We spent a week in the Shenandoah Valley this May. The weather was beautiful, and we found so many things to do. Here are our top five places to visit in the Shenandoah Valley with kids:
Massanutten Resort
We stayed at a condo as Massanutten Resort. The resort has two golf courses, one was a real challenge and the other was family friendly. We golfed at 10:00 on a Thursday to make sure we weren’t holding anyone up. The girls and I made it for 13 holes (more boredom than stamina), but it was a beautiful course.
They also are known for their water park. We visited the week before Memorial Day, so the outdoor portion wasn’t open yet. But the inside offered a lot of great slides that were the perfect speed for older elementary kids. None were too extreme, and the “kiddie” section still provided plenty of fun.
They have a variety of outdoor activities, as well as indoor arts and crafts. We rode two ski lifts almost all the way to the top, and a short (but steep) 10-minute walk will take you to a 2,920-foot altitude. We were planning to go horseback riding, but the girls didn’t meet the height requirement.
Monticello
We traveled about an hour to Charlottesville to tour Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. We opted for the “Behind the Scenes” tour. It was pricey (there is no kid’s price), but we really wanted to see the upstairs and the dome room. I’m really glad we did.
We learned the reason for the cost has a lot to do with the actual architecture of the home. Rather than a grand staircase, Jefferson designed his home with two incredibly narrow staircases on each wing. There would be no logistical way to get all of the visitors upstairs in a safe or timely fashion. But for those who are willing to pay, seeing the upstairs and seemingly pointless dome is interesting.
You are not allowed to take photos on the main level, but you can take photos in the dome room. Outside, the Sally Hemmings Experience is moving, and we wished we had more time to spend on Mulberry Row. They also have a hands-on Discovery Kids Room. The girls tried Jefferson’s “polygraph,” lay in an alcove bed, lay on a bed sack, and tried to lift a bucket of nails.
The “secret” room in the dome
Skyline Drive
The Skyline Drive is part of the Shenandoah National Park, so there is a cost to enter. But thanks to the “Every Kid in a Park” program for fourth graders, we were able to visit for free. We drove just one-quarter of the Sky Line Drive on our way back to Massanutten Resort from Luray Caverns. Because we had already done a lot of walking at the caverns, we didn’t do any hiking along the drive. We stopped at several of the pull-off areas at the beginning, but as we continued, we just drove through some, and passed by others altogether. There is a family-friendly hiking trail loop, and we hope to get back there to hike it. Our high-point of the drive was seeing a black bear cross the road right in front of us. We saw a second black bear in the woods too.
Luray Caverns
We came to Luray Caverns the day after their new entrance was opened. The caverns were amazing, and we learned about stalagmites, stalactites, flow rock, and drip rock. We also saw some amazing reflective water pools.
They even have an organ connected with electrodes to stalactites, using the vibrations to play the notes. An off-site music box plays the organ, which played, “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” The admission ticket also includes a Car & Carriage Caravan Museum (which fit right into the 4th-grade curriculum), and the Luray Valley Museum. We also got 50% off our admission tickets thanks to the Adventure Passes from Massanutten Resort.
Green Valley Book Fair
Justin and I cannot pass up free or low-cost books..it’s definitely a weakness. When we heard about the 500,000 square foot book fair, we knew we had to go. These are new books, offered 60-90% off. We spent almost 2 hours there, got 30 books for about $90 for 30 books! The Book Fair is only open certain weekends, so be sure to check their calendar before visiting.
Bonus – White Oak Lavender
We stopped here on our way back from the book fair. They have a winery and offer several lavender infused wines and ice cream. They have a tour for $3/person that we did not do. If we had more time, it would have been a nice way to spend the afternoon. But, even without the tour, you can sit inside or enjoy the sun, watch some of their farm animals and play games.
For more, check our post A Week in the Shenandoah Valley.
