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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.
 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!
 Enjoying the sights and smells of a real Christmas tree in the house room is an essential part of celebrating the holidays for many. But going to pick out your tree can be an experience all its own. If you’ve gone out into the fields and cut your own Christmas tree at a tree farm, you may be missing out on a new family favorite holiday tradition. Let this year be the year you give it a try! Wrap up warmly, and bring the whole family! With its rural location, Front Royal is a great starting point from which to access a number of rustic Christmas Tree farms where you can pick out your tree from right where it grew! If you’re interested in enjoying the outdoors, supporting local farms, and knowing exactly where your Christmas tree came from, heading to a cut-your-own farm should be on your Christmas list this year. Read on to discover the Christmas tree farms of the Front Royal area!  Hartland Farm & Orchard 1. Hartland Farm and Orchard is Front Royal’s closest tree farm option. A summer-time favorite for fruit picking, Hartland transforms into a winter wonderland in the month of December. Saws are provided as well as assistance with tree wrapping and loading. Enjoy some free hot chocolate, and don’t forget to check out the wreaths and other decorations on sale. Hartland is conveniently located right off I-66 so it’s easy to get to, but has a less “tucked away” feel than some other local options. 2. For a more rustic option, head south to Valley Star Farm and enjoy scenic views of the Shenandoah Valley on all sides from this “down-in-the-valley” tree farm. It’s the same deal: explore the fields, cut your tree, and they’ll help you with wrapping and loading. Precut trees area also available here, for those who would enjoy a visit to a farm, but aren’t up for tramping out into the fields.  Valley Star Farm, Luray, VA 3. Concerned about bringing pesticides into your home on your Christmas Tree? Oak Shade Tree Farm is a great option! This family owned and operated tree farm raises all their trees without the use of pesticides or fertilizers. Enjoy cutting your tree, and don’t forget to check out the fantastic farm store after they help you load. Here you’ll find a wide selection of farm foods and hand crafted items, many of them provided by extended family members. There’s even a fire pit to warm up at on a cold day!  Oak Shade Tree Farm - Rixeyville, VA 4. Glengary Tree Farm is another option for a simple cut-your-own operation in a stunning location. Explore the hillsides of this farm in search of your perfect tree, and enjoy gorgeous mountain views.  Glengary Tree Farm - Amissville, VA 5. If you have a cathedral ceiling or a large space for your Christmas tree, consider stopping by Tranco Farms to find the grand tree that matches your space. All of their trees are over ten foot, so this isn’t a good option if you don’t have a big enough space. Tree cutting is by appointment only, so call ahead to make your plans! 6. Snickers Gap Farm is the celebrity of the Front Royal area’s Christmas tree farms. It was selected as MSN’s best tree farm in Virginia, and has been featured in several prestigious magazines (including Martha Stewart Living). It’s easy to see why. Beautifully kept rows of trees, a wagon ride out to the field, and a snack shack serving hot cider, warm soft pretzels, and more combine for a magical experience. The fame of Snickers Gap farm can draw larger crowds, so if you’re looking for a more secluded option, it may not be your best bet. Remember most cut-your-own farms expect you to haul your own tree in from the field. So make sure you’re ready for the challenge, and bring extra hands to help if you think you’ll need them. Having a rope or a tarp to help drag the tree can also be helpful. Some farms may be willing to offer assistance, but if you’re counting on it, it’s best to call ahead and make sure you’ll have the help you need.  It’s also a good idea to call the farm you plan on visiting or check their social media before driving. You’ll want to ensure they still have trees available before making the trip.
The Front Royal area is a great place to visit a tree farm and take your Christmas tree shopping experience to a whole new level. Here’s to a memorable family adventure and a beautiful tree to enjoy all season long!  There’s something about the traditions of a small-town Christmas that are especially magical. If you’re looking to fill the season of joy with some small-town festivity, plan a visit to Front Royal. You’ll find every weekend packed with holiday fun! Join our small community, support local business, and experience the magic of Front Royal’s holiday traditions. Read on to discover the best of Front Royal’s holiday celebrations this year. 1. Start out Right with Pancakes  The first Saturday of December starts the season off with a bang! Head to Warren County High School on December 4, and enjoy a drive-thru pancake breakfast sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Front Royal. You can support a great cause, and fuel up for your day at the same time! But don’t head home yet! There’s plenty more on Front Royal’s Calendar today! 2. Celebrate with the Town at the Front Royal Christmas Festival and Parade  A beloved annual tradition, the Front Royal Christmas Festival and Parade is scheduled for December 4. It’s a great time to be on Front Royal’s Main Street! Enjoy an afternoon of live performances, a free Christmas movie showing, and more. The parade starts at 4 p.m., so you can watch the best of Front Royal roll by, including many of our favorite local businesses and organizations. Do some Christmas shopping beforehand, or grab some gourmet coffee or baked goods to enjoy while you watch. 3. Main Street Holiday Lights  Front Royal’s picturesque holiday lights traditionally come on at the end of the Christmas Festival. Stick around to watch the ceremony, or come back any evening during the holidays and enjoy the display in the Main Street area. 4. Christmas Classic Showings at Royal Cinemas  If you miss the movie showing at the Christmas festival, no worries! Come back to Royal Cinemas any weekend in December to enjoy the screening of a Christmas Classic! It’s a great way to relax and get in a festive mood after a day of shopping, exploring the town, or outdoor adventure. 5. Bring Refinement to your Holiday at the Blue Ridge Singers Holiday Concert  If you’re looking for the place where fine arts and Christmas festivity meet, check out the Blue Ridge Singers Holiday Concert. Coming to Front Royal on Friday, December 10, this local group performs challenging choral music in a way that will leave you enchanted and looking for more! 6. Explore our Christmas Market  If you’re a lover of Christmas Markets, you won’t want to miss Front Royal’s! The Front Royal Indoor Market on December 12, will be the place to finish up your holiday shopping! Check out local vendors, enjoy blacksmithing, stained glass making, and other crafts, and maybe even run into Santa Claus! 7. Watch the Band Play in the Holidays!  Another Front Royal Favorite, the American Legion Community Band Concert is a free show to put you in the holiday spirit. If the sound of the band is what tells you it’s the holidays, you won’t want to miss this one! 8. Enjoy some Holiday-Flavored Ice Cream  It’s never too cold for ice cream! If you need your taste buds to remind you that it’s the holidays, don’t forget to stop by Spelunker’s! This local legend has some of the best burgers and fries around, but their frozen custard is truly out of this world. Their holiday custard flavors are highly anticipated, and for good reason! Upcoming delights include Candy Cane Blast, Caramel Sweet Potato, Peach Pecan, and Eggnog. Check their facebook page for a full schedule of flavor-of-the-day offerings. Don’t leave a stop at Spelunker’s out of your day in Front Royal! With a calendar full of quintessential holiday events, great Christmas shopping options, and delicious ice cream to top it all off, Front Royal is a great place to celebrate the holidays! Plan your holiday outings in Front Royal now! Maybe you’ll find a new tradition that’ll keep you coming back year after year.
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AuthorDiscover Front Royal Archives
May 2022
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