ENTERTAINMENT & EVENTS
Annual Charity Event
1st: Virginia Mennonite Relief Sale
4808 S. Valley Pike, Harrisonburg
VaReliefSale.com, 540-433-9993
This annual event raises money for Mennonite Central Committee, a worldwide ministry of Anabaptist churches that works with people to ease oppression, poverty, and conflict. They lead natural disaster relief efforts, community development, and peace initiatives. Held every October at the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, the event includes a 5K race, children’s activities, entertainment, an auction, and a marketplace that sells plants, food, and handcrafted items.
2nd: Rockbridge Christmas Baskets, Rockbridge
RockbridgeChristmasBaskets.org
3rd: Night at the Museum, Explore More Discovery Museum, Harrisonburg
IExploreMore.com, 540-442-8900
Art Event
1st: Art in the Park at Gypsy Hill
20 S. New St., Staunton
SAArtCenter.org, 540-885-2028
On Sept. 2-3, don’t miss this 56th annual art festival, showcasing the fine art and fine crafts of local and regional artists. This family-friendly festival features a weekend of art, food, music, and art activities for everyone. Sponsored by the Staunton Augusta Art Center, which is celebrating its 61st year promoting arts education and the visual arts within the community.
2nd: Dayton Days Autumn Celebration, Dayton
DaytonVa.us, 540-879-2241
3rd: Fall Foliage Festival Art Show, Waynesboro
SVACArt.com, 540-949-7662
Art Gallery
1st: Oasis Fine Art & Craft
103 S. Main St., Harrisonburg
OasisFineArtAndCraft.org, 540-442-8188
Harrisonburg’s premier artist cooperative, Oasis Fine Art & Craft exhibits and sells the work of about 35 Shenandoah Valley area artists and artisans. Visitors rave about the quality, price, and diversity of work on display and available for sale. Open seven days a week, Oasis is located in the heart of the city’s historic downtown in its Arts & Cultural District.
2nd: Warm Springs Gallery, Warm Springs
WarmSpringsGallery.com, 540-839-2985
3rd: CoArt Gallery, Staunton
CoArtGallery.com, 540-886-0737
Entertainment for Adults
1st: Ruby’s Arcade
165 S. Main St., 100B, Harrisonburg
RubysArcade.com, 540-615-5351
Ruby’s Arcade is an action-packed, sprawling hangout with duckpin bowling, pool tables, darts, foosball, shuffleboard, arcade games, and more. The gang at Ruby’s rustles up delicious food, including sandwiches, pizza, and shareables, and the space can accommodate all kinds of events, regardless of size and budget. Don’t miss bingo at Ruby’s on Tuesday nights with assorted prizes, plus food and drink.
2nd: Visulite Theater, Staunton
VisuliteCinemas.com, 540-885-9959
3rd: Wayne Theatre, Waynesboro
WayneTheatre.org, 540-943-9999
Festival
1st: Highland County Maple Festival
165 W. Main St., Monterey
HighlandCounty.org, 540-468-2550
Experience a cultural and culinary adventure at the Highland County Maple Festival, where visitors flock to celebrate the “opening” of the trees and watch the process of maple syrup-making. With sugar camp tours, pancake dinners, doughnuts, arts and crafts, and more than 100 juried vendors, the Library of Congress has designated the Highland County Maple Festival a “Local Legacy.”
2nd: Dayton Days/Autumn Celebration
DaytonVa.us, 540-879-2241
3rd: Queen City Mischief & Magic, Staunton
LOVE Sign
1st: LOVEwork at Harmony Harvest Farm
201 Little Run Rd., Weyers Cave
HHFShop.com, 800-218-8152
The Love Sign at Harmony Harvest Farm in Weyers Cave celebrates living a better life through flowers. It was proudly constructed by the Blacksburg High School Agriculture Department class of 2022. Each month, farm staff decorates the sign with fresh seasonal blooms. Head to their Facebook page to find dates that the sign will be adorned with fresh-cut flowers.
