11 Amazing Things to do in Shenandoah, Virginia
The Shenandoah Valley provides plenty of activities for a fun weekend away. Located in Virginia, about an hour outside DC, Shenandoah is the perfect weekend getaway for East Coasters. From hiking, to great food, and even to venturing 200 feet below the ground, we put together some of our favorite activities that are worth a spot on your itinerary.
- Know Before You Go -
Entrance fee: Shenandoah National Park requires an entrance fee. The fee is waived if you have an America the Beautiful annual parks pass. Otherwise, the minimum fee is $30 per vehicle, and it’s good for 7 consecutive days.
Leave No Trace: Hiking through the Shenandoah Mountains is a special experience, make sure you do your part in keeping it that way by following all the Leave No Trace principles.
Hairpin turn just before the Thornton Gap entrance
1. Take a cruise on Skyline Drive
One of the most scenic drives on the east coast, Skyline drive runs through the entire Shenandoah National Park, covering 105 miles North to South. You can access it through the 4 different entrance points.
Skyline has plenty of twists and turns, winding you around mountain edges and past plenty of scenic overlook spots that are sure to take your breath away. Cell phone service is limited in the area so download google maps ahead of time if you’re trying to look up directions!
2. Stony Man Hike
Short, sweet, and great view payoffs! Stony Man is an iconic Shenandoah staple hike and it’s definitely worth doing. You’ll hike through the forest all the way up the mountain and end at a rocky clearing with spectacular views of the valley below.
This hike is considered easy and we suggest getting here early if you’re looking to have the view to yourself. There is a large parking lot at the trailhead but fills up fast!
1.5 miles
320 ft. elevation gain
45 minutes to complete
3. Hawksbill Loop Hike
Rolling mountains, beautiful viewpoints, and a compass built into the observation platform. Hawksbill is the highest peak in Shenandoah, the loop is a beautiful trail along the skyline ridge and should definitely be on your activity list!
Trail is rated moderate and the first mile is steep but after that it’s easier going. Be aware it can be quite windy at the summit. Limited spots at Hawksbill Gap Parking.
2.7 miles
750 ft elevation gain
1.5 hours to complete
Ylli at Mary’s Rock summit. The fog finally broke for a few seconds
4. Mary’s Rock Hike
There are actually two ways to tackle Mary’s Rock, the North and the South approach. The North approach is a little longer with a steeper incline, however, both are considered moderately difficult. Both trails merge just below the summit, we opted for the south approach and felt we saw way less people on the south trail versus when the trails merged and we could see how many people had been on the north trail.
The peak offers some beautiful views of the valley and the rock formations allow for many people to be at the top but still feel like they have their own spot to take in the view.
North Approach
3.4 miles
1,200 ft. elevation gain
2 hr 15 min to complete
Park at the Panorama Road Parking area (there two parking areas next to each other, labeled north and south), located right after the Thornton Gap park entrance.
South Approach
3.1 miles
780 ft. elevation gain
1 hr 45 min to complete
Park at Meadow Spring Parking area, located about 2 miles south of the Thornton Gap park entrance and (safely!) cross the road to start
Soaking it all in on Hightop Peak Trail
5. Hightop Peak Trail
If you’re looking for an amazing sunset hike, make sure you do Hightop Peak Trail. The peak offers a view of rolling mountains that seem to go on forever as the sun slowly slips behind them, creating a magical experience.
Trail is considered moderate, and we took a few breaks on the way up as it’s a steady incline the whole time. Parking is limited but when we went there wasn’t much of a crowd.
3 miles
900 ft elevation gain
About 2 hours to complete
- Sunset Hike Safety -
Bring headlamps! You’ll be hiking down in the dark and you don’t want to rely on your cell phone flashlight to guide you home since it can easily drain your phone battery.
Download the trail map on AllTrails or a similar app. Even though the trail is well marked, it’s always safe to have reliable navigation when visibility is low
Walk slower in the dark – those tree roots are sneaky!
