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.

While visiting friends in the Lynchburg area, we went here and opted for a self guided tour. The…read morehouse is small and a lot of it is not been restored. Similar layout concept as Monticello but on a smaller scale. It is a beautiful area and the house is very interesting. The grounds around the house have not been maintained well which is unfortunate. The garden walls are collapsing and several dead trees/plants. However, I know that this is a foundation and funding can be an issue. They also put on plays on the south lawn at various times which would be a fun event to attend. There is also a new looking walking trail on the entrance drive in and it had a lot of people there on the morning that we visited.

Historical site. Ole…read moreTom Jefferson really knew how to build them - an excellent example of octagon construction and out buildings... assuming you put aside the fact that is where the slaves were working and all. Nice piece of property in the Forest area of VA, this was Jefferson's summer home. Considering it is a bit of a task to get to in 2015, it must have really sucked to make the trek on horseback way back in the day. Worth a visit if in the area to at least get a glimpse into how they lived 200 years ago - right down to the functional outhouses. They really lived pretty well back then - I guess if you had the money. There are guided tours for a donation that gets you in the main house. I'm not sure on the paid tour if they point out where ole T.J. was boinking Sally Hemmings... You can walk the grounds for free. A nice day out for the family.

A little broken down, but still an interesting local curiosity. If you like a little side of the…read moreroad fun, have a peek

This place is amazing, literally the best place to visit in Roanoke. Despite what some of the…read morereviews say, it is much bigger than expected. Neighborhood is beautiful, right next to the river. You are missing out if you don't make this a priority stop when passing by, near, around, or within a hour of Roanoke.

This marker alongside US11 (Lee Highway) would be missed if you were zipping by on the nearby…read moreInterstate. It recalls Colonial times and the days before steel and concrete bridges and superhighways. It reads, "Looney's Ferry, established in 1742, was the first crossing over James River in this region. On the other side of the river was Cherry Tree Bottom, home of Colonel John Buchanan, and above the mouth of this creek stood Fort Fauquier, 1758-1763." Back in 1742, this was the westernmost point on the frontier, located along the "Great Road" or the "Philadelphia Road" and was used by settlers traveling south from Lancaster through the Shenandoah Valley to settlements in Bristol VA, Knoxville TN and Charlotte NC. The James River and its ferries played a huge role in the establishment of the towns surrounding its waters, and without the ferries, the Town of Buchanan would not exist as we know it today. [Review 13775 overall, 1096 of 2020, number 1210 in Virginia.]

This roadside marker is near the central district of Buchanan in front of the Presbyterian Church…read more It is in very good condition as it was replaced recently. The marker reads, "The Great Valley Road, which carried many settlers of European descent through Virginia beginning in the 1740s, cross the James River nearby. This intersection gave rise to Pattronsburg, established north of the river in 1788 and named for early landowner James Patton, and Buchanan, laid out south of the river in 1811 and named for Colonel John Buchanan. Commerce and manufacturing flourished, particularly after the James River and Kanawha Canal reaches its western terminis here in 1851. Union Major General David Hunter marched through in June 1864 on his way to attack Lynchburg. In 1882, the two towns were consolidated and incorporated as the Town of Buchanan." [Review 13773 overall, 1094 of 2020, number 1208 in Virginia.]

This memorial is located in downtown Buchanan adjacent to the Presbyterian church. It is a simple…read moreobelisk about 12 feet tall unlike other Confederate monuments that seem to need a soldier on top. On one side, "AD 1862, In commemoration of the deeds and services of the Buchanan Company. Organized October 1859 as The Mountain Rifles Virginia Volunteers. Enlisted May 1861 in the Confederate States Army, for twelve months as Company 1-R-26, Regiment Virginia Infantry. Reenlisted November 1861, for the war, as Anderson's Battery Light Artillery. Renamed March 1863, as the Botetourt Artillery." Others, "To our loving, self-sacrificing, Confederate women." and "To our comrades who have died since the war, and to the survivors of our company." and "To our officers and men who were killed in battle, and who died from wounds and disease, during the war." [Review 13774 overall, 1095 of 2020, number 1209 in Virginia.]

