For many years I desired to visit Lexington primarily to cross the Stonewall Jackson House off my museum bucket list. Many different websites also promoted Lexington as one of the most beautiful small towns in Virginia. Also, I wished to see spectacular nature that one cannot find in the Tidewater region. Find out about my opinion on downtown Lexington, and keep reading to watch the accompanying YouTube video.
Downtown Lexington
Lexington Virginia is definitely a beautiful town, but I was expecting something more unique from the pictures I’ve seen. Contrary to expectations, Lexington is similar to other towns in Virginia with historic main streets. Nevertheless, it’s worth wandering around Lexington’s lovely downtown to soak up the historic ambiance.
The Jackson House Museum
While I was in downtown Lexington, I went to visit The Jackson House Museum, the second museum about Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson I visited this year. The house was built in 1801, but Stonewall Jackson bought the house in 1858. Thomas and Anna Jackson only lived in the house for several years. After his death, Anna and their daughter moved to North Carolina and never returned to Lexington. The house remained vacant for fifty years until Anna sold the house in 1906, where it became a hospital for half a century. I learned that Thomas’ sister was a staunch Unionist while at the Visitor Center.
Boxerwood Nature Center
At the edge of Lexington is the Boxerwood Nature Center & Woodland Garden. The vibes of Boxerwood could only be described as whimsical utilitarianism. Before you go, the park might be $5, but I saw nothing except for a donation box where you would pay. Also, there is nothing stopping you from wandering onto neighboring properties.
Natural Bridge State Park
About a 20-minute drive from Lexington is the Natural Bridge State Park. This park has an interesting history, as the land was once owned by Thomas Jefferson. As Jefferson was a busy man, he hired Patrick Henry, a free black man with no relations to the Founding Father. Both Jefferson and Henry would show the Natural Bridge to guests, beginning its long history as a tourist attraction. Despite being a major destination for several hundred years, it only became a part of Virginia’s State Park system in 2016.
The Natural Bridge is truly spectacular, standing 200 feet tall, making it taller than the Statue of Liberty and Niagara Falls. Amazingly, there’s a road on top of the Natural Bridge that cars can drive on, but not stop at. Reportedly George Washington carved his initials on the Natural Bridge, but there much doubt about it veracity-I couldn’t find it anyway. The rest of the park is very beautiful, with small caves, a distant waterfall, and a river flowing lazily by.
Conclusion
Overall, I highly recommend visiting Lexington Virginia. One could spend the entire day just exploring downtown Lexington, as I never went to the VMI Museum, the Washington & Lee University Chapel & Gallery, or the Miller House Museum. Visiting both downtown Lexington and the surrounding area makes for a fun weekend trip. But however long you spend here, Lexington makes the perfect stop to experience history and nature in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
For further explorations, Lexington is relatively close to the Alleghany Highland towns of Clifton Forge and Covington. Lexington is also 43-minutes from Staunton, about an hour from both Lynchburg & Roanoke, and about 75-minutes away from Charlottesville. For more natural experiences, Saint Mary’s Wilderness is 30-minutes away heading north, while the Devil’s Marbleyard, Peaks of Otter, and Roaring Run are all over a 30-minute drive south in different directions.
Below is the companion YouTube video that shows more of downtown Lexington, the Boxerwood Nature Center, and the Natural Bridge State Park.
Restaurants
I first had lunch at Pure Eats, which serve beef tallow fries. They also serve regular fries, so specify which type of fry you want. To compare the two, beef tallow fries are a lighter color than the regular fries served here, and the taste varies between slightly beefy and (modern) McDonald’s™ fries. The restaurant also serves donuts and milkshakes.
For a dessert I went to Pronto Caffe & Gelateria, which serves good gelato. The cafe also serves coffee, pastries, and sandwiches.