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My husband and I take our kids on a family road trip every summer and this summer we decided to shake things up a bit and head East. I don’t know why, but we always seem to go West. Weird. Anyway, with my brother graduating from Washington & Lee’s law school at the end of this school year, I thought what better time to go see him, the campus, and the historic town that he lives in.
From the restaurants to the history, I fell in love. You can walk pretty much any where in town and everyone we came across was just so friendly. The trouble was, I had to do a lot of research on where to stay, where to eat, and what there is to actually do in this little town. After all, with two major universities there – Washington & Lee and the Virginia Military Institute – there had to be a better way! So, following up after our trip, I’ve got all the details lined up for you. Ready, set, go!
Where to Stay
The Georges
This is the place to stay in Lexington, VA. If you like being within walking distance of literally everything in town, then this is the place to be! It’s beautiful inside and out and offers just 18 rooms of luxury. SO if you’re going to stay here, you will want to book far in advance – especially if it’s graduation weekend.
The Robert E Lee Hotel
This is another historic building turned beautiful hotel right in the heart of downtown Lexington. Next time I visit, I’ve got my eye on that Penthouse!
Brierley Hill Bed & Breakfast
Looking for a more personal touch to where you’re staying? Try this beautiful B&B! It’s not not downtown, so it’s a nice oasis from the city life!
Hotel Chains
There are tons of hotels in the area like Country Inn & Suites and Howard Johnson. If you’re looking to get the best price, check out what Booking.com has available for your trip dates!
AirBnB
I always love staying in AirBnBs when I travel, but in this town it can be a bit limited as far as selection goes. See what they have here, and don’t forget to use this link to get up to $55 in travel credit on me!
Where to Eat
Breakfast
Sweet Treats Bakery
We walked into this bakery and were immediately greeted by the owner’s brother. We were so impressed with his ability to remember everyone’s names in front of us and their usual orders! After we ordered our food, he came by the table and asked us where we were from (since he apparently knows everyone in town and we weren’t from around there). We found out that he knew my brother and most of his friends that were in the Law program at W&L. When we got our food, they had made the kids’ pancakes into Mickey Mouse heads with berries and whip cream faces. The food was great, but the service was the best! Talk about customer service! We’ll be back for sure!
Lunch
Brew Ridge Taps
This is a cool place to hang out, drink a beer, and play games with friends. We ordered the 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon beer and it was great! Make sure to ask for the pretzel braid to be served with queso. Yum! The bast waffle on the table was the Natty BBQ wafflewich. It was great barbecue in between two golden waffles and was a perfect mixture of salty and sweet. They also have several board games to play while you try out their many beers.
Devil’s Backbone Brewing Co
If you’re looking for a cool place to hang out, then this is the place. It’s outside of town a bit, but it’s definitely worth the short drive! They have tons of beers to choose from and their food is amazing too! We got the deviled eggs, chicken macaroni and cheese, burger, and schnitzel. Everything was great! They have board games to play while you hang out and listen to the live music (which my kids loved). They also have a dog-friendly patio. Tours of the brewery are on Saturdays for those ages 12 and up.
Dinner
Haywood’s Piano Bar
This laid-back piano bar is only open for dinner, but if you’re looking for fine dining in a relaxed atmosphere, this is it. You can choose to either sit outside on the patio or inside in the dining room and listen to the piano player play beautiful melodies.
TAPS
Located inside the Georges hotel, this beautiful restaurant is only open for dinner, but guests can be sure to have a delicious and relaxing meal. Make sure to get a cocktail as well.
Rocca
If you’re looking for Italian food, this is the place to go! Enjoy the sounds of a live band while sitting on the patio at this unique roof top eatery.
Snacks
Pronto Caffe & Gelateria
I’m a firm believer that dinner isn’t truly over until you’ve had dessert, so we checked out all the dessert places Lexington has to offer. This place might have been our favorite. It’s on Main Street, the staff was super friendly, the shop is adorable, and the gelatos are delicious. The pineapple flavor was my personal favorite on this trip, but my son said the chocolate & hazelnut was great too.
Cheese to You
Feelin’ cheesy? Try out this cheese shop on Main Street and sample your way through the world’s finest cheeses and olive oils. It’s open Tuesdays through Saturdays.
Cocoa Mill Chocolatier
Y’all know I wasn’t going to pass up a chocolate shop, right? This small chocolate shop has a great selection of barks, truffles, turtles, caramels, and dipped fruits. Order in advance or peruse what they have available in the store.
Sweet Things Ice Cream Shoppe
This nostalgic ice cream shoppe has a retro feeling from the moment you walk in. Black and white checkered floors, the smells of fresh waffle cones being made, and they only accept cash. Oh yeah, and the ice cream was great too! I opted for the orange sherbet and it was a great way to cool off during a warmer summer day.
What to Do
My favorite park about Virginia (and parts of the East coast) are that everywhere you look, there’s some historical marker where some figure from our nation’s foundation was born, died, or sneezed. Lexington has no shortage of these places!
Lee Chapel
Once you step onto the Washington & Lee campus, it’s like stepping back into colonial times and immersing yourself in the lives of our forefathers. Lee Chapel is the crown jewel of this beautiful campus. The chapel is open almost every day and is the final resting place for Robert E Lee himself. His horse, Traveller, is also buried nearby.
Virginia Gold Orchard
Located just up the road in Natural Bridge, Virginia, this family run farm is fun to see the process of the Asian pears from orchard to table. From August through October they are open 10 am to 6pm, Wednesday-Sunday and from November through February they are open 10am-5pm Wednesday – Sunday and by appointment.
Kidz Playce Playground
If you have little ones with you, you’ll want to definitely take them here. It’s a huge wood playground with all sorts of monkey bars, slides, obstacles, and a trampoline.
Lexington Farmer’s Market
“Saturdays on the Square” are, *shocker*, on Saturday mornings from 7am-2pm, head to downtown Lexington to get fresh fruits, vegetable, and local artisans’ goods.
Wade’s Mill
The historic water wheel is a sight to see if you love the country life. It operates Saturdays 10:00 a.m.-noon and Sundays 3:00-5:00 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
Boxerwood Nature Center & Woodland Garden
For just a $5 entry fee, you can visit this beautiful place from dawn to dusk. There’s a children’s play trail, a walking trail, and a place for kids to make a fairy forest.
Cabin Spring Farm
This sheep farm allows visitors to see the entire process from raising healthy fibers on the sheep to creating wool products. Make sure to buy a little something to take home with you!
McCormick’s Farm
This farm located in nearby Raphine, VA has free entry and loads of historical touches. See the blacksmith’s shop, gristmill, museum, and more daily from 8am to 5pm.
Jordan’s Point Walking Trail
This short trail is nice for a weeknight stroll or just a little getaway from city. It runs right by a river, so the sounds of water rushing are just the cure for a stressful day.
Hull’s Drive In
Looking for something to do after the sun goes down? Head on over to the drive in! There, you’ll be able to relax, watch a movie, and snuggle with your sweetie in the comfort of your own vehicle. They also have a concession stand that has hamburgers, hot dogs, BBQ sandwiches, sodas, hot cocoa, popcorn, nachos,and candy. Make sure to call (540) 463-2621 to see what’s playing before you go.
Virginia Horse Center Foundation
Spend some time with the ponies and head on over to the horse arena. There you’ll see jumping and riding from amazing horses and their owners.
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