Fall is an amazing time to visit Harrisonburg, VA. Get lost on a scavenger hunt or hike a secluded mountain trail, sip chardonnay at a local vineyard or pick apples at a local farm and enjoy Harrisonburg’s relaxed, friendly atmosphere and small-town charm. Businesses are concerned for your welfare and many have taken Harrisonburg’s Pledge Affirming Trusted Hospitality.
Here are 10 reasons to visit Harrisonburg right now although it would be easy to list more than 10!
- Traipse Scavenger Hunts offering free outdoor challenges from family fun to a pub crawl. Challenge yourself to explore Downtown Harrisonburg with this user-friendly app and try to answer all the puzzles without using the optional hints. All puzzles are outdoors. Download the free app to start your adventure.
- Back Home on the Farm offering wagon rides to their pumpkin patch, a corn maze, farm animals, apple cider slushies and a reserve your own campfire option (BYOS – Bring your own smores items or buy it there.) Yes, you can literally reserve a campfire that will be started for you, purchase s’mores supplies and enjoy roasting your own s’mores on the open fire.
- The Virginia Quilt Museum– one of only a few quilt museums in the world. The museum offers traditional and contemporary exhibits and currently is exhibiting “Eye Contact” a series of quilt fragments highlighting “That momentary connection when eyes meet (that) reignites the spark of humanity that connects us all.”
- Craft beverages within walking distance, most offer outdoor seating options. They include one hard cidery: Sage Bird Ciderworks and five beer breweries; Brothers Craft Brewing, the Friendly Fermenter, Pale Fire Brewing, Restless Moons Brewing and Three Notch’d Valley Collab House.
- The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum offers, a woodland sanctuary on the James Madison University campus. This 125 acre public urban garden and forested greenspace preserves native plant species, provides opportunities for research, and promotes knowledge of the botanic and natural world for people of all ages. The forest acres preserve 100+ year old oaks and hickories and includes a stone labyrinth for quiet meditation.
- Virginia’s First Culinary District – Harrisonburg boasts over 250 restaurants ranging from Hope, an Eritrean-Ethiopian Restaurant to Grilled Cheese Mania serving only grilled cheese sandwiches. Downtown Harrisonburg was designated Virginia’s First Culinary District in 2014 and offers considerable al fresco dining from patios to roof tops and numerous farm-to-table options. If you visit on a Saturday be sure to stop by the popular Harrisonburg Farmers Market open 8 a.m. – 1 p.m.
- Close proximity of five wineries; Bluestone Vineyard, Brix & Columns Vineyard, CrossKeys Vineyard, Marceline Vineyards and The Purple WOLF Vineyard at White Oak Lavender Farm. Most offer outdoor seating with gorgeous views and entertainment on the weekend.
- Art and Artisans – Harrisonburg is one of Virginia’s original Arts & Cultural Districts and home to many shops offering high quality locally made items from handmade canvas bags, designer jewelry and hand crafted pottery to fine art. Enjoy an art walk through the downtown highlighting local murals and statues and take a picture by our LOVEWorks.
- A beautiful two hour drive from the D.C. metro area over the Shenandoah National Park with gorgeous views of the fall foliage and numerous hiking opportunities as well as cycling in the nearby Massanutten Bike Center which includes a chair lift.
- Enjoy cycling nearby in Harrisonburg’s Hillandale Park and Rocktown Trails offering beginner, intermediate and advanced singletrack. Discover why Harrisonburg is a recognized International Mountain Bicycling bronze level cycling center. Didn’t bring a bike you can rent one in Downtown Harrisonburg.
