In July 2022, we enjoyed a Shenandoah National Park weekend getaway with friends with a base in Front Royal. This itinerary touches on pit stops we made to and from where we live in southwestern PA, and involves a combination of hiking in Shenandoah National Park, searching for craft beer, sightseeing in small towns, and more.

I’m writing this itinerary about 4.5 years later so bear with me if specifics are lacking. But, this might serve as a starting point for plans you might be cooking up or visiting the area.

At the time, we spent the weekend with another family and had three children ages 3 and under so we didn’t conquer a ton which is fine. We enjoyed small adventures and relaxing.

Summary:

  • Kids Ages – 3 children ages 3 and younger
  • Note – Residuals of Covid, so some businesses weren’t open
  • Drive – about 3.5 hours from Uniontown – traveled there one route and returned home another
  • Long weekend – a Friday to Monday
  • Lodging – Airbnb cabin in Front Royal
  • Itinerary Overview
    • On the Way – Swallow Falls State Park/downtown Oakland
    • Luray – Luray Zoo, Luray Caverns, downtown Luray
    • Shenandoah – hiked Hawksbill Summit and Dark Hollow Falls
    • Return Home – Cumberland

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Day 1

We left on a Friday and with our young children, we wanted to get out early and do some sort of activity where the kids might fall asleep in the car afterward which would land us at our destination after check-in. Need some ideas to keep the kids occupied in the car? Check out No Tech Travel Toys for Toddlers.

Taking the less direct way, from Uniontown we headed toward McHenry (218 near Deep Creek Maryland then on to 48 to Front Royal) and made a stop in Swallow Falls State Park.

We hiked a scenic 1.5-mile loop hike with multiple waterfalls called the Canyon Trail Hike. Check out a separate post with all the details about this hike (one of my favorites). Take some cash for a parking fee and try to get there early because the trailhead can get crowded.

After the hike, we headed to downtown Oakland, MD to walk around the cute downtown and grab something to eat.

At the time, my son was obsessed with trains so he loved a stop at the Oakland B&O Museum. It was fun to look at model trails, get up close and personal with a steam engine, and learn about the history of the railroad in the area.

My husband is always on the hunt to try a local craft beer so we opted for lunch at the Vagabond Taproom just a few blocks from the museum.

After our stop in Oakland, we finished the drive to check in at our cabin in the mountains just outside Front Royal where we relaxed for the rest of the evening and caught up with our friends.

The specific cabin we stayed at is no longer listed on Airbnb, but there are lots of cabin rentals in the area.

Day 2

I don’t recall why, but we opted to spend Saturday in Luray which is about a half hour away from Front Royal. We started our morning off by taking the kids to the Luray Zoo.

After the zoo, we headed to Luray Caverns. Somewhere along the line, we realized this might not be the best activity for little ones. I can’t remember if we were concerned the tour would be too long for them, or maybe we didn’t want to spend the money if the kids weren’t old enough to appreciate it or if the cave spooked them.

But, we still made a stop and visited Toy Town Junction. There were other activities at Luray Caverns such as a gem sluice, rope adventure park, and more. I’d love to return and check out the caverns when the kids are older, but all the stuff built up around it felt a little like a tourist trap to me personally.

Then, we headed for downtown Luray making our first stop at Hawksbill Brewing Co. before strolling the cute downtown to check out shops, art, etc.

After Luray, the moms went back to the cabin to nap the babies and make dinner while the dads spent some time in downtown Front Royal exploring the Virginia Beer Museum and Honey & Hops Brew Works.

Then, we all headed back out to downtown Front Royal in the evening for a sweet treat at C & C Frozen Treats and hung out at the town square across the street before calling it a night.

Day 3

On Sunday, I went to an early Sunday mass at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and couldn’t resist checking out a local coffee shop after (Manor Line Back 40 Coffee House) to grab some to-go coffees for the adults at the cabin while we prepared for our day at Shenandoah National Park.

We entered the park through the North Entrance from Front Royal and made our first stop at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center enjoying beautiful views on Skyline Drive.

The visitor center is a great place to learn about the park, use the restroom, grab a map, talk to a ranger for suggestions to explore the park, and get your National Park passport stamped. Check out this separate post to learn more about the passport program and learn how to track down your missed stamps.

Hawksbill Summit

After our stop at the visitor center, we headed to our first hike of the day at Hawksbill Summit. Here are some of my takeaways:

  • Shenandoah’s highest peak
  • Lower Hawksbill Trail to Byrd’s Nest 2 Shelter
  • Trailhead parking on Skyline Drive
  • NPS indicates – 1.7 miles round trip and moderate difficulty (my Strava breakdown below). We carried my youngest child in a child carrier and had a carrier ready for my three-year-old if needed, but I recall he hiked a good bit on his own.
  • There was a picnic area at the top and a lookout point at the summit.
  • The trail did get crowded.

Here is a breakdown of our hike (one way).

Dark Hollow Falls

The kids still had some gas left in the tank, so we went for a second hike to Dark Hollow Falls.

Here are some of my takeaways:

  • Trailhead parking on Skyline Dr
  • NPS website indicates 1.4 mile circuit hike
  • This hike was short but a steep descent to the falls and a steep return to the top. We carried both kids.
  • This hike was also crowded.

Here is a breakdown of our hike.

We headed to Big Meadows Lodge after the hikes for some bites and some local craft beer from the taproom. This wrapped up our day in the park, and we went home to chill at the cabin for the rest of the day.

Day 4

We headed home on a Monday morning and made a pit stop in Cumberland, MD. We’ve been to Cumberland several times and enjoy strolling around this historic mountain town. We tend to gravitate toward the Canal Place Historic Park where the Great Allegheny Passage meets the C&O Canal Towpath. There’s a playground, a train station, and the area is walkable to eateries, a winery, a brewery, and more. On that particular visit, a lot of businesses were closed on a Monday, but we enjoyed stretching our legs and letting the kids play.

That was our weekend getaway for Shenandoah National Park. I hope you found it helpful. If you explore the area, be sure to tag me on Instagram (@adentureswkelly) so I can hear about your adventures.

Other Itinieries

Here are some other itineraries you might be interested in: