Shenandoah Valley Adventures by Land River and Sky

Fort Valley Ranch

Centrally located in the Shenandoah Valley, only 1.5 scenic hours from Washington D.C., lies Fort Valley Ranch. Nestled in the Massanutten Mountains of the George Washington National Forest, arrive at the ranch and enjoy a continental breakfast around the campfire, then start your adventure with a guided horseback ride in George Washington National Forest.

• Hourly, half and full-day rides, as well as multi-day Ranch Packages, are available.  Learn more and book your trail ride here.

After a delicious lunch, spend the afternoon kayaking down the scenic Shenandoah River with Shenandoah River Outfitters with their popular canoe and kayak steak dinner package. Leave the food cooler at home and bring your appetite as their experienced staff will cater a river-side dinner at the end of your river adventure.

Enjoy the most exciting and beautiful part of the of the Shenandoah, a class 2 rapid called “Compton’s Rapid” followed by a deep swimming hole with magnificent towering orange and gray limestone cliffs.
Paddle on a few more miles past Compton’s to your pickup point and then have a winding scenic ride back to the Outfitters in time to shower, freshen up and get ready for dinner.
Relax at the pavilion while dining on the sizzling steak and chicken barbeque along with live entertainment while friends tells stories of their adventure on the legendary Shenandoah River.

• Canoe, kayak, and raft rentals are available as well as lunch and dinner packages. Camping and river cabins and cottage are available for rent. Learn more about Shenandoah River Outfitters and book your paddling trip here.

End the day with a late check-in at the rustic and elegant River Bluff Farm Bed & Breakfast, a beautifully restored log home that sits on 20 acres above the banks of the North Fork of the Shenandoah River in New Market.

Day 2

Bryce Resort Bike Park

Eat a hearty breakfast at the B&B to give you energy to rip up the trails at the Bryce Bike Park. With eight lift-accessed trails ranging from beginner to advanced, Bryce features a unique custom-built, shredder-approved park, designed by Gravity Logic and built by 402 Trails.

• Bikes and protective gear are available for rent at Bryce’s rental shop which features state of the art Trek downhill, enduro, and kids bicycles. Learn more about the Bryce Bike Park here.

Ride as long as you’d like and enjoy a break for lunch at your leisure at The Copper Kettle Restaurant at Bryce Resort.

After ripping it up on two wheels, get out and stretch your legs while you take in the sights along a hike to Big Schloss, a popular day hike that provides wonderful views of the surrounding valley from a rock outcropping along the ridge of the mountain.

For dinner, how about a choice between outstanding wood-fired pizzas at the Swover Creek Farm Brewery or freshly prepared, cross-cultural fusion cuisine that knows no ethnic boundaries at Woodstock Brewhouse.  Both offer farm fresh flavors paired with local craft beers.

• Swover Creek Farm is a Virginia Century Farm having been in owner Lynn St. Clair’s family for multiple generations and evolved from a traditional farm to a pick your own berry farm to a farm brewery. This is a more rural and rustic setting but draws a great crowd from Bryce Resort and other nearby vineyards and the pizzas are awesome.   If weather permits and berries are in season, you can also pick your own black raspberries, blueberries, raspberries and gooseberries.
• Woodstock Brewhouse  features everything from burgers to salads, and fish tacos to grown-up mac and cheese. It’s a freshly prepared, cross-cultural fusion that knows no ethnic boundaries — made with a blend of regionally sourced & home-made ingredients.

After dinner, return to River Bluff Bed & Breakfast for the night.

Day 3

Scenic Shenandoah

Get your last day started with an adrenaline rush and a bird’s eye view of some of Virginia’s most beautiful scenery with Skydive Shenandoah which caters to first timers with tandem jumps and also experienced jumpers.

From there, a great place to have lunch is at the Woodstock Café in the center of town in Woodstock. The minute you walk in, it’s clear that it is truly a community gathering place and the heartbeat of the town. Sandwiches, Paninis, salads and wraps are served with a side of love and not a lot of fuss.

After lunch, relax and let Shenandoah Wine Tours drive, as you cruise the county touring some of the award-winning wineries in the valley:

• Cave Ridge Vineyard
• Winery at Kindred Pointe
• Muse Vineyards
• Wolf Gap Vineyard

For dinner, the Edinburg Mill Restaurant on the ground floor of the historic Edinburg Mill is set in the 1848 charm of its limestone walls and low beam ceilings. In a cozy and intimate atmosphere, the menu takes simple offerings and elevates them to extraordinary heights.

Before heading out, take the quick and easy .3 mile hike to Woodstock Tower for lovely sweeping views of seven bends of the Shenandoah River. If you’re lucky, you may even see hang gliders jumping from the platform there and soaring through the sky.

Additional Information

Shenandoah County is beautiful year round, but the best hiking, biking and great mountain views are in fall and spring. In May and June the river is up and the evenings are still cool. By mid-September and late October the leaves are turning for a spectacular show.

A great place to avoid the heat of the city, this area averages about 7 degrees cooler than Washington DC (just 90 miles East) in the hot summer months.

More Information: