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There’s nothing that says “I love you” to a mom quite like the chance to spend some special time with family. And on Mother’s Day, the beautiful spring weather makes spending time outdoors together a perfect fit. This Mother’s Day, head to Front Royal and give the gift of a fun outing in the Shenandoah Valley. You and Mom can connect over something you both love to do.  Mother's Day 2022 Read on for ideas on a range of delightful outings in the Front Royal area for you and Mom. You can enjoy the beautiful spring of the Shenandoah Valley together. We’ve given suggestions for moms of all kinds, so you’re sure to find something your mom will love! For the Mom who Loves Outdoor Adventures We think of mothers as a safe-haven, and rightly so. But moms are also some of the most adventurous people there are! Taking on responsibility for one or several tiny humans is not for the fainthearted! Does your mom love to adventure in the great outdoors as much as she loves the great adventure of motherhood? If so, you’ll have no problem finding a Mother’s Day outing she’ll enjoy in the Front Royal area!  Mom's river adventure With the Shenandoah River winding through Front Royal, a day on the river is a great way to adventure and relax at the same time. Front Royal has a range of friendly outfitters who’ll take care of your needs. Check out Front Royal Outdoors, or Down River Canoe Company, to find a river trip that works for you.  Hiking with mom If you’re more interested in getting out on some hiking trails, you have some great options in the Front Royal area too. With the George Washington National Forest, the Shenandoah National Park, and the Appalachian Trail all within easy distance, you can find an iconic hike without too much trouble. If your mom is a serious hiker or biker, combine this outing with the gift of an All Trails Pro subscription. All Trails Pro is like a GPS app, but for hiking trails! Mom can enjoy the trails with a whole new sense of security. For the Mom who Loves a Small-Town Vibe Depending on your tastes, spring weather can be just as enjoyable on the streets of a quaint small town as in a mountain landscape. If your mom is a lover of small town life, she’ll definitely enjoy an afternoon in Front Royal. Be sure to attend C & C Frozen Treats 7th Annual Family Fun Day on Saturday, May 7th from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on East Main Street! It's the perfect event for a family outing!  To give your outing a bit more structure, consider following the Front Royal Walking Tour. This self-guided tour takes you through Front Royal’s most historic and picturesque streets. You’ll learn some local history along the way. Feel free to take a break along the way and enjoy hunting for treasures in an antique store, sipping on a coffee, or savoring an ice cream cone.  Walk around Front Royal Another great idea for enjoying Front Royal’s small town atmosphere is an afternoon at the Dr. Seide Memorial Botanical Gardens. Within the 3.5 acres of beautifully planned gardens, you’ll find benches, walking paths, and even a stretch of Happy Creek. The same complex is also home to one of Front Royal’s most extensive parks, so the whole family can enjoy playgrounds, sand volleyball, tennis, basketball, and more.  Botanical Garden For the art appreciation moms, ARTFEST maybe the perfect end to a perfect day! Come and enjoy beautiful live music and more!  For the Mom who just Wants to Relax For some Moms, a slower-paced day in the countryside is the best way to relax and rejuvenate. If you’re looking for an outing along these lines, you might consider heading to Sunflower Cottage in Middletown. Mom can enjoy this picturesque herb farm, and visit the retail garden center to pick out herbs, flowers, or planters for the coming season. Don’t forget to include a stop at the farm’s Backroom Brewery for some refreshment. Here you’ll find craft beers made with hops grown right on the farm. The brewery is open from 12-8 on Sundays, so on Mother’s Day you can enjoy brunch, lunch, or dinner!  Wineries in Front Royal, VA For another relaxing option, consider planning a picnic at one of the many fantastic wineries surrounding Front Royal. Sipping on a glass of Virginia wine in a gorgeous setting will be a restorative experience for anyone! Celebrate Mom in the Front Royal area this Mother’s Day weekend. With a range of options to suit all tastes, you can get out in the fresh spring air of the Valley and enjoy a memorable day together.
