text:
Levoča

Levoča is a town in the Prešov Region of eastern Slovakia with a population of 14,700 (2016). The town has a historic centre with a well preserved town wall, a Renaissance church with the tallest wooden altar in the world, carved by Master Paul of Levoča, and many other Renaissance buildings. The town is known in German as Leutschau and in Hungarian as Löcse.

In 2009, Levoča was added by UNESCO to its World Heritage List.

History
Levoča is in the historical region of Spiš (formerly Szepes County), which was inhabited as early as the Stone Age. In the 11th century, this region was conquered and became part of the Kingdom of Hungary. It remained Hungarian until 1918. After the Mongol invasions of 1241/1242, the area was also settled by Germans. The town became the capital of the Association of Spiš Germans, with a form of self-rule within the Kingdom of Hungary. The oldest written reference to the city of Levoča dates back to 1249. In 1317, Levoča (at that time generally known by the German name of Leutschau) received the status of a royal town. In 1321 wide-ranging concessions were granted enticing merchants, craftsmen and mine-developers to settle in the town.

In the 15th century Levoča, on an intersection of trade routes between Poland and Hungary, became a rich centre of commerce. It exported iron, copper, furs, leather, corn, and wine. At the same time the town became an important cultural centre. The English humanist Leonard Cox taught around 1520 in a school in Levoča. The bookseller Brewer from Wittenberg transformed his bookstore in a prolific printing plant, that lasted for 150 years. Finally, one of the best-known medieval woodcarvers, Master Paul of Levoča, settled here. In this period of prosperity several churches were built and the town had a school, library, pharmacy, and physicians. Levoča was a center of the Protestant Reformation in Northern Hungary.

The town kept this cultural and economic status until the end of 16th century, in spite of two damaging fires: the first in 1550 and another in 1599. The town started to decline during the anti-Habsburg uprisings in the 17th century. In a lurid sequence of events in 1700, the mayor of the town was accidentally wounded by a local nobleman during a hunt, generating a series of revenge attacks, finally resulting in the murder of the mayor, Karol Kramler. The mayor's arm was then cut off, embalmed, and preserved in the town hall as a call to further revenge. This became the subject of a novel about the town, The Black City, by the writer Kálmán Mikszáth.

The economic importance of the town was further diminished in 1871 when the Košice–Bohumín Railway was built just 8 km to the south, bypassing Levoča and going through the nearby town of Igló, (today known by its Slovak name, Spišská Nová Ves). Later, in 1892, a spur line was built from Spišská Nová Ves railway station to Levoča. After the Treaty of Trianon and the dismantling of the Kingdom of Hungary, the city became part of the newly formed Czechoslovakia and its traditional Slovak name of Levoča was formally adopted. Later, during World War II, under the auspices of the First Slovak Republic, 981 local Jews were deported from the town to extermination camps.

On July 3, 1995 Levoča was visited by Pope John Paul II. He celebrated a mass for 650,000 celebrants at the traditional pilgrim site of Mariánska hora, a hill about 2 km north of Levoča with a spectacular view of the town.

Levoča today
Levoča remains a quiet, almost sleepy, town - unless there is a major event taking place, they roll the pavements up at about 20:30. The populations who created an intellectual centre over the past centuries - Hungarians, Germans and Jews - have largely vanished as a result of the political turmoil of the 20th century, and the town's inhabitants are now mostly Slovak, but with a substantial minority of Roma (gypsies). Despite Levoča's UNESCO World Heritage status, little has been done to capitalise on the town's enormous tourist potential, and whilst this is in one sense attractive to visitors, it doesn't much help the town's economy. Nevertheless, an interesting sign is the increasing number of foreigners who have bought and restored some of the historic buildings in the main square and its surrounding streets - these include Britons, Belgians, Israelis, Ukrainians and at least one New Zealander - so the town is gradually developing its reputation and a cosmopolitan population.

As a former 'royal city' Levoča is a member of the 'Pentapolitana' association which links it with Košice, Bardejov, Prešov, and Sabinov in developing education, culture and tourism.

Geography
Levoča lies at an altitude of 570 m (1,870 ft) above sea level and covers an area of 64.042 km2 (24.7 sq mi). It is in the northern part of the Hornád Basin at the foothills of the Levoča Hills, at the stream Levočský potok, a tributary of the Hornád river. Poprad is 25 km (16 mi) to the west, Prešov 50 km (31 mi) to the east, Košice 90 km (56 mi) to the southeast and Bratislava 370 km (230 mi) to the southwest.

By plane
The closest international airports to Levoča are at Poprad and Košice. Poprad and Kosice are approximately 25 and 75 minutes by road from Levoča respectively.

The nearby airport of Poprad is (as of 2020) served by scheduled flights to and from London Luton, Kyiv, Riga and Tel-Aviv.

By train
The town has only a of its own, with very rare trains to the nearby town of Spišská Nová Ves (about ten minutes by road).

Spišská Nová Ves is however served by regular trains from Bratislava (about 5 hours). Košice, from which there are regular buses to Levoča and trains to Spišská Nová Ves,(about 50 minutes) is also served by rail from Budapest (about 3½ hours).

An excellent overnight train service runs to Poprad from Prague (and back) - this also transports passengers cars, saving a significant amount of driving. It is essential to book in advance, especially during the summer and winter tourist seasons.

By bus
Levoča is linked by regular buses to Poprad, Košice and Prešov.

There are bus services to Poprad from Krakow in Poland. Poprad is also served by international bus routes from Western Europe, including London and Brussels.

By car
Levoča is close to the E50 European highway and can therefore be accessed by road via Poprad from the west or via Košice from the east.

Get around
To get to Levoca centre from the, either walk straight through the apartment blocks and estates behind the station, and take the second or third left to bring you out onto the main road. Alternatively, take a right turn at the station, walk around the corner and you can cross the road, and walk up through the town. This is the easier option for those with lots of baggage.

See

The historical centre, within the mediaeval fortifications, is quite small can be easily covered on foot.
 * Fortifications and the two surviving gates:
 * Fortifications and the two surviving gates:

Do

Levoča Mariánska púť, 1st Sunday of June. Large pilgrimage/gathering on the hill around Marianska Hora - up to 250,000 people can turn up from across Eastern Europe. A good, friendly, carnival atmosphere.

Dni Majstra Pavla/Days of Master Paul. Occurs before the second weekend of August. Open air fairs (hand crafted souvenirs), folk dancing, open air cinema and a big town square laser show/disco to round off the weeks festivities.

Levočské babie leto/ Indian Summer in Levoča Classical musical festival taking place every year in October. Musicians from all over Europe take part in the extravaganza.

Buy
Buy local crafts, especially during the 'Days of Master Paul' fair in August (see below). Particularly recommended; woven table and decorative cloths; carvings; shepherd's wooden musical pipes (fujárs).

Also look in the gallery attached to the art school in the main square for paintings by local artists.

Eat

Many of the town's hotels also have good value restaurants (see 'Sleep' below)

Budget

 * The town has many 'bed-and-breakfast' facilities in local houses; these can be inexpensive (maybe €10) and many are very hospitable. Look for signs in the windows of the houses bordering the town square, especially in Klaštorská Street.
 * A very nice, comfortable pension (about €20/night) with an excellent good value restaurant attached is U Januša (at Klaštorská 22).

Go next
Other attractions of the Spiš region are nearby, including the national park Slovenský Raj, Spiš Castle, the Tatra mountains, Vysoke Tatry, and the towns of Kežmarok and Poprad.

title: Levoča


text:
Levuka

Levuka is a town on the eastern coast of the Fijian island of Ovalau, which is one of the Lomaiviti Islands.

Understand
Levuka has a population of about 3000 people. The town was the capital of Fiji from 1874 until 1883 when the capital moved to Suva. Levuka was designated an historic town in 1989 and was inscribed to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2013.

Ovalau Island is a lush tropical volcanic island of about 100 km2 surrounded by large coral reefs. It is the main island of the Lomaiviti Group which is made up of the islands of Namena, Makogai, Koro, Wakaya, Batiki, Nairai, Gau and Ovalau. The islands are the peaks of deep-sea volcanoes that became extinct millions of years ago.

By plane
Northern Air Services fly to Levuka daily from Monday to Saturday, departing Nausori (Suva) Airport at 8AM for the 12-minute scenic flight to Levuka. They then return to Nausori at 8:40AM. Bookings can be made on line or by phoning +679 9958162. $75 one way

The airstrip, approx. 40 minutes from the town, is on the western side of the island and is serviced by a local bus.

By ferry

 * Patterson Brothers shipping (+679 3315 644, patterson@connect.com.fj) has a daily bus and ferry service from Suva to Levuka. The trip takes 4½ hours, and is recommended for its experience.
 * Goundar Shipping (+679 777 5475) offers a daily bus+ferry return trip from Suva and Levuka.

Get around
You can't hire bicycles, but walking around the island can be great. Or, hire a taxi for the day to drive you round. You could always try hopping on a 'carrier' (a pick-up truck/lorry with benches and a tarpaulin covering it) but beware, these don't run to a schedule so you may end up stranded if you're not careful!

Your own two legs will help you see most of Levuka, going up the many, many steps to Delana School, or indeed the Peak.

See
Enjoy the history and the heritage of the town and the island.

Hike up to the mountain peak overlooking the reefs and the Koro Sea.

Explore the lush jungle, spot the Kula (dwarf parrot), Fiji Hawk, find the sleeping trees of the Fruit Bat.

Call into the Levuka Community Centre and visit the town's small museum.

Take coastal walks around the island, walk past Fijian villages, meet the Fijians.

Walk up the 199 steps to Mission Hill and experience the fantastic panorama of the offshore islands and the Lekaleka Reef.

Relax and enjoy a cold glass of beer at the Ovalau Club.

Don't miss the sights of Arovudi including; ancient tribal areas, local villages, great white coral beaches and friendly people.

Do
Tours to all important historic sites are on offer, coastal walks, round the island tours, various hikes into the mountains, that is to The Peak or Epis tour to Lovoni, snorkeling to beautiful barrier reefs, exciting scuba diving trips, seasonal whale sightings, fishing trips, village tours, and island trips.

Buy
There are supermarkets and grocery stores stocked with "European" foods as well as beer, wines and spirits, bakeries, hardware & appliance stores. Local market vendors selling vegetable, fruit and fish. There are also few second hand clothes shop in Beach Street, which have cheap clothes, mainly from Australia.

Eat
The restaurant located right in town offers also a quick lunch menu from curries to fish and chips for eat in or take away.

Go next
Levuka is a great base to explore Ovalau Island or some of the surrounding islands.

