This Virginia Mountain Town Has a Drive-in Movie Theater, Quaint Inns, and Easy Access to the Blue Ridge Parkway

Top 5 Can’t Miss

• Book a room at The Georges, a cozy boutique hotel with luxurious touches.
• Attend a bluegrass, folk, or Americana concert at Lime Kiln (but get your ticket in advance).
• Stroll through Downtown Lexington, stopping in the various locally owned galleries, boutiques, and eateries along the way.
• Load up on local wine, cider, and a range of smaller culinary delights at Purveyors on Main.
• Visit during the autumn to experience the mountains and fall foliage in their full glory.

Like many places in Virginia—and the South as a whole—Lexington has a complicated history. Confederate General Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson is buried in the mountain town—the graveyard, formerly known as the Stonewall Jackson Memorial Cemetery, was renamed Oak Grove Cemetery in 2020—and Robert E. Lee once served as president of Washington & Lee University (W&L), then named Washington College. But, as locals, students, and passing visitors to Lexington can attest, this is a multifaceted pocket of Virginia.

“It can be frustrating to see signs of the Confederacy before entering Lexington, because that part of history is not the only history or attraction,” says Marylin Alexander, who currently serves as the city’s vice mayor. Similarly, James Dick, the director of outdoor education and recreation at W&L, adds that there’s “a lot more than that to this sleepy little town,” telling Travel + Leisure: “We [also] have some of the best outdoor recreation access in the state. We’re only 25 minutes from Goshen Pass, thought to be the most beautiful scenic location in Virginia, and we’re close to two large watersheds, with the James River and the Maury River offering flat water fishing and floating along with paddling heavy white water when the rivers are up.” Not to mention, the Blue Ridge Parkway is just a short drive away.

Dick also shares how Lexington’s appeal stems from its slower pace and local traditions. “It is also a place that has a lot of annual events or long-running places and programs: Lime Kiln has wonderful outdoor concerts in the summer, who could pass up an all-American classic drive-in movie at Hull’s, and, of course, the access to the Maury River for an evening float or quick cool off dip cannot be beat,” he says.

Downtown Lexington, an area listed on the Virginia and National Registers of Historic Places, is also a major draw for those venturing to this part of the Commonwealth. Its streets are lined with one-of-a-kind boutiques, restaurants, and historic architecture, with many buildings dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. As you walk along the photogenic thoroughfares, there’s a tangible blend of both historical reverence and a vitality that stems from the 7,802-person city’s ties to both W&L and Virginia Military Institute (VMI). “With two universities and a vibrant tourist season, there are busy times and slow times,” says Dick. “The students keep things young and moving, and the tourists remind us all of just how historical, quaint, and special this place is.”

Read on to discover all of the best things to do, see, and eat in Lexington, Virginia.

Where to Stay

The Georges hotel in Lexington, Virginia.
Courtesy of The Georges

The Georges

Occupying five buildings on Main Street, The Georges is helmed by owner Ann Parker Gottwald, who opened the boutique hotel in 2014. Since then, Gottwald and her team have expanded the property while continuing to provide guests with a home-away-from-home experience. The rooms are light and airy and decked out with all sorts of modern comforts, including Frette bed linens, heated bathroom floors, and Gilchrist & Soames amenities. Breakfast at Taps, one of the hotel’s restaurants, is also complimentary for guests.

Stonegate

If you’d rather go the bed-and-breakfast route, Dick suggests Stonegate on South Main Street, a five-bedroom property that dates back to the 1800s. “Margaret and Derek Hutton own and operate a wonderful space that’s close enough to downtown and the campuses to walk. They are friendly, genuine, and incredible hosts,” he says.

Best Things to Do

Benches at Natural Bridge State Park in Lexington.

Sean Pavone/Getty Images

Spend time outside.

According to Spencer McElroy, executive director of Lime Kiln Theater, one of Lexington’s best features is the “great access to outdoor activities,” with places to hike, fish, hunt, and canoe just a short drive away. Whether you’re headed out on the river (rent tubes from Twin River Outfitters in nearby Buchanan), taking in the sites on the Blue Ridge Parkway, hiking up the House Mountain Trails, or exploring Natural Bridge State Park, you’ll be constantly immersed in the scenic beauty of Rockbridge County and the surrounding area.

Catch a film at the local drive-in movie theater.

For a dose of nostalgia, align your trip with one of the viewings at Hull’s Drive-in Theatre. The community-owned and operated venue has a long history in Lexington, and the season runs from spring through the fall. Adult tickets are $12 and include admission to the feature presentation as well as a bonus film playing right after the first.

Learn about Lexington’s history.

Interested in learning more about Lexington’s past? You have a few options, and McElroy recommends “checking out Mark Cline’s ghost tour and Lexington Carriage Company’s downtown horse-drawn carriage tours.” The latter offers tours through Lexington Wednesday through Sunday from April 1 through October 31, weather permitting.

See a live show at Lime Kiln.

If outdoor entertainment is more up your alley, the annual lineup of live music acts at Lime Kiln,  a repurposed limestone quarry and kiln, may pique your interest. “Many of the shows sell out in advance (the season typically runs from May to early October, but tickets go on sale in March),” says McElroy. “[My] advice would be to get your tickets early, and bring a picnic to enjoy before entering the venue; people tailgate at their cars before entering through the box office.”

