Justin surprised the family with a low-key day out of town that we all appreciated. First stop:
Natural Bridge Zoo. Kim took a group of kindergarteners there and went as a first grader herself; Justin went as a child and has a picture with his brother under a big fake bear at the site. As we visted, we found charmingly little had changed. A family zoo, Natural Bridge maintains a large feeding/petting area with llamas, goats, deer, giraffes, and other animals. It's home to a number of primates, an alligator, flamingos, a few snakes...it's a menagerie. Kids are unlikely to mind some troubles with organization, parking, landscaping, and signage. The
North Carolina Zoo it's not, folks, but fun it is. Take a picnic lunch, buy a small bag of animal food (and grab a bit at the "recycled" animal food area just inside the zoo on the other side of the admission doors), and have a no-frills-zoo good time. Don't confuse Natural Bridge Zoo with the nearby drive-thru
Virginia Safari Park. We're planning a trip there in July, so stay tuned.
We drove to Lexington for a late lunch, stopping in at
Pure Eats. Pure Eats is a classy, locovore burger joint inside an old Pure filling station. It's decorated in a delightful retro style and serves great fries--not to mention milkshakes made with Homestead Creamery ice cream. It's also close to Lexington's The Antique Mall, an old Roses department store converted into some good junking, particularly for those interested in flea-market furniture. They also have Toys in the Attic, a vintage toy vendor; and Mike's Postcards, a well-organized and reasonably-priced place to start a collection.
If you go, there's plenty of American roadside to amuse you in the area. You are obviously near the Natural Bridge area, including the
bridge area itself. You are also in for treats in nearby
Lexington, including two historic universities, quaint shopping, and a nifty local
ghost tour.
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