2nd: LOVEwork in Waynesboro, Waynesboro
VisitWaynesboro.com, 540-942-6644
3rd: LOVEwork in Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg
VisitHarrisonburgVa.com, 540-432-8935
Movie Theater
1st: Hull’s Drive-In
2367 N. Lee Hwy., Lexington
HullsDriveIn.com, 540-463-2621
The nation’s first nonprofit, community-owned drive-in theater, Hull’s is one of seven drive-ins still operating in Virginia. With 319 spaces, it shows family-friendly movies every weekend between March and October. When the big screen remained dark during the summer of 1999 because needed upgrades were too costly, in swooped Hull’s Angels, a local nonprofit group that preserved the community’s beloved drive-in theater.
2nd: Visulite Cinemas, Staunton
VisuliteCinemas.com, 540-885-9959
3rd: Zeus Digital Theaters, Waynesboro
ZeusTheaters.com, 540-416-0536
Museum
1st: Frontier Culture Museum
1290 Richmond Rd., Staunton
FrontierMuseum.org, 540-332-7850
The Frontier Culture Museum, an open-air living history museum, is one of the highest-rated family-friendly attractions and one of the top tourist destinations in Virginia. Costumed historical interpreters show the life and customs of the indigenous Native American tribes in Virginia, along with the arrival of European settlers traveling the Great Wagon Road. Blacksmiths, woodworkers, tailors, and yarn spinners provide interactive experiences.
2nd: Explore More Discovery Museum, Harrisonburg
IExploreMore.com, 540-442-8900
3rd: Museum of the Shenandoah Valley, Winchester
TheMSV.org, 540-662 -1473
Music Venue
1st: Lime Kiln Theater
607 Borden Rd., Lexington
Rooted in the magic of a natural, outdoor theater, Lime Kiln Theater sits on the site of a 19th-century lime kiln and quarry with two stages: The Bowl and The Kiln. The venue offers musical and theatrical performers a welcoming platform to exhibit popular and original material to a passionate audience.
2nd: Garth Newel Music Center, Hot Springs
GarthNewel.org, 540-839-5018
3rd: Forbes Center for the Performing Arts, Harrisonburg
JMUForbesCenter.com, 540-568-4394
Performing Arts Company
1st: American Shakespeare Center/Blackfriars Playhouse
10 S. Market St., Staunton
AmericanShakespeareCenter.com, 877-682-4236
Virginia’s premier classical theater, located in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, is both intimate in scale and epic in imagination. Creating vital, sophisticated, and accessible seasons built around a company of versatile actors performing in repertory all year round, it’s a center for shared discovery by audiences, scholars, and artists of Shakespeare, his contemporaries, and classics old and new.
2nd: Wayne Theatre, Waynesboro
WayneTheatre.org, 540-943-9999
3rd: Garth Newel Piano Quartet, Hot Springs
GarthNewel.org, 540-839-5018
Performing Arts Theater
1st: American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse
10 S. Market St., Staunton
AmericanShakespeareCenter.com, 877-682-4236
As the world’s only recreation of Shakespeare’s indoor Jacobean theater, this modern-day venue was built in 2001 after years of researching the original Blackfriars Theater in London, a 16th-century playhouse and former home of a Dominican monastery, as well as other surviving halls of the period. Since opening in 2001, Blackfriars Playhouse has welcomed nearly one million guests to more than 6,000 performances.
2nd: Court Square Theater, Harrisonburg
ValleyArts.org, 540-433-9189
3rd: Lime Kiln Theater, Lexington
Special Event Venue
1st: Bluestone Vineyard
4828 Spring Creek Rd., Bridgewater
BluestoneVineyard.com, 540-828-0099
Bluestone Vineyard is located in the center of the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. This family-owned and -operated vineyard and winery make a picturesque locale for memorable occasions—from intimate gatherings to larger events. Bluestone’s inside and outdoor venues include the Manor; the Vineyard and the Ridge; and the Meeting Hall, all nestled in the Valley’s rolling hills with stunning views of the Allegheny Mountains.
2nd: The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center, Staunton
Blackburn-Inn.com, 540-712-0601
3rd: Cross Keys Barn, Harrisonburg
CrossKeysBarn.com, 540-820-1744
PETS
Dog Groomer
1st: Pampered Pups
508 Taylor St., Lexington
Facebook: Pampered Pups Mobile Dog Grooming LLC, 540-319-1503
Five-star reviewers on Google praise Pampered Pups’ courteous and fast service—from nail trims to summer cuts, soothing shampoos to styling. Plus they’re applauded for being a good value and great with animals. Furry customers include dogs and cats, and discounts are offered for multiple pets. And a tip for those who live in the country: try their emergency skunk odor relief!