Whether you're a history buff or someone looking for a beautiful place to stretch your legs, this…read morenational monument is worth a stop. Booker T Washington was born into slavery on this plantation, later freed during the Civil War and went on to become an educator, author and political activist. You can learn more about his life inside the visitor center as well as from the information boards scattered throughout the property. I highly recommend a walk on the Jack o' Lantern loop trail which is about 2 miles long and takes you past old buildings and through the woods. Dogs are also allowed on the trail if they are on a leash. The visitor center is open from 10am-4pm and the grounds are open from 9am-5pm with the exception of some major holidays. And there is no fee to visit!

Booker T. Washington. If you attended 4th grade in VA public school system, then you were taught…read moreabout the Life of Booker T Washington. Born into slavery, in VA, to be freed and to create a better life for black Americans. I took a 2 mile walk here on the farm. I saw chickens, horses, tobacco houses and his home. A very nice peice of land. Glad to have seen and stopped at this National Monument!

I enjoyed learning the history of the bridge. The cave arches were breathtaking. I did not enjoy…read moreclimbing the stairs to return to the main building, but the experience was definitely a hike! I was excited to watch otters fish for food in the streams. The waterfall was not as grand as I expected it to be, but the natural scenery was worth viewing for $9. As a bonus, there is a trail to a cave.

This is a perfect place to take a road trip break! We did exactly that on a recent drive from…read moreAsheville to Richmond. The visitor center was easy to find and the building reminded me of those found at the University of Virginia, which was founded by Thomas Jefferson. Coincidentally, Thomas Jefferson also owned the land on which the Natural Bridge is located. After paying your admittance fee at the center, you head down several stairs and will pass a small waterfall. Very soon thereafter, you will see the Natural Arch. There is a flat path that leads you through the arch where you can continue your stroll along a steam for about 15 minutes to see a larger waterfall. "Saltpeter Cave" can also be found along the path. It was interesting to read that Mr. Jefferson leased out this shelter for the excavation of potassium nitrate which was eventually used to make gun powder. While I would not make the Natural Bridge a destination trip, it is definite worthwhile to explore if passing through the area.

We chose to park in the West Trailhead side and walked in from that direction of the tunnel. We…read morestarted out with our flashlights on but wanted to walk the tunnel without the flashlights. The Experience was fantastic. We did turn on our flashlights when we saw people approaching so we would not startle them. It is dark, damp, and cold in the tunnel. You hear the little water falling inside. We had pocket warmers and I think they were needed. We were both happy we had our pocket warmers. The hike to the tunnel has wonderful forest views and an excellently maintained trail. They also have some plaques with historical information on them. We really thought that was a nice additions to our hike. Both sides of the tunnel has picnic tables. The picnic tables are brand new this year. We stopped and had lunch. There are 2 parking areas. East Trailhead Blue Ridge Tunnel and West Trailhead Blue Ridge Tunnel. Both have a porta potty but no running water. So you will want to take some hand sanitizer. Easy hike, 4.6 miles. Out and back. 370ft elevation gain. The best maintained trail I have ever seen. Hiker friendly, kid friendly. Dogs on leash, Forest view, tucked away on the side of a mountain, Historical tunnel view. Some of the trail is paved, then gravel, and then dirt with gravel mix. Make sure you leave no trash behind

We had a group of eight for the hike. We started on the east side. The walk through the tunnel…read morewas great. I was thankful that started on the east side because it was a pretty steep and long climb after the tunnel. It was 4.5 miles total for the walk. To have the steepest part at the middle was perfect rather than having it at the end. Highly recommend. The tunnel is not claustrophobic at all as it is large inside and you can see the end the entire time. It was a perfect fall hike with the leaves changing. We stopped at Blue Mountain Brewery afterward (only 6 minutes away) for lunch.

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.