful lavender farm with gift shop that sells handmade lavender products, picnic area with scenic views & delicious lavender ice cream!
- Boxerwood Nature Center - 963 Ross Rd, Lexington, VA 24450 - (540) 463-6347 - www.boxerwood.org - Nature center and woodland garden with a large children's explorer area.
- Brownsburg Museum - 2716 Brownsburg Turnpike, Brownsburg, VA 24415 - (540) 348-1600 - www.thebrownsburgmuseum.org
- Cyrus McCormick Farm - 128 McCormick's Farm Circle, Raphine, VA 24472 - (540) 377-2255 - Lexington, Virginia | Cyrus McCormick Farm (lexingtonvirginia.com) - Home of Cyrus McCormick, inventor of the mechanical grain reaper. Beautiful grounds, small museum, grist mill, nature trail and picnic area.
- Dinosaur Kingdom II - 5781 S Lee Hwy, Natural Bridge, VA 24578 - (540) 464-2253 - www.dinosaurkingdomii.com - Experience a wooded, walking adventure of the wildest, weirdest, craziest dinosaur park the Washington Post has called Amazing! Brilliant! Hilarious!
- Wade's Mill - 55 Kennedy Wade’s Mill Loop, Raphine, VA 24472 - (540) 348-1400 - Welcome to Wade's Mill | Stone-ground Grains Since 1750 (wadesmill.com) - Founded in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley in 1750, Wade’s Mill is Virginia’s oldest continuously operating commercial grist mill.
Lexington
- Lexington & Rockbridge County Visitor Center - 106 East Washington Street, Lexington, VA 24450 - (540) 463-3777 - Lexington, Virginia | Homepage (lexingtonvirginia.com)
- Virginia Military Institute - Virginia Military Institute (VMI)
- Washington & Lee University - Washington and Lee (wlu.edu)
- Lexington Carriage Rides - 106 E Washington Street, Lexington, VA 24450 - Home (lexcarriage.com) - (540) 463-5647 - Horse drawn carriage rides through historic downtown Lexington.
- Artists in Cahoots - 21 W. Washington Street, Lexinton, VA 24450 - (540) 464-1147 - www.artistsincahoots.com - Cooperative of local artists & craftspeople with expertise in areas including: painting, printmaking, silver & gold jewelry, ceramic jewelry, woodworking, photography, sculpture, fabric arts and much more!
- Grace Episcopal Church - 123 W Washington St, Lexington, VA 24450 - History | Grace Episcopal (gracelexva.org) - Gorgeous historic church located on the Washington & Lee University campus.
- Jackson House Museum - 8 E Washington St, Lexington, VA 24450 - (540) 464-7704 - Jackson House Museum - Virginia Military Institute (vmi.edu) Former residence of Confederate general Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson from 1858 to 1861.
- Miller's House Museum - 834 Stono Lane, Lexington, VA 24450 - (540) 460-3111 - Lexington, Virginia | Miller's House Museum (lexingtonvirginia.com) - The Miller’s House Museum is dedicated to interpreting the industrial & transportation history of the Lexington area by celebrating the roads, rivers and rails that served a now extinct industrial complex on Jordan’s Point north of the city.
- Oak Grove Cemetery - 316 S Main Street, Lexington, VA 24450 - Historic cemetery and burial site of Gen. “Stonewall” Jackson, 296 Confederate veterans, two Virginia governors and Margaret Junkin Preston.
- VMI Museum - Memorial Hall, 415 Letcher Ave, Lexington, VA 24450 - (540) 464-7334 - VMI Museum - Virginia Military Institute - Museum dedicated to the history & heritage of the VMI & notable alumni, with cadet-guided tours.
- Washington & Lee University Museums - 100 N Jefferson St, Lexington, VA 24450 - (540) 458-8768 - Museums (wlu.edu) - The Museums at W&L consist of the University Chapel & Galleries, the Reeves Museum of Ceramics, and Watson Galleries.
