A great place to start is with Shenandoah County’s Tourism Blog. Click here to check it out.
HIKING!
The new Seven Bends State Park near Woodstock is a beautiful park with two entrances. The south entrance is just outside of Muse Vineyards. Both entrances have a low-water bridge, so if there have been recent storms, they are sometimes closed. The park has well-maintained trails that are nice to hike or mountain bike. There are boat launches at both entrances, but the north fork of the Shenandoah is not as deep or wide as the south fork, so kayaks and tubes work when the water is high, but fishing is pretty good (we’re told).
George Washington and Jefferson National Forests
There are LOTS of hikes in the Massanutten Mountains. These trails are usually less busy than the ones you access via skyline drive or Shenandoah National park (other than our back country entrance). Look them up using an app like All Trails or the Hiking Project.
We love hiking up to Kennedy Peak (on the Luray side of the mountains) – it’s a fairly easy out and back from the trailhead parking (just under 5 miles) and the view is incredible. The Woodstock Tower is another great view and an even shorter hike (less than a mile each way) or you can park nearly at the tower and walk up.
Woodstock Tower
The drive up to the tower is fun in itself, but once there, you can climb the tower and see both sides of the valley, and even all the way to the Blue Ridge Mountains. Bring a lock if you want to ‘lock’ your love. Periodically the county removes the locks and paints over the graffiti, but it’s still fun to see
You can also hike from the lower parking lot along the ridge, and link up with several other (long) hikes, or you can combine a few hikes to make a loop that takes you down into the valley, along OHV trails, and then back up a hiking trail to the tower. It’s about five miles. See the All Trails app to find it.
WINERIES!
Cave Ridge Vineyards (1476 Conicville Road, Mount Jackson)
Cave Ridge has excellent wine, a nice menu of snack foods to accompany them, and plenty of outdoor seating, with fire tables and igloos in the colder months. The igloos are by reservation. They are dog-friendly and often have live music on the weekends. Distance from GP: 12 miles
The Winery at Kindred Pointe(3575 Conicville Rd, Mount Jackson)
Delicious wines, fun, dog-friendly (inside and out) place. Lots of seating, fire pits for your use, comfy couches inside, clever wine-oriented gifts. They have regular tastings in their expansive space, but also have special tastings paired with bites of fancy food held in their ‘stables’ (converted to a gorgeous tasting room) which require a reservation (easy to do via their facebook page). They sometimes have food trucks, but also offer their own snacks. It’s a beautiful drive through the Shenandoah Valley. This is one of our favorite haunts. Distance from GP: 11 miles
Shenandoah Vineyards (3659 South Ox Rd, Edinburg)
One of the oldest wineries in Virginia. Great selection of award-winning wines. They offer cheese/crackers and other nibbles, plus brick-oven pizza on the weekend. Dogs allowed outside only. We love the table under the vines, but there are Adirondack chairs and picnic tables too. Distance from GP: 4 miles
Muse Vineyard (540-459-7033, 16 Serendipity Lane, Woodstock)
Muse is not just a good winery with yummy food offerings (although I almost always go for the bread/oil), they also have a 2 mile walking path that takes you through the vines and over a suspension bridge! Worth the drive. You can bring a picnic (but you have to eat it outside) or buy their food and there is plenty of outdoor areas to sit. You can make reservations (and I would if you want to sit inside). They can be ‘busy’ (relative term in that area) compared to other wineries in the area (of which there are several). Well mannered dogs are welcome inside and out at Muse, and they usually have an art exhibit featuring a local artist inside the tasting room. Distance from Gracie’s Place: 2.4 miles
Star in the Valley Winery
This is one of the newer wineries in the valley, but wow, what a view they have. They have regular music and occasional food trucks. Dogs are welcome outside on the grounds where there is a lovely patio and plenty of seating, all with a beautiful view of the valley. Open Thursday – Monday. Distance from Gracie’s Place: 14 miles
Wolf Gap Winery
You might just meet my daughter at this one (she pours wine there – so don’t forget to tip!). Wolf Gap is dog friendly inside (although the tasting room is pretty tight so should be a dog-friendly dog!) and out (in their gorgeous new pavilion with 180 degree views). The wine is evolving into something truly delicious under the new owners and new winemaker. Sundays are the big days with live music every week. Winter hours Fri-Sun, spring/summer/fall hours Wed -Sun. Distance from GP: 10 miles
North Mountain Vineyard
This German inspired winery hosts regular music, and welcomes dogs inside and out. There is plenty of seating inside, on the porches, and all over the grounds. You can bring your own picnic, but they also sell yummy cheeses and all kinds of German treats. They also sell Laconkio Greek olive oil and balsamic vinegars! Open Wed – Sun. Distance from GP: 6 miles
Woodstock Brewhouse (123 E Court St, Woodstock, VA)
Great beer and yummy foods. There is plenty of indoor seating, get a flight and be adventurous! This is a great place to stop after you hit the dog park. Dogs are welcome on their outdoor patio, water bowls provided. Distance from GP: two blocks
Box Office Brewery (540-465-2609, 177 E King St, Strasburg)(540) 465-2609
Good beer, great setting, plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. They have interesting beers and it’s always fun to get a flight. They also have good food (although nearly no vegan offerings). BOB is right on Main street, but there is a large public parking area directly behind it (the firestation is there too – and if you have little people they might enjoy seeing the big engines). Dogs are welcome inside and outside at BOB. Distance from GP: 11 miles
Swover Creek Farm Brewery
Fun place with wood-fired pizzas, salads, apps, interesting tap beer, darts, and even an enormous, wild dog park. Distance from GP: 10 miles
If you’d rather not drive yourself to multiple wineries or breweries, there are a few options in the valley:
Burg Bike Tours (Ebike to the wineries!)
