Things to do

Photo: Virginia State Parks staff (vastateparksstaff) / CC BY 2.0

🏞 Outdoors

Green Pastures Recreation Area

10 min drive

Day-use Virginia State Parks area inside the George Washington National Forest with a small fishing lake, a historic CCC-built picnic shelter, and 8+ miles of hiking and biking trails. Open May 1–Oct 31.

📍 201 Green Pastures Trail, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

Call Visit ↗

🍽 Food

Family TreeTs Café & Catering

10 min drive

Breakfast, lunch and dinner spot featuring a menu of casual dishes alongside coffee, beer, cocktails and wine.

📍 2815 Douthat Rd, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Cliftondale Country Club

10 min drive

A 9-hole golf course (par 34, about 2,760 yards from the longest tees) on Longdale Furnace Road, between the inn and Clifton Forge.

📍 2707 Longdale Furnace Road, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

Call

Photo: jpmueller99 / CC BY 2.0

🌲 Activities

C&O Railway Heritage Center

15 min drive

A railway heritage museum and visitor center on the C&O Historical Society campus that tells the story of the C&O Railway from 1836 to CSX, with rail cars on display and a gift shop.

📍 705 Main Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

🕒 Seasonal: Wed–Sun 11am–5pm (Jun–early Oct); Fri–Sun 11am–4pm (mid-Mar–May, Oct–Dec); closed late Dec–mid-Mar

Call Visit ↗

🛍 Shopping

Clifton Forge

15 min drive

Local eats, antique shops, and the C&O Heritage Center.

📍 Clifton Forge, VA

Photo: WaldoJ at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0

🌲 Activities

Historic Masonic Theatre & Masonic Amphitheatre

15 min drive

A restored 1905 theatre in downtown Clifton Forge that hosts live music, theatre, films and community events. The outdoor amphitheatre behind it holds concerts and outdoor movies.

📍 510 Main Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

🕒 Box office Tue–Fri 10am–3pm; opens 1 hour before shows

Call Visit ↗

🛍 Shopping

Mountain Field Market

15 min drive

Farm market run by local farmers in downtown Clifton Forge, selling humanely raised local beef, chicken, lamb and other farm goods.

📍 525 E. Ridgeway Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

Call Visit ↗

🛍 Shopping

Alleghany Highlands Arts & Crafts Center

15 min drive

A nonprofit gallery and shop in Clifton Forge that sells juried handmade work by regional artists, such as pottery, jewelry, woodwork and fiber art, alongside free rotating exhibits.

📍 439 E. Ridgeway Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

🕒 May–Dec: Mon–Sat 10am–4:30pm, Sun 1–4pm; Jan–Apr: Tue–Sat 10am–4:30pm

Call Visit ↗

🍽 Food

Michael's New York Style Pizza

15 min drive

Family-run pizzeria serving New York-style specialty pizzas plus turnovers, sandwiches, salads and appetizers. This is the downtown Clifton Forge location; the original is in Covington.

📍 435 E. Ridgeway Street, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

Call

🍽 Food

Jack Masons Tavern and Brewery

15 min drive

Convivial joint featuring burgers & other familiar bar fare, plus billiards, pinball & sports on TV.

📍 402 E Ridgeway St, Clifton Forge, VA 24422

Visit ↗

🍽 Food

Hawt Stuph

15 min drive

Coffee and donuts in the historic Five Sides Building, the former First National Bank on Main Street.

📍 511 Main St, Clifton Forge, VA

🍽 Food

Wicked Weiners

15 min drive

Hot dogs, sharing the Five Sides Building on Main Street with Hawt Stuph's coffee and donuts.

📍 511 Main St, Clifton Forge, VA

🛍 Shopping

OLuv Oil

15 min drive

Olive oils, balsamic and specialty vinegars, herbs, spices and other gourmet goods you won't find at the grocery store, in the Five Sides Building.

📍 511 Main St, Clifton Forge, VA

Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Douthat State Park

20 min drive

Hiking, mountain biking, and a clear lake for swimming.