Bring extra layers. It might be hot when the sun is out but once it down, the temperatures can drop quick!
Climbing the giant rock pile at the end
6. Blackrock Summit Hike
Rock scramble lovers paradise! This short hike boasts a giant rock pile at its summit, providing great views and better adventure. The hike is short and deemed kit friendly with the trail marker including a special kid section of information about the trail.
We did this hike for sunrise and although all we got for a view was fog, it was still a great experience, we even saw an 6-point buck on our way down! (And on that note – always make sure to drive slowly on skyline drive, especially in the early mornings and when it’s foggy, we passed many deer that were very close to the road).
Because this is a popular trail, we suggest doing this earlier in the day if you’re looking to beat the crowds. The trailhead did have more parking than any other we’d seen.
1.1 miles
180 ft elevation gain
30 minutes to complete
7. Stop at the Skyline Drive Overlooks
The views from the mountain peaks might be amazing but if hiking the whole isn’t what you’re feeling, you can still get views that are just as spectacular right from the road! Skyline drive has 76 overlooks along its 105 mile span, providing plenty of jaw dropping views. Each viewpoint offers a unique look at the mountain ridges and valley below. Some of our favorites were Bacon Hollow, Stony Man, and Buck Hollow, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them!
8. Visit Luray
Just 15 minutes from the Thornton Gap entrance is the quaint town of Luray. Although small, this town has a lot to offer! Explore the famous Luray Caverns, a vast underground cave formation, or find your way through the Garden Maze right next to it.
Discover history at the Car and Carriage Caravan Museum and travel back in time within the Shenandoah Heritage Village. You’ll find plenty of good food and drink along its Main Street, and if you’re looking to stay the night, the Hawksbill House has some great reviews.
9. Broad Porch Coffee Co
If you’re in Luray and have a hankering for breakfast and a coffee, look no further! Broad Porch Coffee Co blew us away with its impressive menu, delicious coffee and super reasonable prices. This cozy café serves up delicious coffees from a lavender vanilla latte to a classic cappuccino.
We got their vanilla strawberry rhubarb toast, breakfast sandwich, and one of their homemade biscuits – it was to die for! The best part – it’s super close to the Thornton Gap entrance ( just 15 minutes away) we finished a sunrise hike then came here for breakfast fuel and were able to carry on the rest of our day hiking along Skyline drive!
10. Grand Caverns Caves
A unique experience of an unbelievable natural wonder! Explore the depths of the oldest show cave in America by taking a tour through Grand Caverns Caves (you’ve hit the jackpot if Michael is your tour guide).
If a guided tour sounds a little cheesy to you, don’t let that keep you from signing up for this. We were a little skeptical but it ended up being one of our favorite activities from our whole trip! You’ll explore 11 cave rooms full of magnificent formations, learn about the historical dance parties, weddings, and church sessions that used to take place within the cave, experience a moment of total cave darkness, and more, all while 200 ft underground!
Reservations are recommended as the tour group size is very small and spots fill up quick. You can purchase your tickets here.
We would recommend wearing good shoes and layers as it does get chilly down in the cave.
11. Early Mountain Winery
Sit down in this award winning winery for a flight and a meal. Early Mountain makes their wine exclusively from their own vines and was undoubtedly the best food and drink we had our entire weekend in Shenandoah. The carefully curated menu, delicious flights, and super cozy but luxe atmosphere made us feel right at home.
The service was phenomenal and they even had live music playing the weekend we were there. We recommend the butternut squash soup and bison tartare, paired with their Chardonnay!
If you’re looking for a great place to unwind after a lot of hiking, do yourself a favor and make a reservation at Early Mountain
We enjoyed our weekend in Shenandoah so much, we’re already planning to go back next year!
If you’ve been to Shenandoah before, let us know some of your favorite activities here in the comments below!