 * Epi's midland tour is a good one. Epi leads you up, and then down into the volcanic crater to visit a small village called Lovoni.  Ask for Epi in Levuka, he's not hard to find.
 * Bobo´s Farm on a riverbank surrounded by rainforest in the Rukuruku Valley on the west side of Ovalau. If you want to experience the real rural Fiji, fun, adventures and the sound of the jungle at dusk in a warm welcoming Fijian hospitality.
 * Silana Village Silana offers Fijian hospitality in modern comfortable bure accommodation. On the beach, 3 minutes walk from the village, but close enough to become part of the village, sharing their meals and way of life.
 * Caqalai Island Take a daytrip to Caqalai, a beautiful coral island run by the Methodist Church and offering simple bure accommodation. White sandy beach all around the island, with good snorkeling just a few meters offshore.
 * Leleuvia Island Larger but just as beautiful as Caqelai, Leleuvia offers day trips as well as great value overnight facilities. Transportation to Leleuvia is available from both Levuka and Suva.
 * Lost Island is on the island of Yanuca Lailai, south of Ovalau Island. Its an uninhabited 72 acres big, volcanic rock, limestone island with an amazing nature. The coastline with mangrove, volcanic rock cliffs and beaches surrounds an abounded jungle. Its totally off the main tourist track and its a hiding place to get away from the busy world and live a "Robinson Crusoe". Daytrips or bures for overnight stays.
 * Naigani Island Resort Island resort, accommodation in 2-bedroom bungalows. Swimming pool, bar, restaurant, golf, scuba diving, game fishing, kayaking, hiking.

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Levuka


text:
Lewes

Lewes is the county town of East Sussex.

By train
By train to from London Victoria (70 min), Brighton (20 min), Eastbourne or Hastings.

By bus
By bus from Brighton (30 min), Eastbourne or Tunbridge Wells via Uckfield.

On foot
There are local bus services operating within the town, but realistically you can walk from one end of the town to the other in half an hour at a very leisurely pace. Those with mobility problems may have difficulty as the town is notoriously hilly.

By bicycle
Cycling is easy within the town and is encouraged as an easy, healthy and environmentally friendly alternative to car use.

By car
Lewes is notoriously unfriendly for car users. Unless essential, car use is unnecessary within the town; everything can be reached using a bike, a bus or your feet! The High Street is a nightmare during rush hours, as it is the main road through town and very restricted in width (narrowing at one point to the extent that traffic lights are required). A number of one-way streets, pedestrianised areas and most notably the parking situation make bringing a car to town a bit of a waste of time and money. Some roads are also so narrow that you wonder why they are even roads. Lewes has probably the most parking attendants per a head in the UK, and therefore you are almost certain be caught if you park incorrectly; also fines are quite steep. If you plan to visit by car use one of the town's car parks (there are surprisingly few, but they are for the most part conveniently located). Lewes District Council has more information.

Do

 * Walking on the South Downs, through the riverside Railway Land, through the Landport Woods, anywhere along the river Ouse.
 * Shopping From antiques, organic clothing and art to old-school penny sweets, vinyl and skateboarding equipment, Lewes offers a real variety of shops alongside many coffee shops, tea rooms and general cafés.
 * Beach Aside from the infamous Brighton beach, taking a short trip outside of Lewes one can discover several beaches that are more traditional, quiet and less crowded or spoilt, such as Newhaven, Tide Mills and the like.
 * Local events easily found listed and promoted via the Lewes magazine (in print and online, Lewes caters to all tastes with year-round festivals and celebrations of food, music, art, film and many other attractions. Just outside of Lewes one can find "Middle Farm" which hosts cider festivals, there are beer festivals, organic food markets galore and that's not even counting the regular farmer's markets in the precinct or the regular French Market in town.

Whilst the course at Lewes closed in the 1960s, you can still Spend a day at the races at the nearby Brighton (flat) or Plumpton ("jumps") courses.

Bonfire
Lewes has an extensive Bonfire tradition, celebrated annually on the 5th of November – unless the 5th lands on a Sunday, in which case it is celebrated on the 4th. The celebrations are known locally simply as 'Bonfire'. Practical information can be found at the Lewes Bonfire Council website. An extensive history of the celebrations can be found at any of the society webpages, including that of the well-known. Cliffe Bonfire Society.

A number of "Bonfire" societies parade through the town in costume in grand processions displaying banners and effigies. The costumes range from the historical to the luxurious to the down-right bizarre. The processions eventually culminate in each society reaching a "fire-site" where the main fireworks displays are held.

For reasons to do with crowd safety and insurance, admission to all societies "fire-sites" is now by advance ticket only. They must be bought well in advance of the event, as local demand is understandably high. Without a ticket you will not be admitted to those sites under any circumstances.

Claimed as being amongst the largest such celebrations in the UK, Bonfire is a true spectacle to behold – with several bonfire sites throughout town (each home to an individual society) which host a bonfire, the burning of effigies (often cuttingly political in the case of the Cliffe Society) and, of course, fireworks.

The processions are torch-lit with more hand held paraffin torches than you are likely to ever see anywhere else. The entire night is one large party, but one that locals take very seriously. An incredible amount of time, money and energy goes into the organization of the night each year, and traditions such as the death march are observed with the same pride as they would have been four hundred years ago.

Despite the vigour with which the town mounts its Bonfire, visitors from outside the local vicinity of Lewes are actively and strongly discouraged from coming to town for Bonfire by locals. This is because trouble, bad press and a number of misunderstandings are perceived to stem from outsiders who do not understand the tradition and organization of the night, mistaking it often as a chance to get drunk in public and act inappropriately. Antisocial behaviour by visitors has also in previous years led to a firm response from those policing and marshalling the events.

For safety reasons, all roads in and out of town are closed off in the late afternoon on the 5th and do not re-open until after the celebrations are over (which can be well into the small hours of the next day). In addition a number of side streets are also closed along with certain car parks, so that emergency response staff have clear access routes to and from any incidents. Bonfire is not suitable for children, or those of a nervous disposition.

Buy
Lewes is proud of being one of the least "modernised" towns in England. You'll find lots of small independent businesses here, and Lewes shops are particularly good for old women's clothing, art, secondhand books and antiques. Almost opposite the castle entrance is Catlins, an old-fashioned sweet shop with a large range of loose sweets, fine chocolates, tobaccos and pipes.

Lewes not only retains its historic atmosphere through its old shops and buildings, it also produces its own currency, the Lewes Pound. Historically the town produced its own notes, and as a tradition it continues to do so. The Lewes Pound is valid only in Lewes – nowhere else in the UK.

Eat
Lewes boasts a range of international cuisine including Indian, Thai, Chinese, Italian, Polish and good old traditional English pub grub.

 * Late night revellers can try to stave off (or encourage depending on your point of view!) a hangover with chips in pitta from either the Charcoal Grill or Effies kebab houses, both found on School Hill, and try again in the morning with a "greasy spoon" full English from either The Cafe (formerly Eddie's cafe) by the Prison, or the Casbah in the bottleneck part of the High Street.
 * For the healthier palate, nothing quite beats breakfast/brunch at Bill's Produce Store on Cliffe High Street, where you can have a delicious plate of food, and then have a browse in the grocers/produce shop under the same roof!

Drink
The night life is essentially pubs and restaurants, but Brighton is 20 minutes away by train, a little more by bus, with all the varied and often loud and bustling night life that you could ever ask for. Taxis will take you to and from Brighton, but expect to pay £20 upwards for each journey.

Harvey's bitter. One of the oldest independent breweries is right in the middle of town. Sample their wares at the John Harvey Tavern, or get take-aways from the Brewery shop on Cliffe High Street. Fine wines, too.

Lewes has an unusual atmosphere at night, with most pubs serving both the younger and older crowds simultaneously and in harmony. It is not unusual for newly legal 18-year-olds to be seen sharing a pint with their parents at the same bar! There are, as with all places, exceptions, but Lewes is an extremely safe place to be at any time of day or night, and the locals are friendly and accommodating. Pubs are closing nationally, and Lewes is no exception; but as pubs close they are usually reopened by new owners, bringing with them a different atmosphere and attracting different clientele. The ,,Snowdrop Inn, , ,and Gardeners are quieter pubs, in volume rather than customer traffic – in fact the Lewes Arms is often bustling with people, whereas the Elephant and Castle (known locally as the Elly), Lansdown, Lincolns and The Lamb are often regarded as the busier and louder pubs... but again this is constantly changing. The only pub in Lewes that seems to stay the same is the infamous Tally Ho situated on the outskirts of the main town at the edge of the Landport housing estate. Frequented almost exclusively by Landport residents, it is the only pub to maintain a constant "bad" reputation. In reality this pub is just another Lewes pub; but because of its limited clientele, it can feel quite intimidating to newcomers; however it has a brilliant atmosphere during big sporting events, especially anything to do with football!
 * Check Viva Lewes for info on "nights" held in local pubs, often featuring folk music, DJs and the like. Also be aware that cafes in town occasionally open late and host event nights – the Needlemaker's Cafe is particularly good for this. Try to catch one of their world nights which include music and food of a particular country – great fun.
 * The youth of Lewes tend towards the more bohemian and creative than obnoxious and urban, and as such, tend to create their own fun in town. The mostly unattended industrial estate in town is a hotspot for those under 30 (indeed anyone from the age of 15 upwards really) with warehouses being commandeered to house parties. Do not be overly cautious with these events, as they are probably not what you would expect from a youth illegal party – these tend to be less about drugs, rave music and bad behaviour, and more about live music, art, and the occasional pizza oven!

Go next

 * Brighton
 * Eastbourne

title: Lewes


text:
Lewes (Delaware)

Lewes is a city in Delaware. Lewes is located along the Delaware Bay in Sussex County near the Atlantic Ocean.

By car
From northern Delaware, follow Delaware Route 1 south to Five Points and turn left to follow U.S. Route 9 Business (Savannah Road) east into Lewes. From the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, follow U.S. Route 50 east and turn left onto Maryland Route 404 east in Wye Mills. Continue along Maryland Route 404 east to the Delaware border, where the road becomes Delaware Route 404. Follow Delaware Route 404 east through Georgetown to Five Points and continue straight onto U.S. Route 9 Business (Savannah Road) east into Lewes.

By plane
The closest airport with commercial air service to Lewes is the Salisbury-Ocean City-Wicomico Regional Airport near Salisbury, Maryland about 40 miles to the southwest. This airport is served by American Eagle flights from American Airlines hubs in Charlotte and Philadelphia. Rental car service is available at this airport. Visitors may also fly into Baltimore-Washington International Airport near Baltimore or Philadelphia International Airport  in Philadelphia, which are served by a wider selection of airlines. From here, you can rent a car and drive to Lewes.

By train
The closest train station to Lewes is in Wilmington, about 90 miles to the north. Wilmington Station is served by Amtrak trains operating on the Northeast Corridor between Washington, D.C. and Boston along with some long-distance trains, and SEPTA Regional Rail commuter trains running along the Wilmington/Newark Line from Center City Philadelphia. Rental car services are available at the station. From Wilmington Station, rent a car or take DART First State buses to Lewes.