🍽 Food

Creekside Bar and Grill

20 min drive

Great eats, beer and cocktails

📍 110 Karnes Road, Low Moor, VA

Visit ↗

Photo: Arg1116 / CC BY-SA 4.0

🌲 Activities

University Chapel & Galleries at Washington and Lee

25 min drive

The 1868 brick chapel on the Washington and Lee campus, called Lee Chapel until 2021. Its galleries tell the university's history, and the lower level holds the Lee family crypt and Robert E. Lee's preserved office.

📍 100 N Jefferson St

🕒 Wed-Sat 10am-5pm; closed university holidays

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Internet Archive Book Images / Public domain

🌲 Activities

VMI Museum & Jackson Memorial Hall

25 min drive

Founded in 1845, the Virginia Military Institute's museum is housed in Jackson Memorial Hall on the VMI post. Exhibits cover VMI history and include Stonewall Jackson's horse Little Sorrel and a large firearms collection.

📍 415 Letcher Ave

🕒 Daily 9am-5pm; closed Thanksgiving, Easter and Dec 21-Jan 3

Call Visit ↗

Photo: MarmadukePercy / CC BY-SA 3.0

🏞 Outdoors

Maury River at Jordan's Point Park

25 min drive

A Lexington city park on the Maury River with a paved boat ramp, popular for launching kayaks and canoes, tubing and fishing. The state's float trip from here runs downstream to Ben Salem Wayside.

📍 Jordan's Point Park, off N Main St (US 11) at the Maury River bridge

🕒 Sunrise to sunset

Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Chessie Nature Trail

25 min drive

A 7-mile gravel and dirt trail on an old rail bed that follows the Maury River between Lexington and Buena Vista. It is open to walkers, runners and cyclists; dogs must be leashed, and the trail crosses working cattle farms.

📍 Old Buena Vista Rd (Route 631), near Mill Creek, about 0.6 mi east of US 11

🕒 Daily, sunrise to sunset

Call Visit ↗

🍷 Drink

Devils Backbone Outpost Tap Room & Kitchen

25 min drive

Taproom and full kitchen at Devils Backbone's Lexington brewing facility just off Route 11 near I-81/I-64, with a deck looking toward the Blue Ridge. Serves lunch and dinner, plus weekend brunch.

📍 50 Northwind Lane

🕒 Sun–Thu 11:30am–8pm; Fri–Sat 11:30am–9pm; brunch Sat–Sun 11:30am–2pm

Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Thunder Alley

25 min drive

Bowling center in Covington with a full-service snack bar and a game room.

📍 104 Mall Road, Covington, VA 24426

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Virginia Horse Center

25 min drive

A 600-acre equestrian center just north of Lexington with a 4,000-seat indoor coliseum, hosting eventing, hunter/jumper and community events through the year.

📍 487 Maury River Road, Lexington, VA

Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Boxerwood Nature Center & Woodland Garden

30 min drive

A 20-acre woodland garden and nature education center just outside Lexington. Walking the garden is free (donations welcome), and leashed dogs are allowed.

📍 963 Ross Rd

🕒 Garden open daily, dawn to dusk

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Lime Kiln Theater

30 min drive

An outdoor concert venue on a 12-acre site around a 19th-century lime kiln and quarry, best known for folk, bluegrass and Americana shows. Seating is mostly general admission, with benches and lawn space in a natural amphitheater called The Bowl.

📍 607 Borden Rd

🕒 Seasonal summer concerts (2026: May 9–Oct 3); gates open about 2 hours before showtime

Visit ↗

🍽 Food

Blue Sky Bakery and Café

30 min drive

Cozy corner cafe preparing artisan baked goods, plus homemade soups & sandwiches on fresh foccacia.

📍 125 W Nelson St, Lexington, VA 24450

Visit ↗

🍽 Food

The Psalms

30 min drive

Fixture for classic American fare in an old-style bar-&-grill space with neon palms in the window.

