Shenandoah isn’t too far from us, so we’ve been lucky enough to visit a few times and experience it in different ways. Instead of writing about each trip separately, I figured I’d combine our different stays and some of our favorite things to do in the area.
Where We’ve Stayed 🏡
One winter break, we stayed in the cutest little riverfront cabin.
There are three cabins along the river, and each one has its own hot tub. There was plenty of space between them, so we really didn’t even notice the people staying in the other cabins. It was such a cozy place for a winter getaway.
I’ve also stayed in the area with my mom and sister for a girls’ weekend. We stayed here, and it was excellent! Definitely a great option if you’re looking for a little more space.
Things to Do in Shenandoah & Luray
🥾 Go for a Hike
There are SO many hikes in Shenandoah National Park, whether you want an easy walk with a great view or something a little more challenging. Here are a few good ones to check out:
Stony Man: 1.6 miles round trip
This one gives you a lot of scenery without a ton of work. It’s one of the easier hikes in the park, with about 340 feet of elevation gain, and you get a beautiful view over the Shenandoah Valley. The trailhead is around mile 41.7 on Skyline Drive.
Dark Hollow Falls : 1.4 miles round trip
If you want a waterfall, this is a popular one. Just remember, you hike DOWN to the waterfall, which means you have to hike back UP when you’re done. 😂 It’s short, but the climb back is fairly steep and rocky.
Blackrock Summit: 1-mile loop
This is a great option for families. It only has about 175 feet of elevation gain and takes around 45 minutes, but you still get beautiful views over the Shenandoah Valley. It’s farther south on Skyline Drive around mile 84.4.
Hawksbill Summit: 1.7 miles round trip
Want to say you made it to the highest point in Shenandoah National Park? This is the one! It’s short but definitely steeper, with around 690 feet of elevation gain. Your reward is a pretty incredible view from the summit.
Bearfence Viewpoint: 1.1 miles round trip
There are actually two ways to do Bearfence. The famous route involves an exposed rock scramble, which is a big NOPE for me. 😂 Luckily, there’s an alternate route to a viewpoint that skips the scramble. If heights and climbing over rocks aren’t your thing either, make sure you choose the right route!
Explore Luray Caverns
You can’t really visit Luray without going underground at Luray Caverns. It’s a completely different experience from hiking around Shenandoah and an easy thing to add to your trip, especially if the weather isn’t cooperating.
🛟 Tube the Shenandoah River
This is one of my FAVORITE things to do here.
We’ve used Shenandoah River Outfitters. They take you down by bus, get you loaded up, and then pick you up when you’re finished. It makes the whole thing super easy.
I’ve actually floated this river three different times, but the first one is definitely the most memorable.
It was our first anniversary. We had saved all our pennies—he was a first-year teacher, I was in nursing school making exactly zero dollars—and managed to get away to Luray for two nights.
We stayed at a hotel that is absolutely NOT worth sharing. 😂 But we went tubing!
It was just the two of us, our tubes, and a cooler with our food and everything we needed for the day.
At one point, we were going over some rapids and heading toward a rock. He quickly pivoted to save the cooler, which was actually pretty important because the cooler also contained all of my insulin and the things I needed to, you know, stay alive. Literally.
Maybe this is where the Family MVP nickname really started.
The cooler was saved.
The food was saved.
My medicine was saved.
Everyone survived.
About 15 minutes later, though, he looked down at his hand…
His wedding ring was gone.
Somewhere at the bottom of the Shenandoah River is a wedding band from a couple of broke newlyweds celebrating their first anniversary. 😂
So here’s my very important Shenandoah River tubing tip:
TAKE YOUR WEDDING RINGS OFF BEFORE YOU GET IN THE TUBE.
You’re welcome.
Planning this trip? ✈️
Ready to start planning your own Shenandoah adventure? Here are a few places to start:
🏠 Find places to stay on Expedia or VRBO.
🚗 Compare rental cars on Expedia.
🗺️ Plan your road trip route with Roadtrippers.
🎟️ Find tours & activities on Expedia.
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