AROUND LEXINGTON

Plan a family vacation, a couples getaway, or a solo adventure around these must-see attractions, restaurants, and historical sites in Lexington, Buena Vista, and Rockbridge County, VA.

Downtown Lexington is ready for you to explore. Check out our online guide to dining, accommodations, arts, activities, and shopping. There is something new to do or see around every corner.

From lush forests and cold mountain streams to unique mountaintop balds, over 1.8 million acres of Appalachian forests in Virginia, West Virginia, and Kentucky are yours to explore.

Millions of visitors enjoy the Blue Ridge Parkway each year. Some think of it as just a motor road or a pleasant drive. But the Parkway is also a place of varied and significant natural resources. Visitors encounter unsurpassed diversity of climate, vegetation, wildlife and geological features.

Just 75 miles from the bustle of Washington, D.C., Shenandoah National Park is a land bursting with cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded hollows. With over 200,000 acres of protected lands that are haven to deer, songbirds, and black bear, there's so much to explore...and your journey begins right here!

A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep canyons, the New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent. The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along the New River, is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.

The seven-mile Chessie Nature Trail follows the Maury River from Lexington to Buena Vista. Similar to other trail projects, the Chessie Nature Trail follows a disused rail line through private and public lands. The trail’s close proximity to the river and the alternating open and forested habitats it crosses offer visitors an opportunity to view a variety of wildlife.

Goshen Pass is Virginia's oldest state-managed natural area. Located in Rockbridge County about 10 miles north of Lexington, the Commonwealth first acquired the property in
1954 to help protect the spectacular views of the 3.7-mile long gorge along the Maury River.

A reclaimed old iron ore mining area, St. Mary's Wilderness has an abundance of diverse scenery from waterfalls, fern forests, open meadows, valley vistas, and high mountain wetlands, in Virginia's largest designated wilderness area. No wonder it's one of the most popular circuit hikes in the northern section of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

The mighty James River begins its majestic journey in Botetourt County and winds through Rockbridge County, the Blue Ridge Mountains, and southern Shenandoah Valley on its way to the Chesapeake Bay. The unspoiled beauty of the river is more accessible than ever through the Upper James River Water Trail.