If you love spending time in the outdoors, you’re in luck! The Shenandoah Valley, where you’ll find our top-rated Virginia Bed and Breakfast, is one of the leading areas for outdoor activities in Virginia. Whether it’s hiking, biking, fishing, paddling, or chasing waterfalls, there’s no shortage of outdoor activities in Virginia to enjoy this summer, and we’d love nothing more than to be your home base for all of it.
Whether you’re looking for big adventures or just want to enjoy the beautiful scenery of Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, there are plenty of outdoor activities in Virginia to enjoy for a range of abilities. Your adventures can be as easy as enjoying one of the many scenic drives in the area, including driving along Skyline Drive or the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Whatever you do during the day, return to the comfortable accommodations of our Virginia Bed and Breakfast, where you’ll enjoy the best night of sleep away from home you’ll ever have. We offer so much more than that, too, including a friendly welcome and personalized hospitality. See the difference a Select Registry property can make in your getaway, and book a room at our Virginia Bed and Breakfast today!
Where to Enjoy Outdoor Activities in Virginia
The world is your oyster when it comes to enjoying the best outdoor activities in Virginia – especially when you’re in a place as jaw-droppingly beautiful as the Shenandoah Valley. We often say our Virginia Bed and Breakfast is “in the middle of it all” because truly, when you stay with us, you have easy access to many of the top attractions in this beautiful part of the country – and we aren’t just talking about outdoor activities in Virginia!
We’re also near the charming towns of Lexington and Staunton, where you’ll enjoy many activities, restaurants, shops, and history. With Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park just to the north of our Virginia Bed and Breakfast and the 469 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway stretching out from here south, there’s certainly no shortage of great outdoor activities in Virginia to enjoy in the area – and those are just two of the great options you have before you!
Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite outdoor activities in Virginia – but we promise there are many more we’d love to share with you.
Shenandoah Valley Hiking
There’s no shortage of incredible hikes in the area, including at popular destinations like Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Some of our favorites include:
- The North River Gorge near Staunton offers plenty of great hiking trails and beautiful views of the Shenandoah Valley.
- Similarly, you’ll find plenty of great outdoor activities in Virginia, including several great hikes in the George Washington and Jefferson national forests. There’s even excellent access to 325 miles of the Appalachian Trail from here.
- Stoney Man Trail in Shenandoah National Park is great for all abilities and offers beautiful views of the Shenandoah Valley.
- Chimney Rock in Shenandoah National Park is a moderate 3.4 hike with unusual rock formations, beautiful wildflower blooms, and breathtaking vistas.
- Old Rag Summit, another great hike in Shenandoah National Park, is a challenging 5.4-mile hike that is the epitome of outdoor activities in Virginia. Once at the top, you’ll enjoy panoramic views and unique rock features that make breaking a sweat very worth it.
- Head to the Blue Ridge Parkway and enjoy an afternoon of hiking at the Peaks of Otter area. A favorite hike here is Sharp Top Mountain, where you’ll enjoy a spectacular 360-degree view of the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Take a hike at At the Humpback Gap Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The Humpback Rocks Trail is a 7.8-mile roundtrip hike that will take you to Humpback Rocks, Humpback Mountain, and the Humpback Rocks Picnic Area.
- Hike to the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Apple Orchard Mountain Overlook, also on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Biking Around the Valley
There are some great bike trails and rural roads in the Shenandoah Valley, which is one of the most popular outdoor activities in Virginia. Some favorite routes include:
- There are some fantastic rural roads around Staunton that are perfect for biking. They include Frog Pond/Smoky Row, Badger Road, and the Staunton Polyface Ride.
- Start in Buena Vista and travel for around 45 miles on the Blue Ridge Parkway on this scenic road route in Rockbridge County.
- Ride the Chessie Trail between Lexington and Buena Vista, a multi-use trail owned by the Virginia Military Institute.
- If you’re looking for a longer ride through Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley, consider the Trans Virginia Trail. It’s a 550-mile gravel trail from Washington, DC to Damascus, VA.
- There are also plenty of excellent mountain biking trails in Virginia, including Montgomery Hall Park in Staunton and Massanutten Resort’s Bike Park.
Fishing & Paddling
With many rivers and lakes in the Shenandoah Valley, you’re never far away from a fishing, boating, or paddling adventure. Top waterways to explore in the area include:
- With over 90 mountain streams to choose from, there is excellent fishing in Shenandoah National Park, with most streams containing native brook trout.
- The Harrison River Valley, home to the popular Fraser River and its migrating salmon population is a great place to enjoy fishing in the Shenandoah Valley. It’s also a great place to fish for white sturgeon.
- There’s excellent canoeing, kayaking, and more on the Shenandoah River, particularly just north of our Virginia Bed and Breakfast in Harrisonburg. This is one of our favorite outdoor activities in Virginia on a hot summer day!
- There’s also some fantastic paddling and fishing to be enjoyed on the James River, the largest river in Virginia.
Chase Waterfalls
The Shenandoah Valley has abundant waterfalls, including many top-rated Blue Ridge Parkway waterfalls. Some of our nearby favorites include:
- Dark Hollow Falls Trail in Shenandoah National Park is a relatively short hike at 1.4 miles, but it leads to a cascading waterfall that tumbles over mossy rocks into a shallow pool.
- Jones Run Falls Trail is a 3.2-mile waterfall hike in Shenandoah National Park. The hike gains over 1,000 feet in elevation, leading you to a scenic 42-foot waterfall.
- Fallingwater Cascades is an easy but beautiful waterfall hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway.
- Just up the road from Fallingwater Cascades is Apple Orchard Falls, one of the more impressive waterfalls in Virginia, dropping 200 feet.
- Wigwam Falls is one of the easiest-to-access waterfalls in the area and a great choice when looking for a laid-back approach to outdoor activities in Virginia.
- If you want to do a little hiking followed by a refreshing swim this summer, head to White Rock Falls.
- One of our favorite outdoor activities in Virginia is the scenic hike to Crabtree Falls in Virginia. We love sending our guests here for a scenic day and a romantic picnic.
Unwind at the Best Virginia Bed and Breakfast
As exciting as these outdoor activities in Virginia can be, the best part about visiting the Shenandoah Valley is the opportunity to relax and unwind with us at our Virginia Bed and Breakfast. It’s the perfect place to put your feet up and rest, particularly after a long day enjoying the best outdoor activities in Virginia.
In addition to offering luxurious guest rooms and 50 beautiful acres of space to enjoy, we also offer a seasonal pool and a firepit – both great ways to unwind after a long day in the outdoors! In the morning, we’ll fuel you up for even more outdoor activities in Virginia with a complimentary and multi-course breakfast. We are happy to accommodate dietary restrictions to the best of our ability with a minimum of 24 hours notification.
There’s truly no better place to stay in Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley – unless, of course, you’d prefer a more private getaway in one of our five Shenandoah Valley cabins, co-located on the grounds with our Virginia Bed and Breakfast. If enjoying these outdoor activities in Virginia sounds like a great way to spend your summer and fall, then now is the time to book your room at our Virginia Bed and Breakfast!
