Best Bed and Breakfast
First place: The Joshua Wilton House, Harrisonburg, JoshuaWilton.com, 540-434-4464
When not browsing for produce at the adjacent Harrisonburg Farmers’ Market, Executive Chef Brian Bogan is looking for the freshest sustainably harvested seafood, such as oysters from the Eastern Shore, for guests of the 19th-century Victorian inn. Those not staying at the quaint 5-room inn can still stop by the first Saturday afternoon of each month for afternoon tea.
Second place: Frederick House, Staunton, FrederickHouse.com, 540-885-4220
Third place: By the Side of the Road Inn & Cottages, Harrisonburg, ByTheSideOfTheRoad.com, 540-801-0430
Best “Do Not Miss” Tourist Attraction
First place: Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, Staunton, FrontierMuseum.org, 540-332-7850
Watch as the past is brought to life at this year’s Memorial Day May Fair, featuring West African drumming, English woodworking and a demonstration of how dolls may have been made in the 1820s. Can’t make it? You’ve still got time to practice for the watermelon seed spitting contest at the museum’s Fourth of July celebration.
Second place: American Shakespeare Center, Staunton, AmShakes.center, 877-628-4896
Third place: Luray Caverns, LurayCaverns.com, 540-743-6551
Best Equestrian Event
First place: Bonnie Blue National Horse Show, Lexington, HorseCenter.org, 859-333-1406
The Bonnie Blue wins for its variety of competitions across 139 classes, from the Amateur Fine Harness contest Wednesday evening to the Five-Gaited Championship on Saturday. The four-day event, held May 11-14, is a United States Equestrian Foundation-rated show, featuring saddlebred, hackney and Friesian divisions.
Second place: Middlebrook Horse Show, MiddlebrookRuritans.org, 540-348-1414
Third place: Shenandoah Downs, Woodstock, ShenandoahDowns.com, 540-459-3867
Best Fishing Guide Company
First place: Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, Harrisonburg, MossyCreekFlyFishing.com, 540-434-2444
Mossy Creek offers full- or half-day trips on quiet, privately maintained waters, tailored to suit your preference for trout, smallmouth, carp or musky. You don’t need to be an expert to participate: The shop’s resident Tenkara expert leads trips teaching the traditional Japanese method that eschews a reel, perfect for children and novices.
Second place: South River Fly Shop, Waynesboro, SouthRiverFlyShop.com, 540-942-5566
Third place: Murray’s Fly Shop, Edinburg, MurraysFlyShop.com, 540-984-4212
Best Fishing Outfitter
First place: Mossy Creek Fly Fishing, Harrisonburg, MossyCreekFlyFishing.com, 540-434-2444
Far more than just a tackle shop—though it does carry the largest selection of flies in the state as well as popular brands, including Redington and Orvis in its shop and online store—Mossy Creek offers guided trips all summer on the Shenandoah and James rivers, as well as half-day beginner fly fishing courses.
Second place: South River Fly Shop, Waynesboro, SouthRiverFlyShop.com, 540-942-5566
Third place: Murray’s Fly Shop, Edinburg, MurraysFlyShop.com, 540-984-4212
Best Fitness Program
First place: Orangetheory Fitness, Harrisonburg, Harrisonburg.OrangeTheoryFitness.com, 540-324-2314
Since opening in October, the gym has seen membership soar to more than 400 thanks in part to a heart-rate monitoring system that allows coaches to track clients’ exertion over the course of each group workout. Sound stressful? No sweat—staff are specially trained to support and motivate each client.
Second place: Breathe Pilates and Fitness, Harrisonburg, BreatheHarrisonburg.com, 540-583-6683
Third place: Center of Gravity Yoga and Pilates, Lexington, LexingtonCenterOfGravity.com, 540-462-2944
Best Golf Course
First place: Heritage Oaks Golf Course, Harrisonburg, HeritageOaksGolf.com, 540-442-6502
Water comes into play on a handful of holes here, and consequently the course is home to more than 85 species of birds, including a black-crowned night heron, which has taken roost on the eighth hole. For those more interested in birdies than birds, the course also offers lessons, leagues and a challenging par-70 layout.
Second place: Spotswood Country Club, Harrisonburg, SpotswoodCC.com, 540-433-2659
Third place: Lexington Golf & Country Club, LexingtonGolfAndCountryClub.com, 540-463-4141
Best Gym
First place: Staunton-Augusta YMCA, Staunton, SAYMCA.org, 540-885-8089
Turn up the H.E.A.T.—that’s High Energy Athletic Training—one of the several cardio classes held here for fitness fiends of all abilities. Offerings also include swim lessons, a neuro-wellness class and the opportunity to engage with at-risk local youth through the Reach & Rise mentoring program.
