It’s hard to pick what to love most about Waynesboro. First, there is the location—“Waynesboro is the gateway to the Shenandoah Valley from the East, and we are located at the crossroads of the Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive, Blue Ridge Parkway and...
According to U.S. Travel, 55% of Americans left vacation time unused in 2018. Busy lives, long hours, or working two jobs don’t even leave much freedom to think about vacation trips, but that is where advance planning can be a real benefit. Trip planning, making...
Martinsburg, WV lies at the far northern end of the Shenandoah Valley, less than two hours northwest of the nation’s capital. Like many small towns in the Valley, it has a big place in history. “Martinsburg is a great area for history lovers,” said Samantha Cronk of...
Banner Photo by Rob Jinks In 2018, the average cost of a wedding in the USA was about $44,000, assuming 130-140 guests. (Brides American Wedding Study). While exact comparisons are difficult, and travel costs should be factored in, a storybook wedding in the...
The Mid-winter Getaway may be as essential to adult relationships as actually looking up from your cell phone and talking to your spouse. Options for such a venture abound in the Shenandoah Valley. Picture a cabin surrounded by snowy woods, with a fireplace, hot tub...
Bundle up. It’s time to ski! Or board, or skate or tube….. Massanutten Resort’s official opening day of winter sports season was November 23rd—their earliest opening day ever. Considering all the resort has to offer, the extra time will be appreciated by those who...
There are places in the Shenandoah Valley that stand at a crossroads—not of direction—but of time and history. You can stand at the border of a national park, next to a dirt road once traversed by Civil War soldiers, and still be in a nearby town for a gourmet dinner...
Great photography is but a click away almost anywhere in the Shenandoah Valley. Landscapes, people, vistas, closeups, action—just about any setting you can dial into on your camera will capture something memorable. Below, we offer 10 suggestions we think will make...
Google says that Bryce Resort is only a two-hour and 10-minute drive west of Washington, DC, but it’s a world away in every other sense. Located in scenic Shenandoah County, Bryce Resort will unleash the adventure-seeker in you. Choose from a state-of-the-art mountain...
What, in your experience, makes a Shenandoah Valley hotel or inn “unique”? Actual personal attention from the staff? A wine tasting? Genuine gourmet dining? Or just a spectacular Blue Ridge view as you sip fresh coffee on the balcony? In their zeal to make your stay...
Banner Photo by John Robbins A great deal of Grand Caverns’ allure is not new at all. It was discovered in 1804 and, called Weyers Cave at the time, it opened for tours in 1806–making it the oldest continually operating show cave in the country. Its stalactites,...
Winston Churchill once said, “No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle.” While owning a horse many be beyond practicality for most of us, the Shenandoah Valley has many professional outfitters that can put you on a mount — regardless of your...
Timing when to find peak fall color in the Shenandoah Valley is not a precise science – it will be sometime between mid-October and mid-November. Several consecutive warm, sunny days and cool, crisp nights when temperatures are above freezing result in the most...
The saying here is that “Augusta County lives outside.” Indeed, County Marketing Coordinator Rebekah Castle cited “the breadth of our outdoor options” as one of the most important things tourists should know about the area. Nearby are portions of George Washington...
“Spectacular” is a common word used in describing the Shenandoah Valley. But within this naturally scenic region, what areas really stand out for being uncommon, unique—for being truly spectacular? Of course the question invites spirited debate—but we consider the...
Shenandoah County, just 90 miles west of Washington, DC combines many of the Shenandoah Valley’s most attractive elements: natural beauty, historic battlefields, awe-inspiring caverns, classic small towns, endless outdoor recreation options—and we are approaching the...
Regardless of what criteria you use to create your own “bucket list” of hikes, there are trails in the Shenandoah Valley that will meet your requirements. Virginia’s state parks, national parks and national forests comprise thousands of miles of dirt paths–as...
“Yoga in the Gardens.” “Trail Site Tour.” ‘Youth Workshops.” “Women in the Arts Panel.” You might expect such activities to take place at four different venues. They don’t. They are all functions that have been held this summer at the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley...
Waynesboro (“Where Good Nature Comes Naturally”) occupies somewhat of a nexus location in the Shenandoah Valley—it’s just three miles from the northern entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway and the southern end of Skyline Drive. The Appalachian Trail is a couple of miles...
The image has almost become a symbol of the Shenandoah Valley—acres of lush grape fields sweeping toward the rippling Blue Ridge Mountains far in the distance. Immediately you imagine yourself with a companion, enjoying a fine wine on the patio and taking in that...
How many small towns can claim to be the Canoe Capital of their state, and the entrance to a national park that drew 1.26 million visitors last year? Front Royal, about 70 miles west of Washington, DC on I-66, is the only one we know of. Felicia Hart, Director of...
August is Virginia Craft Beer Month, and the Shenandoah Valley is a significant part of the state’s fluid growth in this industry. A recent survey found that Virginia now numbers 190 craft breweries—13th among all states. But Virginia is 5th in the country in growth...
There is a saying within the National Park Service about Shenandoah National Park: “Half the park is after dark.” Anyone who has camped out in the park and looked up at night—and been astounded by how brilliant that stars look away from urban light...
If you had to pick one destination in Virginia “not to miss,” which one would it be? The June issue of Oprah Magazine chose the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton. It’s a hard choice to argue! The Summer season at Blackfriar’s Playhouse is in full swing, and...