Archive for the ‘Shenandoah’ Category

A Secret “Sweet Spot” for Lovers in Virginia’s Beautiful Shenandoah Valley: A TripAdvisor’s 5 Star Award for Excellence

Saturday, July 16th, 2011

“Virginia is for Lovers” is a promise fulfilled at Historic Downtown Harrisonburg’s Stonewall Jackson Inn ~ Bed and Breakfast!  Get out your “Bucket List,”  here is “must” places to visit!!   Two well- known, premier travel directories agree!  TripAdvisor has just awarded the coveted 2011 “Certificate of Excellence” to this Inn for again having a solid 5 star rating from their subscribers for the second year in a row. BedandBreakfast.com has also awarded the Inn “Best B&B in the Mid-Atlantic Region” and lists it in the elite Diamond Collection of the World’s Best B&B’s.

 

The really good news is that this Inn  is located in the hospitality-plus “Friendly City” of Harrisonburg, right in the center of the Shenandoah Valley. The City’s lively Downtown  Historical District  is also the Fine Dining & Entertainment Center of the Valley.  But that’s not all.  It offers museums, galleries, shops, stage theater and music, Farmers Market, outdoor festivals & activities.  In the center of the District in a beautifully restored pre-Civil War home,  you will find a  docent staffed  visitor’s welcome center with a gift shop and  a beautiful Tea Room that serves many different kinds of tea along with homemade goodies. Harrisonburg is not only the Valley’s choice destination for a very romantic B&B & fine dining Getaway,  but it is also a “base camp” for outdoor adventure.    There are easy day trips to experience Civil War and Frontier History, Outdoor Recreation and Entertainment, Shopping & Antiquing, Biking, Hiking, Wine Tasting, and much more.  Check out www.HarrisonburgTourism.com and www.VisitShenandoah.org if you are looking for some ideas.

 

The Stonewall Jackson’s mission and promise of a “A Night’s Delight ~ A Breakfast to Remember” is a tall order, but the Inn’s friendly hospitality team is up to the task.  They literally love their jobs of “making guests happy”.  Galina, a “wannabe” interning Innkeeper from Belarus tells the guests “It is like working in a Disneyworld Bed & Breakfast”.  The team leader, Master Innkeeper and owner,  Dr. Wayne Engel, is Professor Emeritus of Clinical Psychology at James Madison University.  He and his son started the Inn twelve years ago “just to have fun”.  The ambiance is one of warm Southern Hospitality in a Civil War Era restored mansion , with all of today’s amenities & technological comforts.  The Stonewall Jackson Inn is Certified “Virginia Green” carries a 3 Diamond AAA and an “Exceptional” rating by the Bed and Breakfast Association of Virginia www.InnVirgina.com. Visit the website for more information and details of “The Stonewall Jackson Experience” in the “Friendly City” of Harrisonburg.

Dr. Wayne Engel, © 2011 http://www.stonewalljacksoninn.com/

Visit www.StonewallJacksonInn.com, write Wayne@StonewallJacksonInn.com, or call 800.445.5330

Dr. Wayne Engel, Owner/Innkeeper

Stonewall Jackson Inn

547 East Market Street, Harrisonburg, Va. 22801

 

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15th Annual Rotary BB&T Fourth of July Balloon Rally, Lexington, VA

Friday, June 24th, 2011

Let me guess: Your fourth of July usually includes some sort of family barbecue, a lot of red, white, and blue decorations, and maybe some fireworks. Sound about right? That’s fun and all, but why not do something a bit different instead of your same routine celebrations? For example, as you have already guessed by the title of this blog entry, there’s going to be a rally of hot air balloons in Lexington at the Virginia Military Institute’s parade grounds. If you’re a bit skittish about riding in a hot air balloon, don’t panic. They provide tethered balloons so that you can have the experience without the hesitation.

