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How to spend a Weekend in Luray, Virginia
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items Luray is a quiet town nestled in the outskirts of the Shenandoah National Park. It's the perfect place for anyone who wants to get away from it all and enjoy the great outdoors. I've been here many times since childhood and I always find something ne...
Sections
4
Museums and Local Attractions
The Great Outdoors
Food and Drinks
Outdoor Adventures
Museums and Local Attractions
Luray has several museums and notable attractions worth checking out and these are my personal favorites.
Luray caverns is one of the most well-known spots in Luray (the other being its proximity to Shenandoah National Park). I have been here numerous times and its a great experience everytime. The caverns are spectacular.
Your ticket to the cavern also includes admission to the toy museum, car and carriage museum, and heritage village. You have the choice of a self-guided museum or tour guide (extra cost).
A bit of trivia, tours of the caverns have been going on since the 1800s!
Your ticket to the cavern also includes admission to the toy museum, car and carriage museum, and heritage village. You have the choice of a self-guided museum or tour guide (extra cost).
A bit of trivia, tours of the caverns have been going on since the 1800s!
Luray Caverns
This is a wonderful museum featuring the evolution of cars and carriages through the first half of the 20th century. Admission here is included with any Luray Cavern tickets.
Car & Carriage Caravan Museum
This is a nice living history museum located at Luray Caverns and included in the admission to Luray cavern. I went here for the first time recently and enjoyed it. There's plenty of rich history about the Shenandoah Valley here and many of the house...
Shenandoah Heritage Village
The Page Theater is not your average small-town theater as it showcases fantastic decor on the inside. One of the former owners spent a lot of time decorating the inside theaters (one I know offhand has Egyptian theater and I included a photo of it)....
Page Theater
The Luray Zoo has been around since the late 1950s and has served as a rescue zoo for animals abandoned, rescued or injured as a safe haven. You can see a wide variety of animals here.
Luray Zoo
If you enjoyed Dukes of Hazard this is a must visit museum! It features several pieces from the series including the infamous car and a restaurant.
Cooter's Museum
The Garden Maze is located at Luray Caverns but is not included in your general admission ticket. If you enjoy mazes, its a fun adventure and should take 1-2 hours depending on how good you are with mazes.
The Garden Maze (at Luray Caverns)
My family stayed here for a week once when we were younger and I still have fond memories of it. There's a ton to do, from the water park to fishing, an arcade and an outdoor movie theater.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park
The Great Outdoors
Luray features a lot of natural beauty, not just Shenandoah National Park. This list (including the park) has some spots to take in natural wonder.
You can't visit Luray and not visit Shenandoah National Park. It is huge and full of beautiful natural wonder. Visitors can expect to find cabins and camp grounds to stay at, over 500 miles of hiking trails, opportunities for fishing and much more.
Shenandoah National Park
This is a great local park that is well-maintained and has several shelters that can be rented out. If you're looking for a nice quiet spot, this is a great place for that.
Lake Arrowhead
I love a good botanical garden and Birdsong is a good one. Please note that you do need an appointment to go!
Birdsong Pleasure Garden
This is a nice park with good walking trails. Can recommend!
Hawksbill Greenway
Located in nearby Shenandoah, this is a nice park to explore.
Big Gem Park
Food and Drinks
These are great places to grab a meal, or a pick me up coffee or dessert.
Gathering Grounds is a great local pastry and coffee shop. It's a great stop if you need breakfast or a pick me up!
Gathering Grounds Patisserie & Cafe
Broad Porch is a local cafe that is well loved by loals and for good reason. This is a great place for coffee and cafe-style eats.
Broad Porch Coffee Co
Ollie Cat is a nice resturant located in old town/main street Luray. It offers a variety of options and is great as a lunch spot.
Ollie Cat Cafe
This is a decent asian restaurant (and the closest one around) with options from Korea, Japan and Thailand. I can recommend their red curry stir fry (though its a bit spicy!)
Asian Station
Outdoor Adventures
Nature isn't just for walking! Here are some ways to enhance your exploration of nature.
If you enjoy ziplining or have been wanting to give it a try, this is the place to go!
Bear Mountain Ziplines
Appalachian Adventures is a company that offers several options for outdoor activities. This includes ATV trail rides, horseback riding, jet skiing, kayaks and more!
Appalachian Adventures (ATV rides, Kayaking and Horseback riding)
This is located at Luray Caverns but is not part of the general admission ticket. If you enjoy ropes courses, this is a fun one!
Rope Adventure Park
Jordan Hollow Stables offers horseback riding and is a very reputable company in the area. This is the place to go if you want to try out horseback riding or want to take in some beautiful scenery.
Jordan Hollow Stables (Horseback riding)