📍 101 W Nelson St, Lexington, VA 24450

Call Visit ↗

🍷 Drink

Heliotrope Brewery

30 min drive

Family-owned craft brewery and kitchen on South Main Street in downtown Lexington, serving its own beers alongside food. It is dog-friendly and hosts community events.

📍 128 South Main Street

🕒 Mon & Wed 4–8pm; Thu–Fri 4–9pm; Sat noon–9pm; Sun noon–8pm; closed Tue (kitchen closes an hour early in Jan–Feb)

Call Visit ↗

🛍 Shopping

Lexington

30 min drive

Charming college town with restaurants, shops, and Civil War history.

📍 Lexington, VA

Photo: Artaxerxes / CC BY-SA 4.0

🍷 Drink

Juniper Lounge at The Gin Hotel

30 min drive

A second-floor lounge in The Gin Hotel serving original cocktails, craft beer and wine with seasonal small and large plates. Its outdoor veranda overlooks Main Street.

📍 30 S Main St

🕒 Wed-Thu 4-9pm, Fri 4-10pm, Sat 11am-10pm, Sun 11am-9pm; closed Mon-Tue

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Artaxerxes / CC BY-SA 4.0

🌲 Activities

Jackson House Museum (Stonewall Jackson House)

30 min drive

The restored downtown home where Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson and his wife Anna lived before the Civil War, run by VMI. Self-guided tours cover the house and garden, and a free exhibit gallery holds Jackson family artifacts.

📍 8 E Washington St

🕒 Daily 9am-5pm; closed Jan-Feb, Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas

Call Visit ↗

🍽 Food

ZunZun

30 min drive

Cozy, chef-driven, locally sourced eatery serving globally influenced eats alongside craft cocktails, beer and wine.

📍 11 E Washington St, Lexington, VA 24450

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Lexington Carriage Company

30 min drive

Narrated horse-drawn carriage tours through downtown Lexington's historic district, passing the Jackson House, the colleges and old residential streets. Tours leave from across the street from the Lexington Visitor Center.

📍 106 E Washington St

🕒 Apr 1-Oct 31, Wed-Sun 11am-3:30pm (last tour 3pm), weather permitting

Call Visit ↗

🍽 Food

Pure Eats

30 min drive

Retro, counter-serve nook doling out house made donuts, locally sourced burgers & craft beers on tap.

📍 107 N Main St, Lexington, VA 24450

Visit ↗

🍇 Wineries

Lexington Valley Vineyard

30 min drive

Family-owned and operated vineyard and winery since 1999, set in the hills between Lexington and Rockbridge Baths. The tasting room has indoor and outdoor seating.

📍 80 Norton Way

🕒 Weekends only: Sat–Sun noon–5pm

Call Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Goshen Pass

30 min drive

A 3.7-mile gorge where the Maury River cuts through Little North Mountain along Route 39, with a riverside wayside for picnics and the Maury memorial.

Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Jackson River Scenic Trail

30 min drive

A mostly flat 14.4-mile rail-trail on an old railroad bed beside the Jackson River, starting just north of Covington. Open to walking, running, biking and horseback riding.

📍 1903 Dressler Drive, Covington, VA 24426

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Smash the Iron Cage / CC BY-SA 4.0

🌲 Activities

C&O Depot & Alleghany Historical Society

30 min drive

Covington's restored 1908 C&O passenger depot, home of the Alleghany Historical Society. It is a free museum about the railroad and local history, with changing exhibits.

📍 149 S. Maple Avenue, Covington, VA 24426

🕒 Tue 12:30–4:30pm; Wed–Thu 10am–4pm

Call Visit ↗

🍽 Food

Casa de Leones Mexican Grill

30 min drive

Mexican restaurant in downtown Covington serving fajitas, burritos, enchiladas, tacos and cheese dip, with lunch specials and takeout.

📍 348 W. Main Street, Covington, VA 24426

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

701 Engine

30 min drive

Restored Chesapeake & Ohio steam locomotive nicknamed the "Merry Widow," built in 1911 and later used to haul passenger trains between Covington and Hot Springs. It has been on display in Covington's Main Street Park since 1954.