FOOD!
Woodstock Café (117 S Main Street, Woodstock)
Great menu, awesome gift shop, sidewalk seating (and the server loves dogs!), and wine shop that offers most of the local wines. Most days they only serve lunch, but Thurs-Sat, they have a fine dining dinner service with a spectacular, changing menu. You’ll need reservations and it’s about 45 minutes from the cabin, but SO worth it if you’re a foodie. Distance from GP: 1/2 block
Springhouse Tavern (325 S Main Street, Woodstock)
Excellent food – especially the salads and (huge) apps! They have a rotating tap menu of craft brews (and offer flights). Consistently voted the best in Woodstock. Be sure to check out the stone hiker statue just outside the tavern – great spot for a picture. Distance from GP: 2 blocks
Flour & Water Bakery (124 S Main Street, Woodstock)
There is no better bakery. The bread is incredible, the cookies as large as your head, sinful croissants, delicious sides (especially the lemon orzo!), and they have fabulous sandwiches, coffee, and a selection of gourmet desserts. If you go to Woodstock – don’t miss it! Like many of the shops in Woodstock, it is only open Wed-Sat until 3pm (but on Wednesdays they open again at 5pm for pizza night!). They also sell local beers and wines. Distance from GP: less than 1/2 block
The Garden Cafe (at Woodstock Gardens, 1175 Hisey Ave, Woodstock)
Darling cafe located instide Woodstock Gardens (a nursery, greenhouse, and gift shop) has eclectic, healthy, delicious menu, plus coffee and beer on tap. They even have vegan food. Distance from GP: 1.5 miles
Sugar Creek Ice Cream (150 S Main Street, Woodstock)
Delicious, hand-dipped ice cream and treats. If you’re on the other side, this is a must-stop. It also shares a driveway with Gracie’s Place. Distance from GP: out the back door.
THRIFTING!
While there are plenty of adorable boutiques, there are also so many thrift shops, emporiums, antique stores, and secondhand places in the county, that ‘thrifting’ is the common verb locals use for spending their day wandering through the stores and ‘stalls’ of various establishments. A quick google search will find at least 30 in a five mile radius. Our favorites are:
Blue Ridge Hospice Thrift Store (Strasburg)
Consign and Thrift (Woodstock and Strasburg)
The Emporium (Strasburg, also houses Bretzels another stellar bakery)
The Clothes Closet (EAST High street, just across main street behind the Citgo)
Sweet Souls Rescue and Emporium (Commerce Street, Woodstock – proceeds benefit rescue)
St John Bosco Catholic Store thrift shop (open Fri/sat 9:30-2, Main Street in Woodstock)
FRONT ROYAL
Main street in Front Royal is filled with great little shops and galleries worth visiting, plus a few good restaurants, a locally owned ice cream store (where they make their own inventive flavors and like to good-naturely harass the customers), a wonderful hiking store, the Beer Museum, Vibrissa Brewing, Honey and Hops Brewworks, and The Vine and Leaf wine bar. During the spring/summer/fall there are sometimes festivals and live music, so be sure to check the visitor’s center for updated information (located next to the park).
Skyline Drive
And of course, you can always visit Skyline Drive – you probably passed the entrance on your way to Chateau Frankie. It’s a beautiful drive with lots of places to stop and hike. Leashed dogs are generally welcome in the National Park areas, but you can get a list at the gate when you entire of the places they are not welcome. It’s not inexpensive and if you plan to visit more than once, it’s smart to get a season pass. You can access Skyline Drive from Front Royal or from 211 in Luray. There are amazing views, lots of great hikes, visitor centers, picnic areas, and if you go south at the 211 entrance, Skyland has a restaurant and taproom.
Shenandoah Dog Friendly Rentals 