Best Restaurants

Restaurant signs in downtown Lexington, Virginia.

Kristina Blokhin/Adobe Stock

Napa Thai

Lexington may be small, but it has an impressive range of restaurants, so, according to Dick, it just “depends on what you are feeling, the day of the week, and how much time you have.” But, he says, “Hands down the best tasting dish in town is the Green Chicken Curry at Napa Thai. This restaurant is always among the top choices of anyone I ask—and I ask a lot of people.”

Heliotrope Brewery

Dick says Heliotrope Brewery is his “very, very close second” pick for best restaurant in Lexington. “They have a great selection of craft beers that rotate, pizzas and salads that make you look forward to the next time you can eat them, and, objectively speaking, the best hummus and flatbread in the state,” he shares.

Haywood’s

Recommended by McElroy, Haywood’s is one of the two dining options at The Georges. In the evenings from Wednesday through Sunday, the restaurant functions as both a piano bar and a grill, with a menu featuring entrees such as filet mignon, pan-seared bass, and roasted chicken served with fingerling potatoes, butternut squash, and other vegetables.

The Palms

“Want a good diner feel with lots of choices? Hit The Palms. It is a local tradition, with great food and solid service; it’s always lively, and you can’t go wrong on the menu,” says Dick. Enjoy your comfort food alongside a pick from the seasonal selection of cocktails.

Niko’s Grille

“I really cannot cite one over another because all of them offer a special vibe or something personal that touches your spirit,” says Alexander, but she does say she has a special place in her heart for the atmosphere at Niko’s. “…we try to sit at one of the window seats soaking up the sun during a morning breakfast while watching the sights—seeing people you know wave as they pass by with their dogs sniffing at the door, or the serenity of the carriage ride as the horses briskly make their way back from a tour, or hummingbirds dancing around the flower basket outside just before they make their trek down South for the winter. You cannot make any of it up, Lexington is that place,” she says.

Best Shopping

Children’s books inside Downtown Books.

Downtown Books

Walkabout Outfitter

“Lexington has several really neat shops beyond the standard, small, tourist-focused ‘made-in-Virginia’ type of goods. I would recommend our local outdoor store Walkabout Outfitter—not only for great stuff, but for good advice on the area and things to do in the outdoors around town,” says Dick. He also mentions that this was the original store that “started the franchise that is now all around the state.”

Downtown Books

All the best college towns feature an independent bookstore, and Lexington has Downtown Books. Along with the latest must-reads and classic novels, the family-owned Main Street shop sells gift items from local artisans, making it the perfect stop for a last-minute souvenir.

Lexington Mercantile, Purveyors on Main, and Cattlemen’s Market

Shopping for picnic or dinner supplies? McElroy has a few recommendations. Stop by Lexington Mercantile or Purveyors on Main for wine, canned cider, cheese, crackers, and all manner of other essentials. And if you’re after locally sourced meat for a larger feast, he suggests Cattlemen’s Market.

Pappagallo

“I would love to think visitors would leave no stone unturned—most of our stores are boutique types of retail experiences, which make them all unique in their own special way so you don’t want to miss any of them,” says Alexander. One of those shops is Pappagallo, which Dick describes as a place with a “cool little clothing and jewelry selection that fits almost any taste or price range.”

Best Time to Visit

A colorful and dramatic autumn view of the swinging footbridge over the Maury River, within the Goshen Pass Natural Area Preserve in Lexington.

Kelly Verdeck Photography/Getty Images

“In the dead of summer, it is hot and humid, and late winter is often cold and wet, so my recommendation would be spring or fall,” says Dick. “The colors in the fall are incredible, and the dark green of spring in the trees among the blooming wildflowers is really special to witness.” Alexander agrees, adding that the autumn gives way to that “cozy feeling you have with the orange and red hues of warm colors surrounding you in town as well as the mountains in the distance.” If you do brave that summer heat, however, Alexander says you’ll be rewarded with the “opportunity to enjoy special events and outdoor dining,” plus you’ll get lush views of the mountains, rivers, and trails.

Before planning your Lexington travels, be sure to check both W&L’s and VMI’s respective calendars. Parents’ weekends, game days, and graduation weekends will be particularly busy—and hotel and dinner reservations, as well as parking spots, will be harder to get.

How to Get There

Aerial view of Lexington, Virginia.

MJ Kerr/Adobe Stock

Roanoke-Blacksburg Airport (ROA) is the closest airport to Lexington. It’s served by American, Delta, United, and Allegiant Airlines and provides flights to and from several major U.S. airports, including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL), Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD). From ROA, it’s about a 50-minute drive to Lexington. Lynchburg Regional Airport (LYH) and Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport (CHO) are also options; both are just over an hour from Lexington.

How to Get Around

Downtown Lexington is an incredibly walkable area; there are also a handful of trails you can reach by foot from downtown, like the Woods Creek Trail. That said, a car is necessary if you want to explore Rockbridge County and the greater Shenandoah Valley.