Bath County, Hot Springs & Warm Springs
- The Omni Homestead Resort - 7696 Sam Snead Highway, Hot Springs, VA 24445 - Dining at The Omni Homestead Resort | Hot Springs, VA Restaurants (omnihotels.com)
- Warm Springs Pools (reservations required) - 11 Bath Street, Warm Springs, VA 24484 - (540) 839-3860 - Warm Spring Pools | Hot Springs in Virginia | The Omni Homestead Resort (omnihotels.com)
- Warm Springs Gallery - 12 Katydid Trail, Warm Springs, VA 24484 - (540) 839-2985 - Warm Springs Gallery
- Douthat State Park - 14239 Douthat State Park Rd, Millboro, VA 24460 - (540) 862-8100- www.dcr.virginia.gov/state-parks/douthat - State Park located amid some of Virginia’s most breathtaking mountain scenery, visitors enjoy miles of stream fishing, a 50-acre lake stocked with trout, a sandy swimming beach with a snack bar, boat and bicycle rentals, a gift shop and a camp store, and cabins.
- Moseymore Lavender Farm - 188 Over The Hill Lane, Millboro, VA 24460 - (410) 703-6157 - Moseymore is a lavender farm nestled in the beautiful Allegheny Mountains of western Virginia, just minutes from the Goshen Post Inn.
Augusta County
- Cestari Sheep & Wool Company - 2570 Little Calf Pasture Hwy, Swoope, VA 24479 - (540) 997-1212 - Cestari Sheep & Wool Company An American-Made Luxury Wool Company - Home
Alleghany County & Clifton Forge
- C&O Railway Heritage Center - 705 Main Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422 - (540) 862-8653 - https://cohs.org/heritage/ - Railway heritage museum, interpretive, educational, and visitor’s center that tells the story of the C&O Railway: the people, the places, and the technology. Complete with C&O Railroad mini train for short family rides around the museum yard!
- Historic Masonic Theatre & Ampitheatre - 510 Main Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422 - (540) 862-5655 - www.historicmasonictheatre.com - Offers a variety of educational, entertainment, business and social programs; and partners with organizations in need of a facility to host programs. Also available for rental for weddings, meetings, parties, corporate events, etc.
- Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts Center - 439 E. Ridgeway St, Clifton Forge, VA 24422 - (540) 862-4447 - www.highlandsartsandcraft.org - Arts & crafts center that offers education, exhibits and marketing. Has a wonderful gallery & gift shop offering locally created art and crafts!
Staunton
- Sunspots Studios Glassblowing - 202 S Lewis St, Staunton, VA 24401 - (540) 885-0678 - www.sunspots.com - Glassblowing studio & gift shop in historic downtown Staunton!
Scenic Drives
- Lexington, Virginia | Scenic Drives (lexingtonvirginia.com) List of scenic drives with directions and suggestions on the Lexington & Rockbridge website.
- Route 39 - Appalachian Waters Scenic Byway - Route 39 - Appalachian Waters Scenic Byway (virginia.org) Begin this scenic drive from Lexington, where you'll follow Route 39 to Goshen Pass. The stunning views will be all around you as you drive, or disembark from your car for a hike, swim or kayak. Continue into the towns of Millboro and Warm Springs, not far off the beaten path is the renowned Omni Homestead Resort. From Warm Springs Route 39 meanders across the state line into West Virginia through Marlinton and Richwood before ending in Summersville.
- Blue Ridge Parkway - Blue Ridge Parkway - From the Buena Vista Overlook, House Mountain rises on the western horizon like a long-lost friend. After appreciating the view, push off for a drive on the 469-mile Blue Ridge Parkway, one of the most scenic byways in the world. Feel the mountain breeze. Smell the rhododendrons. Gaze at the Shenandoah Valley. Hear the red tanagers, savor the taste of adventure and roll those windows way, way down. The Parkway's twenty-mile run alongside Rockbridge County is interactive exploring at its finest.