It's actually the Nelson County Historical Society but the address is correct. Small museum with an…read moreinteresting display about Hurricane Camille that came through in 1969.

This roadside marker points out the birthplace of a local hero…read more The marker reads, "Two miles east, at Oak Ridge, was born William Cabell Rives, May 4, 1792. He was minister to France, 1829-32 and 1849-53; United States Senator, 1832-45; member of the Peace convention of 1861 and of the Confederate Congress. He died, April 25, 1868. Later, Oak Ridge was owned by Thomas Fortune Ryan." Online, there is more information. William Cabell Rives was an American lawyer, planter, politician and diplomat from Virginia. Initially a Jackson Democrat as well as member of the First Families of Virginia, Rives served in the Virginia House of Delegates representing first Nelson County, then Albemarle County, Virginia, before service in both the U.S. House and Senate (his final term as a Whig). Rives also served two separate terms as U.S. Minister to France. During the Andrew Jackson administration, Rives negotiated a treaty whereby the French agreed to pay the U.S. for spoliation claims from the Napoleonic Wars. During the American Civil War, Rives became a Delegate to the Provisional Confederate Congress and the Confederate House of Representatives. In 1860, Rives endorsed the call for a Constitutional Union Party Convention. He received most of Virginia's first ballot votes for President. Rives then became one of Virginia's unofficial delegates to the February 1861 Peace Conference in Washington, which sought to prevent the American Civil War by preserving slavery. Although Rives spoke out against secession, he was loyal to Virginia when it seceded. He served in the Provisional Confederate Congress from 1861 to 1862 and the Second Confederate Congress from 1864 to 1865. [Review 15230 overall, 732 of 2021, number 1330 in Virginia.]

This marker stands on US-29 about a half hour from both Lynchburg and Charlottesville. It is almost…read morea billboard for the nearby property which functions as an event space at https://www.oakridgeestate.com/. The marker reads, "About two miles east is Oak Ridge, a 4,800-acre estate first patented in the 1730s. Robert Rives (1764-1845), a tobacco planter and international trader, built his house there in 1802. In 1867, William Porcher Miles (1822-1899), a former Confederate congressman, acquired the plantation. Nelson County native and Wall Street financier Thomas Fortune Ryan (1851-1928) purchased Oak Ridge in 1901 and transformed it into a country estate. He remodeled Rives's Federal farmhouse into a Colonial Revival mansion and built some 80 structures, including schools, a telephone company building, a movie theater, and stables for Ryan's 200 Thoroughbreds. A Crystal Palace-style greenhouse, a racetrack, and a private railroad station are among 50 surviving structures." I did not have time today to see the property. Perhaps in the future. [Review 15197 overall, 699 of 2021, number 1329 in Virginia.]

I loved everything about this property. The host sent instructions the day before which were easy…read moreto understand and helped us once we got there to get the key and get everything situated. We stepped in the cabin and it is beautiful. The interior is rustic and it fits so well. The host left information about the area and pamphlets for things to do and see in the area which is a very nice touch too for someone who has never stayed in the area like myself. The kitchen is stocked with things you would need to cook, make tea and coffee which is very cool but bring things to cook (meats and such). There are restaurants about 20 minutes away but if you are looking for the retreat and just wanting to stay at the cabin there is also a firepit and grill out back available. It was awesome to sit in the fire pit area and just listen to the nature in the area.

An absolutely lovely inn. Top notch service. Beautiful inn. Fully renovated but maintains original…read morecharm. The food was amazing! Highly recommended for a romantic getaway, family reunion or more!

We just discovered The Orchard House Bed & Breakfast in Lovingston, Virginia--only about 3 1/2…read morehours from Raleigh, NC--and it's the perfect getaway. The husband-and-wife owners, along with their four wonderful boys, are building such a special place here. The property is absolutely stunning: an amazing barn that's ready to host weddings, a sparkling pond with a fountain and gazebo, a vineyard right on-site, a beautiful swimming pool, a cozy fire pit, and breathtaking mountain views in every direction. There's so much to do--wineries, breweries, and incredible restaurants are just 15 to 20 minutes away in any direction, along with antique shops to explore. Or you can stay put and relax: enjoy a private breakfast on the front porch, book an in-room massage, or have a romantic dinner under the old oak tree in the backyard. And the breakfast? Out of this world. The wife is an incredible cook--you'll wake up to something better than you could imagine every morning. Whether you're looking for a quiet escape, planning a wedding, or just want to enjoy Virginia wine country, The Orchard House B&B is absolute perfection. Highly recommend!

While in the greater area, i was looking for new wineries with mead and saw Rebec and decided to…read morecheck it out. Driving in is a little strange, but do not let the exterior dissuade you. My husband and I shared a tasting of their entire menu, along with their mead and fruit wines. So literally tried everything. The mead was fantastic, and I liked how different some of the wines were - like the Sweet Sofia, an herb infused wine that tasted like Thanksgiving dinner. The price to try all 16 wines with pretty generous pours - $16. You cannot beat that price in the area. Check it out!

The charm and warm welcome from Emily really sets this vineyard apart. This old tobacco barn made…read morefor a really interesting setting for wine tasting. As we enjoyed our tasting we were interested to hear about the history of the winery and the wines. We did the regular tasting stay away from the sweet wines. We really found the Sweet Sophia interesting and purchased a bottle for Thanksgiving. It was a fun stop to enjoy wine, watch the snow and experience the kindness and joy that Emily shares!

Decent amount of parking, even with a trailer. Really sweet older lady at the ticket booth, asked…read moreif we were military and gave us the discount. We made it just in time for the 3:30 Bigfoot battle! The kids were able to fill water guns and squirt Bigfoot as he ran around the town. It was a perfect way to cool off during the 90° weather. The town was pretty cool! My son had a blast going from store to store seeing what each room held. We pressed all the buttons and touched all the things! Our favorite part was the dino trail. My husband enjoyed the Civil War statues mixed with the dinosaurs. The kids just loved the dinosaurs and the adventure of it all. The dino maze was cool and my daughter loved the dino dig. The gift shop had some pretty cool shirts and we couldn't leave without getting a stuffed dino and a penny from the machine. A great roadside attraction! Definitely worth stopping and seeing, especially if you have kids/just enjoy weird and entertaining experiences.

Great stop for the granddaughters, age 9 and 8. Great stop for someone with a sense of humor, kids…read morewho love dinosaurs or just needing to give the kids a moment to run. It Was campy and over the top but hey... I think it was meant to be. The rating is strictly for young kids. Adults, don't waste your time. The price was a bit high but the kids got to squirt a "Bigfoot" who was also armed with a squirt gun.

Amazing!! Great outfitter to work with and the campground on the river along the way is great with…read moreporta potties! We were given a thorough safety briefing before they drove us to our launch area. This is a well run operation!

My son and I just wrapped up our first overnight kayaking trip together--two beautiful days…read morefloating (and occasionally paddling) down the James River! As a dad, planning this kind of trip comes with a lot of moving parts... and a little bit of overthinking. Thankfully, Twin River Outfitters made it all easy. Robert gave us a great orientation and walked us through the whole course like seasoned river guides (which we definitely are not). We booked the glamping tents and took full advantage of their kitchen box, firewood, and luggage service--which meant we could have an awesome adventure without needing a crash course in ultralight backpacking. It was a perfect balance of the outdoors and just enough comfort to keep everyone smiling.