If you’re 40 or older you probably remember The Dukes of Hazzard. It was a television show that aired between 1979 and 1985 that portrayed a persistent cat-and-mouse game between “those Duke boys” cousins Bo and Luke, their cousin Daisy, their Uncle Jesse, and the authorities of Hazzard: Boss Hogg and Sherriff Roscoe P. Coltrane. One man we spoke to recalled rising early each Saturday morning to get his fill of TV before the days’ chores began. “I’d get up every Saturday morning to watch Rocky & Bullwinkle and wait for Dukes of Hazzard to come on around 7,” he said.
Revel in the nostalgia of simple times and adrenaline-fueled adventure when you visit Cooter’s Place in Luray. Named after the character Cooter, Cooter’s Place is a Dukes of Hazzard memorabilia museum with free admission. Cooter’s Garage includes replica vehicles from the show like Cooter’s Tow Truck, Boss Hogg’s Cadillac, and of course, the General Lee, a 1969 Dodge Charger.
Special Events at Cooter’s Place
Plan your visit to take advantage of the free concerts at Cooter’s Place. Every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. Ben Jones plays with Cooter’s Garage Band and every Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. a guest bluegrass band takes the stage.
Special events on the horizon for Summer 2021 include Ben’s 80th Birthday Bash on August 28 and a Cast Meet and Greet with Tom Wopat (the actor who played Luke Duke) September 4 and 5.
Ben’s Birthday Bash is a free all-day celebration of and with Ben Jones. Check out the Good Ol’ Boys Summer Car Show, attend a meet and greet with Rick Hurst (the actor who played Deputy Cletus), and enjoy concerts by Whey Jennings, Nuke Bushner, and Cooter’s Garage Band. The car show is open to all makes and models of cars and trucks. If you’d like to enter your prize ride, register on site for $20 per vehicle. Collectible dash plaques will be given to the first 100 registered vehicles, and prizes will be awarded.
Explore Luray
After your visit to Cooter’s Place, extend your stay by exploring Luray. A gateway to Shenandoah National Park, you’ll find Luray and Page County to be picturesque, riddled with fantastic getaway cabins, outdoor focused with the Shenandoah River running through the community and the Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains cradling it.
No visit to Luray is complete without a stop at Luray Caverns, a stroll to check out the murals or through The Warehouse Art Gallery, or a tasting tour of local wine and spirits. If you choose to hop on Skyline Drive to cruise through Shenandoah National Park toward the Blue Ridge Parkway, source a picnic or snacks West Main Market or Baby Moon’s.
Photo courtesy of Cooter’s Place.