 Welcome to Front Royal! Mid-February is getting here, and the end of another winter is finally in sight. It’s time to turn our thoughts to planning for the warmer seasons of the year. From the fresh spring breezes as the mountainsides first begin to come alive, through the lush greenery and fun of summer, to the majestic displays of fall, Front Royal is incredible all year long! And our small town in exploding with innovative and unique local businesses, restaurants, and more. If you’re planning a getaway or daytrip in rural America this year, there’s never been a better time to discover Front Royal.  Main Street Gazebo - Front Royal, VA Read on for some help planning this year’s trip to Front Royal. Get excited about Front Royal by exploring some of the many ways you can have fun and relax in our town. We’ll also tip you off with some of the hottest places to stay, so you can beat the crowds and make your reservation in plenty of time. It’s time to start looking forward to Front Royal! Somewhere to Stay in Front Royal First thing’s first, a great trip starts with a great place to stay. If you’re looking for something familiar, you’ll find a range of big name hotels in Front Royal. But if truly unique lodging is what your heart desires, Front Royal has treasures waiting to be discovered.  Walnut Hill - John Pope Cabin - Browntown, VA Check out Walnut Hill Farm and Estate where you can stay in a historic cabin, while exploring a stunning 500 acre estate. With woodland trails, a waterfall, and even an outdoor fireplace, there’s so much to do and see here, that you could spend a weekend without leaving the ground. Walnut Hill Farm and Estate is an event venue too, so if you’re planning anything from a wedding to a family reunion or corporate retreat, keep them in mind. Book soon to make sure you have the chance to enjoy this truly magical lodging opportunity.  Mountain Home B&B and 'Cabbin' For another memorable place to stay, reserve a room at Mountain Home B & B and 'Cabbin'. Located just 120 steps from the Appalachian Trail, this historic-house-turned-bed-and-breakfast is an ideal lodging option for outdoors enthusiasts. But even if you’re not coming to hike, you’ll enjoy beautiful rooms, delicious, healthy, locally sourced food, and a peaceful, country atmosphere. It’s a great option for anyone in search of a rejuvenating getaway. Something to Do in Front Royal If you’re planning a day or a few in Front Royal, you’ll find there’s fun and adventure waiting for all, from kids, to outdoors enthusiasts, to lovers of unique shops and delicious coffee! With Shenandoah National Park in our backyard, and the Shenandoah River running right through town, there’s outdoor fun to be had for all ages in and around Front Royal. Plan a day of hiking, take a leisurely drive through the National Park and enjoy scenic overlooks, or make your reservations for a day of fun on the river. The possibilities are almost endless.  Photo Courtesy of: Virginia Tourism Corporation If you’re looking to explore around town, there’s plenty to do too. Check out charming shopping opportunities, historic sights, fantastic coffee shops, and more! A Way to Unwind in Front Royal Of course a getaway isn’t all about filling your days with exciting activities. It’s also a great time to find some slower paced moments where you can relax and unwind while doing something you love.  Sweet treats in Front Royal What could be more relaxing than sipping on a glass of wine while taking in the view from a stunning mountain winery? Or enjoying an ice cream after a day of fun on the river? Or taking a leisurely riverside stroll? There are so many ways to unwind in Front Royal! Don’t forget to fit in a mead tasting, and, of course, check out some of Front Royal’s fantastic restaurants. They can’t wait to serve you gourmet food, craft beers, and local Virginia wines.  Photo Courtesy of: Virginia Tourism Corporation With unforgettable lodging, fantastic fun, and unparalleled relaxation awaiting you, it’s time to start planning your 2022 Front Royal adventure! There’s a lot to look forward to in Front Royal!
