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Unplugging in the Shenandoah Valley

This is the northern Shenandoah Valley, between the Blue Ridge on the east and the Alleghenies on the west, with Massanutten Mountain running down the middle. Shenandoah National Park is along the ridge on one side. The rest is farms, river bottoms and national forest.

It's close enough to DC for a weekend, which means the park can get busy. The valley floor is a lot calmer, and you can find a cabin on the river where you won't see anyone.

We're choosing the places to stay around The Shenandoah Valley now, one by one. Leave your email below and we'll tell you when they're up.

Where to stay

Stay around Luray or Shenandoah if you want to be close to the park and the South Fork. Go west to Mount Jackson and Quicksburg for farm country and the North Fork, or up to Basye if you want a cabin in the woods.

What to do

Skyline Drive
The road along the top of Shenandoah National Park, 105 miles with overlooks every few minutes. The speed limit is 35, so take it slow and stop a lot. From Luray, the closest way up is Thornton Gap on Route 211.
Old Rag
The best known hike in the park, with a rock scramble near the top. It's long and hard, and from March through November you need a day-use ticket on top of your park pass.
The Appalachian Trail
About 100 miles of the trail run through the park, crossing Skyline Drive again and again. That makes it easy to walk a few miles of it and turn around.
The South Fork of the Shenandoah
A slow, easy river for canoeing, kayaking and tubing. Outfitters around Luray will rent you a boat and drive you upstream.
Luray Caverns
Big show caves just outside Luray. It's a tour, and it's touristy, but it's something to do on a rainy day.

The towns

Luray is the biggest town in Page County, with a main street, a few places to eat and the park up the road. Shenandoah is a small river town to the south.

Over Massanutten Mountain, Mount Jackson and New Market are small towns along Route 11, the old valley road, with farms all around them. Basye is a small resort community up in the hills to the west.

Before you go

  • The park gets crowded on fall weekends. Come midweek, or spend the day on the river instead.
  • Old Rag needs a day-use ticket from March through November. Get it online ahead of time.
  • It's about two hours from DC and around two and a half from Richmond. Plan on two nights at least.