As our region pauses to pay tribute on Memorial Day weekend to the troops who have died defending our freedoms, giving the ultimate sacrifice for our nation, many will also take advantage of the long weekend to travel throughout Virginia.
If you are traveling to the Shenandoah Valley and surrounding areas, there are many offerings to keep young and old alike entertained this holiday weekend.
A memorial service in remembrance of our fallen military heroes will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday in Gypsy Hill Park in Staunton, and similar services can be found throughout the area.
The Blue Ridge Mountains provide camping in Shenandoah National Park on the Skyline Drive with all campgrounds and cabins now open for the 2010 season.
Want to take a drive for the day? It’s the 75th anniversary of the Blue Ridge Parkway with many events planned throughout the year. Start at its junction with I-64 at Afton Mountain (Mile Post 1) and continue for a long as your like. It runs all the way through North Carolina.
While on the Parkway, check out Humpback Rock farmstead at Mile Post 5, where the past comes to life with historical interpreters dressed in period costume and working the farm. There’s authentic cabins to explore, a garden, musical entertainment reminiscent of the time period … all set in the beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Stretch your legs on the short but steep trail to the top of Humpback Rock and enjoy a panoramic view of the Rockfish Valley (to the east) and Shenandoah Valley (to the west).
Two miles farther south is the Humpback Rock picnic area, a beautiful location with tables and grills on the wooded mountainside.
Back in the Valley, you may want to check out the Green Valley Bookfair located in Mt. Crawford (halfway between Staunton and Harrisonburg) a few miles off I-81. Open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Memorial Day, it has hundreds of thousands of new books at discounts up to 90% off retail. Most are overstocks and include cooking, travel guides, historical, geographical, political, computer, health, spiritual, and children’s books.
After visiting the Bookfair, stop by the Dayton Farmers Market a few miles away on Rt. 42. You may see an Amish horse-and-buggy hitched up outside the door since Rockingham County has one of the largest old order Amish/Mennonite communities in Virginia. This is the place for the best big, soft pretzels you have ever eaten as well as homemade candy, pastries and baked goods, and Hank’s BBQ. Shop for bulk foods, gift items, home decor, that hard-to-find kitchen gadget, and much more.
Staunton offers the Blackfriars Theater featuring plays by Shakespeare and others. During Memorial Day weekend there is a choice of Romeo and Juliet, All’s Well That Ends Well, and The Knight of the Burning Pestle.
While in historic downtown Staunton, be sure to check out the many restaurants that offer everything from coffee (Coffee on the Corner) to a quick bite to eat (Pampered Palate, Baja Bean, Cranberries, Shenandoah Pizza) to a fine dining experience (The Dining Room, Staunton Grocery, Zynodoa, Mockingbird). And don’t forget dessert at The Split Banana!
In the Wharf section of Staunton, located two blocks from downtown at the renovated train station that is still used by Amtrak, are two of my favorite restaurants … The Depot Grille in the train station and Byers Street Bistro. If downtown on a Saturday morning, the Farmers Market featuring local produce, plants, and herbs is in the Wharf parking area from 7 a.m. until noon.
Swimming pools traditionally open Memorial Day weekend and that holds true with the Staunton Parks and Recreation pool in Gypsy Hill Park, a huge city park with ball fields, tennis court, playgrounds, volleyball court, picnic tables and shelters, a duck pond, and the Gazebo with live entertainment throughout the summer.
