What a great way to explore downtown Lexington. Trotting down the street, hearing the clip-clop of…read morehorse hooves on the cobblestone, seeing important buildings and monuments, hearing the tour guide talk about the history of this Virginia town -- it's all very romantic. The horses are well-taken-care of and seem happy. No beefaroni in these horses' diets. But the horses who pulled out carriage did like getting apple Pop Tarts as treats, which was cute. The carriage tour goes all around downtown Lexington, and we saw the old hospital, cemetery, two universities, historic houses and lots more. The pace of travel is slow, so you have lots of time to look around and ask questions. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about the history of Lexington, and answered all of our questions. Afterward, you get to pet the horses and take pictures with them. I would definitely recommend this carriage tour to someone visiting Lexington for the first time.

Plan Ahead - Beautiful Town, But Limited Carriage Availability…read more I was really looking forward to exploring the downtown area by carriage--it looked like such a charming way to see this quaint and lovely town. Unfortunately, I didn't realize the carriage service closes early and requires advance tickets. They only have one carriage, so it's not like other cities where multiple carriages run in rotation and you can wait for the next one. It was disappointing to miss out, especially since the experience seemed fantastic. I'm sure it would've been a 5-star ride had I been able to go. Just a heads-up to future visitors: book ahead if you're hoping for a carriage ride--don't count on just walking up.

Really enjoyed it. Had a great guide, Luke. Nice history of a 200-year-old oldest in the country…read more They hold events there still, we can concerts. Large rooms, easy to see all the formations in the walkways are easy to pass through. Quite a few steps for those who are challenged to do physical walking but otherwise it's pretty cool. Been to quite a few caverns and this was one of the better ones and a lot to see.

Such a fun experience! Make sure to wear good tennis shoes or hiking shoes. There are rocks along…read morethe path that can roll your ankle. I made the mistake of forgetting my tennis shoes at home.

This university has a unique historical niche. The name really is what it sounds like, and the…read moreuniversity has a several exhibitions memorializing George Washington and Robert E. Lee. Most notable is the university's chapel and Lee memorial, which had a volunteer out to explain the history (and the fact that the museum was being renovated so there wasn't a ton to see). Several other buildings were within walking distance, including one which housed exhibitions of porcelain, and some interesting pictures of mines with brightly colored chemicals. The individual museums were not large, but the combined experience is worth stopping to take a look at. There is no charge to enter and there is a small circle dedicated to museum parking.