By bus
There is also the option of traveling by bus. There are several different services to choose from in and around Lewes:

Rome2Rio operates a bus that offers a once-a-day trip between Washington D.C.'s Union Station to Rehobeth Beach.

By boat
You can also visit Lewes by boat from Cape May by traveling on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry on a seventy minute ride across the Delaware Bay.

Get around
Since Lewes is small town, traveling by foot is a popular option for locals and visitors. You can easily walk to the beach and through town to go shopping or site seeing. Many people also choose to bike and rollerblade to and from their destinations.

In Lewes, parking meters are in effect on streets in the downtown business district, the 1812 Municipal Parking Lot, the Canalfront Park Parking Lot, and the 3rd Street Parking Lot from May 1 to October 14 from 9AM to 6PM. The rates for these meters are $1.00 per hour. Between October 15 and April 30, parking in the downtown business district is limited to a maximum of 3 hours. In the 1812 Municipal Parking Lot, parking is limited to a maximum of 3 hours from May 1 to October 14 and to a maximum of 3 hours on the canal side from October 15 to April 30. Parking meters are in effect at the Lewes Beach #1 and Lewes Beach #2 lots from May 1 to September 30 from 9AM to 6PM. The rates for these meters are $2.00 per hour. Parking at metered spots in Lewes can be paid with change or the Parkmobile app, with the 1812 Municipal Parking Lot, the Canalfront Park Parking Lot, the 3rd Street Parking Lot, and the Lewes Beach #1 and Lewes Beach #2 lots also accepting credit cards. Change machines are available at Mary Vessels Park and the Lewes Beach #1 and Lewes Beach #2 lots. Free parking is available at a lot at Schley Avenue and Franklin Avenue and at Otis Smith Park on Savannah Road.

If you are planning to travel on Route 1 to the outlets, grocery store, movies, or head towards the other beaches, your car or public transportation is the best way to go. Route 1 is three lanes on each side and gets extremely busy during the summer months.

There are a few different options of public transportation you can choose from while traveling in Lewes:

 * DART- a public bus service which covers areas from Wilmington, Dover, Rehoboth Beach, and makes its way around Lewes, Georgetown, Long Neck, Ocean City, and Dewey Beach.
 * Park "N" Ride Transit System- this transportation system is run by the state of Delaware and operates between Memorial Day and Labor Day. It commutes on Route 1 between Lewes and Dewey beaches and also makes some stops in Rehoboth beach.
 * Jolly Trolley of Rehoboth- a shuttle service traveling between Rehoboth and Dewey beaches with stops about every half hour.
 * Cape May-Lewes Ferry Trolley- if you are a foot passenger traveling to Lewes, there is the option of the trolley that the ferry provides. Buses and trolleys run from June 14 to Labor Day and make their way from the Lewes Terminal, through Lewes, Rehoboth Beach, and to the outlets on Route 1.

See
Although Lewes is a small town, there is always something to see and do! The beaches to visit in and around Lewes are, Lewes Beach, Lewes Bay, Cape Henlopen Beach, Rehoboth Beach, Dewey Beach, and Ocean City Maryland.

If you are a history buff, here are some places that offer tours that will interest you:
 * Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation- this tour takes you out on the Bay to look at the beautiful and historic lighthouse of Lewes; the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse and Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse. The Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse was built in 1926 to replace a lighthouse that was previously damaged by a storm. It is also one of the most popular lighthouses on the Atlantic. The Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse housed keepers from 1885 to 1950 when it was lit automatically and was only less than a mile from the beach.
 * Fort Miles Historical Association- located in Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes and focuses on World War II history in Delaware.
 * Lewes Historical Society Complex at Shipcarpenter St. and West Third. Restored buildings and country store. Marine Museum next to Post Office. Walking tour of historic homes. Call Lewes Chamber of Commerce at +1 302-645-8073.
 * Lightship Overfalls- built in 1938 and located on the canal in downtown Lewes since 1973. This was the final lightship that was constructed by the United States Lighthouse Service.
 * Zwaanendael Museum- honors the first European colony in Delaware and houses pieces from Lewes military and social history.

Art studios and galleries

 * Cape Artists Gallery- 110 West 3rd Street, +1 302-644-7733

Do

 * Cape Henlopen State Park +1 302-645-8983, several camp grounds, trails for walking, biking, and skating, nature trails, tennis and basketball courts, large fields to run around, hosts the annual Great Delaware Kite Festival which is held on Easter weekend every year, the Great Dune, a World War II observation tower overlooks the beach, 3,000-acre park (1,200-ha), nature center, and areas for surf fishing. The Cape Henlopen is also the Eastern Terminus of the American Discovery Trail.
 * Winswept Stables- a great place to visit for people who wish to learn how to ride horses.+1 302-645-1651
 * Cape May-Lewes Ferry- a seventy-minute cruise traveling on the Delaware Bay to Cape May, New Jersey, you can travel as a foot passenger or bring your car or truck across with you. +1 302-644-6030
 * Lewes Harbour Marina- charters boat trips and a shop for boating supplies. +1 302-645-6227
 * Heritage Golf Club- a larger, more developed golf course, with a waterfall and eleven sand traps.
 * Nassau Valley Vineyards & Winery- picnic tables are available for people packing lunch, also hosts weddings.
 * Great Delaware Kite Festival- held on Easter weekend every year, kite raffles, local food, stunt demonstrations.
 * Overfalls Lightship Opening Party- this party is held the Friday before Memorial Day every year and commemorates the beginning of summer and offers live music, food, and a cash bar.

Buy
Downtown Lewes offers Second Street shopping which has many small specialty stores where you can shop for clothes, books, antiques, art, homemade candy and ice cream, children's toys, crafts, flowers, furniture, jewelry, and sporting goods. A few minutes outside of Lewes on Route 1 is Tanger Outlets, which houses over 130 name-brand outlet stores.

Eat
There are many different types of restaurants to choose from when dining in Lewes. There are local favorites and chain restaurants. There are also chain fast food restaurants on the Route 1 highway.

 * Striper Bites- American style, specializes in seafood. Located in downtown Lewes
 * Agave Mexican Restaurant- Mexican food, located in downtown Lewes, reasonable pricing, locals rave about the guacamole and margaritas. Plus, casual atmosphere, happy hour daily, over 70 different kinds of tequila. 137 Second Street, Lewes.
 * Mr. P Pizza and Pasta- local favorite for homemade pizza and fresh bread.
 * The Wheelhouse- overlooks the historic Lewes harbor, seafood, offers lunch, and dinner.
 * Lemon Tree Restaurant- local favorite, diner food, offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner, home of the famous "Bubba" size.
 * Tokyo Stakehouse- Japanese cuisine, popular for sushi and sashimi, hibachi grilles.
 * Capriotti's Sandwich Shop- fine quality sandwiches since 1976, wide variety of specialty sandwiches.

Drink

 * Nassau Vineyards, 36 Nassau Commons, +1 302-645-9463. Orchards, Winery, Picnic Tables. Bring your lunch and have a glass of wine. Open Tu-Sa 11AM-5PM, Su Noon-5PM, Closed Mo.
 * Irish Eyes Pub and Restaurant- there are two locations in Lewes and Rehoboth, offers large beer list and menu. 213 Anglers Road, Lewes and 52-b Rehoboth Avenue.
 * Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats- this brewery and restaurant in Rehoboth offers vintage beers and brew new beers regularly. 320 Rehoboth Avenue.
 * Grayhare Tavern- over forty beers, happy hour daily, pool, darts and big screen tv's. 18766 John J. William Highway, Rehoboth.
 * Bottle and Cork- nightclub and hosts live music. 1807 Highway One, Rehoboth.

Sleep

 * Dogfish Inn - Trendy, retro-style motel associated with Dogfish Head Brewery 105 Savannah Rd, +1 302-644-8292
 * Lazy L at Willow Creek- bed and breakfast, pets are welcome. 16061 Willow Creek Road, +1 302-644-7220
 * Inn at Canal Square- waterfront, within walking distance to Lewes Bay and within a mile of the ocean beach of Cape Henlopen State Park. 122 West Market Street, +1 302-644-3377
 * Cape Henlopen State Park- camp grounds that offers over 150 sites, available March 1- November 30. +1 302-645-8983
 * Zwaanendael Inn- also is known as Hotel Rodney, historic inn built in 1926 located in downtown Lewes near Second Street shopping, about a mile down the road from Lewes beach. 142 Second Street, +1 302-645-6466
 * The Beacon Inn- located at 514 E Savannah Rd near second Street shopping, restaurants, and Lewes-Rehoboth Canal, +1 302-550-9283
 * Blue Water House- bed and breakfast, hosts special events. 407 East Market Street, +1 302 645-7832
 * Steamboat Landing RV Park- located near the Broadkill River, within 20 minutes to Delaware Beaches, numerous grass lots for your cars and campers.+1 302-645-6500

There are also some chain hotels such as Sleep Inn & Suites, Heritage Inn, and Red Mill Inn available to vacationers.

Go next
There are different options available for vacationers looking to take day trips from Lewes:
 * Cape May, New Jersey - A seventy minute ferry ride takes you across the Delaware Bay to the small town of Cape May where you can enjoy beaches, shopping, restaurants, and site seeing of beautiful Victorian architecture.
 * Rehoboth Beach - A ten minute drive from Lewes takes you to the boardwalk and beach of Rehoboth. This town is also filled with outlet shopping, restaurants, bars, miniature golf, and Jungle Jim's Safari Water Park.
 * Dewey Beach - There a number of activities to choose from when traveling to Dewey including kayaking tours, sailing lessons, parasailing, golfing, shopping, nightlife, boat rentals, free children's movies on the beach, and even family bon fires. There is something for everyone to participate in.
 * Ocean City, Maryland - about a 46-60-minute drive from Lewes, Ocean City offers a large boardwalk and beach, amusement parks, outlets, watersports, fishing, and water parks.

title: Lewes (Delaware)


text:
Lewis

Lewis and Harris are a single large island in the Outer Hebrides or Western Isles of Scotland. It's the third largest island in the British Archipelago, only Great Britain and Ireland being larger. Lewis (Gaelic Leòdhas) makes up the northern two-thirds, and is low-lying, with a population of almost 20,000 in 2011. Harris to the south is rugged. Only in modern times were they connected by road: historically you could only travel from one to the other by boat, as if they were individual islands. Moreover their transport links were to different mainland ports, and they became parts of separate counties (Ross and Cromarty for Lewis until 1975).

Towns and villages

 * is the only town. It has good transport and visitor amenities, and is the obvious base for touring both Lewis and Harris.
 * Point is a farmland peninsula east of Stornoway.
 * north of Stornoway is farmland along on the east coast, with the villages of Tong, Gress, Coll and Tolsta. The road ends at "The Bridge to Nowhere".
 * is a scattered community to the south, where A859 climbs across the hills to Harris.
 * Valtos on the bleak west coast includes Uig, Timsgarry and Mangersta.
 * is an island linked by road.
 * on the west coast has the Callanish standing stones, Carloway Broch and Gearranan Blackhouse Village.
 * further up that coast has the Blackhouse museum, and the settlements of Barvas and Borve.
 * at the north tip is the end of the road, with a lighthouse, a restless ocean and a distinct change in the rocks: here Scotland was once linked to Greenland.