 As the calendar turns to February, thoughts of romance begin to warm the winter air. If you’re planning an evening with a special someone look no further than the Front Royal area! You’ll find that a small town Valentine’s Day is the perfect setting for your romance to blossom. Read on for five tips (plus a bonus!) on celebrating Valentine’s Day (or any romantic occasion) in the Front Royal area. With fine dining, fun activities for couples, special events with local businesses, and wineries aplenty, there’s a way for everyone to keep the romance going (and maybe fall in love with Front Royal, too!) 1. Sample Front Royal’s Fine Dining Nothing says “I love you” quite like dinner at an elegant table for two. If you’re in search of a traditional dinner date Front Royal’s fine dining eateries are at your disposal. Don’t forget to make a reservation! With Valentine’s weekend being one of the busiest of the year in restaurants, you’ll want to make sure you secure your table well in advance.  ViNoVa Mediterranean Bistro - Main Street, Front Royal Mark your calendar for Saturday February 12 to take advantage of the four course Valentine’s dinner at ViNoVA Mediterranean Bistro. Go here to make your reservation and enjoy four delicious courses, a bottle of wine, and a special dessert cocktail. Eat, drink, and fall in love! For a local craft brewery in a modern setting with delicious pub food, plan your Valentine’s Dinner at Front Royal’s own Vibrissa Beer. You may even catch a glimpse of Cupid while you eat. The Element on Main Street is Front Royal’s classic fine dining option. You’ll find gourmet food and the atmosphere to go with it. Or for another fine dining options, lovers of Asian cuisine, should visit Try Thai on Main Street.  Try Thai - Main Street, Front Royal, VA 2. Explore a Casual Dining Spot that Locals Love If you’re not in the mood for formal dining, a fun, casual eatery can also be a setting for great date. Today, we’re featuring two old Front Royal favorites where locals have been making great memories for years! If there’s one restaurant in Front Royal that pizza lovers shouldn’t miss, it’s The Melting Pot! This local favorite has been feeding pizza to Front Royal for over 50 years. Some locals have been making memories here for a lifetime!  The Apple House - Linden, VA For a fun twist on the traditional dinner date, why not try a breakfast date instead? The Apple House is an old Front Royal area favorite that gets you out of town, but doesn’t involve a long drive. Don’t forget to end your meal with one of their famous apple butter donuts! Or come back in the evening for a drink, appetizers, and a sandwich at the Apple House’s newly opened Bushel Pub. With a drink menu full of Virginia wines and Virginia Craft Beers, it’s a great date-spot for lovers of local products. 3. Take a Dance Class  Jig'N' Jive Dance Studio - Main Street, Front Royal, VA What could be more romantic than enjoying a dance together? If you or your partner have two left feet, don’t worry! Jig ’N’ Jive Dance Studio offers private ballroom and swing dance classes for couples. Have fun together, learn a new skill, and listen to romantic music, all at the same time! 4. Enjoy Special Valentine’s Events with Local Businesses  It’s impossible to enjoy all the Valentine’s fun on one day! That’s why Front Royal’s favorite local businesses have banded together to plan some fun events leading up to the big fourteenth.  Warren County Chocolate Crawl - DELICIOUS The week of February 7-14, take part in the second annual Warren County Chocolate Crawl. Explore Front Royal and receive a special treat or discount at participating businesses. Bring five receipts from participating businesses to the Visitors Center to enter their I LOVE Main Street $250 Giveaway! The winner will receive $250 in gift cards to all your favorite main street businesses. Stop by the Visitors Center for details. On February 12, enjoy extra fun on Main Street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the I LOVE Main Street event. February 12th and 13th are also a great days to try out axe throwing with your date! Shenandoah Valley Axe Co. is offering a Valentine’s special that features 1.5 hours of axe throwing as well as coaching and refreshments. Make your reservation today!  Shenandoah Valley Axe Co. - Front Royal, VA If you’re coming into town a week early, no worries! Main Street’s local businesses also have some Valentines-themed fun planned for the “First Friday” weekend of February 4-6. 5. Sip on a Glass of Virginia Wine  Fox Meadow Winery, Linen, VA - Join the club! There’s something about the experience of sharing a glass of wine that is both memorable and romantic. If you’re in search of a wine date, the Front Royal area has a wealth of amazing local wineries. Rappahannock Cellars, and Fox Meadow Winery are two nearby favorites that combine delectable wines with all the classy winery atmosphere you love. 6. Don’t Forget to Plan Something for the Kids  Battlegrounds Fitness - Front Royal, VA Not strictly a date idea, but all parents know that the babysitting is an essential aspect of date planning. If you’re planning your night out for Saturday February 12, you’re in luck! Entertain them and let them burn off some energy at Battlegrounds Fitness. They’ll enjoy a night of fun, games, and healthy exercise. Bonus: they should be tired enough to collapse into bed right when you get home, giving you even more quiet time together! All ages from “potty-trained” on up are welcome.  Parents Night Out with Code Ninjas - Front Royal You deserve a night on the town and it helps knowing your kids will be playing and having fun too! That's why Code Ninjas offers Parent's Night Out - definitely a win-win evening for entire families! Drop the kiddos off where they will play games, assemble puzzles, build robotics, and more! Code Ninjas is offering this service on Saturday, February 12th from 6 PM to 9 PM and on Valentine's Day, February 14th from 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM. Once you've had a chance to unwind, swing by to pick them up (please) and hear about all the fun they've had! Bonus: Take your picture by the LOVE Sign While you’re out and about town on your date, don’t forget that Front Royal has a great spot for a fun photo shoot. Stop by Front Royal’s LOVE sign (located by the downtown gazebo and Commerce Street by Pavement). It’s the perfect background for taking a memorable picture together. While you’re there, stop by the Visitor Center to claim a special treat just for visitors to the area.  Gazebo - Main Street, Front Royal, VA There really are almost unlimited options for romantic outings in the Front Royal area. After all, anything can be romantic when you’re with the love of your life on Valentine’s Day! To get more ideas for a fun activity that you’ll both enjoy, see our posts here and here. It’s easy to fall in love in Front Royal!
