My wife, two teenage sons, and I enjoyed a brief rest stop while driving north on I-81 from…read moreBlacksburg, VA to northern VA. On the plus side, it's free and has an open, dog-friendly grassy area. We gave our 9-year old miniature poodle some time to walk around. It also has a small historical display and pretty landscape with the Blue Ridge mountains in the background. The only minus is that it did not seem to have a full-fledged restroom facility in late April 2025, so you may be limited to a port-a-potty that is infrequently cleaned. However in the summer months, an indoor restroom may be open in the historical display area of the mill. In any case, the farm is a nice place to stretch your legs or take a short break from driving. Dog and kid-friendly!

You can see a museum full of interesting artifacts, a blacksmith's shop, gristmill and lots more…read moreMcCormick Farm. Best of all, it's free! This is the former home of Cyrus McCormick, the inventor of the mechanical grain reaper. At this beautiful farm, you can learn about agriculture, see the old grist mill, walk along a nature trail to see cows in the pasture, and have a picnic in the picnic area. Pets are also welcome! I met the resident cat who roams around. Perhaps you'll meet him, too. Also, I got to see a calf take its first steps while I was there! This is a pretty neat place. This place is also known as the Shenandoah Valley Agricultural Research and Extension Center, and is part of Virginia Tech University.

What a great piece of history in the heart of Lexington, Virginia! We spent a warm July day walking…read morethrough downtown, but a highlight of our day was visiting General Thomas, "Stonewall" Jackson's house. The museum gave us a window into the life of the famous Confederate General. Learning about his family, life and faith really humanized him and showed the complexities of an often polarized time in America's history. Museum staff were helpful, attentive, and polite. They were more than willing to answer questions, but allowed us to experience the museum at our own pace. The virtual guided tour was incredibly informative and a great way to experience the museum. We would definitely recommend stopping at the Jackson house if you find yourself in Lexington.

I've visited here thrice over 2 decades and learn something new every time. I went on a Saturdsy in…read moreearly April was was unreasonably warm at 80 degrees. Our tour guide Wanda was informative. A family with 4 children between ages 3 to 8 were the others on my tour. The parents indicated that they were being home schooled which to me explained their good behavior and genuine interest in history. Understandably, the presentation was geared to the 4 children which I was fine with. The adjoining museum holds a surprising amount of Jackson paraphernalia, and the attendants were most helpful. Heard of Stonewall Jackson but interested in Major Jackson the family man and husband? Then check this out!

Don't miss this hidden gem! I highly recommend a stop at this regional arts and crafts shop and…read moreclass center in Clifton Forge, VA. They represent more than 260 artists from all over the Alleghany Highlands area (Southwest Virginia and parts of West Virginia). The friendly, volunteer staff were helpful and excited to share information about the handmade treasures found here. I was surprised by the variety of artwork and I want to highlight a few types that I loved: painting (realism, abstract, impressionistic, expressionistic, etc.) wood working (turned wood, live edge, sculpture, table ware, and decorative), jewelry making (custom designs in both traditional and modern versions), crafting (quilts, basket weaving, sewing, etc.), and photography (black and white, artistic, realistic styles and subjects such as nature, landscapes and local sites such as the Washington and Lee campus). Also, for the first time, I saw fly fishing lures displayed along with other crafts. Perfect, and well-deserved! I found this store after glimpsing the main sign on route 64. After you get off the exit (24 I believe), just follow signs into old town (historic) Clifton Forge and continue to Ridgeway Street. Note: this non-profit center appears to be located in a former retail space, so it is not a stand alone building, it is located in a row of shops (near Cafe Museo). Look for the Cafe Museo sign which is easy to spot. There is plenty of street parking. This place is a real treat and I wish I had more time to take one of their classes, add the walking tour of old town, and stop at one of the lunch spots nearby. I visited after a morning hike at Douthat State Park, but this shop is also easily accessible to visitors from the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest, Goshen, Warm Springs, Lexington, Covington, or anyone passing through to Beckley or the the New River Gorge National Park or Gauley River National Recreation Area. Before the next holiday or family celebration, consider a thoughtful, handmade gift from this unique shop and support local artists in the area.

such a great little stop while camping in the area on a rainy afternoon. This center is home to…read more250+ consignment artists and offers classes! They have a gallery open to the public and display a wide variety of crafts and art mediums.

FIVE STAR STAY WITH THIS HARVEST HOST…read more This place was awesome. Hosts Janis & John were so welcoming. From their Alpaca Farm there are views of rolling farmland and mountains. They have tons of adorable Alpacas all with their own creative names and personalities to match! There's a lovely store where you can purchase hand spun alpaca yarn as well as assorted handmade item from both their own alpacas as well as lots of unique items imported from Peru. Things like hats, gloves, socks, sweaters, barn vests and throws just to name a few. As an avid knitter I was so excited to purchase some of their beautiful hand spun yarn. We also picked up a few pairs of socks made from alpaca that have even better wicking quality than merino wool. Perfect for hiking! Keeps you cool in summer and warm in winter! They have a lovely porch with comfortable chairs that you can sit and watch the sun set over the mountains. At night we left our windows open and enjoyed the peace and quiet. The only sound was the occasional alerts of their guard dogs ensuring their alpacas are kept safe. Both Janis & John were lovely. We very much enjoyed chatting with them. We will def be back!