Understand
During the 19th century Lewis, like much of the Scottish Highlands, became impoverished and depopulated. This reflected eviction of tenant farmers by the landowners (the "Highland Clearances"), harsh living conditions, famine in some years, and hopes of a better life in the Lowlands or America. Those left behind dwelt in squalour, alongside empty arable acres given over to sheep, deer-stalking or grouse-shooting. Eventually the government sought to reverse these trends by providing land for small farm settlements, allotments or crofts.

Violent agitation for land reform broke out, and on Lewis the farm of Coll was seized by land raiders in 1888. Agitation faded when the Highland economy recovered from its 1880s slump and when optimism grew about government action. But progress was very slow, and halted by the outbreak of war in 1914. After the war, there was high public expectation, and demand to deliver on the political promise that returning servicemen should enjoy “a land fit for heroes to live in” with priority for resettlement. Expectation turned to anger at official delay, and land raids resumed.

From 1917 the whole of Lewis was owned by Lord Leverhulme the soap tycoon. He had ambitious plans for it and was investing heavily, but as an industrialist, his vision of the island’s future was industrial — fisheries, tweed manufacture and the like. He even drafted the timetable for the railway he was planning! But he utterly opposed land re-settlement, seeing this as perpetuating an outmoded way of life, and so in March 1919 the farms of Tong, Coll and Gress were raided. By autumn the raiders were persuaded to leave, but in January 1920 they made new raids on Coll and Gress, and began to build houses there. Leverhulme’s response was to stop all his development work, a severe blow to the island economy that caused uproar. He claimed that Coll and Gress were needed as dairy farms to supply Stornoway, but as a compromise he offered land on the west coast, and the raiders were again persuaded to leave.

Several farms on the west coast were indeed re-settled, but in spring 1921 Coll and Gress were again raided, and again Leverhulme halted his developments. The government decided to invoke compulsory powers, and faced with this, Leverhulme conceded to resettlement of the farms of Coll, Gress, and Orinsay to the south. Conflict continued around Galson to the north, but by this stage Leverhulme was despairing of his plans for Lewis, and turning his attention to Harris. He was also becoming seriously overstretched financially. In 1925 he died and his many projects on Harris and Lewis were abruptly ended. His mainland business continued to prosper as Unilever, but his only Hebridean venture to carry on was Mac Fisheries, which lasted until 1979.

Talk: Some 60% of the population speak Gaelic, and place names on road signs are primarily in Gaelic. The English version beneath is smaller, while the villages themselves may look smaller still. But everyone understands English, including most foreign tourists.

By boat
Calmac ferries sail to Stornoway from Ullapool on the mainland, taking 2 hr 30 min. There are two sailings year-round M-Sa, and on Sunday two Apr-Oct and just one Nov-Mar. See Stornoway for fares. In summer these ferries sell out, so even foot passengers should book ahead.

There is also a ferry from Uig on Skye to Tarbert on Harris, from where you can drive up to Lewis.

It's also possible to sail to Lochmaddy on North Uist, or to South Uist or Barra, then work your way north by road and ferry. It's not the obvious route to Stornoway but could be part of a grand tour of the Hebrides.

By plane
Stornoway Airport, 2 miles east of town, has daily flights by Loganair from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Benbecula. See Stornoway for airport practicalities.

By bus
There are 3 or 4 buses M-Sa between Harris and Lewis.

A bus / ferry service runs up the Western Isles through Barra, the Uists and Harris and across Lewis to Stornoway, so M-Sa it's possible to go the whole way in one day. There are half-a-dozen services part-route, but for the full route you need to set off from Castlebay Barra at 6:20AM, Lochboisedale South Uist at 9AM, Benbecula at 11:10AM, Lochmaddy North Uist at 11:30AM and Tarbert Harris at 4:20PM, to reach Stornoway by 5:30PM. Going south, you leave Stornoway 9:30AM to reach Tarbert at 10:45AM, Lochmaddy at 1:45PM, Benbecula at 2:25PM, Lochboisdale at 3:25PM and Castlebay at 5:35PM.

By bus
Routes across Lewis all converge on Stornoway. Buses are sparse M-Sa with nothing on Sunday.

Bus W1 runs to the north tip of the island, via the hospital, Barvas, Borve, Galson, Lionel and Port of Ness; about 8 M-Sa.

Bus W2 runs to the west coast in a loop via the hospital, Barvas, Arnol, Bragar, Shawbost, Carloway, Callanish and back to Stornoway. There are about five each way round the loop M-Sa.

Bus W3 runs to Great Bernera, via Lochganvich and Garynahine then across the bridge to Barraglom, Breaclete and Croir; about 6-7 M-Sa.

Bus W4 runs to the western corner, via Garynahine, Enaclete, Miavaig, Valtos, Timsgarry, Mangersta and Brenish; 5 M-Sa.

Bus W5 runs east along A866 to the airport, Melbost, Garrabost, Bayble, Shulishader and Aird out on The Point. About a dozen M-F and five Saturday. This bus continues north along B895 up the east coast past the hospital to Tong, Coll, Back, Gress and Tolsta.

Bus W8 runs to the North Lochs (north of Loch Eireasort) via Leurbost, Crossbost and Ranish every couple of hours M-Sa.

Bus W9 runs to the South Lochs via Balallan, Kershader, Gravir and Orinsay every couple of hours M-Sa.

Bus W10 connects Lewis and Harris, running from Stornoway via Balallan and over the hills to Tarbert, then Luskentyre, Borve, Leverburgh and Rodel.
 * It's part of the bus-and-ferry spine route all the way south to the Uists and Barra, see Lewis. There are five between Stornoway and Tarbert M-Sa but only one connection full-route to Castlebay Barra.

Car hire
See Stornoway, they're all based there.

North

 * The district of Back has some of the best farmland on Lewis, and was the scene of several land raids. B895 runs along the coast from Stornoway through a string of small places: Tong, Coll, Gress and Tolsta. Tong was the birthplace of Mary Macleod (1912-2000), mother of 45th US president Donald Trump: this background must have profoundly influenced his philosophy, and a monument seems overdue.

 * , looking like a megalithic pop-up toaster, commemorates the land raids of the 1920s. Gress corn mill half a mile north is 19th century but fell derelict in the 20th.
 * on the hillside above is the scrappy remains of a chambered burial cairn.
 * Tolsta has a fine beach, popular with surfers and horse-riders.
 * or Garry Bridge was built in the 1920s to extend the road north from Tolsta to Ness at the north tip of Lewis. You can drive over it, but half a mile later the road comes to an abrupt stop against the bleak moorland, symbolic of Leverhulme's unfulfilled plans for the island.

East

 * The Point (An Rubha or Eye Peninsula) juts out beyond the airport, as if giving a thumbs up to the Scottish mainland. A866 connects it to Stornoway across an isthmus.

 * Aignish cairn east end of the isthmus commemorates land raids here in 1888: two tapered opposing stone jaws.
 * or St Columba's near the cairn is a medieval ruin. Many chiefs of Clan MacLeod lie in the graveyard, which has been partly lost to coastal erosion.
 * meaning "grey stone" is a triangular megalith. The smaller stones might once have formed a circle but more likely were part of a burial chamber. It might be Bronze Age.
 * marks the northern bound of The Minch, the channel between Inner and Outer Hebrides. The lighthouse, first lit in 1900, was designed by David and Charles Stevenson, and was as much to watch out for illegal trawling as to aid navigation. When a new foghorn was installed in 1956, the 7-year-old Prince Charles (now King) sounded the inaugural blast. The lighthouse was automated in 1985 and is still active, but the keepers' accommodation has been turned into a kennels and cattery, with a clifftop location that would appeal to Cruella de Vil.

West

 * A858 crosses the island from Stornoway. At Gearraidh na h-aibhne (Garrynahine) B8011 branches off to the west, while A585 follows the coast northwest.

 * is a stone circle next to B8011 towards southwest Lewis. Five stones stand of an original 13. The site has not been excavated but is clearly part of the Callanish complex 3 miles north. Callanish VI is two stones on the moor a mile east, not worth the midge-bites that a visit will incur.
 * Great Bernera is an island reached by B8059 branching north from B8011, see separate page. It too has standing stones, an Iron Age house and Norse Mill.
 * is a long sandy beach at Valtos on the west coast.
 * (Traigh Uige or Ardroil) is a long broad sandy beach: the Uig chessmen were found hereabouts in 1831. Dun Borranish is the scrappy remains of a dun on a tidal islet in the bay.
 * Uig Community Centre north end of the bay has a small museum open Apr-Oct: Tu-Sa noon-4PM, guarded by a pair of giant chessmen. In Ardroil cemetery lies Linda Norgrove, an aid worker kidnapped by the Afghan Taliban in 2010 and fatally wounded during the rescue attempt.
 * Abhainn Dearg Distillery is south of Ardroil, see Drink. The road continues to Mangurstadh (Mangersta) which has a beach and sea stacks.
 * is the end of the road, with a sand and rock beach. The abandoned village, cleared in 1838, stands on the slopes.
 * is the end of the road, with a sand and rock beach. The abandoned village, cleared in 1838, stands on the slopes.

