Shenandoah National Park Attractions
Home > Family Vacations >
USA National Parks Family Vacations >
Shenandoah National Park Attractions
Shenandoah National Park Attractions
 | Explore Caverns Shenandoah National Park, VA Luray Caverns, near Shenandoah National Park, reveals subterranean wonders. The largest cavern in Virginia and among the most popular in the east is nine miles west of Skyline Drive on Route 22. Along with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites in chambers up to 140 feet high, the caverns highlight is the Great Stalactite Organ, billed as the world's largest natural musical instrument. The chords resonate throughout the chamber when plungers tap the stalactites. This is a special treat for kids who've never gone underground. Above ground, your kids can tackle a garden maze and ogle the historic cars and carriage exhibit. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Horseback Riding Shenandoah National Park, VA There's something special about going through the woods atop a horse. Skyland Resort Stables, mile 41.7 and 42.5 near Luray, offers scenic, guided (no trotting), hour-long outings along Shenandoah's trails. To sit in the saddle, participants must be 4-foot, 10-inches tall and weigh no more than 250 pounds. For little ones, the stable has pony rides. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Private Guides Shenandoah National Park, VA Shenandoah National Park has a staff of private guides. They can design and lead you along trails, into the backcountry and if you want, take you rock climbing and rappelling, all the while telling you about the forest and its history. A private guide must be reserved at least two weeks in advance and are offered from Skyland Resort and Big Meadows Lodge. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Ranger Programs Shenandoah National Park, VA The park's ranger programs offer special talks, guided hikes and other interesting and always free activities. Find out about bears, go on a guided hike, listen to park lore over a campfire, meet birds of prey and scramble over boulders on a hike. These activities are always free. After participating in some activities, children ages 7 through 12 can earn a Junior Ranger Badge. Teens 13 and older can serve as Ranger Explorers, by following the suggested in one of several Activity Guides. Download these ahead of time or pick them up for free at the visitors' centers. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Scavenger Hikes Shenandoah National Park, VA Scavenger hikes turn a walk in the woods into a fun, learning activity for you and your kids. Developed by Kat and John LaFevre, authors of the book Shenandoah Scavenger Hikes, the summer and fall (until November 3) hikes take place every Monday and Wednesday. From the Skyland Resort, the hikes depart at 9 and return at 11 a.m. From Big Meadows Lodge, the walks are from 3 to 5 p.m. Depending on what you find, you receive either a "City Slicker," "Pioneer Scout" or "Frontier Explorer" certificate plus an autographed copy of the LaFevres' book. The authors lead some of the hikes, so check in to find out when they'll be there. Fee: $5 per person; $20 for a family of four. Reserve ahead. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Self-Guided Hikes Shenandoah National Park, VA This is a great park to introduce your children to the joys of hiking. You can take technology into the woods by renting a GPS Ranger, available from the Byrd Visitor Center, (milepost 52). These handheld devices not only keep you on track but add animation, video and audio, pointing out places of interest and relating forest facts along the route. The device covers four trails. Of these, two favorites are Dark Hollow Falls (mile 50.7), a 1.4-mile roundtrip to a cascading waterfall, and the Meadow Discovery Walk, suitable for all ages. Other good hikes to do without GPS devices include Little Stony Man Cliffs (Mile 39.1), a 0.9-mile, one-hour round-trip with a 270-foot elevation gain, and the longer Whiteoak Canyon trail, (mile 42.6), a five-mile round-trip that treats you to six cascading waterfalls. Best For: Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Skyline Drive Shenandoah National Park, VA Skyline Drive winds along the Blue Ridge Mountain crests for 105 miles, the entire length of Shenandoah National Park. Don't drive it all as an hour or two of the slow (35 mph speed limit), snaking road goes a long way with kids, particularly young ones. At Shenandoah Valley Overlook (mile 2.8) look for Massanutten Mountain's Signal Knob, the place from which Confederate troops in the Civil War sent signals. Further south at Big Run Overlook (mile 81.2), enjoy a sweeping view of the mountains. In fall, leaf-peepers crowd the road, making the spectacularly beautiful route very slow going. The mile countdown starts at the Front Royal entrance, milepost 1, and continues to the Rockfish Gap entrance, milepost 105. Open year-round, Skyline Drive closes during snow or ice storms. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Starry Nights Shenandoah National Park, VA • 540-999-2221 On a moonless, clear night in the park, rangers' estimate that you can see 2,500 stars just by looking up, many more than the average urbanite gets on an evening dog walk. Treat your kids to a dazzling display of heavenly lights by signing up for one of the free, monthly night skies programs. Held at Big Meadows (mile 51.3) and led by astronomers, you and your kids get to view the sky through a variety of telescopes. Depending upon the conditions and the time of year, see the moon close-up, view double stars and distant galaxies. Rangers suggest you bring a blanket and a lawn chair so you can sit comfortably. Call to find out when events are being held. Reservations are not required. Best For: Tots (0-2)•Kids (3-6)•Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
 | Twilight Guided Hikes Shenandoah National Park, VA See and hear what the woods are like in the evening on a three-hour guided, twilight hike across "big meadow." These are offered one to two times per month. Reservations suggested. ($10 per adult, $8 per child 12 years or older). Contact the park's group sales office. Best For: Kids (7-9)•Tweens (10-12)•Teens (13+) |
Read more about Shenandoah National Park Resorts Read more about Shenandoah National Park Family Vacations
© Copyright 2012. The Independent Traveler, Inc.