 Indoor fun in Front Royal, VA With the holidays over and a brand New Year getting started, there can be something refreshing about getting back into the normal routine of life. But after the whirlwind and excitement of the holidays, January can also feel a bit… dull… There’s no need to get down in the dumps in Front Royal, though. Of course, Front Royal is a great location for enjoying the great outdoors even in winter. But if the thought of going outside in the cold just makes you more depressed, fear not! There’s lots of indoor fun to be found in our town too. Today we’ve rounded up our top ten fun activities you can enjoy in Front Royal, all without venturing into winter’s cold! So read on for some ideas for keeping life interesting this winter. You could even ward of the January blues by picking four and planning a fun outing for each week of the month. That way you’ll still have plenty to look forward to. 1. Get your Gaming Fix at Fireball Arcade  Fireball Arcade Head to Front Royal’s Main Street and immerse yourself in the world of a retro arcade at Fireball Arcade. There’s no more counting quarters here! All games are on freeplay, so pay your entry fee and enjoy them all for as long as you want. It’s a great way to plan a change of scene that the whole family can enjoy! 2. Go to the Movies  Sing 2 at Royal Cinemas Cross Main Street and lift your spirits with some classic entertainment at Front Royal’s Royal Cinemas. Find friendly service, great movies, and everything you’d expect at a small town movie theater. Popcorn is a must! 3. Sculpt and Paint Your Own Pottery  Explore Art & Clay Whether you’re a practiced sculptor or someone who rarely looks at a paintbrush, using the creative side of your brain is always a refreshing change of pace. At Front Royal’s Explore Art and Clay, you get all of the fun and none of the clean up! Drop in alone or with friends to purchase and paint one of their wide selection of unfinished clay pieces such as plates, mugs, and statuettes. They’ll give your masterpiece a professional finish in their kiln. Or attend a clay workshop if pottery is more up your alley. 4. Throw an Axe  SVAXECO Get your blood pumping and the fun flowing by throwing some axes at Shenandoah Valley Axe Co. Enjoy this brand new trendy sport, hone your aim, and enjoy a fun menu of drinks and snacks. 5. Mac’s Roller Rink  Mac's Roller Rink Roller skating is another great way to get moving without getting cold in the winter! If you want to break a sweat roller skating, look no further than Mac’s Roller Rink. Stop in on the weekend to enjoy everything you’d expect to find at a small-town America roller skating rink! Round out the outing with Melting Pot Pizza before or after! 6. Winter Wine Tasting  Winter Wine Tastings When you think of wine tasting, you might imagine a vineyard in summer, but winter is a great season for wine tasting too. Get cozy at one of Front Royal’s wineries and enjoy some delicious Virginia Wines. 7. Discover (and make!) Beer History  Virginia Beer Museum While we’re on the subject of alcoholic beverages, we mustn’t forget another indoor Front Royal favorite, the Virginia Beer Museum. There’s plenty to see and drink here! Explore the history of Virginia Beer, and then relax with a drink yourself. You can add to your own personal beer history! 8. Get Cozy at the Library  Samuels Public Library Winter is a great time to curl up with a book, and Front Royal’s Samuels Public Library is a local treasure that can be a wonderful change of scene and a place to expand your horizons. Spend a morning in the cozy reading areas, sign up for the winter reading challenge, or check out the range of fun events planned. 9. Get your Kids into Coding  Coding Ninjas Coding is a skill that will help kids get ahead in today’s tech-driven world. And in Front Royal, they can have fun and learn about it at the same time. If your kids are getting cabin fever, bring them to Code Ninjas after school or on a weekend and let them take off! Be sure to check out the Parent’s Night Out. You can drop the kids off and go on to find some fun of your own! 10. Buy and Play Games and Toys!  Play Favorites Play Favorites is a toy shop like no other, and great addition to Front Royal’s shopping scene. This exciting toy shop stocks a wide range of toys, games and puzzles, and features a fun arcade/game room where you can try out a variety of their most fun products. Come by to shop or play! It’s another great option for indoor fun in Front Royal. With games to play, wine to sip, axes to throw, and much more, there’s plenty of indoor fun to help keep the cold months going by in Front Royal. Make your plans today and see how much fun winter can be in a friendly, happening town!
