Though a gorgeous flight of wine sits before me, glittering in firelight, my eyes feast instead on the sky beyond, draped across the misty horizon in a gauzy, lilac-kissed embrace. A chairlift rises nearby above a snowless, impossibly green summer slope. At Base Camp, a homey eatery on Massanutten Resort’s ski lodge deck, I’m beside a hearth-like firepit, feeling worlds away in Ridge-and-Valley wonder. Though the slopes lie exposed, it’s the kind of evening that reveals the majesty of these ancient guardians—reminding me that Virginia’s mountains hold more than ski days. They’re the state’s best-kept summer secret.
Beyond the Beach
Admittedly, I’m a beach lover, the first to suggest the two-hour drive from Richmond to the coastline. Sun, laughter, and enough water to submerge in spell my perfect day. I was surprised to find all that—and more—at nearly 3,000 feet above sea level, where four-season resort Massanutten is perched along the orbit of the Shenandoah Valley, 30 minutes from Harrisonburg.
Partway up Massanutten’s peak, a sprawling waterpark mimics the beach uncannily. Rainbow cabanas line sand-colored pavement before a rhythmic wave pool, where children shriek and weave between lounge chairs. Behind them, the silhouettes of rolling mountains promise wooded trails, mountain biking paths, golf, paddlesports, zip lines, hiking, and horseback riding—all beneath a crown of treetops.
Dana Staniunas, Massanutten Resort’s director of recreation, is a beach devotee as well. But after pulling off U.S. Route 33 toward Massanutten, Staniunas welcomes something new and shakes off monotony. “You’re off the path for a little bit to try something new,” he says. “You get out of a rut.”
Adventure Awaits
And new, indeed. Massanutten introduced me to an unlikely calling: FlingGolf. A cross between golf and lacrosse, the game uses a “fling stick”—shaped like a golf club but topped with a plastic basket. Place the ball inside, wind up, and let it fly. The stick schwings satisfyingly as it arcs overhead, launching the ball toward the green. I flew through Woodstone Meadows’ greens in two or three flings—not bad for someone who usually loses count at regular golf.
“There’s something for everyone to do here,” says head golf pro Jason Crawford. “A wife who’s always wanted to play golf but doesn’t have the time to get better will play FlingGolf so she can be with her husband.”
There’s even a Virginia FlingGolf Open held every fall—yes, real professional FlingGolfers exist, and my future self may yet join their ranks.
My confidence got another test at the Family Adventure Park, where I launched myself down airy zip lines—breezily, after a shaky start. The mountain bike trails teach human flight, too, sending riders airborne over jump after jump. It’s enough to stir nerves, but the staff doubles as cheerleaders—as I can attest, adrenaline-averse as I am.
“That’s the magic of the park—you help people push past fears,” says Kameron Tucker, mountain sports director.
More thrills are on the way: A new mountain coaster, opening later this summer, will wind through the valleys at rider-controlled speeds. At Massanutten, boredom can’t seem to catch up.
“ When you see the grandparents with their children and grandchildren here, that’s when you know we did something right for many years in a row,” says Staniunas.
But sometimes, summer’s sweetness lies in a little idleness. Fortunately, the mountains offer it in happy abundance: long, scenic drives on winding roads, mountaintop picnic spots, and no shortage of pools to dive into.
Golfing at Massanutten.
Tranquil in the Treetops
Even when a mountain draws visitors for the rush, it’s the stillness between the action that often lingers. At the end of a Massanutten bike trail, you might find a pond where ducks glide across glassy water. Tucker says the staff encounters so much natural calm that they almost forget it’s remarkable, passing deer like they’re part of the neighborhood crew.
For visitors, though, the quietude of less-traveled paths is hard to miss. Surrounded by trees and the rustle of wildlife, tranquility settles in. Across the trails and outlooks, the reward is the same: a pause, a breath, a view.
“We get so many people from Baltimore and D.C. where it’s their first time being on a mountain and in nature, and it’s the first time they’ve seen a deer,” Staniunas says.
One visitor even told Staniunas the only way to improve the mountain experience would be to install deer feeders for better wildlife viewing—though, he admits, the Department of Wildlife Resources probably wouldn’t go for it.
Mountain State of Mind
It’s the people, as much as the landscape, that usher in the mountain’s easy peace. While tourists come and go, mountain towns host locals and seasonal regulars who bring warmth to the peaks.
“Besides a resort, we’re also a living, breathing year-round community,” says Michael Hammes, Massanutten’s vice president and general manager. The resort is employee-owned, which Hammes says adds “a certain magic.”
“A lot of places say, ‘Oh, we’re a family, we’re a team.’ But here, we’re all business partners too,” he says.
The community connection stretches wide. Massanutten hosts a weekly farmers’ market on the mountain: 25 vendors strong, with made-to-order crêpes, live music, and raffles that could rival any small-town square. There are wine pairing dinners with local vineyards, cooking classes with nearby restaurants, and concerts featuring homegrown musicians.
“We consider ourselves people’s backyard mountain,” says Tucker. “You get a great mix of locals coming out.”
For die-hard beachgoers, I understand. I love Virginia’s shorelines, wild reeds, and salt spray, too. But I also love the quiet spectre of a mountain sunrise, calling me to run through forest and over rocky terrain, to witness deer tip-toeing through a clearing.
As Hammes puts it: “I found out there’s no perfect place, but here is pretty darn close.”
MassResort.com
Cyclist explores Massanutten’s moutain bike trail.
Massanutten’s Indoor/Outdoor Park.
Taking a Break at Bryce Resort
At Bryce Resort, a valley over from Massanutten and just shy of the West Virginia line, kids race bikes down looping trails while parents lounge lakeside. The whizzing of speeding cyclists is a constant as riders enjoy the unique terrain at the resort’s mountaintop bike park. Though bustling, it’s a welcoming place where community feels as natural as the slopes’ gravity. Meanwhile, on the adjacent Lake Laura, motorboats are off-limits, leaving the water calm for swimming, floating docks, and quiet casting lines.
“The general consensus is that it never feels too crowded,” says Andrew DeVier-Scott, Bryce’s marketing director. “You feel closed in, with mountains all around you. It’s peaceful.” BryceResort.com
Whisked Away to Wintergreen
Atop Wintergreen’s lofty heights, I scramble over boulders and tree roots—a wild mountainside path that’s more intuitive than marked. Finally, the sight I’ve been chasing: A blessed blue sky emerges between the branches. In the distance, an azure haze hugs the contours of the Blue Ridge Mountains. A red-tailed hawk soars overhead.
This is the view from The Plunge, a hiking trail not far from my cozy condo stay at Wintergreen Resort. It must amaze in every season, but with summer’s sun on my cheeks and the green canopy lit like stained glass, it feels enchanted.
About 50 miles south of Massanutten, this four-season resort overlooks a valley brimming with wineries, cideries, and breweries. The property features 30 miles of hiking trails, mountaintop pickleball, and private Lake Monocan, where water trampolines echo with laughter.
Off-resort, nearby Nellysford presents a bounty of wonders: the sweeping campus of Bold Rock Cider with its lawn of families at play, bordered by a creek perfect for toe-dipping; scattered parks made for sunlit picnics; and scenic drives past farmland and tall peaks alike. WintergreenResort.com
Mountain tubing brings smiles to kids and adults alike.
This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue.