All rights reserved. This file may be downloaded for personal
use only. Other copying or reproduction is expressly prohibited.
All rights reserved. This file may be downloaded for personal
use only. Other copying or reproduction is expressly prohibited.
- Independent Traveler independenttraveler.com
- Cruise Critic cruisecritic.com
-
FREE Family Travel Newsletter -
Family Travel Tips (10 New)
– Family Planning and Tips
Sure, free drinks and complimentary Wi-Fi rank high on the lists of most desirable hotel perks among travelers in general, but when it comes to visiting with kids in tow, which hotel amenities are most revered by families? From onsite airline check-in to in-room babysitting and kid concierges, con...
Favorite family biking locales in North America combine stunning scenery with a relatively easy grid of bike trails and uncongested backcountry roads. All of these locales offer exhilarating rides, guaranteed to inspire all ages to travel on two wheels. Many of the cities on the list, like San Anton...
1. Celebrate a Historic Anniversary. Boston's historic Fenway Park celebrates its 100th anniversary this year -- the perfect time to take in a ballgame while enjoying the history of America throughout the city. Give your school-aged children an up-close and personal history lesson by visiting some ...
The unofficial start to summer is nearly here, and this May 25 to 28 weekend is filled with enticing deals for families. Get out there and start your summer!
Broadmoor Resort, Colorado Springs, Colo.
Escape to the Colorado mountains for a two-night Memorial Day Family Escape at the Broadmoor. ...
There are few rites of passage as exciting as taking a child on his or her first camping trip. Families bond while roasting hot dogs and marshmallows, making shadow animals on the tent wall, chasing after fireflies and inhaling fragrant whiffs of pine. Whether you are an experienced camper from pre-...
1. The National Mall
There's no question that the National Mall, the two-mile strip of wide-open green stretching between the Lincoln Memorial and the U.S. Capitol and surrounded by Smithsonian museums and national monuments, is a must-see destination for kids. "The Mall," chock full of our nation'...
1. gogo Kidz Travelmate
If you're traveling with a child weighing less than 50 pounds, you won't want to leave home without this ingenious contraption that in seconds lets parents convert most car seats into a stroller. With the gogo Kidz Travelmate, there's no more lugging both a heavy car seat ...
On a recent ski vacation, my family of five traveled with five cellphones, three laptops, three iPads, two iPods and just for good measure, a GPS! Given the prevalence of electronic devices in our daily lives and our somewhat compulsive reliance upon them, taking a true vacation feels almost imposs...
The 1969 film, "If It's Tuesday, This Must be Belgium," depicted a funny, but sometimes all too true, look at a tour group of Americans traveling through Europe so quickly they barely knew where they were and what they were seeing.
Today, tour groups are quickly becoming an attractive option for ...
When you think of an all-inclusive vacation, your mind goes straight to the Caribbean, doesn't it? But you don't need to leave the country to get an all-in-one vacation -- resorts in the U.S. also provide all-inclusive getaways with accommodations, meals, and activities all packaged in one easy pric...