Northwest
This Atlantic coastline has a rich heritage and Lewis's top sights.
 * Callanish II & III are lower but larger circles half a mile east of the chief circle. Peat-cutting here revealed an earlier timber circle.
 * Callanish II & III are lower but larger circles half a mile east of the chief circle. Peat-cutting here revealed an earlier timber circle.
 * Whalebone Arch stands beside a house along the road from Shawbost to Arnol. It's the lower jawbones of a blue whale that washed up in the 1920s, with a harpoon impacted in its head that had failed to explode. The crofter took these trophies back to his shed and was lucky not to be close by when the explosive did to his shed what it was intended to do to the whale. Just west, Loch an Dunam has an Iron Age crannog on an islet.
 * The Shieling is another traditional stone dwelling, a mile east of Arnol on the main road to Barvas. A family of six once lived in this shack the size of a bus shelter.
 * is a group of ten slabs and many smaller boulders around a mound, the remains of a chambered burial cairn. Its age is uncertain but other Hebridean cairns of this type are late Neolithic. The nearby lochan holds a crannog, an artificial prehistoric islet. To the southwest is seen Clach an Trushal, Scotland's tallest standing stone at 5.8 m.
 * is a sea stack with the jumbled remains of a 16th- and 17th-century bastion of Clan Morrison, probably over much earlier structures. You reach it by a footbridge.
 * Loch Stiapabhat a mile southwest of Dùn Èistean is a nature reserve.
 * at the north tip of the island was built by David Stevenson in 1862. It's red-brick, unpainted, and in its early days burned fish oil. Until the 1960s supplies were brought to the three keepers by sea as the Lewis roads were so bad; the light was automated in 1998. Ridges in the fields nearby are from "Lazy Beds", the traditional way of cultivating potatoes.
 * The cliffs by the lighthouse are dramatic, but eroding and best not explored on a windy day. Luchruban is a sea stack on the promontory a mile west of the lighthouse with the remains of an early Christian hermitage overlying Neolithic settlement. The name means "pygmies" as medieval visitors found small skeletons here, and failed to identify them as animals reared by the hermits for food. Access across the tidal cleft is hazardous. There's a sea arch a little way south, and this coastline is riddled with stacks and caves.
 * is a sea stack with the jumbled remains of a 16th- and 17th-century bastion of Clan Morrison, probably over much earlier structures. You reach it by a footbridge.
 * Loch Stiapabhat a mile southwest of Dùn Èistean is a nature reserve.
 * at the north tip of the island was built by David Stevenson in 1862. It's red-brick, unpainted, and in its early days burned fish oil. Until the 1960s supplies were brought to the three keepers by sea as the Lewis roads were so bad; the light was automated in 1998. Ridges in the fields nearby are from "Lazy Beds", the traditional way of cultivating potatoes.
 * The cliffs by the lighthouse are dramatic, but eroding and best not explored on a windy day. Luchruban is a sea stack on the promontory a mile west of the lighthouse with the remains of an early Christian hermitage overlying Neolithic settlement. The name means "pygmies" as medieval visitors found small skeletons here, and failed to identify them as animals reared by the hermits for food. Access across the tidal cleft is hazardous. There's a sea arch a little way south, and this coastline is riddled with stacks and caves.
 * The cliffs by the lighthouse are dramatic, but eroding and best not explored on a windy day. Luchruban is a sea stack on the promontory a mile west of the lighthouse with the remains of an early Christian hermitage overlying Neolithic settlement. The name means "pygmies" as medieval visitors found small skeletons here, and failed to identify them as animals reared by the hermits for food. Access across the tidal cleft is hazardous. There's a sea arch a little way south, and this coastline is riddled with stacks and caves.

South

 * A853 climbs into the hills, the land becomes bleak and rugged, and you'd probably only come this way to cross into Harris.

 * commemorates a land raid of 1887. The growing population was on poor cramped land, but Lady Matheson the landowner would not make any of the deer forest available for cultivation. A mob invaded and over a week slaughtered as many deer as they could, roasting them at a camp canteen. Three ringleaders were taken to Edinburgh for trial but acquitted. Along with similar acquittals, this spelled out that juries would not convict desperate people driven by poverty, and would uphold human rights above property law.
 * is the 799 m "Corbett" looming to the south, often wraithed in drizzle, see Harris for climbing trails.
 * is the 799 m "Corbett" looming to the south, often wraithed in drizzle, see Harris for climbing trails.
 * is the 799 m "Corbett" looming to the south, often wraithed in drizzle, see Harris for climbing trails.

Do

 * Surfing: Atlantic rollers and you need a wetsuit. Schools and organisers are Surf Lewis based in Stornoway and Hebridean Surf based in Barvas.
 * Horse-riding: Traigh Mhor Pony Trekking are based at Tolsta.
 * Golf: the only course is Stornoway GC just west of town.
 * Hebridean Way is a way-marked hiking and cycling trail the length of the Outer Hebrides. For hikers the final Stage 12 northbound takes the road from Balallan to Laxay, crosses the moor to Achmore, then follows the lane into Stornoway. At 30 km (18.25 miles) it's the longest stage, but with much of it on paved roads can be done in 8 hours. Woodlands Centre west side of town is the ceremonial finishing point. However cyclists stay on the main road all the way from Tarbert to Langabhat then branch west, following the coast main road past Callanish, Arnol and Borve to the Butt of Lewis.

Buy

 * All the big stores are in Stornoway, which has two supermarkets. Small shops are dotted around the island, and often manage to pack a varied stock into a small building. Everything is closed on Sunday except Engebret filling station in Stornoway.

 * Lewis chessmen make distinctive giftware, though you'll find the best prices on Amazon. The originals were found in a sandbank near Uig in 1831 and were 79 mismatched items from at least five different sets, carved from walrus ivory or whale tooth and dated to the 12th century. The pawns are simple pegs but the pieces have comically glum expressions. Most of the originals are in the British Museum in London and 11 are in the NMS in Edinburgh. Pieces occasionally tour but none are on permanent display in Lewis.
 * Ness Post Office is 100 yards north.
 * Swainbost Shop and filling station (Maclean Mair Nicolson & Co) half a mile northeast of Cross is closed and for sale in Aug 2023.
 * Ness Post Office is 100 yards north.
 * Swainbost Shop and filling station (Maclean Mair Nicolson & Co) half a mile northeast of Cross is closed and for sale in Aug 2023.
 * Ness Post Office is 100 yards north.
 * Swainbost Shop and filling station (Maclean Mair Nicolson & Co) half a mile northeast of Cross is closed and for sale in Aug 2023.
 * Swainbost Shop and filling station (Maclean Mair Nicolson & Co) half a mile northeast of Cross is closed and for sale in Aug 2023.

Eat

 * The best eating places are often the hotels, see Sleep. That includes breakfast at your accommodation in Stornoway. If you're day-tripping round the island, make sure to gobble up your sausage and extra slice of toast, as come lunchtime you may find slim pickings out of town.

Drink

 * Stornoway is the only place with stand-alone bars, but out-of-town hotel bars are open to non-residents.
 * See Tarbert (Harris) for the distillery there. The Isle of Lewis Brewery has closed.
 * See Tarbert (Harris) for the distillery there. The Isle of Lewis Brewery has closed.

Sleep

 * Most accommodation is in Stornoway, while this page lists out of town places. Self-catering rentals are from Saturday to Saturday.

Budget

Connect
As of Sep 2023, there is virtually no mobile signal anywhere beyond Stornoway. Some accommodation has Wifi hotspots.

Go next

 * Great Bernera island is reached by road bridge. Prehistoric stones greet your arrival.
 * South to Harris, which has more rugged terrain and the villages of Tarbert (for ferries to Skye) and Leverburgh (for ferries to Berneray and the Uists).
 * East by ferry from Stornoway to Ullapool on the mainland.

title: Lewis


text:
Lewis and Clark Trail

The Lewis and Clark Trail is a United States National Historic Trail commemorating the journey of the 1804-1806 Corps of Discovery expedition that explored the U.S.A.'s newly acquired Louisiana Purchase and beyond. Part of the reason for the expedition was political; the American government wanted to assert its claim to the Oregon Territory which both Britain and Spain also claimed.

Starting in Illinois, the route follows the Missouri River to the headwaters in the Rocky Mountains, then over the Continental Divide. From there it follows the Clearwater, Snake and Columbia Rivers to the Pacific Ocean near Fort Clatsop Oregon. The expedition paved the way for the wave of colonization known as the "Wild West", and the parallel Oregon Trail.

Understand
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a trail of approximately three thousand seven hundred miles (6000 km), extending from Wood River, Illinois, to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon, and following the outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Today's trail is a joint effort of many organizations and agencies. Although the Trail is administered by the National Park Service, sites along the Trail are managed by federal land management agencies, state, local, tribal, and private organizations.

North Dakota, like many other states along the Missouri, has designated a "Lewis and Clark Trail" following the river on both sides. Also common to these states is the naming of the state highways running alongside the rivers; 1804 on the east side and 1806 on the west. In North Dakota the 1804/1806 signage can be spotty, but the "Lewis and Clark Trail" signs are always there.

Get in
There are two alternate starting points: Bismarck and Mandan.

Drive
This itinerary discusses two paths: from Bismarck to Williston on highway 1804, and from Mandan to Watford City on highway 1806.

From Bismarck, go north on 1804 and follow the Lewis and Clark Trail signs. From Mandan, go north on 1806 and follow the Lewis and Clark Trail Signs.

You'll see the Cottonwood forests of the Missouri Valley, and depending on how close you stay to the river, you'll come across plenty of interesting things.

Notable Places along the East Bank
 * Lewis and Clark Steamboat Company, Bismarck
 * Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Washburn

Notable Places along the West Bank
 * Cross Ranch State Park near Stanton
 * Lake Sakakawea State Park near the Garrison Dam

River crossings are located at
 * Buford, on State Highway 58.
 * Williston, on US 85 southwest of town.
 * New Town, on State Highway 23 west of town.
 * Garrison Dam, on State Highway 200.
 * Washburn, on State Highway 200A.
 * and of course Bismarck/Mandan.

By train
Amtrak's Empire Builder follows part of the route in North Dakota and Montana. The National Park Service seasonally provides interpreters aboard the Empire Builder who explain Lewis and Clark's trip. The Portland branch of the Empire Builder follows their route on the Columbia River for several hundred more miles.

Boat
It is possible to retrace most of the route the same way Lewis and Clark did--by boat--on the Missouri and Columbia Rivers.

title: Lewis and Clark Trail


text:
Lewisboro

Lewisboro is a town of about 12,000 residents in northern Westchester County, about 40 miles north of New York City in the state of New York.

Sleep
A favorite with businessmen having affairs, the Hayloft Motel (Rte. 35) has decent rooms for high prices.

title: Lewisboro


text:
Lewisburg

There is more than one place called Lewisburg

United States of America

 * Lewisburg (Ohio) - a town in the state of Ohio
 * Lewisburg (Pennsylvania) - a town in the state of Pennsylvania
 * Lewisburg (Tennessee) - a town in the state of Tennessee
 * Lewisburg (West Virginia) - a town in the state of West Virginia

title: Lewisburg


text:
Lewisburg (Pennsylvania)

Lewisburg, is in central Pennsylvania. It is a small town that is the county seat of Union County and the home of Bucknell University.

Understand
Lewisburg had a population of 5,700 in 2019.

Get in
The town is located approximately 1 hour north of the capital of Harrisburg, and about 30 minutes south of Williamsport. It is approximately 3 hours from Philadelphia, 4 hours from Pittsburgh, 3 hours from New York City, and 3½ hours from Washington DC.

title: Lewisburg (Pennsylvania)


text:
Lewisburg (West Virginia)

Lewisburg is a city of 3,900 people (in 2017) in West Virginia. It was established in 1872, and named for Andrew Lewis, the Virginia colonel who won the Battle of Point Pleasant in 1774. The town was built around a natural spring, which today is enclosed in a stone springhouse near the General Lewis Inn. Today, Lewisburg is a very popular tourist destination due to its historic downtown, specialty shopping, quaint bed-and-breakfasts, and its Civil War connections. Lewisburg is practically adjacent to the nearby resort town of White Sulphur Springs.

By car
Lewisburg is located on I-64 between Beckley and Covington, Virginia. US-219 — which passes through Marlinton to the north, and Peterstown to the south — and US-60 — which passes north of Fayetteville to the west, and through Covington] to the east — also pass through the town.