2nd: Four Paws Grooming, Rockingham
FourPawsGroomingHarrisonburg.com, 540-437-7455
3rd: Dog Grooming by Kelli, Staunton
Facebook: Dog Grooming by Kelli, 540-280-0593
Dog Training Company
1st: Love on a Leash
3225 Harpine Hwy., Harrisonburg
Fun4Dogs.com, 540-833-8118
Love on a Leash’s mission is to help people live in harmony with their dogs. The experienced dog trainers include the business owner, Sheli Rhodes, who is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers and an evaluator for the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test. Some activities offered include agility and pet obedience classes.
2nd: Anything is PAWSable, Lexington
PAWSableByJo.com, 540-649-1023
3rd: All Phase K9, Harrisonburg
AllPhaseK9.com, 540-433-1964
Pet Boarding/Day Care
1st: Home Away from Home Dog Boarding
333 Madrid Rd., Waynesboro
HAFH-DogBoarding.com, 540-363-3540
One goal makes Home Away From Home a stand-out in the canine boarding world: to make your dog’s stay a wonderful experience so they look forward to returning time and time again. Dogs get frequent, supervised exercise time and lots of personal attention. This means they’re content and relaxed, so they go home happy and healthy versus the alternative—stressed and exhausted. With doggie daycare too.
2nd: Happy Hounds, Harrisonburg
HappyHoundCompound.com, 540-560-8530
3rd: All About Paws, Harrisonburg
AllAboutPawsBoarding.com, 540-208-7540
Veterinary Hospitals
1st: Anicira Veterinary Center
1992 Medical Ave., Harrisonburg
Anicira.org, 540-437-1980
The goal of this nonprofit veterinary service provider is to end animal suffering by improving access to care and by providing patients with excellent, quality-driven treatments. Founded on the belief that pets are important members of the family and should stay with their families who love them, the practice provides free veterinary care and pet food to thousands of furry friends each year.
2nd: Staunton Veterinary Clinic
StauntonVetClinic.com, 540-885-1915
3rd: Ashby Animal Clinic, Harrisonburg
AshbyAnimalClinic.com, 540-433-9174
KIDS
Family Entertainment
1st: Virginia Safari Park
229 Safari Ln., Natural Bridge
VirginiaSafariPark.com, 540-291-3205
The Virginia Safari Park, a 180-acre drive-through zoo, is in Natural Bridge. Take your time driving along the three miles of road, and feed the animals through your vehicle windows. At the Village Walk-Thru, stroll and get up close to the animals who live there—from giraffes to kangaroos and llamas. Rhinos, tigers, and cheetahs also live at the park.
2nd: Hull’s Drive-In, Lexington
HullsDriveIn.com, 540-463-2621
3rd: Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton
FrontierMuseum.org, 540-332-7850
K-12 Independent School
1st: Blue Ridge Christian School
Locations in Bridgewater, Dayton
BRCSchool.org, 540-828-2233
With a reputation for its balanced programs that focus on the whole student, Blue Ridge Christian School (BRCS) offers small classes, hands-on learning, excellent academics, service and leadership opportunities, fine arts exploration, and athletic rigor. Serving Shenandoah Valley families since 1990, BRCS educates more than 300 students at its Lower School in Bridgewater and its Upper School in Dayton.
2nd: Fishburne Military School, Waynesboro
Fishburne.org, 540-946-7700
3rd: Redeemer Classical School, Keezletown
RedeemerClassical.org, 540-437-0880
Preschool
1st: Blue Ridge Christian School
100 Dinkel Ave., Bridgewater
BRCSchool.org, 540-828-2233
Blue Ridge Christian Preschool (BRCS) offers well-balanced academic and social experiences with biblical integration. Through music, prayer, arts and crafts, playtime, storytelling, and Spanish immersion, preschoolers at BRCS receive a Christ-centered, early childhood education. Hands-on learning opportunities like field trips and community service projects encourage students to discover and interact with the world around them from a formative young age.
