Lexington, known for its history, charm and scenic beauty, sits in the southern part of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, nestled between the Appalachian Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s an incredible drive through beautiful mountains as you wind your way south either along Interstate 81 or the Blue Ridge Parkway, one of America’s favorite scenic drives.

NATURAL BRIDGE

Whether you travel I-81 or the Blue Ridge Parkway, start your trip by traveling just a few miles south of Lexington to visit Natural Bridge, billed as one of the wonders of the world. The bridge, said to be millions of years old, is a geological formation formed by the meanderings of Cedar Creek, a tributary of the James River. The bridge is 215 feet high and stretches a span of 90 feet.

George Washington was a young surveyor when he surveyed the bridge for Lord Fairfax, and if you look closely, you can see Washington’s initials carved into the limestone mammoth. Thomas Jefferson liked the bridge so much that in 1774 he bought it from King George III to preserve it as a mountain retreat. He built a two-room log cabin for guests and since then thousands have come — first by horse and stagecoach and train and now by automobile — to view the huge, mysterious rock bridge, which is now privately owned.

Visitors to the bridge can also visit a toy museum and stroll down memory lane with over 30,000 toys and childhood memorabilia. They can also visit the Monacan Indian Village, located along the nature trail beyond the bridge, tour Professor Cline’s Haunted Monster Museum and experience his incredible creations in haunted house style or visit Dinosaur Kingdom located next to the Monster Museum.

THE GENERALS AND LEXINGTON

Next, travel to the town of Lexington and go back in time to the end of the Civil War. When Southern General Robert E. Lee surrendered, he pledged his allegiance to the union and became president of Washington College the same day. The school, first known as Liberty Hall, was founded in 1749. When the school was floundering in 1796, George Washington gave the school an endowment of $20,000, and it was renamed for him. Lee was president until his death in 1870.

After Lee died, the school was named to honor him as well as Washington, hence the name Washington and Lee University. Today you can visit the Lee Chapel and Museum and see the office where Lee met with students and the pew where he sat in the chapel that was used not only for daily worship services but also for debates and lectures.

Lexington is also home to Virginia Military Institute, another college with a connection to famous generals — Stonewall Jackson, a Civil War general and George C. Marshall, a 20th-century American general.

Before he gained the nickname “Stonewall,” Thomas Jonathan Jackson was a professor of philosophy and instructor in military tactics at VMI from 1851 to 1861. The only home Jackson ever owned is now a museum, and there you will find period pieces and personal items including the uniform coat he wore while teaching at VMI. History buffs will also want to tour the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery where Jackson and his family are buried. Stop at the Lexington and Rockbridge Area’s Visitor Center, 106 East Washington Street, for maps of both schools.

ANTIQUES AND SHOPPING

After visiting the schools, you could begin a walking tour and visit other historical places or, if you prefer, take a ride in a horse-drawn carriage and listen to the rhythm of hoof beats as your carriage driver/tour guide points out many historic places of interest.

You could also tour some of those lovely antique stores in the downtown area and visit the unique shops like Artists in Cahoots, a cooperative gallery run by local artists and craftspeople; or Artisans on Washington Street, a gallery featuring fine American crafts and the work of VirginiaLee Highway to Duke’s Lexington Antique Center with over 200 dealers and consignors. The Antique Mall has over 40,000 square feet of display space and more than 160 dealers. For country antiques and collectibles, visit the Valley of Virginia Antiques with its large selection of 18th- and 19th-century American country furniture and antique quilts and accessories attractively displayed in a restored 1788 manor house. artists. There are many more antique stores in the area. Just drive out.

CRAFTING AND COOKING

North of Lexington in Raphine visit a simple white house filled with love, laughter, good times — and yarn and more yarn. Orchardside Yarn Shop has been in existence for more than 40 years, since current owner Carole’s mother Ruth started it in 1964. Carole offers classes for all skill levels and says knitting is the perfect hobby to relax with. Some knitters love her shop and classes so much they plan trips to the area, spending the night in local bed and breakfasts. Carole invites all knitters to visit her year round to “knit, knit, knit.”

Nearby, Wade’s Mill is a working water-powered flour mill that has been in operation since 1882. Hit it right and you can take cooking classes using the whole grain and stone-ground flours and corn meal in the spring and warmer months of the year. The mill is powered by a 21-foot water wheel, visible if you climb to the second floor of the mill, which is fed by a nearby stream. It is one of the few remaining flour mills that still produce a wide variety of flours exclusively on mill stones.

VIRGINIA HORSE CENTER

A visit to the Lexington area is not complete without stopping off to see the Virginia Horse Center that’s known internationally, as well as nationally, and where over 100 events are held every year. There are many kinds of horse shows, such as the quarter horse and Arabian horse shows in March and rodeos, such as the February Lone Star championship Rodeo. Each month, on the second Tuesday, the Old Time Music Jam features mountain music that attracts people from miles around.

For information about the Lexington area, contact Lexington and Rockbridge Tourism at www.lexingtonvirginia.com or call 540-463-3777.