Blue Ridge Skyline Parkway Drive

Yesterday historic Lexington welcomed Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Their homes, colleges, churches and final resting places are in this 19th-century college town.

In 1774 Thomas Jefferson purchased Natural Bridge (one of the seven natural wonders of the world) from King George III. As a young man George Washington surveyed the Bridge and carved his initials on it. Rockbridge County was named for Natural Bridge.

Statesman Sam Houston was born near Lexington in Rockbridge County. In the northern end of the county, Cyrus McCormick invented the mechanized reaper that revolutionized American agricultural production.

General George C. Marshall (Nobel Peace Prize winner for the Marshall Plan after World War II) was a 1901 graduate of Virginia Military Institute. A museum honoring him is on the VMI post.

Lexington, the county seat, is located in the Shenandoah Valley in west central Virginia. We are approximately 45 miles north of Roanoke, 140 miles west of Richmond, and 190 miles southwest of Washington D.C. and is home to many state and national historic landmarks and today serves as the retail, service, governmental, and educational center for the area. It has served as home to the renowned military strategists Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and Robert E. Lee, along with inventor Cyrus McCormick and pioneer Sam Houston.

If there is anything that we can help you with personally, feel free to use our ONLINE REQUEST FORM.

For more information, you can contact us:

Lexington and the Rockbridge Area Visitor Center
106 East Washington Street
Lexington, VA 24450
(540)463-3777- phone (540)463-1105 - fax
lexington@rockbridge.net

Tour the Stonewall Jackson House, the only home the Confederate General ever owned.
Visit the Lee Chapel & Museum known as the "Shrine of the South" located on the beautiful campus of Washington & Lee University.
Tour the post and parade ground at Virginia Military Institute, the nation's oldest state-supported military college and include a visit to the VMI Museum and the George C. Marshall Museum.
Stroll through the 19th Century Residential District and revel in Lexington's rich architecture.
Visit the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery and pay tribute to the great American hero along with many other Confederate veterans.
Enjoy shopping and browsing in Lexington's Downtown District where gifts are unique and you'll be greeted with southern hospitality and personal attention. Wander through Lexington's Art Galleries for a taste of local culture.
Experience a nighttime play or concert at the Theater at Lime Kiln, Virginia's premiere outdoor theater or an eerie Ghost Tour of Lexington.

Tour the historic and cultural sites in Lexington mentioned above.
Spend a day at the Natural Bridge of Virginia, just 12 miles south of downtown Lexington. Tour the Bridge for a breathtaking and memorable experience of one of Virginia's most cherished natural wonders.
Adventure past the Natural Bridge to observe and assist Monacan Indians with canoe building, hide tanning, harvesting, mat weaving and much more at the Monacan Indian Living History Village.
Travel down 34 stories into the earth for a tour of the Natural Bridge Caverns. Learn about how this underground world was created and how it continues to grow.
Take a three-dimensional trip through early American history at the Natural Bridge Wax Museum.
In the evening, enjoy the Drama of Creation sound and light show underneath the Bridge.

Tour the historic and cultural sites in Lexington and enjoy all of the family-fun activities at the Natural Bridge of Virginia mentioned above.
Tour Downtown Buena Vista with charming shops and unique architecture.
Access the Blue Ridge Parkway from Buena Vista and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Rockbridge County from this skyline view. Pack a picnic and your hiking shoes to truly enjoy our great outdoors.
Take the Blue Ridge Parkway to northern Rockbridge County where you can taste local wine at Rockbridge Vineyard, enjoy a garden tour at Buffalo Springs Herb Farm and tour Wade's Mill, an 18th century working flour mill.
Drive along Avenue of Trees one of the area's most scenic country roads to Goshen Pass. Enjoy a day filled with swimming, picnicking, hiking, canoeing or just plain relaxing at this beautiful mountain gorge.

If there is anything that we can help you with personally, feel free to use our ONLINE REQUEST FORM.

Lexington and the Rockbridge Area Visitor Center
106 East Washington Street
Lexington, VA 24450
(540)463-3777- phone (540)463-1105 - fax
lexington@rockbridge.net