2nd: Redeemer Classical School, Keezletown
RedeemerClassical.org, 540-437-0880
3rd: Yellow Brick Road Early Learning Center, Lexington
YellowBrickRoadELC.weebly.com, 540-463-7344
Summer Camp
1st: Camp Strawderman
2494 Dellinger Acres Rd., Edinburg
CampStrawderman.com, 540-984-4738
No one complains that this unique camp for girls in the Shenandoah Valley—with a focus on riding—isn’t plugged in, connected, or hard-wired. It is, however, engaging, challenging, thrilling, exciting, fun, nurturing, authentically rustic, and wonderfully traditional. Like a cool dip on a summer day, stories told around a campfire, nuzzling with a favorite horse, and forming lifelong friendships, Strawderman’s campers return year after year.
2nd: Camp Mont Shenandoah, Millboro Springs
CampMontShenandoah.com, 540-997-5994
3rd: Camp Maxwelton and Camp Lachlan, Rockbridge Baths
Maxwelton-Lachlan.com, 540-348-5706
TRAVEL
Bed & Breakfast
1st: Inn at Gristmill Square
118 Old Germantown Rd., Warm Springs
GristmillSquare.com, 540-839-2231
Bath County’s premier boutique inn, in the heart of the George Washington National Forest, boasts 18 comfortably appointed rooms and suites with beautifully selected antiques and modern furnishings. A continental breakfast is delivered to guests each morning complete with a basket full of chef’s goodies, freshly squeezed juice, and hot coffee. The area’s many attractions make this a popular destination.
2nd: Vine Cottage Inn, Hot Springs
VineCottageInn.com, 540-839-2422
3rd: Joshua Wilton House, Harrisonburg
JoshuaWilton.com, 540-434-4464
Historic Site
1st: Downtown Staunton
StauntonDowntown.org, 540-332-3867
With historic and cultural sites, dozens of restaurants, specialty and antique stores, salons, and galleries, downtown Staunton is a booming destination for locals and vacationers alike. With highlights that include the Farmers’ Market, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, the Virginia Scenic Railway, the African-American Heritage Museum, and Blackfriars Playhouse at the American Shakespeare Center, it’s no wonder Staunton’s nickname is Queen City of the Valley.
2nd: Natural Bridge State Park
DCR.Virginia.gov, 540-291-1326
3rd: Frontier Culture Museum, Staunton
FrontierMuseum.org, 540-332-7850
Hotel
1st: The Omni Homestead Resort
7696 Sam Snead Hwy., Hot Springs
TheOmniHomestead.com, 540-839-1766
Book a stay at the Omni Homestead Resort, and you’ll have an unforgettable experience. Nestled in the scenic Allegheny Mountain town of Hot Springs, the Homestead is the place of legends. Relax in true Southern luxury in the resort that boasts over two centuries of historic hospitality. Offering a world-class spa, wintertime skiing, plus hiking, golf, tennis, archery, falconry, and more.
2nd: Hotel Madison, Harrisonburg
HotelMadison.com, 540-564-0200
3rd: The Blackburn Inn and Conference Center, Staunton
Blackburn-Inn.com, 540-712-0601
Resort
1st: The Omni Homestead Resort
7696 Sam Snead Hwy., Hot Springs
TheOmniHomestead.com, 540-839-1766
Long known as “America’s First Resort,” the Omni Homestead began as a small wooden lodge in the picturesque Allegheny Mountains in 1766. Since then, the four-season destination has exponentially expanded over the years, welcoming 23 presidents and numerous world leaders. The Homestead offers a golf course and spa, and more than 30 recreational activities, including falconry, skiing, horseback riding, zip-lining, fly fishing, and mountain biking.
2nd: Massanutten Resort, McGaheysville
MassResort.com, 540-289-9441
3rd: Fort Lewis Lodge & Farm, Millboro
FortLewisLodge.com, 540-925-2314
State Park
1st: Natural Bridge State Park
6477 S. Lee Hwy., Natural Bridge
DCR.Virginia.gov, 540-291-1326
The 215-foot-tall Natural Bridge in Rockbridge County is a limestone gorge carved out by Cedar Creek. The 1,500-acre park boasts beautiful forests and rolling meadows showcasing the area’s karst terrain. Vistas of the surrounding mountains and the James River Valley display nature’s splendor. Seven miles of hiking trails lead to the Monacan Indian Village and Lace Falls with its 30-foot cascade.
