Tony and I went to Eagle Rock Va on a day trip to check out some historical sites and we happened…read moreupon this side of the road park. There is parking, some flowers and some relics from Old Canal System and these three Lime Kilns. There is no charge and you can just park and walk around. They are located just outside of Clifton Forge Va about 15 miles. It was a nice day trip and the park was free to enjoy. There is an information box with history of the location and the kilns/ovens.

Natural Bridge State Park is much bigger than I thought. When you get there, you go into the…read moreVisitor's Center/ Gift Shop, pay the small fee and start your hike. The main star of the park is the natural bridge itself. It's probably a shorter walk to the natural bridge than it is around the gift shop. I did the Cedar Creek Trail which is only 1 mile long and relatively flat from the natural bridge to the end at the waterfall. The trail is paved a lot of the way and well maintained the rest. Along the way there is a small cave that you can explore, a creak to just sit and relax, and lots of historical markers along the way. I had no idea that Thoms Jefferson once owned this land and the natural bridge itself. There is an urban legend that George Washington carved his initials in the bridge (along with a gazillion others). This hike is quite relaxing and easy to do. We saw a deer along the trail that was less than 10 feet from me and could care less that I was there. There are several other hikes that time didn't permit me to take. These trails will take you to other waterfalls, caverns and even a 2 mile frisbee golf trail. The natural bridge is a must see as it is absolutely gorgeous but next time, I will make time for the rest.

Such a cute little area with the natural bridge. There is a Virginia state fee for adult to enter,…read moreit's nine dollars per person. If you've actually bought something from REI, the receipt concern as a free admission to the park. You'll have to check the fine print. I don't know if there's a minimum spin, but I know that last I went to REI one of the front desk workers told me that the receipt would serve as my admission. And indeed covered it so I paid $0 more entrance to the park To get to the start, you have to go down some stairs, but I did over here a couple of groups at depending on if you need, they can drive you to the start. Natural Bridge had a couple of chairs so I'm assuming that a tour or they are just spots for people to rest. If you continue walking down the trail, you'll also find some other school spots like the saltwater cave, the ghost river, and Lace Falls. When I went a couple days ago, there has been a drought which has caused lace falls to be a bit smaller than normal. The ghost River was a surprisingly cool attraction. As soon as you start walking close to the hole, you can feel the cool breeze and hear the gush of the water. Where the river starts and where the river hint, we have no idea but it's a cool thing to check out.

What a wonderful place to experience many different natural environments right in the heart of…read moreLexington. There are guides who are happy to assist you as you become one with nature, but the special part about Boxerwood Garden are the signs along the way that tell you where you are, what you're looking at and what you can expect to see in that specific ecosystem. There is a bog where you can see frogs, a pine forest where you can go bird watching and a prairie where you can go climb inside the giant bird's nest. Boxerwood Gardens reaches out to the local community and educates its youth with its on-sight program it hosts for the elementary students. Run primarily by the staff on site, often with guest guides from Washington and Lee University, B.G. teaches kids about conservation, preservation, recycling, composting and how pollution can harm their local watershed (the Chesapeake Bay). During lunch, there is a game to see which group can use the least amount of landfill items and compost the most. What a wonderful educational center!

I had high hopes for this place. Unsure if what to expect, we ventured into kexington from natural…read morebridge on a hunt for something to do with out kids. The entrance area didn't disappoint with lots of little tasks and activities to do. I could see the excitement in my kid's eyes as they ran from one thing to the next. They did a GREAT job on that part. We ventured along to see what else there was to do. With no signs anywhere, we just wandered. There was a tiny pollinators garden and outdoor classrooms with nothing to do. It is probably a really fun place for a class to go on a field trip, but randomly stopping by didn't make for a great experience.

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.

Love this library and all of the interactive programs that they have for kids. Children's section…read moreand adult section. There's a play area for the littles and lots of chairs to sit in rain. They have multiple areas for coloring and drawing and lots of electronic resources. One of the best small town local libraries I've ever been to.

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 people working at the KA national house are very friendly and helpful. They made my visit…read moreenjoyable. As a KA I was interested in everything, so I took lots of pictures in the downstairs and upstairs rooms. They offered to give me a tour, but I politely declined because I was in a hurry. I hadn't visited for almost 25 years. The director of the KA educational foundation was working there and we chatted several times. They awarded me a generous scholarship when I was in school. We talked about everything from scholarships to Robert E. Lee to Hawaii. I signed the guestbook and found my name in the book of KAs. If you are a KA or interested in U.S. history you should enjoy your visit.

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.]