Fantastic Fiction: Natural Bridge's Dinosaur Kingdom II

For those who look to the Halterman Weekend to point them towards Roadside America, you are in luck!  Enter Dinosaur Kingdom II, a Mark Cline attraction, in Natural Bridge, VA.  A walk-through outdoor park of sorts, Dinosaur Kingdom II tells the fantastical story of what might have happened if latent dinosaurs had been awakened and used as weapons of mass destruction during the US Civil War.  Yes, you read that correctly, and yes, it's awesome!

Local artist and author Mark Cline has invented a story where, during the battle of Natural Bridge's Saur Hill, dinosaurs cryogenically "sleeping" in nearby caverns are awakened by the sounds of the battle.  The Union then tries to train them to fight the Confederacy--albeit unsuccessfully, largely because the dinosaurs just eat all soldiers without regard to their loyalties.  The story line is pure fun and never intended to be any form of scholarship--but for the nerds in us, it made a great place to discuss the formation of a good story.  In fact, Kim could totally see a field trip here for budding fantasy/sci fi authors.  There's a companion comic book, and seeing the pages from the book posted at parts of the exhibit honestly inspires reading.

If you go, walk slowly on the gravel paths, looking for surprises beyond the path in the woods, and take a second lap instead of exiting when you come to the out door.  For the most part, the dinosaurs don't move and aren't going to startle you, but there are several fun animations to activate by pushing buttons in the "village" through which you enter.  Be sure to check out the concept art featured in the art gallery of the village and watch the fake documentary about the Natural Bridge Civil War paleontologists--it has a bonus feature of one of the very first cartoons, a short about a dinosaur that G, age 4, adored.  Skip the strollers if you can--this gravel on a gentle grade, but enough to lock most wheels.  Relax and enjoy the all-ages fun--we saw couples, groups of teens, families with young kids.  To make a day trip of this adventure, know you are close to Natural Bridge Caverns, where we understand the DK admission stamp will yield a discount, as well as Natural Bridge State Park, not to mention Lexington, VA--a great place for a stroll and visits to various small museums.  For more fantasy-type fun with kids, check out Boxerwood Gardens.

Naturally Magical: Boxerwood Garden in Lexington, VA

Labor Day weekend always thwarts us in some regard.  This year, we had planned a trip in the direction of Richmond, VA, and then, Hurricane Hermione made the weather in that direction too unpredictable for our easy day trip liking.  We wanted to be outside; we wanted to walk around; we wanted to keep it simple.  We heard Lexington's Boxerwood Gardens, a place we'd seen pitched in the window of the Lexington Visitor's Center some time back, calling.

Boxerwood, billed as a park and nature center, is a little chunk of paradise for outdoor exploring.  An outgrowth of industrious citizenship if you will, Boxerwood was a family collection of plants and now serves the greater good as a private recreation ground, giving it quite the history.  It's a little bit hippie and a lot magical, especially for young kid explorers.  There's a fantastical children's "trail" that is reasonably confined and includes fun tightropes of repurposed fire hoses, a giant birdhouse-shaped tree house, a mud pie restaurant, "doorways" between trees, and similar places for imaginative play. Beyond these gates, there are acres for the wandering along simple trails.  Seemingly random metal sculptures "pop up" and pathways bend off across swampy lands and near small ponds throughout the more-wild-than-manicured botanical garden setting. Don't expect a ton of signage or staff--this is a mainly volunteer, community-supported enterprise, and that is part of the charm.  We were a bit frustrated we never found the Fairy Garden, but we met some happy travelers who couldn't find it either and will simply have to return.

If you go, venture out in pleasant weather--and be dressed for it.  Consider bringing a picnic--or do what we did and work up a hunger for nearby Niko's Grille for an interesting combination of Greek food and all-day breakfast.  Wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty and take along extra shoes--there's a creek in the children's area. There are no fees, but you can leave a donation in the box at the front.  GPS Boxerwood (963 Ross Road) knowing you will be entering a slightly-off-downtown residential section to get there. Visit dawn to dusk--Google told us it was "closed" weekends, but this definitely wasn't true.  They do host special events, and the best way to find out about those may very well be their Facebook page.  We easily combined this trip with pleasant walking in Lexington...

...to Stonewall Jackson Cemetery, also open dawn to dusk...

...to Lee Chapel at Washington and Lee University, a site with outstanding docents and a great glimpse into the school...

...to Virginia Military Institute, where K always stops to find the memorial plaques to fallen Alleghany High School classmate Josh Hurley...

...E even walked the Labyrinth at Robert E Lee Episcopal Church.  Maybe not prayerfully yet, but he walked it.

