There are dozens of charming small towns in Virginia, but in our experience the ones in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Shenandoah Valley easily rank among the best. Each of these quaint little VA towns offers a plethora of reasons to visit, including a diverse array of attractions to keep you busy for days. Whether … Read more
[Updated on January 27, 2024] If you’re looking for a vacation filled with relaxation, romance, and pampering, there are plenty of romantic getaways in Virginia that steer Cupid’s arrow to the center of the bullseye. The brooding Blue Ridge Mountains, magical mountain lakes, and wondrous waterfalls provide all the raw natural magnetism necessary to create … Read more
[Updated on December 5, 2023] Growing up in North Georgia, some of my favorite childhood memories involved camping and hiking in the mountains with my family. My parents led our church youth group on incredible excursions, hiking up to the summit of Blood Mountain, trekking 14 miles on the Appalachian Trail, and going to visit … Read more
[Updated October 27, 2024] As longtime Harrisonburg residents, we love celebrating Christmas in Richmond VA to get into the holiday spirit! Coming from the more rural Shenandoah Valley, we really appreciate Richmond VA’s stately old hotels, department stores, and big city charm during the Christmas holidays. The beautiful city of Richmond seemingly transforms into a … Read more
[Updated October 27, 2024] Christmas events in the Shenandoah Valley can be delightfully old fashioned, and yet also quite modern. We’ve lived in Harrisonburg VA for several decades now, and we never get tired of exploring things to do for Christmas in the area. From candlelight to LED Christmas lights, from horse-drawn carriages to camels, … Read more
Located 3 miles from Downtown Staunton VA, the Frontier Culture Museum is the largest living history museum in the Shenandoah Valley and one of the top family-friendly tourist attractions in Virginia. This self-guided walking tour has a wheelchair and stroller-friendly pathway. There’s also a complimentary shuttle available, or you can opt to rent a golf … Read more
Despite the fact that we’ve lived in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia for 30+ years now, we still love discovering new hiking trails, roads, mountain towns, and scenic vistas to explore. We recently discovered a different kind of trail– the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail– which connects craft beer enthusiasts with 19 impressive Shenandoah Valley breweries. This … Read more
Appalachia music is well-known around the U.S. and highly regarded worldwide. This region’s peaks and valleys were instrumental (pun intended!) in forming the foundation of traditional American music as we know it today. The Blue Ridge Mountains and Southwest Virginia are particularly known for bluegrass and old-time music featuring stylistic fiddling and hot finger-picking on … Read more
Train rides for Christmas chug back into our lives with a payload of nostalgia on board. Railroads come from a historic era before automobiles and airplanes had been invented. Yet they come rumbling in from afar with an odd sense of odd familiarity, even for those who’ve never been on a train ride before. In our … Read more
My wife, Heather, and I both grew up in the Mennonite community and attended Mennonite churches and schools. If you met us, you’d see that we live a modern (a.k.a. “mainstream”) Mennonite lifestyle. We both drive cars, have college degrees, and dress according to current fashion. But still we have a great appreciation for our … Read more