By train

 * Amtrak train service is available to nearby White Sulphur Springs or Alderson, each around 10 miles away.

Get around

 * Mountain Transit Authority offers bus service within Lewisburg and to nearby towns from about 7AM to 6PM.
 * Cosmic Cab Company  +1 304 646-8882

See

 * Take a walking tour of the Lewisburg historic district, which covers 235 acres of downtown. Other historic districts include the Maple Street district (historically African-American) and the South Church Street district.
 * Alderson Historic District, Alderson off WV-63. 165 structures of historic or architectural significance, including a restored 1865 rail station.
 * Lewis Spring, in Andrew Lewis Park. The spring around which the town was founded after its discovery in the 1750s; the stone spring house was built in 1770.
 * American Heritage Music Hall, Quarry Road Village in Fairlea, 304-645-3982 or304-645-2298. Open 7 to 11 pm Tuesdays and the last Saturday of the month. Local musicians promoting American heritage music. Open jamming sessions, family-friendly live entertainment. Admission $5.
 * Lewisburg Cinema 8, 257 Grand Ave, +1 304-992-7636. Two screens, playing first-run movies.
 * Confederate Cemetery, McElhenny Road. Home to the remains of 95 unknown Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Lewisburg.
 * Lewisburg Cinema 8, 257 Grand Ave, +1 304-992-7636. Two screens, playing first-run movies.
 * Confederate Cemetery, McElhenny Road. Home to the remains of 95 unknown Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Lewisburg.
 * Confederate Cemetery, McElhenny Road. Home to the remains of 95 unknown Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Lewisburg.
 * Confederate Cemetery, McElhenny Road. Home to the remains of 95 unknown Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Lewisburg.
 * Confederate Cemetery, McElhenny Road. Home to the remains of 95 unknown Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Lewisburg.
 * Confederate Cemetery, McElhenny Road. Home to the remains of 95 unknown Confederate soldiers from the Battle of Lewisburg.

Parks

 * Big and Little Clear Creeks, in Rupert. Trout fishing.

Do

 * Greenbrier Bowling & Recreation Center, US-219 N, +1 304-645-4230. Open M-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-1AM Friday and Saturday, and Su 1-10 PM. Billiards, amusements, pro-shop, and bowling, including "cosmic bowling" on Friday and Saturday nights.
 * Greenbrier Hills Golf Club, US-60 in Rainelle, +1 304-438-9050. Open April through October. 9 holes, 2,631 yards, par 35. Offers tennis courts also. $7 - 14.

Events

 * The Shanghai Parade, a 150-year tradition held at New Year's Day, this parade is a relic of the Old Christmas celebrations before the calendar switched over. An excellent glimpse of the past with people dressing in costumes and marching downtown. Shops are open!
 * Taste of Our Towns, downtown Lewisburg. Held one Saturday in October. Sample regional foods plus specialties from the Greenbrier, Tamarack and local restaurants.
 * Taste of Our Towns, downtown Lewisburg. Held one Saturday in October. Sample regional foods plus specialties from the Greenbrier, Tamarack and local restaurants.
 * Taste of Our Towns, downtown Lewisburg. Held one Saturday in October. Sample regional foods plus specialties from the Greenbrier, Tamarack and local restaurants.

Buy

 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.
 * West Farm's Flowers, +1 304-497-3840. A working farm with 120 varieties of flowers. Group tours and classes available.

Malls

 * Greenbrier Valley Mall, 75 Seneca Trail in Fairlea, +1 304-645-6120. 210,000 square feet of space, with over 20 shops and restaurants.

Eat

 * Carlito's, Greenbrier Valley Mall, +1 304-645-3891. M-F 11AM-10PM, Sa noon-10PM and Su noon-9PM. Offering an extensive menu of Mexican favorites. On the other side of the mall from the theater, they have good food but the portions are larger than you might expect!
 * Golden China Buffet, 475 Greenbrier Valley Mall Dr, +1 304-645-5678. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11:30AM-9PM. Chinese and American cuisine. Good place to eat before you see a movie at the mall! Usually plenty of room and quiet, pleasant atmosphere. Children love to watch the tank full of chichlids.
 * Golden China Buffet, 475 Greenbrier Valley Mall Dr, +1 304-645-5678. M-Th 11AM-9PM, F Sa 11AM-10PM, Su 11:30AM-9PM. Chinese and American cuisine. Good place to eat before you see a movie at the mall! Usually plenty of room and quiet, pleasant atmosphere. Children love to watch the tank full of chichlids.

Budget

 * Sunset Terrace, US-60 W, +1 304-645-2363. 15 rooms.

Go next

 * White Sulphur Springs is about 15 minutes east on I-64.
 * Covington, Virginia is about 30 minutes east on US-60.
 * Beckley is about 50 minutes west on I-64.
 * Marlinton is about 50 minutes north on US-219.
 * Peterstown is about 50 minutes south on US-219.
 * Union is about 30 minutes south on US-219.
 * Fayetteville is a little over 1 hour northwest on US-60 and US-19.

title: Lewisburg (West Virginia)


text:
Lewiston (Idaho)

Lewiston is the county seat of and largest city in Nez Perce County, Idaho. It is the second largest city in the Idaho Panhandle region behind Coeur d'Alene. It sits across the river from Clarkston, Washington. In 2020, Lewiston was hone to 34,000 people. Like Pocatello, Lewiston has a strong working-class heritage. Industries related to timber and logging pursuits have long been key to the city's economy. Because the Columbia and later the Snake River are navigable by some ocean-going vessels all the way to Lewiston, the city has the distinction of being Idaho's only port city, and the furthest inland port in the western United States.

Understand
Founded shortly after gold was discovered in the nearby Clearwater River in 1860, Lewiston played an important role in the state's early history. The city became the capital of the newly-created Idaho Territory in 1863, but lost the distinction to Boise shortly thereafter in what proved to be an enormously unpopular decision in northern Idaho. To this day it is not unusual to hear locals lament losing the capital to Boise.

It's easy for visitors to confuse Lewiston's two main rivers. The Clearwater River is on the north side, and runs straight into the Snake River. However, the Snake on the city's west side makes a left turn at this point, going into neighboring Clarkston, Washington.

Lewiston is the principal city of the Lewiston, ID-WA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of both Nez Perce County in Idaho and Asotin County in Washington.

By plane
The next nearest airports served by more airlines, including Alaska Airlines, Southwest and United Airlines, at more competitive fares are in Boise ( south) and Spokane Geiger Field  ( north).

By car
By car Lewiston is accessible by a series of US and state highways which becomes local streets. WA-Hwy 193/128 bypasses north of town, north of the river on a two-lane highway.
 * US 12.svg Comes in from Walla Walla, WA in the west and Missoula, MT  in the east through the Nez Perce National Forest. Goes through Clarkston as Bridge St and along the river as Dikes Bypass in Lewiston.
 * US 95.svg Connects Coeur d'Alene to the north and Ontario  to the south at its junction with I-84. If coming from Boise go north on SR-55 its junction with US Hwy 95 in New Meadows  ( north of Boise)
 * US 195.svg Comes in from Spokane, WA (the largest city in the region) from north through Colfax and Pullman in the Palouse country via the Memorial Bridge just east of town.

title: Lewiston (Idaho)


text:
Lewistown (Pennsylvania)

Lewistown is a city in Mifflin County, Pennsylvania.

By car
Lewistown is 3 hours west of Philadelphia and 3 hours east of Pittsburgh.

Lewistown is 60 miles west of Harrisburg on Highway 322. On Highway 522, it's 45 miles west of Selinsgrove and 35 miles east of Huntingdon.

By train

 * Route stopping at Lewistown:
 * Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.
 * Pennsylvanian operates daily between Pittsburgh and New York City with stops in Greensburg, Latrobe, Johnstown, Altoona, Huntingdon, Lewistown, Harrisburg, Elizabethtown, Lancaster, Exton, Paoli, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.

Get around
There is no public no bus service, but taxi service is available. The downtown area is walkable and has several shops and restaurants.

See
There are cannons and statues that are in memory of veterans.

The main landmark in Downtown Lewistown is Monument Square. At the center is a 64-ft marble monument built in 1906. The figures on each side of the base represent the four branches of the military at that time - Navy, Infantry, Cavalry and Artillery. On the south side of the base is a stone that was taken from the tomb of Abraham Lincoln (the only stone that has ever been removed) in Springfield, Illinois. It was donated in honor of Mifflin County's volunteer soldiers (the Logan Guards), who were the first to answer Lincoln's call for troops at the start of the Civil War.

There is a mural and plaque can be found on the side of the Subway restaurant building.
 * Big Valley - A picturesque drive along Route 655 through Central Pennsylvania farmland. It is also home to many sects in the Amish religion. The Amish here seek to live quiet lives — please respect their privacy. You can buy something from them — fresh produce, home-baked goods, or a hand-sewn quilt. Look for their roadside stands and booths at farmers and flea markets.
 * Big Valley - A picturesque drive along Route 655 through Central Pennsylvania farmland. It is also home to many sects in the Amish religion. The Amish here seek to live quiet lives — please respect their privacy. You can buy something from them — fresh produce, home-baked goods, or a hand-sewn quilt. Look for their roadside stands and booths at farmers and flea markets.

Do
There are few things to do in Lewistown. Bowling, roller skating at the rink, going out to eat, shopping, and relaxing in parks or other areas are the main things to do. There isn't much that stays open after 10PM, even on the weekends, so most of the fun has to happens before then.

There is a movie theater (6 screens), community swimming pool, miniature golf, and a public country club. There is a drive-in theater 10 miles east at the Arch Rock Exit off Rt. 322.

Buy

 * Amish products
 * Common Ground Magazine
 * Rich Coast Coffee
 * Hartley's Potato Chips
 * Mifflin County Huskies t-shirt
 * Shade Mountain Naturals soap
 * Then & Now photo book by the Mifflin County Historical Society
 * locally made wine.

Eat
There are a lot of little restaurants in and around the Lewistown area. The two most popular are Downtown OIP and Grille and JP Edwards. The same man, John Pannizzo, owns them. There is a diner, Red's Diner, in Lewistown that has been around for a very long time. It used to be 24/7 but now it closes at 10PM except on the weekends. There are numerous OIP's around the area, all with some similarities, since they started out as a family owned chain. There are also Chinese restaurants throughout town.
 * Whoopie Pies - these are like small cake sandwiches with the icing in the middle. Flavors vary from pumpkin to spice to vanilla to red velvet. The traditional pie is chocolate cake with white icing.

Drink
There are several member wineries, breweries and distilleries:
 * Brookmere Winery & Vineyard Inn,
 * Burnt Timbers Winery,
 * Hawstone Hollow Winery,
 * Hazard's Distillery,
 * Hungry Run Wine Cellars,
 * Hungry Run Distillery,
 * Juniata Valley Winery & Wilson House B&B,
 * Olivero's Vineyard,
 * Seven Mountains Wine Cellar,
 * Shade Mountain Winery,
 * Short Bus Brew House,
 * Shy Bear Brewing.