So, go wander.  For our young roadschoolers and afterschoolers, this was a pretty perfect outdoor classroom.

Time to Eat: Kenney's of Lexington, VA

K, J, and G recently made a yummy trip to Kenney's in Lexington, VA.  It was a bit hard to find, but it was worth the trip. Reminiscent of the Virginian fast food franchise popular in the 1950s and 1960s, the classic Kenney's were famed for fun and value in simple foods like "sauce burgers" similar to those found at Tennessee's Pal's Sudden Service.  Today, there are a few independently-owned Kenney's restaurants around, but we'd never stopped in before--although K grew up with her mom bragging on the greatness of Kenney burgers.  We dined on sauce burgers and hot dogs, but we've heard the fried chicken is also fabulous.

The dining room is spartan and a throwback to another time in fast food history, which we liked--just don't expect Starbucks or McDonald's.  There was a strong local clientele clearly present even though the Yelp! reviews we read hailed from other states, a great testament to its Road Food-worthy nature. There were also a number of notes visible at the order counter from various patrons and civic groups thanking the staff for their support of the community...you don't see that much in fast food.

If you go, keep driving after your GPS says you have arrived at the restaurant at 635 Waddell Street. Turn left and drive by the closed medical office and the small used car lot, and you'll see the famous sign.  This is casual food quickly--but at a slower pace than typical fast food.  Pay attention to the hours--most nights, the restaurant is closed at 7 or 8 PM.  For our trip, we tagged on an evening walk in Lexington's downtown.  It's always nice to walk the Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee campuses, and tonight, G met a charming cadet on post at the "castle" (barracks).

Nearby Wilderness: Virginia Safari Park

It must be the year of the zoo for the Haltermans.  Justin and Elijah are just back from Virginia Safari Park, commonly known in the area as Natural Bridge Safari Park, and E's fourth zoo visit this year.  This zoo is a drive-thru safari--yes, you read correctly.  You literally drive your vehicle, or ride an open-air wagon, through an expansive zoo that looks like the African veldt, only with Virginia hills inserted.  You are able to buy a bucket of feed and invited to get close to animals including zebras, camels, kangaroos, and others.  Elijah especially enjoyed the aviary in the "Safari Village," a small walk-through area.  He also loved the opportunity to use his new camera to take pictures--in fact, these are his pictures above.  We realize not all our Halterman Weekend destinations are popular, but this one's a Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence winner, a testament not only to fun to be had but also to broad-based appeal. 

If you go, Justin explicitly recommends planning to take one of the wagon rides for an additional charge so you don't worry about your car/driving.  We have plenty of friends who have driven their vehicles through without issue, but we've also met folks who've had vehicle damage like scratches or who have been distracted by their own concerns about driving in an unfamiliar situation so much that they haven't enjoyed the experience as they might have otherwise.  You will need to plan your trip accordingly, as wagons don't run continuously, and you can find out more at the public wagon rides page.  If you are weighing the option of using your vehicle, read the specific requirments at the FAQ page.  It's a great attraction to experience as a group--a family with siblings/friends, an organized school/scout/church group, you get the idea.  Wear weather-appropriate clothes that won't mind a little animal slobber, too.  Picnics are allowed and there's a snack stand; for nearby casual food, try the retro Pink Cadillac Diner.  Don't confuse this destination with Natural Bridge Zoo, a more traditional zoo that is not included in your safari admission price. 

While you are in the area, check out other Natural Bridge attractions.  It would be easy to "add on" one of the "quick visit" attractions like Foamhenge.  As admission to the zoo is good all day long, you could also do a morning drive thru followed by another attraction/lunch and then a repeat drive thru--just keep your receipt. 

More Excursions to Animals: Natural Bridge Zoo and a Jaunt to Lexington

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.

A Little Lex-perience

Our newest addition has been enjoying several close-to-home trips.  We're being a bit more sensible than when Elijah first arrived, although Kim's travel hunger has been returning full force.  In any case, it's`been pleasant to enjoy some places that are not too far afield.  Consider our small adventure to Lexington, Virginia.

We visited the VMI Museum, largely to see some "new" Stonewall Jackson artifacts relating to the 150th anniversary of his wounding and death.  The VMI Museum is small and worthwhile, and the displays include a mock-up of a VMI dormroom, an impressively-displayed collection of guns, and purple hearts from VMI soldiers.  The museum's gift shop is the best in Lexington featuring VMI gear, souvenir Christmas ornaments, and books.  On each visit, Kim makes it a special point to remember Josh Hurley, a friend from the Alleghany High School Class of 1997, who was among the first soldiers killed by an improvised explosive device (IED) in the current war.  

