Fun Things to Do in Natural Bridge, VA

Distance from hotel: 0.0 miles

Gates are open from 8: a.m. until dusk.

Natural Bridge is Virginia’s newest state park. The park is one of the oldest tourist destinations in the United States. This popular tourist attraction is located in the community of Rockbridge County. The Bridge has been included in several “Seven Natural Wonders of the World” lists, mostly in the 19th and early 20th centuries. It has also been designated a National Historic Landmark, a Virginia Historic Landmark and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Bridge Tickets are $9 for adults and $6 for kids ages 3-12. Children 2 and under are free.

Distance from hotel: 1.3 Miles

Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10 AM – 5 PM 

Open mid-March through early December, the Natural Bridge Zoo is privately owned and offers a petting zoo and close encounters tours with some of their visitors’ favorite residents! Feed a lemur, visit with the new babies, get close with the big cats, and more.

Distance from hotel: 1.3 Miles

Open Saturday and Sunday 10AM- 6PM 

Experience a wooded, walking adventure of the wildest, weirdest, craziest dinosaur park the Washington Post has called Amazing! Brilliant! Hilarious! This is definitely not your father’s dinosaur park! Last Ticket Sold at 5PM.

Distance from hotel: 5.1 Miles

Open Everyday 9AM – 4.30PM. Last Car @ 3.30PM

Closed on Thanksgiving Day.

Last Day of Season December 1, 2024.

Virginia’s only drive-thru zoo is our neighbor! Drive your own vehicle through the 180-acre park or hop aboard the tractor-drawn wagon for an even more intriguing experience. As if getting up close and personal with free-roaming animals weren’t exciting enough, the aviary, giraffe-feeding station, petting area, and kangaroo walk-about are additional must-sees.

Distance from hotel: 5.0 Miles

Opens Everyday 10AM – 7PM.

​Located eight minutes up the road, Virginia Gold Orchard is a family-run farm dedicated to growing the very best tasting Asian pears.

Established in 1990 by Paul and Youngsuk Estabrook, the orchard currently consists of about 2,000 Asian pear trees. Every fall they harvest up to 16 different varieties of Asian pears, each one ripening at a different time.

Distance from hotel: 4.6 Miles

Opens Friday and Saturday 12PM – 6PM

Halcyon Days Cider Co. is a hands-on, family-owned and operated small farm and cidery. Halcyon Days have blended their deep respect for traditional methods with newly refined techniques to create their small batch cider production. As their name suggests, their aim is to return to a simpler time infused with calm and happiness.

Stop in for a flight.  Call for hours of operation – 540-291-1340

Distance from hotel: 5.2 Miles

Closed Monday & Tuesday.

Rockbridge County’s newest brewery is also a member of the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail. Producing small-batch craft beer, Great Valley Farm Brewery sits on 27 picturesque acres with the Blue Ridge Mountains as a backdrop.

Stop in for a flight Wednesday through Sunday.

Distance from hotel: 11.8 Miles

Open Everday 9AM – 5PM

A day on the river will do you good, and Twin River Outfitters is nearby to help. Rent a canoe, kayak, or tube for a leisurely fishing, floating, or paddling trip. Guided trips and moonlight paddles are also available.

Distance from hotel: 13.6 miles

Located just 20 minutes from the VMI campus, the hotel is an ideal choice for family, friends, alumni, and those attending on-campus events. When you visit, seek out Jackson Memorial Hall to tour the VMI Museum. Outside nearby stands Moses Ezekiel’s statue, “Virginia Mourning Her Dead.”

Distance from hotel: 14 miles

Located just 20 minutes from the Washington & Lee campus, the hotel is an ideal choice for family, friends, alumni, and those attending on-campus events. No visit to W&L is complete without a visit to Lee Chapel. Be sure to leave a penny at Traveller’s gravesite.

Distance from hotel: 16.2 miles

​The Virginia Horse Center stands at the forefront of Virginia’s $1.2B equine economy. The Natural Bridge Historic Hotel and Conference Center is delighted to work in partnership to encourage tourism and accomplish our shared missions in recreation, education, and preservation.

VHCF boasts 600+ acres of picturesque grounds holding a 4,000-seat coliseum, eight barns to accommodate 1,200 horses, 19 show rings, cross-country, combined carriage driving courses and campgrounds, and full catering and café services. The VHCF hosts many non-equine events such as dog shows, BMX, agriculture programs, and the Rockbridge Regional Fair & Farm Show.

Every weekend offers a variety of opportunities for competitors and spectators alike! Check their calendar of events for a complete schedule.