Sleep

 * Holiday inn Express & Suites in Reedsville,
 * The Quality Inn and Super 8 in Burnham,
 * The Best Western in Milroy.

There are many Bed & Breakfasts in Lewistown and surrounding countryside: "Chestnut Manor B&B is within 2 blocks of Downtown Lewistown.
 * the Hill Store Guest Cottage in Belleville
 * the Weiler Mansion B&B on Front Mtn Road.

title: Lewistown (Pennsylvania)


text:
Lewisville

Lewisville is a city in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex in Denton County in the state of Texas.

Get in
This city is Located off IH 35E 20 miles north of Dallas and 15 miles south of Denton and from Fort Worth 30 miles northeast via SH121 north and only 5 miles north of Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport up SH 121 which is really convenient for those flying in. Public Transit for the area is provided by the DCTA Denton County Transportation Authority since Lewisville is in Denton County. It connects to Dallas Area Rapid Transit DART in Dallas at the Park and ride station in Carrollton and a Light rail is being planned in the near future along the existing rail line to the east of Lewisville. However using a car would be the best method to get to Lewisville unless you are flyng.

Get around
Even though there is a DCTA presence, a car is preferred. There is a simple loop between Vista Ridge Mall and Old Town Lewisville. Most of the roads are typical of most Texas cities consisting of a grid format. North to South would include IH 35E SH 121. There are two SH121 Business and 121 Toll Road 3 miles to the south and both cross 35 and Mill St splits to the East of 35 goes North or left from 121 Business to go to Old town. To the west of 35 you have neighborhood streets in order from east to west like Edmonds Ln, Valley Pkwy Old Orchard Dr and Garden Ridge. To the East and West you have 121 Toll which forms the southern boundary for three Farm to Market Highways 3040 Round Grove RD where Vista Ridge Mall is located. Most of the shopping and restaurants are located between 121 Toll and 1171 Main St. Outdoor recreation can be found north of these two roads.

See
Most of the stuff to see is within one mile of IH 35 but most of the attractions are shopping.

Do
Golfing abounds in Lewisville with several Golf Courses in Lewisville and surrounding areas. In nearby Lake Lewisville there plenty of opportunities of water sports at a marina close to 35 even camping at Lake Park in Lewisville. You also have Putt Putt golf and Lunar Mini Golf and plenty of parks to picnic or enjoy.

Buy
There is plenty of shopping available at both Vista Ridge Mall and antiques in Old Town Lewisville. There is no upscale shopping in Lewisville but nearby in Flower Mound and Highland Village that is increasing and of course the Galleria Dallas is 15 miles via 35 south and 635 east. There is also plenty of shopping in nearby Grapevine Mills and a gigantic outlet mall just 5 miles down SH 121. And of course necessity shopping would include the local, Hispanic and other markets including two Walmarts the better one is on 3040.

Eat
There are plenty of chain restaurants to eat at and most are on the access road of 35. There are a lot of family owned restaurants in Lewisville offering different international cuisines or buffets you can try on a budget.

Drink
There are numerous bars in Lewisville, with the majority of them on Business 121.

Go next
IH 35E North will take you to Oklahoma in one hour for outdoor recreation. However you don't even have to go to Oklahoma as you have plenty of water and outdoor recreation in Lake Lewisville, Grapevine Lake. Lake Ray Roberts offer plenty of the great outdoors which include camping, Hiking and horseback hiking within a few minutes to the north. There are some ranches to the west in Flower Mound west on 1171 that have outdoor events mostly private and offer outdoor recreation horseback riding as well.

 * Denton - In Denton you have two historic museums Courthouse on the Square and the Western Frontier Museum 20 miles north of Lewisville.

title: Lewisville


text:
Lexington

There is more than one place called Lexington:

United States of America

 * Lexington (Illinois) - a town in Illinois.
 * Lexington (Kentucky) - a city in Kentucky, the largest "Lexington".
 * Lexington (Massachusetts) - a city in Massachusetts, the oldest "Lexington".
 * Lexington (Missouri) - a town in Missouri.
 * Lexington (North Carolina) - a town in North Carolina.
 * Lexington (Ohio) - a town in Ohio.
 * Lexington (South Carolina) - a town in South Carolina.

title: Lexington


text:
Lexington (Illinois)

Lexington is a city in McLean County, Illinois.

title: Lexington (Illinois)


text:
Lexington (Kentucky)

Lexington is the second largest city in Kentucky, located in the Bluegrass Region. Known as the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington has traditionally been dominated by the horse industry and is also heavily influenced by the University of Kentucky, the state's flagship university and the largest employer in the city. The horse industry has greatly influenced Lexington's culture and scenic beauty; the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University contribute to a college town atmosphere with a richer and more diverse culture than some might expect from its size and location. Lexington's compact central downtown district is surrounded by historic neighborhoods. Lexington is in the heart of the Bluegrass region of Kentucky and is still home to hundreds of horse farms.

History
Founded in 1775, 17 years before Kentucky became a state, the fledgling campsite was named Lexington when settlers received news of the Battles of Lexington and Concord which had opened the Revolutionary War just a few months prior. (Many people today assume it to be the other way around, since Lexington, Kentucky, is much larger and more well-known than the eponymous Lexington, Massachusetts.)

Lexington was one of the first cities in the country to enact urban growth legislation, controlling lot sizes and requiring suburban expansion to be continuous. This has largely protected the Bluegrass Region's picturesque landscapes from suburban encroachment. Lexington's urban development thus has a fairly sharp dividing line between suburb and countryside, and an interconnected metropolitan network of cities has developed with Lexington at its core, surrounded by a ring of smaller picturesque towns that have benefited from Lexington's prosperity and the auxiliary cities of Frankfort and Richmond, both of which are 40 minutes' drive in opposite directions.

By plane

 * Louisville (Standiford Field ) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky are larger airports, each about 1½ hours drive from Lexington.
 * Louisville (Standiford Field ) and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky are larger airports, each about 1½ hours drive from Lexington.

By train
The nearest passenger train service is Amtrak's Cardinal, with stations in Maysville, and in Cincinnati, Ohio (both are about 1½ hours drive); however, there is only service every other day and both trains arrive and depart at night.

By car
Travellers usually access Lexington via one of the two major interstates that arc around the northern and eastern borders of the city. I-64 runs from east to west, connecting Lexington with the largest city in Kentucky, Louisville, to the west. I-75 runs north-south, connecting Lexington with Cincinnati and Knoxville respectively. Neither interstate penetrates into the city. For access to the far side of the city, use New Circle Road (State Route 4), a loop road of which 3/4 is highway-grade, or during non-peak hours you can just take an arterial road through downtown.

The Lexington area is also served by the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway, starting near Versailles and ending at I-65 in Elizabethtown, and the Bert T. Combs Mountain Parkway, which starts just east of Lexington and provides access to the Appalachian region.

By bus
The Greyhound station is on New Circle Road on the north side of town, which is ten minutes from the Downtown area.

Get around
Lexington is a relatively spread out city, though not large. Unless you are mainly visiting the downtown or the university campus (which are within walking distance of each other), you will find that getting around by car is the most convenient method.

Downtown, Main Street divides cross-streets north and south, and Limestone marks east versus west. Addresses downtown usually specify a cardinal direction, which provides a clue to what area of the city it's in.

By bus
Bus service is provided by Lextran, which provides service from the downtown Transit Center to many parts of town and the airport. Most mainlines run every 35 minutes during business hours; others run every 35 minutes only during rush hours, every 60 minutes all other times. Buses run M-F 5AM-midnight, Sa 7AM-midnight, Su 7AM-9PM. Fare costs $1. If you need to transfer between routes transfers are free and can be attained when paying fare, transfers are good for an hour and a half but cannot be used for round trips on the same route. Buses can be tracked in realtime on Lextran's MyStop website or from Google Maps.

Downtown
Downtown Lexington is compact and easily navigated by foot or bicycle, but the most typical way to get around is by car. Cars can be rented at the airport or at several locations in the city. Taxis should be called in advance as they are not easily hailed on the street. There is a taxi stand in front of the airport. From 6PM to 6AM a taxi stand operates at the corner of Main and Upper Streets, next to the old courthouse.

By car
Lexington's roads form a wheel-and-spokes pattern. Arterial roads radiate from downtown, and New Circle Road (KY-4, sometimes called "Circle 4") forms a circle around the inner city. New Circle Road, an early experiment in urban circumferential expressways, was built before current zoning rules, so that about 1/4 of it is developed with commercial usage, while the rest is 55-mph freeway with on/off ramps. The radial roads are mostly named after the neighboring towns they lead to (e.g. Nicholasville, Richmond, Winchester), although as you approach downtown they take on a different name (e.g. Limestone, Main). Directions in Lexington will frequently start with "Take New Circle to ____ Road (one of the arterials), then turn north/south...."

Man o' War Boulevard forms a half-circle further outside from New Circle Road; however its lower speed limit and abundance of traffic lights make it less ideal for circling the city.

Like any city, Lexington's traffic can be challenging during rush hours. Nicholasville Road has reversible lanes to help the flow. Be careful and aware of the lights as they change throughout the day to accommodate traffic and rush hour. A green arrow indicates appropriate lanes for driving; white turn only arrows indicate a center turning lane; a red X indicates lanes in use by oncoming traffic. If possible, try to avoid traveling north on Nicholasville Road during the evening rush hour, as most lanes switch to southbound traffic to allow people to exit downtown. Be aware of driving near the University of Kentucky on basketball or football days. Downtown can be quite congested when UK plays at Rupp Arena, and Tates Creek Road and Nicholasville Road both move very slowly when UK plays at Kroger Field.

Most of the major arterial streets have multiple names, especially as you approach downtown (Nicholasville Road becomes Limestone; Harrodsburg Road becomes Broadway; etc.). This is also true of many smaller city streets (Winslow Avenue becomes Avenue of Champions, which becomes Euclid Avenue, which becomes Fontaine Road). When you ask for directions, many locals may not know exactly what the street is called where you're going, just remember that the same road may be called any of those at your destination.

Almost all of the arterials, and many smaller roads, are also numbered U.S. Highways or Kentucky State Roads, but no one refers to them by number. The sole exception is New Circle Road, which is KY-4 and sometimes called "Circle 4", but more often called "New Circle".

Do
Despite the relatively small size of this South-North straddling city, Lexington offers a surprisingly delightful palette of interesting activities. Whether you choose to explore some of the world-class and stunning horse farms ringing the city, hit up some of the surprisingly upscale shopping venues, take in a play at the Downtown Arts Center or the Lexington Opera House, tour the oldest university west of the Allegheny Mountains (Transylvania University), catch an insanely popular UK basketball game (Rupp Arena) or sample one of the myriad great restaurants that have sprung up all over town, you can be sure your experience here will not be a bland one.