Although the hot air balloons are the main event, they are not the only attraction by far. There are also food vendors, face painting, an antique car display, and the ever popular “Eleanore’s MarketPlace,” which sells used items that are in excellent condition. Besides the event itself, Lexington is a wonderful city to explore, and a bus shuttle will be provided for those who wish to scatter about and investigate.

If you’re not sure where to stay during your trip to Lexington, fear not. We have some wonderful bed and breakfasts in the area (we are the BBAV after all)! If you’re a fan of Victorian elegance, try the 1868 Magnolia House Inn.  For a unique, environmentally-friendly stay, try the Applewood Inn and Llama Trekking.

© 2011 The Reasons to be Entertained

 

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Luray Caverns of Shenandoah Valley

Wednesday, March 16th, 2011

Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley is known for its beauty, nestled as it is between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east and a stretch of the Appalachian Mountains to the west. The fertile land is home to farms, woods, and many charming, historic towns. Guests of Shenandoah Valley Bed and Breakfasts have much to explore.

Yet some of the most amazing attractions of the Shenandoah Valley are under the ground, not above it: limestone caves and caverns. There are several limestone caverns in the Shenandoah Valley: Skyline Caverns, Shenandoah Caverns, Grand Caverns, and more. Of them all, Luray Caverns are considered the most interesting and most worth visiting.

Luray Caverns were accidentally discovered in modern times in August of 1878, when a candle held by Andrew Campbell was extinguished by a rush of cold air blowing out of a limestone sinkhole. In a matter of hours, Campbell and handful of others had cleared an opening big enough for a man, and Campbell and his nephew slid down a rope into the caverns. There is archeological evidence that peoples in the past occupied or at least visited the caves, but not much is known about them.

Popular interest in the caverns was immediate and has grown more or less steadily ever since. A correspondent for the New York Herald called it the most magnificent cave he had ever seen. Scientists from the Smithsonian felt compelled to write that “there is probably no other cave in the world more completely and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation” than Luray Caverns.

Dream Lake, in Luray Caverns.

Visitors today are as amazed by what they see in Luray Caverns as they were more than 100 years ago. Read on to learn what guests of Luray VA Bed and Breakfasts may find once they enter the caves.

Luray Caverns features:

  • Stalacpipe Organ: an organ connected to stalactites; produces deep, haunting, sounds.
  • Saracen’s Tent: an incredible stone drapery
  • Pluto’s Chasm: more than 500 feet long, and 70 to 90 feet deep.
  • Frozen Fountain: a giant stalagmite, pure white.
  • Dream Lake: a large, shallow lake that reflects the beautiful stalactites above and around it.

To learn more about Luray Caverns, please visit Luray Caverns. Quotes in this post were taken from that website.

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The Shenandoah National Park

Sunday, July 25th, 2010
Sunset at Appalachian Trail

Sunset on the Appalachian Trail

The great Wagon Road was once a principal travel route for early American settlers heading south from Philadelphia. A portion of it traverses the length of the Shenandoah Valley, where Virginia bed and breakfasts have been welcoming travelers for centuries.

Today, the Shenandoah Valley welcomes visitors from around the world, many of whom travel here to visit the nearby Shenandoah National Park. Less than two hours from the nation’s capital, the Shenandoah National Park offers scenic drives and a plethora of outdoor activities. It’s impossible to experience all the park has to offer in just one day. They best way to experience it is to take up residence at a Virginia bed and breakfast near the Shenandoah National Park for a while, and take your time exploring it.

Over 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail runs through the Shenandoah National Park, along with hundreds of miles of other trails. It’s possible to enjoy a short, easy hike to a pretty waterfall or scenic overlook, or a long, strenuous hike deep into the back woods; know your capability, and bring lots of water and snacks with you. In addition to hiking, it’s possible to explore the park on horseback or bicycle. Innkeepers at bed and breakfasts Virginia near the park are a wonderful resource – ask them how they most enjoy the Shenandoah National Park.

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