The Holiday and Travel Magazine: A Virtual Tour Through Virginia's Famous Shenandoah Valley

Monday, 12 October 2020

A Virtual Tour Through Virginia's Famous Shenandoah Valley

Virginia's Shenandoah Valley

A road trip through Virginia's Shenandoah Valley offers a wealth of natural beauty and historical sites, rich arts and culture, an abundance of locally crafted culinary offerings, and countless opportunities for outdoor recreation - all served up with genuine southern hospitality. We'd love you to join us on a tour of the Valley, by watching our one-hour recorded virtual live tour or, simply read on below, discover a little more, and watch the sections that most interest you.

Your first stop is Winchester, home of country music legend Patsy Cline. The heart of the town is its two-block outdoor walking mall, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and home to cafes, specialty retail shops and historic attractions. Winchester is also rich in American Civil War history. The area was the scene of six battles and the city changed flags roughly seventy times during the conflict.

The area around Winchester is an outdoor enthusiast's paradise offering such attractions as fly fishing, kayaking and offroading. Come with us on a sneak peek of the four-by-four Jeep tours offered by Appalachian Offroad Adventures.

Long known as the "Apple Capital", Winchester is surrounded by vast orchards and is one of the largest apple exporters in the U.S., a fact well displayed in the city's annual spring event, the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival. Come visit Richard's Fruit Market, a "country classic" farmer's market conveniently located on the Richard's fifth-generation family farm.

Golf is another outdoor sport you can enjoy readily in the Shenandoah Valley. Here's a tour of just one of the many available, Rock Harbor Golf Course, starting with the Pro Shop.

Virginia Quilt Museum

Leaving Winchester, we head south to Luray, home of Luray Caverns, a U.S. Natural Landmark and the most visited caverns in the United States. The caverns are noted for their profuse variety of formations and unsurpassed natural color. And you shouldn't miss hearing the Great Stalacpipe Organ, the largest musical instrument in the world! Come take a brief tour of Luray and the famous landmark with John Shaffer, Marketing Director at Luray Caverns.

Luray is also a gateway city to Shenandoah National Park, a wilderness playground in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Skyline Drive, winds through the Park for 105 miles, stretching like a ribbon over 60 peaks while affording breathtaking views from 75 overlooks of the valleys on either side below. Shenandoah is a sanctuary for more than 100 varieties of trees, 1,100 flowering plants, 200 species of birds and 43 mammals. Let Helen Morton from Deleware North take you on a tour of the Park and it's many attractions.

Further south you'll find the college town of Harrisonburg, boasting a culinary scene with a serious passion for local food and libations, cutting-edge arts and culture, and the historic roots that anchor it to the famous Shenandoah Valley landscape. The city's Main Street is chalk full of unique shops featuring one-of-a-kind merchandise, including that of Lineage, with their durable leather and canvas bags. Come take a tour of the shop.

In Harrisonburg you'll also find the Virginia Quilt Museum, one of the few quilt museums in the U.S. Take a tour and learn about this complicated and intriguing artisan culture that still thrives today.

Part of Harrisonburg's passionate food and beverage scene is Pale Fire Brewing Company. We can't offer you a taste until you visit in person, but we CAN highlight the brewery and beers in our video tour and give you plenty of reasons why you'll want to add them to your travel bucket list!

Harrisonburg is also rich in outdoor activities. Lester Zook, owner of Wild Guyde Adventure offers beginner-level guided day-hiking to peaks and waterfalls in the nearby George Washington National Forest, rock climbing and rappelling in the North River or Lee Ranger Districts, wild caving (underground of course), and canoe paddling on the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. This is definitely a video you want to watch, as Lester shares a valuable and practical skill!

The Shenandoah Valley of Virginia offers a wealth of fun and interesting activities. The above is just a snapshot. Today is not the ideal time to travel. But when you're ready, Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley will be here to welcome you safely.