Local indie magazine ACE Weekly (published weekly) is full of write-ups and advertisements for local events; it is free and available throughout the city.

Bourbon
Kentucky is the proud home of bourbon whiskey, and Lexington is an ideal home base for exploring the Kentucky bourbon trail. Four of the distilleries on the bourbon trails are in town:

Five others distilleries on the bourbon trail are with 20–25 miles, or about 30–45 minutes' drive, listed below under § Go next.

Horses
Lexington isn't called the "Horse Capital of the World" for nothing. The horse industry is Lexington's traditional and most famous trade, and many beautiful old farms are worth a look.

 * There are many horse farms clustered north and west of Lexington. Several companies do daily van tours of private farms, either on guided or customized tours (get referrals from the Lexington Visitor's Bureau). Tour itineraries vary daily and seasonally, but a typical tour might include a stop at one or more farms where you can get close enough to touch some horses (if the conditions are right: no petting young horses that aren't calm enough, or ones that are being taken for training or other duties), a stop at Keeneland race track and/or the Kentucky Horse park, and a scenic drive past many other famous and ritzy farms like Calumet. You can also book your own visits directly. However, these are all working farms, so if you're visiting independently, call in advance to check availability and make arrangements.
 * There are many horse farms clustered north and west of Lexington. Several companies do daily van tours of private farms, either on guided or customized tours (get referrals from the Lexington Visitor's Bureau). Tour itineraries vary daily and seasonally, but a typical tour might include a stop at one or more farms where you can get close enough to touch some horses (if the conditions are right: no petting young horses that aren't calm enough, or ones that are being taken for training or other duties), a stop at Keeneland race track and/or the Kentucky Horse park, and a scenic drive past many other famous and ritzy farms like Calumet. You can also book your own visits directly. However, these are all working farms, so if you're visiting independently, call in advance to check availability and make arrangements.

University of Kentucky sports
The UK Wildcats are immensely popular throughout the state (with the partial exception of the immediate Louisville area, where loyalties are divided between UK and its rival University of Louisville) and even more so in Lexington itself. Even if you're not a sports fan, you'll know when it's gameday as the entire town will be dressed to support Big Blue.

Buy
Keep an eye out for merchandise marked "Kentucky Proud", which marks it as a participant in Kentucky's buy-local initiative.

There are several major shopping areas in Lexington.

 * Nicholasville Road, particularly between Man o' War Boulevard and New Circle Road, is a major center for shopping, with several malls and many smaller stores.
 * Adjacent strip mall features
 * The Square also connects via pedway to the Lexington Shops in the belly of the Lexington Convention Center, with the Kentucky Proud Market, a UK Memorabilia store, and more.
 * Maxwell/High is streets bordered on the west and north by Maxwell and High streets respectively, containing a myriad of small, primarily youth-oriented independent boutiques as well as several restaurants. Small boutiques includes the Black Market Boutique, Helen's Boutique, Lucia's, Calypso, Mod Boutique, John's Walk Run Shop, and ILO.
 * South Lime/Campus Area The bordering downtown campus area features many locally owned restaurants and small locally owned stores. Stop by CD Central for used CDs, new albums, DVDs, wall sized posters, T-shirts from major and local artists, and more. Sqecial Media features many unique gifts from magazines, eclectic books, jewelry, candles, incense, trinkets, and journals. ReBelle is a one of a kind shop featuring all kinds of yarn, locally made clothes, and jewelry.
 * The Square also connects via pedway to the Lexington Shops in the belly of the Lexington Convention Center, with the Kentucky Proud Market, a UK Memorabilia store, and more.
 * Maxwell/High is streets bordered on the west and north by Maxwell and High streets respectively, containing a myriad of small, primarily youth-oriented independent boutiques as well as several restaurants. Small boutiques includes the Black Market Boutique, Helen's Boutique, Lucia's, Calypso, Mod Boutique, John's Walk Run Shop, and ILO.
 * South Lime/Campus Area The bordering downtown campus area features many locally owned restaurants and small locally owned stores. Stop by CD Central for used CDs, new albums, DVDs, wall sized posters, T-shirts from major and local artists, and more. Sqecial Media features many unique gifts from magazines, eclectic books, jewelry, candles, incense, trinkets, and journals. ReBelle is a one of a kind shop featuring all kinds of yarn, locally made clothes, and jewelry.
 * South Lime/Campus Area The bordering downtown campus area features many locally owned restaurants and small locally owned stores. Stop by CD Central for used CDs, new albums, DVDs, wall sized posters, T-shirts from major and local artists, and more. Sqecial Media features many unique gifts from magazines, eclectic books, jewelry, candles, incense, trinkets, and journals. ReBelle is a one of a kind shop featuring all kinds of yarn, locally made clothes, and jewelry.

Eat
Lexington is home to an astonishing number of independently owned restaurants at all price levels. The city's college town atmosphere and affluent lifestyle contribute to this relatively small metropolitan area's great culinary offerings. Chain restaurants, typical in most American cities and towns, can be found here, as well as a great number of privately owned and operated establishments.

Kentucky cuisine to look for includes the Hot Brown, an open-faced sandwich of turkey, bacon, and cheese sauce; burgoo, a traditional game stew with as many variations as there are people who make it; beer cheese, a spicy spread of cheddar cheese and beer; and bourbon balls, a sort of chocolate and bourbon truffle with pecans.

Note that smoking is banned in restaurants, bars, and many public buildings in Lexington.

Drink
Nearby Winchester is home to a regional soft drink called Ale-8-One. The soda was developed in the 1920s after major drinks like Coca-Cola were already established, hence the name, which is a pun on "a late one" (as in "the latest thing"). The ginger- and citrus-flavored soda has some passionate fans, and for most of its life was only available in Central and Eastern Kentucky, but since the 2000s you can find "Ale-8" in surrounding states and in Cracker Barrel restaurants nationwide.

Bars
If you're at all interested in bourbon, consider making a daytime trip to explore some of the nearby bourbon distilleries, listed in the Do and Go next sections.

Nightclubs
If you want to hit the dance floor, there are a few bars that are also nightclubs.

Sleep
In Lexington, accommodation rooms are taxed at 13.4%. A complete list of hotels, motels and bed and breakfasts can be found at www.visitlex.com

Connect
The area code for Lexington and most surrounding counties is 859 (which spells out "UKY", a testament to the popularity of UK basketball). Scott County (including the major suburb of Georgetown), immediately to the north, is in area code 502, but calls between Lexington and Georgetown are local. Outside the metro area, the area code is 606 to the east; 502 serves the state capital of Frankfort. The phone system may be able to correct you if you misuse the area code.

Stay safe
The Lexington Division of Police, accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), was awarded "Flagship Status" in 2010 for the third consecutive assessment, becoming the first and only municipal police agency in the U.S. to be so honored. The Police department has several special patrol units, including bicycle, Segway, and a mounted patrol.

Lexington's crime rates rank favorably with other cities of its size.

The University of Kentucky campus is patrolled by the University of Kentucky Police Department and is generally quite safe. An initiative called "Cat's Path" is comprised of a series of recommended walking routes that span central campus. The routes were chosen due to their frequent use and accessibility to the main campus destinations. Marked with highly visible signage and paw print ground logos, the Cat's Path is patrolled frequently by University Police, both on foot and in special police golf carts.

Go next
Lexington's central location makes it the ideal base to explore the Bluegrass Region.

Activities

 * An hour east of Lexington, the Red River Gorge, offers numerous opportunities for hiking and rock climbing. Natural Bridge State Park features some of the largest stone arches in the eastern United States. Both are located inside the Daniel Boone National Forest.
 * Carter Caves is about an hour and a half east of Lexington near the small town of Olive Hill just outside the Huntington area.
 * Kings Island, in Mason north of Cincinnati, is an amusement park just under 2 hours from Lexington, famous for The Beast - the world's longest wooden roller coaster for 30+ years.

Bourbon
Bourbon distilleries are plentiful in the area, due to the particular geology of the region that make this distinctively Kentuckian liquor possible. Many distilleries operate tours where you can learn about the processes of mashing, distilling, and aging, and often sample the product. Five are within 30 miles of Lexington.

Small bluegrass towns

 * Frankfort, Kentucky's capital city, is 25 miles northwest of Lexington on I-64.
 * Midway is a quaint and colorful railroad town that's "midway" between Lexington and Frankfort; stop for a bite to eat and explore the antique and boutique shops downtown. It is one of a ring of small bluegrass towns surrounds Lexington at a radius between 12-20 miles from downtown, including Nicholasville, Versailles, Georgetown, Paris and Winchester.
 * Richmond, home of Eastern Kentucky University is 26 miles south of Lexington on I-75.
 * Bardstown, 60 miles from Lexington, is Kentucky's second oldest city.
 * Berea, 37 miles south of the city, is a major center for folk arts & crafts. Old Town has many working artists studios, and the Kentucky Artisan Center, just off I-75, serves as a visitors' center and showcases the wares of many regional artisans.
 * Danville, 35 miles southwest of Lexington, is the "City of Firsts", and the "Birthplace of the Bluegrass" since the first Constitutional Convention in the West was held at Constitution Square in 1792 and Kentucky's first Constitution was signed there.
 * Harrodsburg, 32 miles southwest of Lexington, is Kentucky's oldest city. Just outside it is Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, America's largest restored Shaker community, with 34 carefully restored buildings and 3,000 acres of preserved farmland.

Smaller towns and cities in surrounding regions

 * Morehead, 65 miles east on I-64. Home to Morehead State University and Cave Run Lake, the largest in eastern Kentucky.
 * Huntington, WV, 126 miles east on I-64, on the banks of the Ohio River and firmly within the steep, lush Appalachian Plateau; the second-largest city in West Virginia, home to Marshall University.
 * Bowling Green, 161 miles southwest in the Pennyroyal Plateau region, home to Western Kentucky University and nearby Mammoth Cave National Park.
 * Pikeville, Prestonsburg and Paintsville are just over 2 hours east.
 * Hazard is 115 miles southeast
 * Owensboro is 172 miles west, less than a 3 hour drive.
 * Charleston, WV is 175 miles east, about a 3 hour drive.

Big cities

 * Louisville, 79 miles west, is Kentucky's largest city and is famous for—among other things—the Kentucky Derby and the Louisville Slugger Museum.
 * Cincinnati, Ohio, is 82 miles to the north. As Kentucky was a slave state and Ohio was free, this route north was one of the more popular Underground Railroad lines leading to the freedom shores of southwestern Ontario just across Lake Erie.
 * Knoxville is 172 miles south, less than a 3 hour drive.
 * Indianapolis is 186 miles northwest about 3 hours away.
 * Columbus is 190 miles northeast, a little over 3 hours away.
 * Nashville is 214 miles southwest, 3 and a half hours away.

title: Lexington (Kentucky)