2nd: Douthat State Park, Millboro
DCR.Virginia.gov, 540-862-8100
3rd: Raymond R. “Andy” Guest, Jr. Shenandoah River State Park, Bentonville
DCR.Virginia.gov, 540-622-6840
Tourist Attraction
1st: Skyline Drive
Shenandoah National Park
VisitSkylineDrive.org, 540-999-3500
Skyline Drive, the 105-mile, two-lane National Parkway that runs the entire length of Shenandoah National Park, has 75 overlooks providing views of the Shenandoah Valley to the west and the Piedmont to the east. With numerous trails, including the Appalachian Trail, and access to campgrounds, visitor centers, and resorts such as Skyland Resort and Big Meadows, it’s a popular drive for fall leaf peepers.
2nd: Downtown Staunton
StauntonDowntown.org, 540-332-3867
3rd: Virginia Safari Park, Natural Bridge
VirginiaSafariPark.com, 540-291-3205
OUTDOOR & ACTIVE
Dance Studio
1st: Staunton Academy of Ballet
105 N. Augusta St., Staunton
StauntonAcademyOfBallet.com, 540-886-9355
Staunton Academy of Ballet creates a supportive environment that trains young artists. Each student receives individual and professional ballet training that coincides with their physical and intellectual development. Students immediately experience the joy of movement with discipline, responsibility, commitment, and ambition being core tenets. With classes in six divisions—primary, junior, intermediate, pre-senior, senior, and adult—and 16 levels.
2nd: Rockbridge Ballet, Lexington
RockbridgeBallet.org, 540-463-3436
3rd: Dance & Co., Harrisonburg
DanceNCo.com, 540-810-3631
Golf Course
1st: The Cascades at Omni Homestead Resort
7696 Sam Snead Hwy., Hot Springs
TheOmniHomestead.com, 540-839-1766
Regarded as one of the finest mountain courses in the country, The Cascades offers challenging links set against the backdrop of Virginia’s breathtaking Allegheny Mountains. Sam Snead launched his career on this fabled Virginia mountain golf course, which has the honor of being ranked among “America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses” by Golf Digest. Nationally ranked, The Cascades frequently tops the best Southern courses list.
2nd: Shenvalee Golf Resort, New Market
Shenvalee.com, 540-740-3181
3rd: Lexington Golf & Country Club, Lexington
LexingtonGolfAndCountryClub.com, 540-463-3542
Gym
1st: Sentara RMH Wellness Center
2500 Wellness Dr., Harrisonburg
RMHWellnessCenter.com, 540-564-5682
This hospital-owned, medically based fitness pavilion offers programs and classes designed to improve the health of the Harrisonburg community. Founded in 1984 as the first of its kind, the center offers classes and amenities for all ages and life stages including yoga, aquatic fitness, cycling, two indoor pools, Bodypump, an indoor track, a dedicated Pilates studio, childcare for its youngest members, and more.
2nd: Staunton-Augusta Family YMCA, Staunton
SAYMCA.org, 540-885-8089
3rd: Harrisonburg 24/7 Family Fitness, Locations in Bridgewater, Harrisonburg
TotalBodyPlace.com, 540-432-6076
Specialty Fitness
1st: Phoenix Fitness and Yoga
58 Myers Corner Dr., Staunton
PhoenixFitnessAndYoga.com, 540-649-1671
Phoenix Fitness and Yoga’s goal is to empower and encourage its members to be stronger and healthier. With superior yoga and fitness classes and nutritional programs designed to relieve stress and anxiety, detoxify, and renew, Phoenix’s experienced team offers the best instruction that also includes Barre, Pilates, and Sculpt classes. Customized programs are also available.
2nd: The Center (Yoga & Pilates), Harrisonburg
TheCenterDowntown.com, 540-383-0438
3rd: fLex Fitness Studio, Lexington
FlexLexVa.com, 540-817-9308
Tennis Facility
1st: Gypsy Hill Park
600 Churchville Ave., Staunton
CI.Statunton.Va.US, 540-332-3945
Gypsy Hill Park is a sprawling 214-acre multi-use recreational facility located in the heart of Staunton. The park includes a dog park, swimming pool, a skate park, baseball fields, and basketball courts. Tennis is a popular sport at Gypsy Hill, with three lighted courts. Take advantage of its Automatic Player Matching Service, where players can connect with each other based on skill levels.
2nd: Doug Will Tennis Center, Bridgewater
Bridgewater.town, 540-908-4212
3rd: Augusta Health, Fishersville
AugustaHealth.com, 540-332-5433