From the VMI campus, it's an easy walk to Washington and Lee, also a lovely campus.  The Lee Chapel and Museum chronicles parts of university history and even boasts a small gift shop, but the beautiful grounds may be the main attraction.  On the date of our visit, there were two weddings; if you are making a special trip to see the interior of the chapel, be sure to call ahead to check the schedule.  Justin and Elijah went in search of a smaller historical collection housed in the university's administration building, but we found ourselves locked out on the weekend.

When in Lexington, remember to walk--simply park at the Lexington Visitor's Center for free, take a minute to orient yourself to the area by viewing their excellent selection of information on regional attractions, and walk where you wish downtown.  Both of the museums mentioned here are free to visit, and it is easy to "add on" a visit to the Stonewall Jackson House.  We recommend strolling over to The Bookery, a crowded bookstore in which we've found some history texts and local features.  It's easy to find ice cream to enjoy while you walk, and there's a Macado's for sandwiches.   

A Little Bit of Lexington

Lexington is a great place for a quick daytrip from Roanoke, especially when the weather is nice. On a spring-like February day, we snuck off for a nice walk through town and some history research time for Justin.

It's always a simple pleasure to walk from shop to shop in the town, especially when you take in the Victorian Parlor and Shenandoah Attic. In those stores, spend time with the personable, warm owners as you browse. These days, there are a number of restaurants, too--most of which are non-chain.

We typically walk up to Lee Chapel and the Virginia Military Institute Museum, both which feature some interesting collections and are both housed in buildings with churches. Lee Chapel's museum has been retooled recently to focus on Wasington and Lee University history and includes classroom artifacts, and the VMI Museum is in the process of updates as well. At the VMI, don't miss Jackson's horse: yep, Stonewall's actual horse hide, mounted, is there. On a more serious note, Kim is always moved by the display of military medals for those cadets who "died on the field of honor," one of which is her classmate Josh Hurley, Alleghany High School '97, VMI '01. If you visit in a museum mood, also see the Stonewall Jackson House (closed part of the winter season) and VMI's Marshall Museum.

If you go, we think the best place to park is in the visitor's center free lot and that a walk from the center through town helps you feel oriented. The town is pleasantly walkable.

Relevant Links:
Shenandoah Attic and Victorian Parlor
VMI Museum
Lee Chapel and Museum

Relevant Twitter Handles:
LexingtonVA

We Met Mark Cline!

In our travels, we've found ghost tours to be a wonderful way to experience local culture and a bit of history while enjoying an entertaining evening. Until recently, we'd missed the relatively-local Haunting Tales: Lexington's Ghost Tour. We were thrilled to pick an awesome night to take the tour--one when Mark Cline was leading himself! We found Cline to be approachable, interesting, and kind; we found the tour to be quite pleasant. Cline presents nuggets of unusual local history embedded with ghost lore, magic tricks, and personal stories. We traversed the core blocks of downtown Lexington thoroughly, including the cemetery. Justin and Kim were thrilled to visit a mausoleum with "air holes" (and with which we'd always been fascinated).

If you go, call in advance for tour details--and don't be put off by the answering machine procedure to which you are directed. We'd recommend tying your ghost tour visit to a walk through Virginia Military Institute (VMI) and Washington and Lee University to get a sense of the town's current culture. Each institution has interesting--and free/cheap--museums to visit. On our September Saturday night, the dinner scene in town was lively with several bistro-type restaurants featuring prix fixe meals that sounded interesting and some al fresco dining. Makes for a nice date night!

Reference Link:
Haunting Tales of Lexington

Our Anniversary at the Bridge

Justin and Kim celebrated our 5th anniversary with some time away at Natural Bridge and the charming Natural Bridge Hotel. We were a bit delayed getting out of town (OK, our anniversary really was on July 30), but we enjoyed our little respite right up I-81. The hotel is a classic with a nice dining room and reasonable room rates, particularly for a non-chain. Its character is historic, and if you go, don't miss the display of old Natural Bridge souvenirs off the lobby.

We slid down to the Bridge itself for one of the area's attractions we've never seen: the nightly Drama of Creation show. Using Genesis 1 as narrative and varied pieces of hymns and classical music as accompaniment, the show is a relaxing way to end the day and a throwback to days of simpler entertainment. During our visit, it was quite well-attended.

The Bridge museums are quite varied--and we'd recommend them all in their quirkiness. For this trip, we selected the Toy Museum is a nifty low-budget museum where visitors are guaranteed to want to touch each exhibit. Its layout has been recently revised with less emphasis on history and more emphasis on toy type.

