[6] The Union General David Hunter led a raid on Virginia Military Institute during the American Civil War.

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters.

Places of interest in Lexington include the Stonewall Jackson House, University Chapel, the George C. Marshall Library, Virginia Military Institute Museum, Museum of Military Memorabilia, and the downtown historic district.

Hull's Drive In theater attracts visitors to the area and was the first community-owned, non-profit drive-in in the U.S.

Lexington also contains a host of small retail businesses, bed and breakfast inns, and restaurants catering to a unique mixture of local, tourist, and collegiate clientele.

The historic R. E. Lee Hotel, built in the 1920s, underwent extensive renovation and re-opened its doors late 2014.

The now-defunct The Rockbridge Weekly, noted for printing police and other local crime reports, was bought by The News-Gazette in June 2012.

RADAR Transit operates the Maury Express, which provides local bus service to Lexington and Buena Vista.

The 1958 Mardi Gras starred Pat Boone as a VMI cadet appearing with actress Christine Carère.

Sommersby from 1993 starred Richard Gere, Bill Pullman, James Earl Jones, and Jodie Foster.

[32] In Fall 2004, the director Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise filmed scenes for War of the Worlds here, with Dakota Fanning and Tim Robbins.

In June 2013, filming took place for a movie titled Field of Lost Shoes about the Battle of New Market starring Luke Benward and Lauren Holly.

Various flags of the Confederacy had previously been flown on city light poles to commemorate the Virginia holiday, Lee–Jackson Day, which is observed on the Friday before Martin Luther King, Jr.