 Gazebo on Main Street, Front Royal, VA In the Northern Hemisphere, December is the darkest month of the year. The good news is that there are thousands of tiny, twinkling lights around to keep all of our spirits up during this season of long nights and short days. The holiday light displays across the U.S. are one of the most magical sights of the holiday season. Whether you enjoy holiday lights simply by taking a walk around your neighborhood, or think it’s worth jumping in the car to check out local lights near you, holiday light viewing is a great way to enjoy the magic of the season. Bring some hot chocolate to sip on, and enjoy a Christmassy adventure for all the family!  Local holiday light displays There are several fantastic holiday light displays within driving distance from Front Royal. Read on for help planning your light-viewing outing this season.  Holiday light displays in Virginia 1. Have a Wonderful Walk at Clearbrook Park Head north of Front Royal to Clearbrook Park to enjoy Walking in a Winter Wonderland! The 0.5 mile trail is surrounded by stunning light displays with just the right holiday tunes playing to surround you in a magical experience. It’s a fun outing for all the family. Be sure to plan ahead as advance ticket purchase is required. 2. Enjoy Gardens Transformed into a Winter Wonderland You’ll need to venture closer to the big city for this one, but if you want to see one of Northern Virginia’s Botanical Gardens transformed into a magical winter wonderland, it’s worth the trip. The Meadowlark Botanical Garden’s Winter Walk of Lights includes displays of flowers, animals, and trees, as well as seasonal holiday themes. If you need to warm up, hot chocolate and coffee are available for purchase, as well as snacks, and even cold drinks if you’re in the mood! Tickets are required: plan ahead and reserve your tickets now to avoid disappointment!  Neighborhood Christmas light display 3. Cruise through Miles of Magic at the Bull Run Festival of Lights If you want to enjoy some holiday lights from the comfort (and warmth!) of your car, the Bull Run Festival of Lights in the nearby town of Manassas is for you! Turn off your headlights and enjoy the magic of this 2.5 mile display. There’s even a special radio station you can tune to so you can enjoy seasonal music while you drive. After enjoying the light display, stop by the Holiday Village and Carnival. Here you can enjoy bonfires, s’mores, camel rides, carnival rides, and much more! Buy your tickets here. 4. Enjoy Lighting Small-town Style on Main Street, Front Royal  Front Royal Visitors Center Though perhaps not as grand as some of the displays around, don’t forget that Front Royal’s own Main Street is picturesque during the holiday season! Take a stroll one evening and enjoy wreaths and lights on the lampposts, and a lit up tree at the gazebo. There's also 'Front Royal Light Fight', a first for Front Royal! This is a friendly Christmas light competition promoting fellowship, fun, and community. Organized by Lori Oaks, a local real estate agent whose mission is to bring value to the communities she serves. Monetary prizes will be awarded to six winners! Check out the competitors here and mark your map to get out and view them!  Being local, you can even fit in some Christmas shopping while you’re out, or take a break and treat yourself at one of Main Street’s many fantastic eateries.  Main Street, Front Royal 5. Get Away from it All and Gaze up at a Star-filled Sky If you’re a lover of nature, and also looking to escape some of the crowds and hustle and bustle, why not switch out a holiday light viewing outing for a removed stargazing adventure. Mother Nature’s display of thousands of twinkling lights is more magnificent than any other! The night skies around Front Royal are dark and free of light pollution, and with Shenandoah Nation Park on our doorstep, it’s a great place to plan holiday stargazing trip for yourself or your whole family. Don’t forget to pack hot chocolate and blankets! See here for more of our tips on stargazing in the Front Royal area.  'Starry, starry night' So if you’re in the Front Royal area this holiday season, there are lots of opportunities to enjoy the magic of holiday lights. Whether you’re looking for a magical walk, an enchanted car ride, a stroll in a pretty village, or the silence and majesty of a starry night sky, you’ll find it around here. Guaranteed to lift your spirits, and delight children and adults alike, an outing to see the lights could be the next staple tradition for your holiday season!
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February 2023
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