A Look at Luray, Virginia
Home of the Luray Caverns and the Shenandoah National Park
If you are looking for a peaceful vacation spot where you can recharge your spirit and enjoy the beauty of nature, you may want to take a close look at Luray, Virginia. This small town, located right beside the beautiful Shenandoah National Park, is the home of the famous Luray Caverns.
We spent our long weekend at the Peach Orchard Hide-a-Way, a rental cabin right outside of Luray. The kids had a terrific time just hanging around the cabin, soaking in the hot tub, and fishing in the man-made lake. (I highly recommend renting a cabin in the area instead of staying in a hotel, as you can cook meals, do laundry, and relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.)
Our days were packed with activities and we wished we had another week to explore the beauty of the Shenandoah National Park. You do have to pay a modest fee to enter the park, but the ticket is good for an entire week. If you wish to stay in the park overnight, there are camping sites available for an additional fee. On a lovely scenic drive through the park, we saw a bear and plenty of deer. We stopped at the meadow and hiked out to watch the deer feed. People could literally walk right up to the deer.
We also hiked a few of the easier trails when we visited the park during the next few days and found some lovely wildflowers and interesting bugs. Unfortunately, hiking to the falls is too hard for toddlers, so we did not get to see them, but I understand Shenandoah has some nice falls.
The Luray Caverns are a bit pricey, but worth the admission fee. They are spectacular and the music in the cathedral is incredible. Just be sure the kids hit the restroom before going in or you will be red faced and gasping after speed walking up the steep incline through the last part of the tour to rush them to the restroom. Once you leave the caverns, you can visit the antique car museum, which is included in the cavern ticket price. There is food available, but it is kid's cafeteria fare. I would recommend one of the local restaurants instead.
We left the Luray area happy and refreshed and returned home without feeling we needed a vacation to recover from our vacation.
We spent our long weekend at the Peach Orchard Hide-a-Way, a rental cabin right outside of Luray. The kids had a terrific time just hanging around the cabin, soaking in the hot tub, and fishing in the man-made lake. (I highly recommend renting a cabin in the area instead of staying in a hotel, as you can cook meals, do laundry, and relax and enjoy the peace and quiet.)
Our days were packed with activities and we wished we had another week to explore the beauty of the Shenandoah National Park. You do have to pay a modest fee to enter the park, but the ticket is good for an entire week. If you wish to stay in the park overnight, there are camping sites available for an additional fee. On a lovely scenic drive through the park, we saw a bear and plenty of deer. We stopped at the meadow and hiked out to watch the deer feed. People could literally walk right up to the deer.
We also hiked a few of the easier trails when we visited the park during the next few days and found some lovely wildflowers and interesting bugs. Unfortunately, hiking to the falls is too hard for toddlers, so we did not get to see them, but I understand Shenandoah has some nice falls.
The Luray Caverns are a bit pricey, but worth the admission fee. They are spectacular and the music in the cathedral is incredible. Just be sure the kids hit the restroom before going in or you will be red faced and gasping after speed walking up the steep incline through the last part of the tour to rush them to the restroom. Once you leave the caverns, you can visit the antique car museum, which is included in the cavern ticket price. There is food available, but it is kid's cafeteria fare. I would recommend one of the local restaurants instead.
We left the Luray area happy and refreshed and returned home without feeling we needed a vacation to recover from our vacation.
Published by Katelyn Thomas
Katelyn Thomas is a freelance writer and photographer living and working in rural Maryland. View profile
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- Shenandoah National Park - www.nps.gov/shen/ Luray Caverns - www.luraycaverns.com/
- The Luray Caverns are a spectacular tourist attraction.
- Wildlife abounds in the area.
- Shenandoah National Park has several water falls.
Luray caverns has a working electronic organ that uses the formations to create musical notes.