📍 708 W. Main Street, Covington, VA 24426

Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

House Mountain

35 min drive

An 884-acre preserve owned by the Virginia Outdoors Foundation, with trails up to the saddle between Big House Mountain (3,645 ft) and Little House Mountain. It is a primitive area with no restrooms, and hunting is allowed in season.

📍 House Mountain parking lot, Saddle Ridge Rd (Route 643), off Jacktown Rd (Route 641)

Call Visit ↗

🍷 Drink

Halcyon Days Cider Co.

35 min drive

Cidery making hard cider from apples grown in its own labyrinth-shaped orchard of 2,000+ trees, with tastings in an 1860 log cabin. Visitors can walk the labyrinth, and it is family- and dog-friendly.

📍 4135 S Lee Hwy

🕒 Seasonal Apr–Dec: Thu–Fri 2–7pm; Sat noon–7pm; Sun noon–6pm; closed Mon–Wed

Call Visit ↗

🍇 Wineries

Jump Mountain Vineyard

35 min drive

Small farm winery on Walkers Creek Road below Jump Mountain, a short drive from Rockbridge Baths on Route 39. The owners lead the tastings themselves, and there is a modest tasting fee.

📍 1493 Walkers Creek Rd

🕒 Weekends only: Sat–Sun 12:30–5pm (call ahead)

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Doug Kerr / CC BY-SA 2.0

🏞 Outdoors

Humpback Bridge

35 min drive

Covered bridge built in 1857: a 100-foot single span that rises 4 feet higher in the middle than at the ends. It sits in a five-acre wayside park with picnic tables and restrooms. Free.

📍 Humpback Bridge Wayside, US-60 (Midland Trail), Covington, VA 24426

Visit ↗

🍇 Wineries

Great Valley Farm Brewery & Winery

40 min drive

Farm brewery and winery near Natural Bridge Station serving its own beer and wine, made with grapes and some ingredients grown on the farm. The tap list changes often, and it hosts food trucks and music.

📍 60 Great Valley Lane

🕒 Wed–Thu noon–7:30pm; Fri–Sat noon–8pm; Sun noon–6pm; closed Mon–Tue

Call Visit ↗

🍇 Wineries

Blue Ridge Vineyard

40 min drive

Winery on a 300-acre farm in Eagle Rock with a barn tasting room. Visitors taste wines, walk the farm trails, picnic (dogs welcome) and watch wildlife.

📍 1027 Shiloh Drive, Eagle Rock, VA 24085

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Eric Moreno / CC BY 2.0

🌲 Activities

Virginia Safari Park

40 min drive

A 180-acre drive-through safari park where visitors feed animals from their cars, plus a walk-through Safari Village with animal encounters and a budgie aviary. Open seasonally from March to late November.

📍 229 Safari Ln

🕒 Daily 9 AM–4 PM (to 5 PM on summer weekends); season Mar 7–Nov 29, 2026; closed Thanksgiving

Call Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Natural Bridge

40 min drive

A 200-foot limestone arch over Cedar Creek, now a state park. The Cedar Creek Trail passes under the bridge to the 50-foot Lace Falls. Admission is charged.

Visit ↗

Photo: U.S. Geological Survey / Public domain

🏞 Outdoors

Falling Spring Falls

40 min drive

Roadside waterfall that drops from an overhanging ledge and can be seen from a scenic wayside directly on US-220, about 7 miles north of Covington on the way to Hot Springs. Thomas Jefferson wrote about it.

📍 US-220 N, Covington, VA 24426

Visit ↗

Photo: Nyttend / Public domain

🏞 Outdoors

Glen Maury Park

40 min drive

A 315-acre city park on the Maury River with a 206-site campground, more than 8 miles of hiking and biking trails, river access, a seasonal pool and disc golf. Kayak, tube and bike rentals are available.

📍 100 Glen Maury Park Rd

🕒 Park office 8:00 AM–4:30 PM

Call Visit ↗

🍇 Wineries

Ecco Adesso Vineyards

40 min drive

Family-owned farm winery on a large estate near Fairfield, planted starting in 2021. It serves wine with pizza and cheese boards, has hiking trails and occasional live music, and rents cottages.

