Our vibrant town and idyllic setting are two of the things our students come to love most about W&L.
W&L is located in Lexington, Virginia, in the heart of the scenic Shenandoah Valley. While your time in Lexington will seem like a respite from the bustle of city or suburban life, you’ll find that from our campus it is very easy to visit larger areas like Charlottesville, Richmond, or Washington, D.C.
Our mountains provide a playground for hikers, cyclists, climbers, paddlers and fly fishers. Students lead nighttime hikes, caving expeditions and whitewater rafting tours, among other trips, throughout the year. First-year students often choose to hike the nearby Appalachian Trail during a pre-orientation trip.
Dubbed “Lex Vegas,” Lexington is frequently listed among the mid-Atlantic’s best small towns. From upscale eateries to casual burger joints, hand-crafted ice cream to Italian coffee, art galleries to boutiques, it has plenty of amenities and entertainment options for everyone — including the nation’s only community-owned drive-in movie theater!
"There’s plenty to do in Lexington, and you have the Shenandoah Valley in your backyard. If you’re bored here, you are doing something wrong."
Graham NovakNaperville, Illinois
Lexington may look small, but it'll take you more than four years to explore everything the town has to offer.
Rock climbing on an Outing Club trip in Goshen
Lexington (and the Colonnade) are bike-friendly; many students and faculty are cycling enthusiasts!
Get your scuba certification right on campus.
Students strolling through downtown Lexington
With only 20 miles between campus and the Appalachian Trail, it's no wonder our first-year Appalachian Adventure trip is so popular.
The local Maury River is great for kayaking, paddle boarding and lazy-river tubing.
