Travelling In The Northern Shenandoah Valley Vacation Spots

Shenandoah means Daughter of The Stars. Legend has it that that after the Great One was finished making the world there were some morning stars about. They fell in love with a Lake that shined like Silver and it was nestled in Mountains of Blue. They liked the silvery lake so well that they decided to come around every thousand years and sing songs of joy and light the skies above with their beautiful fiery robes. One day a huge rock fell on the mountain and let all the waters rush out to the sea. So they decided to look for another place to visit ever thousand years. They finally found one. It was a beautiful place where the mountains were Blue and there was a river that ran to and fro through the mountains. They began to see that this was the same bed of the river they had once been to and shown their lights over before. They dropped their shining jewels and crowns into the river for all to see. This is how the Shenandoah Valley began. Shenandoah means Daughter of the Stars.

Come and visit the many areas of the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Many places have shops, Historic and cultural museums and many things to do for fun. I will list the many places that are along the Interstate 81 and Route 11 corridor that runs through the Shenandoah Valley. Please take you time going through these towns and places. Take in the sights and sounds and see if you can catch a glimpse of what it was like living here many decades ago. Park your car in the small towns and take a walk along the mains street and the ones that meander off into the living part of the town. See the beautiful architural homes of the great era of the Civil War and imagine what it was like living in them then. 

Some of the things you can do are walking the streets of the towns, go to museums, take a vineyard tour, go to a parade, learn about the town, walk the Battlefields that many men have fought their lives with for us to have freedom, go to a famous resort, see old and antique cars, watch glass blowing, taste wine, ride a balloon, see famous people, go to a theater, shop and go antiquing, spelunking and visiting the many vast caverns and caves, going to and actually experiencing what it was like in the camps of the Civil War through re-enactments and a whole lot more!

The Northern Shenandoah Valley spans from Maryland through the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and into and through the western part of Virginia. Massanuten Mountain divides the Northern part of the Valley from the Southern Part. The Blue Ridge Mountains line the vast valley. The water from the mountains feed into the winding Shenandoah River. It is so gorgeous to see and rarely is such a thing so beautiful. Within the boundaries there are many unusual rock formations, deep caverns, rolling hills, forested mountains and many babbling brooks, fish-filled streams, ponds, and lakes. Towns are scattered around the I-81 and Route 11 Corridor. While driving through the Valley feast your eyes on the cattle that pepper the countryside. The towns are rich in history and culture. Many areas are remnants of Battlefields of the Civil War.

If you drove straight through I-81 it would take you approximately 4 hours to get from Hagerstown to Harrisonburg and vice versa. Now the towns that are off to the right and left would take you a bit longer. Harpers Ferry is about 45 minutes from Martinsburg out Route 51. Route 51 runs east to west from Gerrardstown/Mills Gap through Charles Town, to Harpers Ferry. Route 9 runs east to west too and goes through the towns of Charles Town/Ranson to Berkeley Springs/Bath. Route 45 also runs east to west and Sheperdstown is one of the main towns that are located on the main road. Anywhere that you choose to stay you could visit a town each day or more than one because they are all in a manageable distance to one another. Some things that you will want to do in each town are listed below.

One town is the exception to the WV part of the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Hagerstown, which is in Maryland, is the top most town of the Shenandaoh Valley and why it is included here.

Hagerstown, Maryland is a wonderful place to visit in the summer months when they have Civil War Re-enactments and the Ransom of Hagerstown when they burned the town to the ground during the Civil War. During this event there are many people dressed in period costumes, they have many shops and things to do while you are there. Visit their website for n=more information: http://www.marylandmemories.org/hagerstown.html

Martinsburg, the County seat in Berkeley County, which Old Route 11 runs through has many things to do in the area. Visit the old churches, the Railroad Stations that ere very much used in the Civil War era. Walk down the main street and visit the shops there. You'll want to take the time to shop at the Martinsburg Mall, go to the various Apple Festivals, and see all the Ag displays, Tractor Pulls and more at the annual Youth Fair. For more information visit their website at: http://www.travelwv.com/index.php?pr=History

