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Historical Inn in the Shenandoah Valley

Located on the western edge of the Shenandoah Valley, about 25 miles from Lexington, Virginia, the Hummingbird Inn was built in 1780 as a trading post for travelers. In 1853, a local family named Teter added two stories of wraparound verandas, a parlor, library, conservatory, and five bedrooms to the post. Today, the original pine floors remain throughout the house, and from the veranda, you can spot the inn’s namesake ruby-throated hummingbirds as they flit about near the feeders. Upon check-in, husband-and-wife innkeepers Patty and Dan Harrison will give you a bottle of wine, gourmet sweets, a picnic/gift basket, and a Soothing Herbal lotion set.

Though each of the five themed guest rooms has a different design scheme, all include private baths and electric fireplaces, and two come with whirlpool tubs. The Eleanor guest room is named after first lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who stayed here in 1935.

Inside the Hummingbird Inn’s rustic den area, you can enjoy free soda and juice in front of the stone fireplace, whereas the dining room offers coffee and tea 24 hours a day and fresh cookies. Venture out to the deck and you can see Mill Creek, trout stream that runs at the back of the property. Next to the stream sits the old barn, once the town’s livery stable.

Goshen, Virginia: Quaint Town near Historical Landmarks and Natural Hot Springs

The small town of Goshen is nestled in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains, about 80 miles north of Roanoke. Goshen is about 25 miles from Lexington, which is home to Washington and Lee University, as well as the Stonewall Jackson House. The Confederate general’s preserved pre–Civil War home is furnished with many of his personal possessions.

Nearby, in the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, you can fish, ride horses, or hike and bike miles of trails. In the middle of the forest, there are natural hot springs known as the Jefferson Pools, named after the third president of the United States. Jefferson vacationed here in 1818 and praised the hot springs as being “of the first merit.”

Take a day trip to Staunton, the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson, a litte over 30 miles away. On a guided tour, you can get an idea of the 28th president’s childhood and way of life in the 1850s.

Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.