Second place: Body Renew Fitness and Family Sports Center, Winchester, BodyRenewWinchester.com, 540-450-0700
Third place: Valley Fitness, Harrisonburg, ValleyFitnessHarrisonburg.com, 540-433-3434
Best Historic Site
First place: The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, Staunton, WoodrowWilson.org, 540-885-0897
From its boxwood gardens to a replica World War I trench in the museum’s basement, there is much to explore at the birthplace of the 28th U.S. President. History buffs could spend all day at the library and research center, which houses thousands of primary-source texts, including Wilson’s correspondence with a young Herbert Hoover during the Great War.
Second place: Lee Chapel and Museum, Lexington, WLU.edu/Lee-Chapel-And-Museum, 540-458-8768
Third place: Virginia Museum of the Civil War, New Market, VMI.edu/VMCW, 866-515-1864
Best Hotel
First place: Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center, Staunton, StonewallJacksonHotel.com, 540-885-4848
It’s hardly Much Ado About Nothing: After taking in a play at the American Shakespeare Center next door, you can retire to this elegant Colonial Revivalist 124-room hotel, offering comfort foods and seasonal fare at ground-floor restaurant Sorrels Lounge. Be sure to fill up at the omelet station at 24 Market’s breakfast buffet before checking out.
Second place: The Georges, Lexington, TheGeorges.com, 540-463-2500
Third place: The George Washington Hotel, Winchester, WyndhamGeorgeWashington.com, 540-678-4700
Best Hunting Outfitter
First place: Dominion Outdoors, Fishersville, DominionOutdoors.com, 540-337-9218
Now in its 23rd year, Dominion is a hunter’s haven. On its staff are full-time bow technicians, teacing novices to bowhunt, and a gunsmith who trains in firearms and rifle cleaning. If you’re looking to sell a gun, the store employs experienced associates to help with that as well.
Second place: High Country Outfitters, Lexington, HighCountryVa.com, 540-464-4868
Third place: Rockingham Cooperative, Harrisonburg, RockinghamCoop.com, 540-434-3856
Best Outdoor Adventure
First place: Shenandoah National Park, Luray, NPS.gov/Shen, 540-999-3500
The park hasn’t changed much since it was founded in 1935, which is part of its allure. As they’ve done for decades, visitors hike to Overall Run Falls—the tallest in the park at 93 feet—and picnic at the foot of Lewis Mountain. Come in the fall for foliage along Skyline Drive, which winds through the 200,000-acre property.
Second place: Massanutten Resort, McGaheysville, MassResort.com, 540-289-9441
Third place: Goshen Pass, Lexington, 540-463-3777
Best Resort
First place: Massanutten Resort, McGaheysville, MassResort.com, 540-289-9441
It’s easy to work up an appetite here, whether you’re playing golf and tennis in the summer, hitting the slopes in the winter, or shopping year-round at boutiques such as Piney Mountain Gifts or the Teddy Bear Factory. The Campfire Grill opened this year, joining several other family-friendly farm-to-table restaurants on-site.
Second place: The Omni Homestead Resort, Hot Springs, TheOmniHomestead.com, 540-839-1766
Third place: Bryce Resort, Basye, BryceResort.com, 540-856-2121
Best Retirement Community
First place: Sunnyside Retirement Community, Harrisonburg, Sunnyside.cc, 800-237-2257
Residents enjoy multiple assisted and independent living options—including cottages, villas and garden and patio homes—and fun activities such as cookie exchanges, holiday dinners, casino nights and day trips to Tyson’s Corner. Residents also have opportunities to lead classes in courses like billiards and woodworking.
Second place: Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community, Harrisonburg, VMRC.org, 540-564-3400
Third place: Kendal at Lexington, Kalex.Kendal.org, 540-463-1910
Best Summer Camp
First place: Northern Virginia 4-H Educational and Conference Center, Front Royal, NOVA4H.com, 540-635-7171
Look up during the summertime and there’s an excellent chance you’ll see—and hear—kids soaring past on the zipline, part of the wooded challenge course campers enjoy at the 4-H Educational Center. The 9-week co-ed camp on the site of an old U.S. Army cavalry depot offers horse riding in addition to canoeing on Lake Culpeper.
Second place: Camp Mont Shenandoah, Millboro Springs, CampMontShenandoah.com, 540-997-5994
Third place: Camp Maxwelton and Camp Lachlan, Rockbridge Baths, Maxwelton-Lachlan.com, 540-348-570