Overview
We live a few miles outside of Round Hill Virginia up on the Blue Ridge and this is within easy striking distance of a great deal of the Shenandoah Valley area of Virginia. I grew up in this area of the country but have travelled widely across North America, and I still believe that the Shenandoah Valley is still one of the most beautiful areas.
The last few years we have been road tripping a lot and have written a great deal about our travels outside of this area but hadn’t focused on what what’s right in our own back yard.
Nancy and I recently took a wonderful weekend trip that included an overnight stay at the historic Mimslyn Hotel in Luray Virginia.
I thought I would use this as excuse to start to write more about what I know about this area.
This leisurely getaway included stops at the numerous antique shops and stores that are in all of the small towns along this route and walking at some of our favorite places.
Although we didn’t do it on this trip you can also easily visit places like Luray Caverns and Shenandoah Caverns along this route as well as tour a number of Civil War battlefields including New Market, Cedar Creek, Cool Springs and the Third Battle of Winchester. There is even the historic Meem’s Bottom Covered Bridge along the route.
Other outdoor activities include hiking or canoeing at the Seven Bends State Park or strolling the wonderful old downtown area of Winchester.
Here is an overview of the route and a run through is some of our favorites.
Map of the Shenandoah Getaway
Cool Spring Preserve and Battlefield
This is one of my absolute favorites places to go to and depending on the day of the week it is rarely crowded. I have gone here many times when I am just about the only person around.
Head West on Rt 7 out of Round Hill, Virginia and right before crossing the Shenandoah River, take a right on Parker Lane (a dirt road) to the Cool Springs Preserve. There is a small sign our along the highway for this that you have to look for but can easily miss.
On July 18,1864 the Battle of Cool Spring involved 13,000 union and confederate troops and took place along the Shenandoah River in Clarke County. Shenandoah University and The American Battlefield Trust worked together to preserve this beautiful and delightfully peaceful stretch of 195 acres along the river. There are miles of trails that you explore including a trailhead for the Ridge to Rivers Trail that leads up the mountain to the Appalachian Trail. If you keep your eyes open, you might spot the Bald Eagles that nest down along the river.
There is a large historic mansion called The Retreat you can rent for events or a family retreat.
Berryville
From Cool Springs, take Rt 7 west to Berryville and then turn south on Rt 340. This area is filled with rolling farmland including the 3,000 acre, 250-year-old Audley Farm where you can stop and buy local beef. Berryville itself has a nice little downtown section with restaurants and shops.
Front Royal
Continuing on along Route 340 south you come to the town of Front Royal where you can find more shops and restaurants and if you wish you can use it as anchor for a wide variety of activities. The town bills itself as the gateway to the Shenandoah National Park, Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Mountains. In the summertime, there are plenty of opportunities to canoe and kayak in the area on the Shenandoah River or camp in Shenandoah National Park.
Strasburg
From Front Royal take Rt 55 west to the little town of Strasburg where you will find the delightful Strasburg Emporium. This place is filled with an incredible assortment of interesting items. Nancy and I joke that these types of places are basically museums except you can actually buy what you see. Inside the Emporium you will find a really nice little bakery where you can catch a snack. Across the street from the Emporium, you can explore the Strasburg Museum which is housed in the old train station.
Fort Valley Road
From Strasburg, double back about 5 miles and take Fort Valley Road south towards the Elizabeth Furnace Recreational Area. If you so inclined there are several really nice camping areas not far off this road in the Elizebeth Furnace Recreational Area. The Fort Valley Road itself is very scenic with rolling valleys and farmland.
Luray
Luray is the next small town of about 4,000 people where you can find places to eat and it’s also where the Mimslyn Inn is located.
Luray Caverns
The big attraction in Luray is the Luray Caverns which are a great diversion for a few hours. There is also a decent antique car museum that you can tour as a part of your visit to the caverns.
Mimslyn Hotel
Nancy and I recently took advantage of a date night package at the historic Mimslyn Hotel in Luray where we got a bottle of wine, two appetizers, two entrees and our room for just slightly more than the room itself would normally run. We went in early February, one of their slowest times of the year. Virginia seems to be filled with places like this and the Mimslyn does not disappoint as a member of Historic Hotels of America. Ou dinner was served in The Speakeasy and was really great. On this particular Saturday, the place was packed with about a 30-45 minute wait for a table but we got there early and got seated right away.