Absolutely jaw dropping experience. I am a hugeeee civil war buff and seeing this in person was…read moreamazing. You enter the chapel doors and see Lee's bodice. You are able to walk around it and take pictures. Downstairs is his crypt and office. And outside the door downstairs is all the information about Traveller! Here's some history! It was 1861, Lee was in the mountains of West Virginia commanding a small Confederate force that would suffer defeat in the Battle of Cheat Mountain; this earned him the nickname "Granny Lee" because people thought he was afraid to shed blood. Here he met Captain Joseph M. Broun, quartermaster of the 3rd Infantry of Wise's Legion, mounted on a steed that would eventually become Lee's famous warhorse Traveller. The original owner named the horse Jeff Davis after the Mississippi senator who would become President of the Confederacy; but when Broun bought the horse for military service he renamed him Greenbriar. Before Lee had an opportunity to acquire the horse, he was sent on orders to the Palmetto State. Captain Broun's company was also later transferred to the Lowcountry. As fate would have it, he met Lee again at Pocotaligo. Immediately recognizing "his colt," the general still showed such a fancy for the horse that the junior officer realized he had little choice but to offer it up as a gift. Lee declined, saying he would gladly purchase the animal. Broun let Greenbriar go for the same price at which he purchased him: $175, or approximately $4,500 in today's currency, but the General added a tip of $15 to compensate for the depreciation of Confederate money. Lee named him Traveller. At the 2nd Battle of Bull Run, Traveller spooked and threw his master down against a stump. Lee broke both hands and finished out the campaign in an ambulance, or with a courier leading his horse. But, more generally, Traveller was noted for bravery and, at times, soldiers had to literally surround him and grab the reigns to keep him from plunging ahead with their commander onto the front lines of battle. In his final years, Lee served as President of Washington College in Lexington, Virginia. Traveller was allowed to graze about the campus, but so many star-struck students stole hairs from his mane and tail that Lee complained in a letter to his daughter, "He is presenting the appearance of a plucked chicken." In the fall of 1870, Lee suffered a stroke and died two weeks later. For the funeral procession, Traveller was saddled up and decked out with black crepe. He led along behind the ammunition cart bearing Lee's casket. Within a year, Traveller stepped on a rusty nail and contracted tetanus. He was shot to end his misery. Traveller was initially buried behind the main buildings of the college, but was unearthed by persons unknown and his bones were bleached for exhibition in Rochester, New York, in 1875/1876. In 1907, Richmond journalist Joseph Bryan paid to have the bones mounted and returned to what was now Washington AND Lee University. The skeleton was periodically vandalized there by students who carved their initials in it for good luck. In 1929, the bones were moved to the museum in the basement of the University Chapel, where they stood for 30 years, deteriorating with exposure. Finally in 1971, Traveller's remains were buried in a wooden box encased in concrete next to the chapel a few feet away from the Lee family crypt inside, where his master's body rests. The stable where he lived his last days, directly connected to the Lee House on campus, traditionally stands with its doors left open; this is said to allow his spirit to wander freely. When the 24th president of the university violated this tradition, he caught so much flack from the community that he had to have the doors repainted in a color he called "Traveller's Green," just so he could redeem himself.

When Tony and I went to Appomattox Court House State Park we visited the Isbelle House with my…read moredaughter Noel and her boyfriend Adam and believe me the day outside was GORGEOUS!!! The home has a lot of historical value. It is actually called the The Bocock-Isbell House but on the signs at the park it is just listed as Isbelle House. I found more about it on the internet after I left the park. The Bocock-Isbell House is a structure within the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park. It was registered in the National Park Service's database of Official Structures on June 26, 1989. The Bocock-Isbell House has major importance to the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park by virtue of its association with the history and the site of General Robert E. Lee's surrender to General Ulysses S. Grant of the American Civil War. This information is shared from what I learned on the internet about the homes historical value. It was constructed in 1849 to 1850 by brothers, Thomas S. Bocock and Henry F. Bocock. Thomas was a member of the United States Congress and Speaker of the Confederate House of Representatives. At the time Henry was Clerk of the Court for Appomattox County. Lewis Daniel Isbell (1818-1889) was Appomattox County Commonwealth Attorney during the American Civil War (Judge later) and occupied the house at the time General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant in 1865. He was Appomattox County's representative to the Secession Convention of 1861 and voted to secede from the Union. The Bocock-Isbell House has importance because of its distinctive characteristics of a type, period, and method of construction during the nineteenth century in rural Virginia. The building with its resources associated with the Bocock-Isbell House are typical of both a county government seat ("court house") in Piedmont Virginia in the mid-nineteenth century and of a farming community in Virginia. The Bocock-Isbell House was restored in 1948 to 1949 and preserved in 1992 to 1993. Work was done on it again to stabilize it in 1995 and again it was preserved in 1999. FREE TO ENJOY AND TO TOUR

Unfortunately due to the rain our ride was cut short. BUT the characters still put on a show for us…read moreand made their way around interacting with the passengers and sharing a lot of historical information. If you're looking for a unique scenic experience in Virginia this is a great one to experience. There are limited themed rides so check in often and book upon interest. I look forward to getting a full experience on my next ride!

This palace is absolutely STUNNING. It's such a shame it's fallen into such disrepair. Each room…read morehad its own unique feel, and the artwork and detail was breathtaking. The best part by far was the stained glass window. The gardens were probably once beautiful but it's been decaying so much over the years that all you see are just sad remnants. WARNING: if you have severe asthma, do NOT visit. My father has moderate asthma and was only able to stay inside for about fifteen minutes before his throat started to close up due to the must. The place itself smells musty- not a BAD or rotten smell but just old. There's a feeling of immense love and sadness in the house and it's imperative that you learn the rich history of the house to truly appreciate it. The inside of the palace is only only open to the public on certain days of the year and not all the rooms are open. I was very satisfied with what rooms were open.