A must see farm! Janice was very friendly and knowledgeable about her alpacas. We were able to feed…read moreand pet them. They are so much softer than I had imagined. Such sweet animals. We bought a few interesting gifts in her store that you could not find elsewhere. Perfect for those "hard to buy for" people! A lot of the items are made from the fiber of her alpacas. The views on her farm are simply beautiful.

I was there about 12 years ago.....sure it's corny, but my 35+ year old son and his family loved…read moreit.....so many toys from the 80s and 90s....it was fun....I know my review is very different from the others, but if you enjoy a low-key walk down memory lane, this is for you. It's just fun, not everything has to be the Smithsonian.

First off the entrance to the Toy Museum is right below the Natural Bridge gift shop. Second, you…read morewill need to know that you cannot take pictures. And third, not all the toys are safely behind glass cases so if you bring the kids you better beware if they have itchy fingers. Now if you are a fan of 80s toys, Star Trek toys, Star Wars toys than you will love it. Of course there are other toys from different eras, but most of the toys are 80s to early 90s toys. I mean I even a She-Ra toy that I received for my birthday as a kid. On top of that I also saw some M.A.S.K toys, Centurions, He-Man, original Star Trek and Next Generation figurines, first generation Star Wars toys, Planet of the Apes figures, early 80s Lego Sets, a Teddy Ruxbin that is still in its box and a talking Mother Goose. There are many other toys and most are displayed in their original box . You just have to see it for yourself. This is a definite must see if you are a child of the 80s-90s, Star Trek fan, original Star Wars fan or just a kid at heart.

The Mountain View's were gorgeous! The wine flights were fun. We did a flight, picked our favorite…read moreand sat outside enjoying the incredible views. What an amazing day.

Amazing Place! The drive up the Blue Ridge Pkwy, the…read morespectacular views (360 degree), the great high altitude (3,300 ft), cool weather, short season wines like Reisling, Pinot Gris, Chardonnay AND Pinot Noir! You have to add this to your VA Winery trips!

My daughter attended Yellow Brick Road Early Learning Center in Lexington Va for 3 years and she…read moreloved it. She always had activities, learning time, play time, small trips into town and to Boxer-wood,Holiday get together' s, the small cafeteria was well run by caring staff, plenty of opportunity's for the parents to be involved as well with their children and meet other parents. The teachers and the manager kept us informed and were kind and supportive to both the Children and the Parents. My daughter made her first friends there. My daughter and one of her friends talk to each other now (they are in first grade) about how much they miss the Yellow Brick Road and remember good times.

My kids love yellow brick road! The firefighters come to visit, the children love watching the…read morehelicopter take off at the nearby hospita ,the trips to Boxerwood, practicing yoga, and the best teachers ever!! This place has so much to offer.

We went to Ecco Adesso Vineyards for a night before the wedding and birthday party. This vineyard…read morewas gorgeous. I have never been to this part of Virginia, and wow, I was absolutely stunned. Nestled in the mountains, this vineyard provides a gorgeous backdrop. The wine was good, I'm no wine pro- I just know I don't like sweet wines. Everyone who was part of hosting us was very helpful. The bathrooms were located in the building at the top of the way. They also have sheep on their property. They minded their own business, but they were cute to look at.

This place was one of my favorite stops when visiting the Lexington area. Ecco Adesso Vineyards is…read morefamily-friendly and dog-friendly place to enjoy a picnic and some wine surrounded by the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains. Along with wine tastings, Ecco Adesso offers their 350 acre farm as a place to explore the vineyards, hiking trails, meadows, orchards, waterfalls and creeks that are on the grounds. I got a wine flight, which included four 2-ounce pours. There are four flights to choose from, and I chose the Old World/New World flight, which had two Chardonnays and two Cabernet Francs. I'm not a Chardonnay person at all, but I'm 100% a Cab Franc person. It turns out, I really loved the Chardonnay! Who'd-a known. That's the great thing about doing a flight: You can try something new and maybe discover something about yourself along the way. I enjoyed my wine flight on the big porch outside of the winery. The porch overlooks the beautiful grape vineyards, and it's a picturesque sight to behold for sure. The porch has big rocking chairs, so you can sit and sip and rock and stare at the scenery. I found that the people who work here were incredibly friendly and helpful. At one point, I wanted to try a little taste of a different wine that wasn't on my flight, and they didn't even blink and just gave me a pour. So nice!