Front Royal may be small, but it certainly isn’t boring! If you’re looking for a “just for fun” outing, there are plenty of to choose from! We’ve rounded up our eleven great ideas for entertainment in Front Royal. If a family fun day is in your future, you don’t want to scroll past this post. Front Royal has classic favorites like bowling and roller skating and new trends like axe throwing and rock climbing, as well as a totally unique Dinosaur Land! You’ll find there’s something for everyone! 1. Get Your Wheels On For roller skating fun, look no further than Mac’s Roller Rink. It’s a classic indoor roller skating rink, offering open skate times, events, and private parties.  Mac's Roller Rink 2. Scale a Rock Wall Battlegrounds Fitness is a great new addition to Front Royal’s entertainment and fitness sector. The CrossFit gym includes a rock wall, which is accessible to members and to guests with day passes. You’ll build your muscles, balance, and coordination while having so much fun you’ll forget that you’re exercising! Battlegrounds Fitness is also a great option for a birthday party that will leave your kids (or you!) fitter and stronger.  Rock Climbing Wall 3. Go to the Movies You can watch a movie at Royal Cinemas on Front Royal’s historic main street. The theater shows all the latest releases. Popcorn and candy available!  Royal Cinemas, Front Royal 4. Explore an Arcade Across the street from Royal Cinemas, you’ll find another classic attraction. Fireball Arcade is a retro arcade with pinball and all your favorite video games. For a two-in-one outing, plan some arcade time before or after your movie showing.  Fireball Arcade, Front Royal 5. Go Beyond the Caverns at Skyline Caverns Most visitors come to Skyline Caverns to take a tour of the fascinating caves. But don’t forget, there are other attractions here too! Visit the mirror maze for a fun family challenge. Or bring kids for a ride on the miniature train. You can make the caverns a part of your visit, or save them for another day.  Skyline Caverns, Front Royal 6. Challenge Your Kids to Bowling Fun family competition. . . and hopefully some spares and strikes . . . are in your future at the Royal Family Bowling Center! This classic bowling venue has everything you’d expect. Including the pizza!  7. Throw an Axe For another kind of target practice, check out Shenandoah Valley Axe Throwing Co. Haven’t you always had a secret urge to hurl an axe against a wooden target? This activity is recommended for ages 12 and up, although younger children are allowed at parents’ discretion.  SVAXECO 8. Paint (or crochet!) a Masterpiece Visit The Studio in downtown Front Royal for art instruction and workshops. Check out their schedule of events here. You’ll find crochet and sewing options as well as painting.  The Studio - A Place for Learning, Front Royal 9. Get Into All Things Pottery If you’re more of a sculptor than a painter, check out Front Royal’s Explore Art and Clay. You’ll find options to paint your own pottery, enjoy a clay workshop, or use a potter’s wheel.  Explore Art & Clay, Front Royal 10. Let the River Take You on an Adventure If your family is itching to get outside, the Shenandoah River will provide fun, exercise, and scenic beauty. Front Royal Outdoors and Skyline Canoe Company are two local outfitters that offer various river trips. For more Front Royal river trip options go here.  Shenandoah River 11. Travel to the Age of Dinosaurs Dinosaur Land is a roadside attraction that has been delighting visitors to the Front Royal area for sixty years! The open-air attraction boasts over forty life size dinosaur models in a park-like setting. Bring your imagination, and enjoy a walk into prehistory! You’ll find tons of great photo opportunities, and maybe even learn something new about dinosaurs.  Dinosaur Land If you’re planning a special occasion celebration, a vacation, or just a day of fun in the Front Royal area, there are plenty of entertainment options that the whole family will love! Use this list to make sure you don’t miss out on any of the fun that the Front Royal area has to offer!
 There's Peace and Quiet in Those Hills ... While options may be different than those found in larger cities, there are plenty of unique activities and entertainment to be found in smaller communities such as Front Royal, VA. This small town comes with a rich history and direct access to the Shenandoah Valley and Skyline Drive. There is so much to do and enjoy that we wanted to provide a day guide for your next visit here! Stroll Around Town Small towns in the more rural regions of America are known for their downtown areas with “heritage” buildings, quaint streets, and charming local shops. Front Royal is no exception. Don’t be afraid to venture beyond Main St.! Our town offers many shops, antique stores, outdoors parks and award winning restaurants. Check out other businesses our town has available to you!  Historic Main Street, Front Royal, VA Explore a Museum Front Royal and Warren County have a unique history. Though the museums may not have a well-known reputation, they are nonetheless a treasure trove of our culture, background, and insights. Check out our other historic places of interest around town! Go Out for Coffee It is common to find groups of friends sitting at local coffee shops for hours on weekday and Saturday mornings. Coffee shops are also popular hangouts for the older, retired crowd. You can experience several hours of relaxation for the cost of one cup of coffee.  Virginia Coffee  Skyline Drive Skyline Drive Sightseeing Skyline Drive is a National Scenic Byway. Though autumn is the most popular time to travel along Skyline Drive, with its breathtaking foliage, spring offers the pale green of trees waking up from a long winter, colorful wildflowers, as well as blooming azaleas and mountain laurel. How long does it take to get through the park? With over 75 scenic overlooks along the way, most people allow three to four hours to drive the 105-mile length of Skyline Drive. Go Golfing You’ll find some of the most scenic golf courses within the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains. The views here are amazing! For Disc Golf lovers we have Rockland Park Disc Golf Course Here you’ll find a complete list of area golf courses.  Golf Course in Front Royal, VA Go Fishing or Hunting The Shenandoah River has been regarded as one of the best smallmouth rivers in the world. Pair that with the Blue Ridge Mountains to explore the best fishing and hunting in Virginia! To learn more about the best places to dock, check out our recent blog!  