Get Away and Find Yourself in Luray & Page County

08/01/20

Get Away and Find Yourself in Luray-Page County

 

Summer is the time of the year where everyone wants to get away from the hustle and bustle of regular life.  Page County is a premier destination for people searching for adventure, relaxation, or a new perspective on life.  For most people, their adventure in Page County and the Shenandoah Valley starts with the Shenandoah National ParkBetween hikes that are perfect for any level of experience, to restaurants that offer a tasty meal for visitors, the park offers a unique start to your vacation.  Even if hiking is not your forte, the Skyline Drive offers 75 overlooks that give you the perfect opportunity to experience the stunning views that the Valley has to show.  Even without stopping at every overlook, this 105 mile drive is perfect for anyone looking to enjoy the peacefulness of nature.

 

For those who are looking to spend their trip enjoying history and beauty, Luray Caverns is the perfect place for you.  With new restrictions, Luray Caverns has adopted new safety procedures.  With cleaning ramped up above and below the surface, after contact-free ticketing, entry is immediate while maintaining social distancing and required face covering.  Enjoy the beauty of what nature can create with a leisurely walk along the mile and a quarter tour route.  A comprehensive pamphlet is provided for each visitor with information on geology and descriptions of each major area with varying numbers of team members circulating for distance monitoring, safety and information. When you are done reveling at the sounds of the Great Stalacpipe Organ, witnessing the optical illusion of Dream Lake, and learning some of the history of the area, you can visit the two museums that are on site.  At the Car & Carriage Caravan Museum, you will get to witness an 1897 Mercedes-Benz, which is one of the oldest cars in the country that is still in operating condition, as well as many other antique cars. Once you are done there, you can take a stroll right over to the Shenandoah Heritage Village, and get a taste of local history.  Here, you will be able to see historic items that range from pre-contact Native peoples, all the way to life in the 1920s.  You and your family will be able to tour historic buildings, see historical artifacts from the area, and even mine for gems.

 

If you are someone who enjoys being around people and shops, then head down to the Town of Shenandoah, for an afternoon.  In this quaint little town, you can grab lunch at Mamma Mia’s Italian Restaurant, where you can enjoy authentic Italian cuisine.  Serving up some delicious food for over 23 years, this local favorite has reopened their doors for indoor dining, while taking all the proper precautions to keep their guests and staff safe.  Once you have had your fill, you head down their quiet streets and over to the Shenandoah General Store and get the perfect souvenir or gift for friends and family.  After you are done in Shenandoah, head back to the Town of Luray for some more shopping and refueling with local restaurants.  Throughout the Historic Downtown, you can hit Virginia’s Gift Shop, which has been operating for over 75 years, where you can find the perfect trinket to remember your trip to Page County.  After you have finished your shopping, you can walk right up the street to Gathering Grounds and Patissrie & Café and take advantage of their patio seating.  Here, you will find some great coffee, homemade pastries, and yummy sandwiches or soups.  No matter where your adventures take you, all of our local shops and restaurants are making sure to keep things clean, follow social distancing protocols, and offering a pleasant shopping and dining experience that is the perfect afternoon for anyone.

 

Sometimes getting away takes the form of enjoying local attractions.  Escape 211 is one of our newest attractions, in Luray-Page County.  A local escape room, you can bring your whole family to beat the puzzles and escape one of the three rooms that they offer.  They are keeping things sanitary and limiting the numbers of people in the establishment at one time.  If you are more interested in being outdoors, we have options for that, too.  Bear Mountain Zipline is the perfect outdoor adventure for any age. With over 50 acres of scenic forests, you can do everything from ziplining to scurrying up their climbing wall.  There is no better way to be one with nature, quite like soaring through the trees. 

 

Page County also lies right along the Shenandoah River.  Whether you are spending the day in Shenandoah, Luray or the surrounding areas, you can book a tour with one of our local river outfitters.  Shenandoah River Adventures and Shenandoah River Outfitters can help you spend a relaxing afternoon on the river.  The flow of the river is the perfect way to spend your day.  The sound of the rapids, the river breaking on the shore and the rustling of the trees surrounding you, can offer a peace of mind that you cannot find anywhere else in the world.

 

Whether you are coming here for a weekend away from the real world, you want to go somewhere that it is easy to social distance and be able to keep to yourself, or you are trying to find a new state of mind, Luray-Page County is open and waiting for you.  We are open with miles of social distancing, and we are all taking the proper precautions to keep all of our visitors and locals safe.