Taking a drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive? I suggested taking a slight detour on…read moreAfton Mountain to travel back in time to 1912 with a visit to Swannanoa Palace, a white marble mansion that was a bit of an albatross for James and Sally May Dooley. While the Maymont Estate in Richmond is a much more expansive visitor experience today, this hidden gem, modeled after the Villa de Medici in Rome, is certainly worth a stop, either on one of their open house weekends ($6 fee) or just to see in person from the outside. The real belle of the ball is inside - the 4,000 piece Tiffany stained glass window of Mrs. Dooley, which is a backdrop to the grand central staircase and artistic domed ceiling. There are plenty of interesting fireplaces, doorways and tower views. You will certainly notice the musty presence of mold throughout the building with various walls and ceilings falling apart. The grounds include some terraced gardens and somewhat restricted views of the surrounding area. It is a shame the interior of the building is in such a state of disrepair and the property hasn't been kept up, as it could be an amazing special event space. Still, people apparently elect to have weddings there, even though there is no running water and everything would have to be brought in. There is a no trespassing sign on the front door, so the inside is only accessible on one of the special open house days. The grounds are easy to walk around and being on top of the mountain it has a nice temperature, at least 5-10 degrees below of Charlottesville. Visiting should certainly be a part of any UVA student's bucket list, much like watching the sunrise/sunset from the peak of the quick Humpback Rocks hike.

This is not only a great place of American History but also a beautiful setting with gorgeous…read moreviews. It is pretty neat to be able to walk the same rooms that the third president walked and see where he spent his time. It is also very sobering to see the ugly side of American history that made this location what is was. The estate is very well preserved and has tons of artifacts and items that make the tour so valuable. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and accommodating as well.

Having been wanting to visit Monticello for years and finally got the opportunity. You can purchase…read moretickets on line however we got them the morning of at the visitor center. First we watched an informative movie then took the shuttle up the hill to the house. Had a 10:40 tour time which was on time. Pretty large group. Many reviews stated that the visit through the home was fast and crowded. Totally agree. Maybe they could have the tour last one hour instead of 45 min giving guests a few minutes in each room to take pictures. Cut out a few tours which could help with timing. We also got in the slave tour, garden tour and the talk with Thomas Jefferson. All tours were very educational and well done. Took the shuttle to Jefferson's grave ands walked back to visitor center. Ended in the gift shop which had an array of items.

My partner and I are trying to visit all of the Presidential Museums/Libraries, and were here this…read moremorning. The Museum is a relatively small building on the street (with exhibits primarily on one floor), with Wilson's birthplace in a home a few doors down. Despite the small size, the exhibits did a decent job of highlighting some of the positives (League of Nations, less dependence on tariffs for government income, workmen's compensation, among others) and negatives (the guy was, shall we say, not supportive of integration when it came to African Americans). We spent about an hour in the Museum, including a few minutes in the WWI trench exhibit in the basement. All very interesting, well presented, and easy to understand. The highlight of our time was the docent-led tour of the Wilson home. Although Wilson lived in the home only for his first 18 months, the docent told a number of stories about Wilson's parents, Wilson's life there and later and it was a fascinating almost-hour time touring the building, asking questions and hearing the history.

Since I'm a history buff, I have been meaning to visit this Presidential Library. It's not a large…read moremuseum but very informative. I recommend taking the guided tour of Wilson's boyhood home and then visiting the museum. It's located in a residential neighborhood next to Mary Baldwin college. The staff was very friendly and they have a well stocked gift shop. Plenty of parking. I really enjoyed the WWI exhibit down stairs and the President's automobile. I did learn quite a bit about post WWI and the woman's suffrage movement. If you enjoy Presidential history this is a good museum.