Fishing in Virginia  Hiking Trails in the Shenandoah Valley Go Hiking One of the benefits of a small town is that there can be a lot of open space not too far away. Sometimes, it can be a ton of fun to pack a bag and head outside of town. If you have kids, hiking can be a chance to spend some time together, while you teach them how much fun it can be to explore! Check out some of our best trails! Go Camping Everyone has a different reason to go camping. Many want to disconnect from high tech and reconnect with the outdoors. Families go camping to get away from distractions at home and to rejuvenate relationships. Camping means different things to different people. Not sure where to stay? Here are some great choices!  Camping in Virginia Go Canoeing or Kayaking The Shenandoah Valley offers numerous rivers ideal for canoeing and kayaking for all experience levels. The most famous is the Shenandoah River, which runs parallel to Front Royal. Don’t feel like toting your own vessel, or maybe you don’t own one? Don’t worry, we have you covered! Check out the following business to rent your own:  Kayaking and Canoeing in Virginia Support the Community by staying at a local B&B Staying at a bed and breakfast is the perfect choice of lodging when you need a relaxing escape. You can find B&Bs almost anywhere you go, and they provide much better value than hotels. From personalized attention to delicious food, there are many reasons to choose a bed and breakfast over a hotel - especially in Front Royal. When you are on the road, away from home, travelers seek to experience a deeper connection with the places they visit. The bed and breakfast industry, is known for its hospitality, which is why you see many B&B’s and Inns receive great ratings for this very quality. Each bed and breakfast has its own history and its own style of accommodation. A B&B gives you the sense of being home because the rooms are both comfortable and elegant. B&B’s are small businesses. Innkeepers take tremendous pride in their work. Not only that, they feel a responsibility to make sure their guests are comfortable and cared for. And then there is the food! Home-cooked meals, with locally sourced ingredients, make the start of the day an enjoyable one. A freshly-prepared, delicious breakfast means the world to travelers who are far from home.  Blue Hill Farm Front Royal and Warren County have a bevy of choices: Stargaze When was the last time you truly saw the stars in a night’s sky? A distinct advantage of a small-town visit is having the chance to see the stars! Stick around for an evening so you can see for yourself. Public Parks & Gardens From botanical gardens and arboretums to fun playgrounds and community parks, there’s something to please everyone!
Here are additional parks and places of interest to visit!  Parks and Gardens in Warren County, VA A Final Thought!
There are many ways to enjoy small towns and their surrounding areas. These economical and creative solutions can be a great way for visitors to enjoy just as much as you would in the big city. They may not seem as grand, but they can be just as educational, entertaining, and fun! Fun, relaxation, and the outdoors await in Front Royal. It’s in our nature!  Now that the imposed limitations from COVID-19 are almost behind us and summer is on its way, having fun outdoors can mean being on or in the water. Canoeing and kayaking are not only great for seeing picturesque views, but a wonderful way to relax and destress from the hectic pace of day-to-day life. Finding peace and quiet on the water is all part of the overall experience. With one of the most beautiful and iconic parts of America’s landscape, the Blue Ridge Mountains, for its backdrop, the Shenandoah River is undoubtedly what so many residents and nature-loving people enjoy most about Front Royal. In 1999, Front Royal received the honor of being named the “Canoe Capital of Virginia”. The river is controllable for beginners but includes expanses of thrills as well. The canoe has been used for trade and transportation along the river since the earliest recorded history in the Valley, so enjoy the history, beauty, and tradition that canoeing entails in the Shenandoah Valley.  Front Royal is fortunate to have two forks of the river running through our land: The South Fork Shenandoah is a popular destination for canoeists and kayakers. The nearness of the river to the more urban areas of Virginia and the bucolic beauty of the valley attracts thousands each year. Several canoe outfitters operate on the South Fork and traffic can be heavy on certain sections of the river during the summer months. Twenty (20) public access points along the entire length of the river creates the opportunity to plan many different float trips of varying distances. The North Fork is a relatively small, shallow river and is very accessible to wade angling. This part of the river is ideal to float, canoe or kayak. Clear water, pleasant scenery, abundant wildlife, and mild whitewater make the North Fork a paddler’s dream. Fishing opportunities on the North Fork:
 Consider these other benefits of canoeing and kayaking in the Front Royal’s portion of the Shenandoah River:
Prior to jumping into your canoe, don’t forget these necessary and practical health and safety tips for canoeing and kayaking:
 Canoe outfitters along the Shenandoah River normally provide a shuttle service, drop you off and let you float back a chosen distance to the outfitter headquarters. Looking for a local Front Royal shop to help?
Some combination of canoes, kayaks, inner tubes, rafts and paddleboards, may be rented from Front Royal Outdoors, Downriver Canoe Company or Shenandoah River Outfitters. Launching your own vessel is popular, too, and many access points/boat ramps are found in or near Front Royal. One of Virginia’s many state parks is nearby as well—the 1600-acre Shenandoah River State Park. It is located eight miles south of town on Route 340, offering miles of riverfront and mountain trails for hiking and mountain biking, as well as cabin rentals, a new zipline and tent camping. From beautiful mountains, lush pastoral farmland and glistening river waters, Front Royal’s nature will astonish both young and old. Mark your calendar, Friday, June 26th is National Canoe Day! Make it a weekend getaway by renting a cabin, staying in a nearby Bed & Breakfast, and or local hotel. Now is the time to plan your trip to enjoy a river experience in the Canoe Capital of Virginia! |
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February 2023
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