📍 340 Ecco Adesso Ln

🕒 Thu 1–5pm; Fri–Sat noon–6pm; Sun noon–5pm

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Morgan Riley / CC BY 3.0

🌲 Activities

Cyrus McCormick Farm

40 min drive

The family farm where Cyrus McCormick developed his mechanical reaper in 1831, now a National Historic Landmark run by Virginia Tech. Visitors can walk the grounds and see the restored gristmill, blacksmith shop and a small museum.

📍 128 McCormick Farm Cir

🕒 Grounds sunrise-sunset; museum Mon-Fri 8am-12pm

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Cliff View Golf Club & Inn

45 min drive

An 18-hole golf course with mountain and river views on the Jackson River north of Covington, with an inn on the property and river access for fly-fishing.

📍 410 Friels Drive, Covington, VA 24426

Call Visit ↗

🍇 Wineries

Rockbridge Vineyard & Brewery

45 min drive

Family-owned winery founded in 1992 in the northern end of the county near Raphine, with an on-site brewery. Its wines have won awards, including the Virginia Governor's Cup.

📍 35 Hill View Lane

🕒 Tasting room: Tue–Thu 10am–6pm; Fri–Sat 11am–7pm; Sun–Mon noon–5pm. Brewery: Tue–Thu noon–6pm; Fri–Sat noon–7pm; Sun–Mon noon–5pm

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Nyttend / Public domain

🏞 Outdoors

George Washington National Forest – Alleghany Highlands Trails

50 min drive

National forest land surrounds the Alleghany Highlands and is open for hiking, mountain biking, OHV riding and camping. The James River & Warm Springs Ranger District office has maps and trail information.

📍 422 Forestry Road, Hot Springs, VA 24445

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Warm Springs Pools

50 min drive

Historic bathhouses fed by warm mineral springs, restored by the Omni Homestead and reopened in 2022. Soaks are by reservation through the resort.

📍 11 Bath Street, Warm Springs, VA

Visit ↗

Photo: Carol M. Highsmith / Public domain

🌲 Activities

The Greenbrier

50 min drive

Historic resort and National Historic Landmark in White Sulphur Springs, WV. It offers four golf courses, a spa, a casino and tours of a declassified Cold War bunker.

📍 101 Main Street W., White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986

Call Visit ↗

🍽 Food

Gustard's Bistro

50 min drive

Bistro using local products, with daily lunch specials, dinner entrées and a well-known chocolate s'mores pie.

📍 759 Main St E, White Sulphur Springs, WV

🍽 Food

Max on Main

50 min drive

Wood-fired pizza, sandwiches, salads, steaks and pasta in a renovated building on Main Street.

📍 789 Main St E, White Sulphur Springs, WV

Photo: The Ninjaneer / CC0

🌲 Activities

The Omni Homestead Resort

55 min drive

Historic resort on more than 2,000 acres in Hot Springs. Its full-service spa uses the area's natural mineral springs, and it has two golf courses and a wide range of seasonal activities.

📍 1766 Homestead Drive, Hot Springs, VA 24445

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Antony-22 / CC BY-SA 4.0

🌲 Activities

Garth Newel Music Center

55 min drive

A chamber music center on a historic mountain estate near Hot Springs and home of the Garth Newel Piano Quartet. It holds concerts year-round, and some are paired with meals and overnight stays.

📍 403 Garth Newel Lane, Hot Springs, VA 24445

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Beaverdam Falls Outdoor Recreation

55 min drive

Private nature preserve on Beaverdam Creek with a series of waterfalls. Visitors buy day passes to swim at the falls and walk its trails; it also offers camping, cabins and event hosting.

📍 1100 Kanawha Trail, Covington, VA 24426

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Let's Ride Horses

1 hr drive

Private, guide-led trail rides for riders of all levels, from about an hour to a full day. Rides go along the Jackson River Scenic Trail, Douthat State Park and national forest land.