If you've toured the Grand Caverns walking tour and find yourself peering into the dark recesses of…read morethe cavern, the Fountain Cave adventure tour is a must on your next visit. Visiting on a day when temperatures were only forecast to reach a high of 42F, it was pleasantly warm inside Fountain Cave and did not require bundling up for most people. Long sleeves, long pants, and boots, are required due to the terrain you "may" cover in addition to keeping the [damaging] oils from your skin off the cave features. Helmets, mounted lighting, gloves and knee pads are provided and were all in good condition. The floor of the 1800s walkway is mostly dry but moist areas are present throughout the tour and can be very slippery; following the instructions provided by the tour guides (three points of contact) will ensure everyone stays upright in these areas. Dana and Ashelynn were our guides for a group of 7 and always took point and rear to ensure everyone was safe and accounted for. Dana took the prominent role in discussing the history, and geology, of Fountain Cave and was a very engaging guide. While Fountain Cave is not as large as Grand Caverns, getting to tour this cave by headlamp and put yourself INTO the exhibit is truly an awesome experience. The bonus comes in the form of the Adventure "opportunities" that run near or parallel to the original 1800s pathway; for those not able or interested in taking the Adventure routes, you simply stay on the 1800s walkway and meet up with the rest of the group a small distance down the path. There are a few instances on the tour where a break is taken in total darkness. The first is a short ways into the tour and is designed to show you the amount of light that can be picked up from the entrance way after your eyes are given time to adjust. The second sets the stage to show how the cave would have been illuminated by a small candle. Note: please be respectful of the other guests if taking photos in these black-out moments; lowering your camera to the lowest brightness setting and staying back from the group prevents ruining the experience for others. IMO, the only way to make the Fountain Cave tour better is to increase the length of time spent within. Just like the Grand Caverns tour, I still found myself peering into the areas off the guided tour path wondering...is there more to this cave that hasn't been discovered yet.

This is a hidden treat for those who have an adventurous side, are athletic, and want to stay away…read morefrom the crowds at Luray. As avid rock climbers and athletes, this was perfect for us - crawling around in hidden passages, scrambling over formations, and challenging our comfort zone. Our guides - Karen and Abby - were incredible! The amount of knowledge, stories, and personality is what made this tour not just great, but amazing! Highly recommended. Be wary, it is physically strenuous.

We went on a food tour of downtown Roanoke. Our guide was Ned. I thought the whole tour was run…read morevery well (I've been on about 5 other food tours) and saw that Ned was in contact with the next restaurant each time so that they were ready for us. Ned provided us with great information about the history of the town, the railroad (although some of that was incorrect as he kept saying Raleigh instead of Norfolk as it pertained to the railroad and it kept saying that one of the railway companies "left" when in fact, they were merged. Maybe this wouldn't have mattered so much except someone in our group was very familiar with the railroad) But Ned was very personable and you could tell he loved history and as we do too we really enjoyed his tour. The food on the tour was fairly varied and unique to the town (a must!) and it was great to hear the back story of the ownership of the restaurants. (I was a little worried when at the first two restaurants we were served seafood dishes, a seafood bisque and shrimp and grits as one person in our group doesn't really like seafood and I think this is a risky choice for a tour. Also at Chocolate Paper we were given two mediocre Asher chocolates to try instead of some of their more expensive and more delicious Debrands chocolates.) One person in our group thought there wasn't enough food and thought another restaurant or two should be added. I tend to agree when compared to the cost of this tour against other tours I've taken. Had the cost been a little lower I think the amount of food would've been fine. All in all, a great tour though. Ned really was a great guide, I hope he leads more tours, I really learned a lot!

I had never been on a food tour before and this was fantastic. The food was great. Larry, our…read moreguide, was so knowledgeable. We learned way more about Roanoke than I would have ever imagined. Think about the cheesiest tour you have ever been on - this was the exact opposite. I'm going to look for food tours in every city we visit from now on simply based on this experience.