Sure, we all daydream, but some of us have discovered a place where those dreams come true—in the most unexpected, wondrous ways. A place where you can drift on rivers, even in the sky. Or find an undiscovered treasure on your plate, or in your glass. A place where waking up in the morning is the start of endless possibilities for adventure and celebration with friends or refreshing your spirit in solitude. Whatever you dream of, come find it in Shenandoah County.
Start with a gorgeous stay in one of many “glamping” spots like BallyBrook Farm, The Black Bear Tent or stay right on the river in the Cottage on the Seven Bends. They offer rustic but comfortable accommodations where you feel like you’re camping in total luxury. The nice thing about these places is that you get to be outdoors with a few more of the comforts of home. Prefer to rough it? There are plenty of camping and cabin locations linked HERE as well as a variety of other types of lodging.
Enjoy a relaxing horseback ride at Fort Valley Ranch, located in a valley within the Shenandoah Valley. It is a wonderful spot to gather with friends and family for a ride through the mountains, over creeks and with waterfall views. One hour, 90 minute and half-day rides are available with a reservation. Fort Valley Ranch also offers accommodations for guests to bring their own horses with cabin rentals, RV hook-ups and rustic camping sites.
Another highlight in Fort Valley are the OHV trails. If you have your own Off-Highway Vehicle bring it out to enjoy the 36 miles of wooded trails with great views of the valley below. These trails represent the largest OHV trail system on public land in Virginia. You may access the trails at South Peters Mill Run Trailhead, Edinburg Gap Trailhead, and Taskers Gap Trailhead.Click HERE for a map
For those who enjoy hiking, there are hiking trails for every ability from steep all-day hikes with rock scrambles and incredible views, to short, paved wheelchair accessible hikes also with incredible views. This is a great time of year to hike under shady tree canopy and elevations that make it a bit cooler than in the city. Another great way to stay cool is a tour through Shenandoah Caverns where the air is a consistent 55° and friendly tour guides will take you through room after room of beautiful underground formations.
One of the great perks of being in a rural and agricultural region is the fresh and local foods served. So many of the restaurants in Shenandoah County are committed to serving foods grown right here in the area. Places like The Woodstock Garden Cafe, Box Office Brewery and Blue Wing Frog offer creative and thoughtful lunch menus with locally grown ingredients whenever possible. There are also plenty of great farm markets like Adams Apples & Herbs and the new Corner Market Farm to Table See all of the fresh farmers markets HERE.
For those who wish to try something new or check off a bucket-list item, Shenandoah County has you covered. How about a couple of rounds of Disc Golf? There are two great locations for Disc Golf with all skill levels in mind. At Limestone Ledges there is a course for intermediate to advanced and one for beginners and fun for the family. At Swover Creek Farms and Brewery, it’s a great place to go with a group in a relaxed atmosphere where after your round of disc golf you can enjoy a craft beer and wood-oven fired pizza.
As for the bucket-list item, treat yourself to the thrill of a lifetime at Skydive Shenandoah with expert tandem instructors for some of the most spectacular views.