📍 1106 Jackson River Turnpike, Hot Springs, VA 24445

Call Visit ↗

Photo: Civilbeard / CC0

🏞 Outdoors

Devil's Marbleyard

1 hr drive

A huge field of quartzite boulders on the side of the Blue Ridge in the Jefferson National Forest. Reach it by a steep hike of about 1.5 miles on the Belfast Trail, then scramble over the rocks.

📍 Belfast Trail parking, Petites Gap Rd (Route 781), about 1.5 mi from Route 759

Call

🏞 Outdoors

Eastern National Children's Forest

1 hr drive

National forest site on Potts Mountain where more than 1,000 children planted seedlings in 1972, a year after a wildfire burned the slope. Today it has easy, family-friendly loop trails, an interpretive trail and a monument.

📍 Children's Forest Rd (FR 351), Covington, VA 24426

Visit ↗

🛍 Shopping

Lewisburg, WV

1 hr drive

Historic downtown on the National Register, with shops, galleries and restaurants. Named the Coolest Small Town in America by Budget Travel readers in 2011.

Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Carnegie Hall (Lewisburg)

1 hr drive

Built in 1902 with money from Andrew Carnegie, one of four Carnegie Halls still in continuous use. Today it's a nonprofit arts center with performances, exhibits and classes.

Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Lost World Caverns

1 hr drive

Cave discovered in 1942, with a self-guided half-mile loop of about 45 minutes. Its best-known formation is the 28-foot War Club stalagmite. Admission is charged.

Visit ↗

🏞 Outdoors

Greenbrier River Trail

1 hr drive

A 78-mile rail-trail on the old C&O Greenbrier Division, from Caldwell just east of Lewisburg north to Cass. Open to hiking, biking and horseback riding, with 35 bridges.

Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

State Fair of West Virginia

1 hr drive

Held every August at the fairgrounds in Fairlea, just south of Lewisburg, with livestock shows, rides, food and grandstand concerts. Tickets are required.

Visit ↗

🍽 Food

The Humble Tomato

1 hr drive

Italian restaurant downtown with pizza and house-made pasta made fresh to order, a full bar and seasonal garden seating. It's also a stop on West Virginia's Pepperoni Roll Trail.

📍 855 Washington St W, Lewisburg, WV

🍽 Food

Food & Friends

1 hr drive

A local favorite that started as a little sandwich shop and now serves a wide-ranging lunch and dinner menu, from steaks to five-cheese ravioli.

📍 878 Washington St W, Lewisburg, WV

🍽 Food

Stardust Café

1 hr drive

Café in a former neighborhood grocery, serving sandwiches on locally baked bread and fresh salads.

📍 1023 Washington St E, Lewisburg, WV

🍽 Food

General Lewis Inn

1 hr drive

Southern cooking with a modern twist at a historic inn: scratch-made buttermilk biscuits, local mountain trout and dining on the veranda.

📍 1236 Washington St E, Lewisburg, WV

🍽 Food

Hill and Holler

1 hr drive

Pub with brick-oven pizza, bar snacks and smoked, fried chicken wings with eight house-made dipping sauces.

📍 886 Washington St W, Lewisburg, WV

🍽 Food

Jim's Drive-In

1 hr drive

1950s-style drive-in with curbside service, known for its Ranch Burger and handmade milkshakes.

📍 479 Washington St W, Lewisburg, WV

Photo: The Ninjaneer / CC0

🏞 Outdoors

Lake Moomaw

1 hr 15 min drive

A 2,530-acre reservoir with 43 miles of wooded shoreline, used for trout and bass fishing and for boating with no horsepower limit. Coles Point, at the south end, has a boat launch, swimming beach, bathhouse and picnic tables.

📍 Coles Point Recreation Area, Lake Moomaw, Covington, VA 24426

Call Visit ↗

🌲 Activities

Blue Ridge Parkway

10 mi

Scenic drive with overlooks, hiking, and waterfalls.

🕒 Dawn to dusk

Visit ↗