This Virginia Town Has The Most Walkable Downtown

Main and Washington Streets have taken the center stage in downtown Lexington since horses and wagons owned the roads over 200 years ago. Museums like the VMI Museum are close by on Letcher Avenue, adjacent to Washington and Lee University. And the town’s creative side shows up just as clearly, with Washington Street galleries like the Cabell Gallery and the cooperative Artists in Cahoots filling historic storefronts with Virginia-made art and handcrafted work. All this and more is packed into the historical buildings of Lexington’s downtown, which looks similar to how it did in the 1860s. Everything there is to see and do is conveniently linked together by red brick sidewalks.

Arts and History on Washington Street

To start, visit the historic home of Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, the Jackson House Museum, which is the only house he ever owned. It is open to the public for self-guided tours. He lived in the house with his second wife, Mary Anna Morrison, before the Civil War. The house has curated his civilian life as a professor, church leader, businessman, and husband. Visitors can go from room to room, view a collection of his personal belongings, learn about his life through an exhibit gallery, and venture outside to a restored garden on the property.

Lexington’s art scene responds to the town’s historical context, with many local artists taking inspiration from the architecture of downtown Lexington. Galleries on Washington Street, like the Cabell Gallery, showcase fine art from Virginia artists that appear in a myriad of forms like oil, watercolor, acrylic, and pastel paintings, as well as works of clay, glass, and jewelry.

Artists in Cahoots is on the same block on Washington Street as the Cabell Gallery. It focuses mostly on handcrafted items, including blown glass, sculptures, woodwork, pottery, and jewelry. As a cooperative gallery, visitors have the opportunity to view art and meet the artists behind it.

Dine on Main Street

Go on a culinary tour of Main Street, where you can find different places to eat that suit your agenda for the day. Pure Eats is great for grabbing food on the go while you walk around town. House-made doughnuts, locally roasted coffee, and breakfast sandwiches are available every morning to fuel you while you explore town.

For afternoon snacks, TAPS is the place to go to enjoy elevated pub fare consisting of burgers, sandwiches, and craft beer, with many of the items on their menu created with local ingredients from farms in the Shenandoah Valley.

Finally, for an evening meal after you have seen everything in town, visit Haywood’s, a staple in the center of town on the corner of Washington and Main Streets. Between Wednesdays and Sundays, Haywood’s turns into a piano bar and grill featuring live music paired with their signature fresh, seasonal dishes.

Tour Campuses on Letcher Avenue

Amble over to Letcher Avenue to tour the campuses of Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute. Start at the University Chapel and Galleries, a historic gallery space that includes the historic chapel, which was completed in 1868, and displays a gallery that narrates the story of the university’s history, people, traditions, and impact.

The Reeves Museum of Ceramics is next to the University Chapel and Galleries. It contains the fourth largest collection of ceramics in the United States, including European, Asian, and American ceramics spanning 4,000 years. Also on site are two rotating gallery spaces and a traditional Japanese tea room.

The VMI Museum celebrates both the civilian and military careers of notable alumni of the Virginia Military Institute. Standout exhibits include a collection of vintage firearms, uniforms of Stonewall Jackson, and Jackson’s horse, which is mounted and on display.

Explore the Shenandoah Valley

Venture out to other towns in the Shenandoah Valley, like Buena Vista, which is 7 miles southeast of Lexington. As a town along the Appalachian Trail, Buena Vista is an outdoor lover's dream, with Glen Maury Park as the focal point for outdoor activities in town. The park spans 300 acres and is equipped with a campground, picnic pavilions, an outdoor swimming pool, access to the Maury River, and a skate park.

Buchanan is another historic town, 21.97 miles southwest of Lexington, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge and Alleghany Mountains, along the James River. Not only does Buchanan’s Main Street stand out for its natural scenery, but historically it was a stopping point for travelers in the 1700s.

Staunton is rooted in the center of the Shenandoah Valley at 36 miles northeast of Lexington. Its acclaim comes from its status as the first Virginia community to receive a Great American Main Street Award. The town’s West Beverley Street is responsible for the town attaining its status. It is the site of attractions like the Camera Heritage Museum, which houses over 6,500 cameras, accessories, and photos.

Virginia's Most Walkable Downtown

Lexington has long been a center of commerce and social activity, and its perfectly preserved downtown area has contributed to it being listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The town is rich in history and culture, as evident from places like the Cabell Gallery, which proudly displays the works of Virginia artists, or restaurants like Haywood’s, which supports local farms by crafting items on their menu around seasonal ingredients. Whether a history buff, a foodie, or a supporter of local arts, everything you need in downtown Lexington is just a short walk away.