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.

The gift shop is so big. Lots to see. The store is nicely designed and clean…read more I was very happy to find a Fresh Cut Card. The lady was helpful in helping to pick the right one for a birthday card. The one I had was the smaller one but she went and got me a big one. For $5 more it was so much nicer. My friend loved it. If you are in the area, you should stop in. I am visiting from NC but plan to go back in Sept and try the restaurant.

It's a cool stop in just for the experience. This is a buffet only eating experience so if you…read moredon't like fried or baked chicken, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, sweet mashed potatoes, beets or canned green beans then you are out of luck. The service of our "2nds runner" was amazing she made sure we had more food if we wanted it and was super kind and lovely. The ambiance well- it's a period place with a homestyle feel from the 1784. Yet it had a nice modern restroom. This is a tough walk if you have mobility issues. There is handicapped parking but it's still strenuous if you have poor balance. Otherwise cool for a one time!

The ruins are located on the grounds of the Barboursville Vineyard…read more They are all that remain of the grand brick mansion of James Barbour -- a Virginia governor, U.S. senator, Secretary of War under John Quincy Adams, and close friend of Thomas Jefferson. Built in 1822, the original house was designed by Thomas Jefferson in his neoclassical style, complete with a distinctive octagonal drawing room (note connection to the naming Barboursville Winnery award winning red!) On Christmas Day, 1884, the mansion burned in a devastating fire leaving only the brick walls, columns, and chimneys standing. Instead of rebuilding, the Barbour family moved to a nearby residence, and the ruins remain as a picturesque shell. A short walk from either the tasting room or cottages, this is a must stop for history buffs interested in civil war era and Thomas Jeffereson and photographers for the weathered remains with the vineyard and blue ridge foothills in the background Parking nearby if you choose to drive. Steep uneven climb from parking

This site is part of a winery complex which has a restaurant and an inn. The site is free to enter,…read morethough it is confusing as my map tried to bring me in on a dirt road that wasn't open rather than the actual entrance which is east of the site. I eventually wormed my way around to find the one-lane bridge to the site blocked by someone who bizarrely just seemed to want to sit there, so I parked at the winery/restaurant and walked over. It's a nice walk. The ruins are interesting to look at. There's not a lot to the site and you can't go past it as it becomes private space for guests of the site. It also closes at 5:30 and signs angrily warn that being there after 5:31 is trespassing, so you can't plan on catching a sunset there or anything. But if you looked this up and your goal is to see some cool ruins, you can, within limits.

The first covered bridge that I've been to which is actually open to vehicular traffic. I drove…read moreback and forth on it safely! Constructed in 1892-1893, it was originally just used to provide access to a local farmer's apple orchards. Rumor has it that this bridge was a replacement for one that was burned by Union troops during the Civil War. Handed over to the Virginia Highway Department in the 1930's, they took over maintenance and inspections. It did a great job until Halloween 1976 when it was damaged by vandals. Much of the bridge materials were recovered and incorporated into the replacement, though it is undergirded by modern steel beams and concrete piers before it was reopened to traffic in 1979. There is a picnic area on the east side (close to US-11) and an unofficial walking trail if you want to get some pictures. When I stopped by today, it was being used by parents and children as a watering hole. If you're traveling on Interstate 81, it's a very quick detour to see this piece of history. [Review 15111 overall, 613 of 2021, number 1324 in Virginia.]

Covered bridges thrill me! I love planning trips and seeking out these architectural "dinosaurs"…read moreof the past. This one is still operational to vehicular traffic and it's the longest covered bridge in Virginia spanning 204 feet! With its stone foundation entrance and the gorgeous arched trusses, this fascinating bridge over the Shenandoah River is a sight to be seen! I loved walking thru it (watch for cars) and having my imagination take a journey to the past. This deep red wooden bridge has a rich history connecting to the Civil War, and has had its ups and downs. It has been destroyed by floods and fire on various occasions but has been rebuilt several times, rising above its adversity and has truly stood the test of time. Now standing proudly as a monument to its heritage and as a landmark to Virginia's history. If you are in the Shenandoah area, or traveling thru, a trip to this glorious bridge is worth the stop! I'm definitely planning another visit here soon!

On our way out we saw scenic overlooks while heading westbound, we made a mental note of these…read moreareas and decided to make a stop on our way back east. After making our stop for facilities and food, we started out again. We were keeping an eye out for the signs to make the pull off. We got to the first one and found a spot to park. This is not to be confused with the other scenic overlook a few miles ahead. This one is purely for the overlook, with a small bit of history. When you look out over the valley, you get to see in the distance a few peaks. Humpback Mountain will be to your west and Heard Mountain will be to your east. Then you just have the sweeping view of the valley. And for clarity, this is the overlook from the Interstate, not the road that is just below the highway. While here, be sure to check out the historic markers as well. One explaining the Rockfish Gap Meeting. This one pertaining to the commission for the start of the University of Virginia. The second is Flight of Richard C DuPont. Setting the US record for sail planing. This flight took him from near this spot to Frederick, MD. The third, Greenwood-Alton Rural Historic District. A significant passage through this area, being that it is the lowest point in some distance through the Blue Ridge Mountains. If you are looking for a place to stretch your legs during a long haul drive, this is possibly one of the best places to do so.

