Planning a weekend getaway from Washington, D.C.? The Shenandoah is a wonderful destination. Here’s a guide on where to stay and what to do.
The Shenandoah Valley and Shenandoah National Park are perfect for a weekend getaway from D.C. An easy and short drive (if you’re able to avoid rush hour on I-66) from the city, the Shenandoah feels like a world away and is great for hiking, biking, kayaking and tubing.
We’ve spent countless weekends in the Shenandoah over the years. We usually stay Friday night through Sunday morning and plan our trips for Spring, Summer and Fall.
Where to stay
Luray RV Resort & Campground. Formerly known as Outlanders Rivers Camp, we’ve stayed here several times and it’s about as easy as it gets. The campground offers tent camping, RV sites, and cabin, cottage and Airstream rentals. We camped a few times when they offered platform sites tucked in the woods. Their current tent sites are down by the river so there’s an uphill walk to the bath house, but you have lovely views of the river. In the summer, you can bring tubes, float down river and then walk back to the camp for another round.
We’ve also stayed in one of the cabins, which was clean and well equipped. Also, hot tubs! The resort is adding many more amenities: water features, pickleball, basketball, a mountain bike track, corn hole, RC car track and more. I guess those go along with the new name. One final note: the location is close to shops and restaurants in Luray if you forget to pack something.
There are other Shenandoah cabin rentals nearby, but those book up basically a year in advance so I’m less inclined to recommend them.
What to do
The nearby Shenandoah National Park is the obvious answer for hiking and biking. You can drive along its ridgeline, Skyline Drive, for lots of overlooks and opportunities for views and photos.
In the summer months, there are several outfitters for kayak, canoe and tube rentals near the Shenandoah River. We’ve used Downriver Canoe Company, but there are many others.
Luray Caverns are the largest caverns in the U.S. We haven’t been since our daughter was a baby, but the boys enjoyed our visit.