Luray to New Market to Winchester on R11
Leaving Luray, we are going to first travel west on Rt 211 until we reach the town of New Market. From there we are going to stay on Rt 11 until we hit Winchester. This road is known historically as the Great Wagon Road, a route that was followed south in the 1700’s by German and Scots Irish immigrants as they disembarked out of Philidelphia and moved south through the Shenandoah Valley to settle it and build a string of towns along the route.
As we proceed north on Rt 11, we pass through the towns of Mt. Jackson, Edinburg, Woodstock, Strasburg (we visited on the way down), Stephen City, Middletown and Winchester. Each of these towns are worth stopping at and exploring.
New Market Battlefield
The second of the civil war battlefields that lay along this adventure is the New Market Battlefield. In this battle which took place on May 15,1864, students as young as 15 from the Virginia Military Institute were organized into a combat unit and joined the attack on Union lines. A great deal of the battlefield parks 300 acres remains much the same as they were in 1864.
Shenandoah Caverns
Not far from Mt Jackson you will find Shenandoah Caverns which has been in business for over 100 years.
Meems Bottom Cover Bridge
Continuing north on RT 11, the beautiful Meems Bottom Covered Bridge is located just off of Wissler Road just a short distance outside of Mt. Jackson as you head north in Rt 11. There is a parking lot at the foot of the bridge where you can pull into and walk around and take pictures.
Edinburg Mill
Farther up on Rt11 North is the Historic Edinburg Mill and the delightful small town of Edinburg. The mill has a variety of retail businesses and a full-service restaurant.
Seven Bends State Park near Woodstock
We recently discovered the fairly new Seven Bends State Park which contains 1,052 acres along the North Fork of the Shenandoah River. There are hiking trails and picnic areas that are distributed between 2 locations. Each location requires crossing over a low water bridge. You can launch your canoe or kayak at the Hollingsworth Location and then take out at the Lupton Access. This is a really nice park located just outside of Woodstock and is well worth a visit.
Cedar Creek Battlefield
On October 18th, 1864, more than 52,000 union and confederate troops collided on the Cedar Creek battlefield south of Winchester and just outside of Middletown. Near the battlefield is also Belle Grove Plantation that you can tour.
Family Drive-In Theatre
One of the last remaining Drive-In’s is located near Stephens City along the RT 11. Our family has frequented this little gem a lot over the years. It’s a double screen drive-in so there are usually 4 movies playing there when the weather is warm.
Winchester
The old town section of Winchester has a pedestrian mall that is loaded with quaint shops and restaurants! One of our real favorites is Piccadilly’s Public House located just a block or so off the pedestrian mall.
Green Circle Trail – Winchester
In the city of Winchester, you can find signs to the Green Circle Trail which takes you to many of the sights in Winchester. We typically park in Jim Barrnett Park and catch the trail heading towards the downtown area. Depending on how much time we have we will walk on the trail out to the Museum of the Shenandoah and then head back to old town and have lunch before going back to Jim Barrnett Park.
The trail takes you through the heart of old town and it’s marked with green circle trail signs so it’s pretty easy to follow.
Green Circle Trail Winchester
Sites along the Trail
This trail takes through old town and past many of the old mansions in Winchester. Part of the trail runs along the old town run which when you in this section makes it hard to believe you are in the middle of town.
The Historic George Washington Hotel
Right next to Picadilly’s Public House is the magnificent and historic George Washington Hotel. It is reasonably priced such that Nancy and I will occasionally treat ourselves to a night in old town for something like just $20 more than a chain hotel along the interstate in town. It was built in 1922 and opened on February 22, 1923 on George Washington’s birthday. At one time, the complex included a movie theater. Over the years, guest celebrities included Al Capone, Bob Hope, Henry Ford, The Beatles and Marilyn Monroe, to name a few. It is also home to the largest remaining mural of early American artists, Malcolm Parcell. Parcell created a total of 6 murals for the Pioneer Room.
George Washington Hotel Winchester
Third Battle of Winchester
The 4th Battlefield on this tour is the Third Battle of Winchester which happened on September 19,1864. There are miles of walking trails here and the battlefield is one of the most pristine that you will find.
Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
There are miles of walking trails located on the grounds of The Museum of the Shenandoah Valley which is located close to the old town section on Winchester.
Summary
To get back to Round Hill, just follow Rt 7 East.
The great thing about this excursion is that you can mix, and match stops and activities depending on the weather and the time of year. Regardless of season, the scenic driving is always great. In the summer, trees and flowers are in their full glory. In the fall, you can bask in the rich colors of the changing leaves. In the winter, when leaves are gone, you can see for miles.
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