When you time the stop just right it's a 5 star experience. So today was perfect Fall foliage with…read moreblue skies and large puffy clouds which was ideal for viewing and photography. Help out a new friend and offer to take photos too! There are trash cans use them!

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.

Great Historical Site! We went back in 2017,…read moreSo it's been a minute. We loved it. Ask questions to the guides as they are very knowledgeable!

Monticello is probably the most famous of all the President houses (Mt Vernon may have it beat)…read more As a self-proclaimed Presidential history nerd, I have been to several presidential homes, libraries, museums, gravesites, monuments, etc. Monticello's history is the most interesting because of many factors including Jefferson's architectural obsession, the atrocities with slavery that occurred with building and maintaining it, and the innovations and experimentation Jefferson used while living here. Monticello is a huge operation. You should definitely get a reservation. You park at the bottom of the hill (or maybe middle of it) then you go through metal detectors and are now in the cafe/gift shop/bathroom area. From there you can take the 1/2 mile walk up hill to the home or take the bus. Once you are up top, you will be put into different huddles depending on your tour time. Oh, there are several different style tours, we just did the general admission tour. Anyway, you can walk around the grounds while you wait. The whole thing is very well organized. Our tour guide took us through various rooms in the house, pointed out various artifacts from Jefferson's past, told stories and was very knowledgeable when asked questions. The group I was in was probably 20 people. The whole tour took 45 mins. Then we walked the grounds independent of the tour including looking at Jefferson's family cemetery plot. My only issue is that I went on July 1st, 2026, so the whole back (or front) had a huge tent set up for the America 250 celebration. Not a big deal just didn't get the complete feel or pics.

Our visit to James Monroe's home was wonderful. Tour Guide Allison and Docent Russell added to…read morethe experience. Both were easy to talk with. They encouraged questions and were happy to not only answer the questions but also added bits of information that they have gained over the years. We give them 10+ stars. Thank you so much. We were happy to add to your donations. June and Craig

Man, I wanted to like this as I am a self-proclaimed Presidential History nerd. However, it is…read morejust land that Monroe once owned because his buddy Tommy Jefferson told him to buy it, sold because he was broke, then the house burnt down years after he left, then someone else built a house here. That's the house you see. Now they do have an outline of the foundation of the house that was once here. So, there is that. Then the new(er) house is full of exhibits on Monroe. Honestly, I am glad I went but if you are pressed for time, it's one you can skip.

What a great place!…read more April, who operates the mill, knows her craft and is happy to share it. Our tour of the mill was brief, but April was more than willing to answer our questions and go into any level of detail about the building, milling grain, etc. We purchased several items while there and would gladly go back.

I really love this spot. The grounds are beautiful and the mill is very charming. I've purchased…read moremany of their mixes and they are truly delicious! The owner kindly showed us around and her hospitality was appreciated.

James Madison lived at Montpelier his entire life. This is a really interesting historic home that…read morelater belonged to the DuPont family, who eventually donated funds to turn it back into a historic site as Madison's home. That renovation/restoration took a long time, and it's now a lovely place to visit and learn about our 4th President and his wife Dolley Madison. In addition to the house, which acknowledges its part in running a plantation through the work of enslaved people, it has exhibits about slavery at Montpelier and archeological finds. The property also has lovely grounds with a beautiful garden that's filled with many colorful flowers in the spring. The visitor center offers a movie, and the house docents offer hour-long tours on the half hour. They also have picnic tables under shady trees to enjoy lunch. The views from Montpelier are breathtaking. They charge a fee to visit the house and grounds. If you only want to visit the grounds, the fee is lower.

This is a great place to visit if you are interested in America's founding, American style of…read moredemocracy, or to celebrate the upcoming Sestercentennial of the United States. (Having experienced the bicentennial as a kid on a summer-long vacation, I am looking forward to it.) The guided tour of the house is well done. The out-buildings and grounds are self-guided. There are many and spread out, and the whole property is on a gentle slope. Could be an issue if it is a hot and humid day. Be sure to visit the garden! Think twice about buying the Looking Through the Landscape book for $10.00. I thought it would be something I could put on my bookshelf but no. Hardly a pamphlet, it contains QR code links to YouTube videos they created. It was snuck in during the checkout process and frankly left me feeling duped. I chalked it up as a donation.