Shenandoah Valley: History, Landscapes and Unique Excursions

Shenandoah Valley combines impressive landscapes with tangible history and unusual destinations. Shenandoah County lies between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Allegheny Mountains. Several designated Virginia Byways, as well as the scenic roads 11, 600, 675, 42 and 263, offer attractive views. When searching for a vacation rental or vacation home, it is therefore worth deciding early on what you want to focus on: historic sites, nature experiences, winter activities or regional features.

History You Can See on Site

One prominent structure is the 200-foot-long, single-span Meems Bottom Covered Bridge. It is considered the longest of the few remaining covered bridges in Virginia. At New Market Battlefield Historical Park, approximately 160 acres of the battlefield in Shenandoah County are preserved by the Commonwealth of Virginia. At the eastern edge stands the restored Bushong House, which was used as a field hospital by both sides. The Virginia Museum of the Civil War conveys the history of the Battle of New Market and the Civil War in Virginia through tours led by museum staff.

The Shenandoah County Historic Courthouse also combines the past with a visitor experience. The building was constructed in 1795 from locally quarried limestone and is the oldest continuously used courthouse west of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Today, it serves as a visitor information center and a museum of the historic courtroom. At the Fort Valley Museum, housed in the Union Church at Dry Run, also known as Old Brick Church, you can additionally access a collection of recorded oral histories online.

Caves, Mills and Unusual Discoveries

Shenandoah Caverns offers fully guided tours. They last approximately one hour and cover one mile. The caverns are open seven days a week, except on December 25, and are located less than one mile from Interstate 81. This makes it easy to treat a cave experience and travel planning as a separate excursion focus without combining it with the region’s historic sites.

American Celebration on Parade is another standalone experience, featuring more than 20 life-size floats, including floats from the inaugural parades of American presidents. In Edinburg, the Edinburg Mill, built in 1848, brings the history of Shenandoah Valley to life with memorabilia, antiques, as well as old equipment and tools. The Shenandoah Valley Cultural Heritage Museum is also located in this mill, one of the few mill buildings in Shenandoah Valley that were not burned by Sheridan during the Civil War.

Regional flavor is also part of the picture. Route 11 Potato Chips is an agribusiness company in Shenandoah County. At the factory in Mount Jackson, visitors can watch the frying process, as well as taste and purchase chips. The annual Shenandoah County Fair complements these impressions with agricultural exhibits, rides, live entertainment, tractor pulls, activities for children and typical fair food. The annual Edinburg Ole Time Festival focuses on historical reenactments, antique exhibits, traditional crafts, local art and live music.

Nature, Water and Active Days

The George Washington National Forest covers an area of 75,349 acres in Shenandoah County. The Lee Ranger District offers opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, camping, visiting scenic overlooks and picnicking. The North Fork of the Shenandoah River also flows through the rural surroundings of Shenandoah County. At Seven Bends State Park, wade fishing for smallmouth bass and other sport fish is possible.

In winter, Bryce Resort offers skiing and snowboarding on eight slopes accessible by a high-speed quad chairlift. At Lake Laura in Bryce Resort, swimming, boating and fishing are possible, as is a three-mile hike around the lake. These varied options make choosing an accommodation focus a genuine travel decision: your search priorities for culture and regional history will differ from those for days in the forest, by the water or on the ski slope.

Places to Search for Accommodation

You can find the region’s nearby destinations here: New Market, Strasburg, Basye, Mount Jackson, Woodstock and Edinburg.

Additional destinations for independent orientation: Buckingham County, Halifax.

For the broader travel overview: Virginia.