On my recent trip through Southern Virginia, my husband and I decided once again to see the Natural Bridge area which is a PRIVATELY owned natural wonder. This is a solid rock bridge carved by nature that is 20 stories high. It is well worth seeing, but getting there takes some fortitude. Because it is privately owned, the first stop is the massive parking lot with it's ugly signs and other non-natural attractions. Behind these signs is the view of the massive hotel where people stay so that they can leave their room and walk across the street to see this wonder.
The grand entry (photo below) where you must go to purchase a ticket includes a huge souvenir shopping area that has nothing to do with the natural wonders of this great country but is willing to sell you a lot of crap that will end up in the land fills of your back yard. Note the convenient ATM in the left side of the photo below.
Finally you can walk or take a shuttle bus down into the valley to finally see the natural bridge. It sits along a lovely rushing river. If you can ignore the bench seating for the evening light show about the creation of the earth, avoid the view of the huge speakers that now sit on top of the bridge nestled against the shrubbery, and also ignore the wedding taking place on the far left, you might imagine what this wonder would have looked like when first seen by America's early pioneers.
It is worth visiting, even though you will feel a little fleeced by the time you leave. Baaaaa!
I hate that we have become a nation of money-grubbers. We went to some attraction in FL years ago and the only way out was through the gift shop. How obscenely obvious!!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen Natural Bridge, although we've been close to it.
If you get a chance you should go to Utah. Four four years we were hosts at a remote primitive campground in the eastern end of the High Uintahs, the mt range that goes east and and west. Utah has many of the national parks and some of them are seen it appears more by Europeans than Americnas because they are a bit out of the way like Capitol Reef. We never go to any of the commercial attractions.
ReplyDeleteThis is a perfect example of why some things should be controlled by the government. When private entesprise is the owner the almighty dollar replaces beauty and the result is always tacky.
ReplyDeleteI've seen a few such places. It's quite a shame really.. and yet, it's still a wonder to behold.
ReplyDeleteI saw one of the shows on the National Parks. I really enjoyed it... The bridge looks good, but, I am sorry you had to go through all that stuff to see it...
ReplyDeleteI've enjoyed the series too. Beautiful places...and unfortunately too many people who think they can add speakers, colored lights and admission fees to enhance them.
ReplyDeleteI don't have the old family album anymore, but I am pretty sure there is a picture of some of us standing under it sometime in the mid-60's. It made an impression on me at a very young age.
ReplyDeleteThe only way in is the gift shop or the only way out is the gift shop. It is frustrating how much it costs to view nature.
ReplyDeleteDisneyland is the same....in through the gift shop and out through the gift shop.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, if you want to see how this might have looked two hundred years ago, look at some of the Hudson River School paintings.