Shepherdstown is the site of a well know College. Take a tour of the shops on Main Street. There is even a New Age shop there where you can purchase Crystals books and more and they even have classes for meditation and the like. Visit the Calendar to make your travel plans here: http://www.shepherdstownvisitorscenter.com/newCalendar.asp Don't forget to take a tour of the College Campus and learn about the heritage of that town. http://www.shepherd.edu/ The most famous place to visit there is the Bavarian Inn. Visit the website to check out the accommodations and other information: http://www.bavarianinnwv.com/

Harpers Ferry is where the Underground Railroad went through and John Brown's Army congregated. Many shops to visit and museums and historical sites to see. Add this place to your travel plans too. Visit their website to know more: http://www.historicharpersferry.com/

Charles Town was named after George Washington's brother. It is also a very historical place. The movie "Gods and Generals" was filmed right in the heart of Charles Town and they really built up the main street for that. It is a beautiful city that you will just want to put in your travels as well. For more information check out their website: http://www.charlestownwv.us/  The main attraction is the Charles Town Race Track and Slots which brings in alot of the tourism to the area surround the town. You will want to visit their famous Eateries and their Restaurants. Check out the site for more information: http://www.ctownraces.com/site/ This site takes a little time to load because of all the graphics.

Gerrardstown, I wrote a hub on this and you can read and see all the pictures: Take a Ride To The Beautiful CountrySide

Berkeley Springs/Bath. This town is famous for Berkeley Castleand is the home of the first spa in the US. It is a nice town filled with lots of history and shops and a few famous restaurants. You won't want to miss any of these on your travelling.

Winchester: (The Other Northern Virginia) Visit the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Visit the gardens, the house and the R. Lee Taylor Miniature, Julian Wood Glass Jr., and The Shenandoah Valley Galleries. Call for hours and prices: 888-556-5799 or visit their website at: http://www.shenandoahmuseum.org Walk down in the Old Town section and walk around the shops on Piccadilly Street which is still paved with bricks. Patsy Cline was buried here and the most famous of all things to do there is the Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival which runs the last week of April culminating with the Parade on May 1st of each year. Schools are closed that day. They have a famous person as the emcee each year and lots of fun things to do in the park for children and a huge craft fair there too. You won't want to miss the Pancake breakfasts and many other things to do and top it off with watching the Parade. Visit their website at: http://www.thebloom.com/

Strasburg has a tour through the neighborhoods of the most famous houses and a President's museum with civil war memorabilia, costumes of the day and much more.

Front Royal visit their website for local things to do and accommodations: http://www.frontroyalva.com/

Luray Cavernslocated Northeast of New Market (exit 264 off of I-81) is the largest caverns in the east. The caverns have been under the Shenandoah Valley for thousands of years and have a very unique item that you just must see, the formation of what looks like fried eggs. Listen to rocks sing and much more here. The caverns were discovered by a tinsmith in 1878. Also take time to visit the Garden Maze, the biggest in the Mid-Atlantic region. Find towers, fountains, lookouts and there is even a misting system to cool you down in the hot summer months. Call for information: 540-743-6551 or visit their website at http://www.LurayCaverns.com

New Market has the Hall of Valor Civil War Museum and the Historic Bushong Farm. This place is listed in the National Register of Historic Places and a must see on your tour. Call the for more information: 866-515-1864 or visit their website at: http://www.vmi.edu/newmarket

Harrisonburg (exit 243), full of fun things to do like visit the Shenandoah Heritage Market. Shop the large Antique Mall, eat at the Country Style Cafe, by Amish Made furniture and local hand-made items. Massanutten 4 Seasons Resort is off to the east of the city. They have many things to do and may kinds of accommodations. You can even get a timeshare there for you and your families/friends vacations stays. Some of the things that you can do there are Kayaking, Canoeing, Rafting, Rock climbing and they have a huge indoor water slide and water fun area for kids. They are also well known for their winter activities, many ski slopes and trails. Amongst those you can take tours of Vineyards, Presidential homes and Civil War Areas. Make your reservations today by calling: 540-289-4066 or visit the website: http://www.massadventures.com

Here ends the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Towns after Harrisonburg are considered the Southern Shenandoah Valley.