By Eda Tercan

Traveling post-pandemic is unfortunately getting harder and harder, especially with gas prices as high as they are. If you’re looking to get a travel fix without going too far, you’re in luck — these four places are within an hour’s drive from Harrisonburg, and the journey is just as eye-catching as the destination, with the Blue Ridge Mountains and grazing cows to entertain you as you go.

Place One: Factory Antique Mall

While the sign advertises it as “The Largest Antique Mall in America,” you won’t truly realize how huge it is inside until it’s been two hours and you realize you’ve barely explored a quarter of the place. It’s so large that it’s organized by “streets,” with side streets stretching from right to left in numerical order from 2nd Street down to Last Street, as well as the main roads, such as Main Street, McCoy Boulevard and Lohr Lane, in order to keep customers from getting lost. 

Booths in this one-story, 135,000 square-foot mall are set up flea-market style and will sell anything from vintage furniture, to coins dated from over 100 years ago, to spooky dolls whose eyes seem to follow you wherever you go. The enormous building has no windows, which can make you forget how long you’ve been shopping. The first section you encounter as you walk in includes jewelry and old coins, luring you in. As you begin your antiquing journey, turn left down Antique Avenue to check out the showcase and art gallery or go straight to Front Street to begin shopping. Located only 25 minutes from Harrisonburg in Verona, it’s guaranteed you’ll need more than a couple of hours to explore all the nooks and crannies hidden in the Factory Antique Mall. 

Place Two: Frontier Culture Museum

The museum defines frontier culture in their pamphlet as “the people who settled on the western edge of England’s North American colonies during the eighteenth century created a distinctive folk culture.” Open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. since 1982, this museum is unique in that all of its exhibits are spread out outdoors and can be experienced by walking or renting a golf cart. 

Permanent exhibits are divided into two sections: The New World includes the 1700s American Indian Farm, 1700s American Settlement, 1820s American Farm, 1850s American Farm, Early American Schoolhouse and Mount Tabor Church while the Old World houses the 1700s West African Farm, 1600s English Farm, 1700s Irish Farm, 1700s German Farm and 1700s Irish Forge. Walking around these traditional, rural buildings will make you feel like you’ve been transported to each country it’s based on. 

Located 30 minutes from Harrisonburg in Staunton, this spot is guaranteed to be distinctly different from any other museum you’ve been to.

Place Three: Devil’s Backbone Brewing Company, or “The Outpost”

Located right outside downtown Lexington, this brewery is exactly a one-hour drive from Harrisonburg. The large deck in the back boasts incredible views of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and if you’re sitting inside, the large windows guarantee a view as well. What makes this brewery stand out from others is its large, “hospitable” space, perfect for hosting amazing events for charity, assistant general manager Chris Funkhouser said. 

This brewery is home to its new, popular line of canned cocktails, such as the lime margarita and orange smash. With tall ceilings, friendly workers and delicious drinks beyond just beer, this brewery is perfect for adults looking for a relaxing atmosphere to sip on ale with your friends. 

Place Four: The Jackson House

The house might just look like any other old house in Lexington, but the history behind the door is unlike any other home in the town.Built in 1801, Confederate soldier Stonewall Jackson lived in this Lexington house from 1858-1861. The house became a community hospital in 1907 but then transitioned to a museum in 1954. It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places, according to the sign on the property. The museum holds amazing antique pieces such as a replica of the rockaway carriage Jackson purchased for his mother-in-law. 

Tours of the museum discuss beyond the usual history of the Civil War and illustrate the role enslaved people played in the Civil War. This is also a great spot to pick up historical gifts, as the museum frequently hosts sidewalk sales selling historical books and art prints. If you can’t make it to the museum to purchase a piece, the items are available for sale on their website and Facebook page. Even if the Civil War isn’t your thing, the historic garden filled with vibrantly colored flowers is a beautiful spot for relaxing and photo ops.