We ate at the Pink Cadillac, an impressively-retro, very casual local diner a short drive from the hotel. Also good for dinner? The Natural Bridge Hotel Buffet--but make reservations, especially on weekends and holidays. On this trip, we ate breakfast at the hotel (less crowded and still good). We also ran up 81 antiquing, heading to the Lexington Antique Mall (great for furniture and recent-tiques), buying lots at the Factory in Verona (always enjoyable), and discovering Shenandoah's Alpha and Omega had closed (too bad). Kim spent a small fortune on postcards that helped her plan some upcoming Halterman weekends, planting the seed for a trip to Lancaster, PA, to see the life-size Tabernacle.

Related Links:
Natural Bridge Hotel and Family of Attractions
Pink Cadillac Diner
Factory Antique Mall

Americana!

After Kim took a professional development trip to Greene County, VA, and spotted a sign for James Madison's Montpelier, we had to go back and explore the grounds. Montpelier's main house architectural restoration is complete, and as Justin puts it, it's a great site to see "what preservation looks like." On the house tour, you stand in Madison's library, currently "bookless" but still awe-inspiring as the place where much of the Constitution was researched. The visitor's center has detailed exhibit about a few rooms in the house when it was under the ownership of the duPonts, further enhancing understanding of the preservation work. In the coming years, we hope the foundation continues to share information about the duPonts at Montpelier. We spent lots of time on the grounds on our trip, an excellent site for a picnic if you are so inclined. There was not much by way of recognition of the 4th, but the foundation does a Constitution Day ceremony in September.

Following Montpelier, we shopped a few antique stores in Ruckersville. We found unpretentious dealers and an array of finer antiques and junktiques co-existing, coming away with such small treasures as two old Busch Gardens souvenirs.

Driving back, we stopped for dinner in Lexington, discovering the annual hot air balloon festival! Watching the balloons on the VMI drillfield was a relaxing, picturesque way to end the day.

Patrick Henry Goes to Lexington, Saturday, January 23, 2010

We woke up this morning to the "end" of a Roanoke landmark. The Patrick Henry Hotel's general contents--everything from ironing boards to phones--were being sold at the Roanoke Civic Center as part of the preparations for the building's rennovations. Better yet, the proceeds were headed to Habitat for Humanity (where our old buddy Steven Hammond works) and Goodwill. We came out of that sale with a giant mirror in a wooden frame--just $25--and an authentic room key. Our number is 710, a tribute to July, the month of our anniversary. A few items were being "silent autioned-off," including keys to supposedly haunted rooms and a carousel sofa from the lobby. Justin and I really wanted some hotel stationary, but alas, no luck.

Then, it was off to Lexington just to get out of town. Ate at the new Macado's in the old Wilson Walker House...it's the swankiest looking Macado's we've ever seen. Not enough junk on the walls if you ask me. We walked out to the VMI Museum and paid homage to Josh Hurley's Purple Heart (AHS '97, CUMC--Clifton Forge Youth Group, VMI '01, killed in Iraq). Significantly for our souvenir-buying habit, we acquired a toy for Itty Bit Elijah--a Patton helmet! It even has Four Stars!! We also got Anita's Valentine, a piece of original VMI stained glass, by way of a demolished church, repurposed as a pendant. Then, we hit Books and Co. and the Bookery in search of more unique items, and a few friends scored some nifty greeting cards.

Being as it is Elijah's first Stonewall Jackson's birthday week, we walked out to the general's gravesite to look at the flowers and lemons on his plot. There were beautiful views over the stones and towards the historic houses on Main.

My finds of the day were from Lexington's Antique Mall (the one in the old Rose's store). It's quite a casual, friendly establishment. We came away with a new-to-us blow mold choir kid with unique sticker eyes and a screwed-in hymnal. I raided the religion section of the incredible postcard selection and found a nice set of Prince of Peace Memorial postcards. For the uninitiated, the Prince of Peace Memorials were museums of wooden scenes from the life of Christ--one in FL and one in Gettysburg--and have been closed for some time. The cards are from the FL site and chronicle scene changes over the years, making them pretty fascinating. I usually don't go for "generic" postcards, but I picked up a few vintage church communications ones--invitations to Vacation Bible Schools and the like. I also added to our collection of Christus Gardens cards and monestary cards (gotta love the DC Franciscans!).

Not bad for a dreary January day! I enjoyed updating the paper memories box when we arrived home. Gotta go back to Lexington for a haunted tour sometime soon...