Guidebook for Basye Treehouse
Drinks & Nightlife
Beautiful villa-style main building with tasting room and outdoor seating in a gorgeous vineyard setting. Really nice wines. Highly recommended.
69 locals recommend
Cave Ridge Vineyard
1476 Conicville RdBeautiful villa-style main building with tasting room and outdoor seating in a gorgeous vineyard setting. Really nice wines. Highly recommended.
Very small, extremely laid back, out-of-the-way brewpub. A low-key gem with a supremely relaxing "country shack" vibe and outdoor seating.
60 locals recommend
Swover Creek Farms
4176 Swover Creek RdVery small, extremely laid back, out-of-the-way brewpub. A low-key gem with a supremely relaxing "country shack" vibe and outdoor seating.
Hardly any further away than Cave Ridge, and another nice vineyard/winery option
36 locals recommend
Wolf Gap Vineyard
123 Stout RdHardly any further away than Cave Ridge, and another nice vineyard/winery option
Wonderful variety of hard ciders at Showalter Orchard & Greenhouse. Definitely recommended.
22 locals recommend
Old Hill Cider
17768 Honeyville RdWonderful variety of hard ciders at Showalter Orchard & Greenhouse. Definitely recommended.
Another good brew pub, much more traditional than Swover Creek and a further drive
81 locals recommend
Woodstock Brewhouse
123 E Court StAnother good brew pub, much more traditional than Swover Creek and a further drive
Virginia ABC
5814 Main StThe closest State liquor store; groceries can only sell beer and wine
Muse Vineyards
16 Serendipity LnBeautiful winery right next to Seven Bends State Park
Food Scene
Restaurant in Shenandoah Nat'l Park about 10 miles south of the Thorton Gap entrance point on Skyline Drive. Big picture windows looking out over the mountains. Good food and a taproom. It's very popular and people line up at the door before they open for lunch (perhaps for breakfast and dinner as well, but I don't know first-hand). You may have to wait if you arrive later. They do close between dining periods; check their website for details.
Pollock Dining Room at Skyland
400 Skyland Upper LoopRestaurant in Shenandoah Nat'l Park about 10 miles south of the Thorton Gap entrance point on Skyline Drive. Big picture windows looking out over the mountains. Good food and a taproom. It's very popular and people line up at the door before they open for lunch (perhaps for breakfast and dinner as well, but I don't know first-hand). You may have to wait if you arrive later. They do close between dining periods; check their website for details.
1518 Orkney Grde
1518 Orkney GradeR House Wine & Cafe
Right in Basye!
www.rhousewinecafe.com
Parks & Nature
4.5 mile round-trip hike to spectacular vista; "moderate" difficulty/ruggedness will have you working up a sweat, but it's certainly not extreme.
Trailhead at Wolf Gap Recreation Area; GPS coordinates 38.9250723,-78.6889484
33 locals recommend
Big Schloss Bridge
Big Schloss Spur Trail 4.5 mile round-trip hike to spectacular vista; "moderate" difficulty/ruggedness will have you working up a sweat, but it's certainly not extreme.
Trailhead at Wolf Gap Recreation Area; GPS coordinates 38.9250723,-78.6889484
Free public hiking trail around lake. Fees to use beach and/or rent canoes/kayaks/paddleboats. Another option is to wade in the water at the free public boat ramp at opposite end from beach. Fishing includes bass and catfish. Dam rebuild finished in 2016 and lake re-filled - fish stock should be growing.
Beach GPS coordinates 38.802300, -78.790709, and boat ramp GPS coordinates 38.795092,-78.794916
66 locals recommend
Lake Laura
Free public hiking trail around lake. Fees to use beach and/or rent canoes/kayaks/paddleboats. Another option is to wade in the water at the free public boat ramp at opposite end from beach. Fishing includes bass and catfish. Dam rebuild finished in 2016 and lake re-filled - fish stock should be growing.
Beach GPS coordinates 38.802300, -78.790709, and boat ramp GPS coordinates 38.795092,-78.794916
Sister trail to Big Schloss; less heavily traveled.
Trailhead at Wolf Gap Recreation Area; GPS coordinates 38.9250723,-78.6889484
Tibbet Knob Trail
Sister trail to Big Schloss; less heavily traveled.
Trailhead at Wolf Gap Recreation Area; GPS coordinates 38.9250723,-78.6889484
Small, pretty, tranquil stocked fishing pond. Nice destination for biking on the back roads. GPS coordinates 38.7581896, -78.8402109
10 locals recommend
Tomahawk Pond Campground
Small, pretty, tranquil stocked fishing pond. Nice destination for biking on the back roads. GPS coordinates 38.7581896, -78.8402109
Nearest of the 4 entry points to Skyline Drive within Shenandoah Nat'l Park. East of Luray off of Hwy 211. GPS Coordinates: 38.660959, -78.320761
24 locals recommend
Thornton Gap Entrance Station
U.S. 211Nearest of the 4 entry points to Skyline Drive within Shenandoah Nat'l Park. East of Luray off of Hwy 211. GPS Coordinates: 38.660959, -78.320761
Closest State park - just outside of Woodstock
2 access areas/parking lots
The Lupton Road access is my recommendation (Gogle Maps coordinates 38.871566, -78.492827)
Easy and moderate hiking trails, canoe launches, picnic shelter
30 locals recommend
Seven Bends State Park
2111 S Hollingsworth RdClosest State park - just outside of Woodstock
2 access areas/parking lots
The Lupton Road access is my recommendation (Gogle Maps coordinates 38.871566, -78.492827)
Easy and moderate hiking trails, canoe launches, picnic shelter
Very nice park south of Front Royal with a variety of hiking trails, canoe launches and a beautiful overlook of a Shenandoah River horseshoe bend.
55 locals recommend
Shenandoah River State Park
350 Daughter of Stars DrVery nice park south of Front Royal with a variety of hiking trails, canoe launches and a beautiful overlook of a Shenandoah River horseshoe bend.
Very nice state park about a 50-minute drive away with excellent hiking trails including the spectacular Cranny Crow Overlook.
Lost River State Park Road
Lost River State Park RoadVery nice state park about a 50-minute drive away with excellent hiking trails including the spectacular Cranny Crow Overlook.
Church Rock Lower Trailhead
Runions Creek RoadExcellent hike to a beautiful vista.
Arrowhead Rock
Entertainment & Activities
Stations of the Cross Trail and links to other hiking trails, historic hotel and Shrine Mont, and home to the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival summer concert series.
11 locals recommend
Orkney Springs
Stations of the Cross Trail and links to other hiking trails, historic hotel and Shrine Mont, and home to the Shenandoah Valley Music Festival summer concert series.
Resort clubhouse for golf, downhill mountain biking, zipline and the Copper Kettle restaurant/bar. Copper Kettle serves lunch and dinner daily starting at 11:00 am, but is only open for breakfast Fri-Sun (8:00 am).
Check the Bryce Resort website for more information.
122 locals recommend
Bryce Resort
1982 Fairway DrResort clubhouse for golf, downhill mountain biking, zipline and the Copper Kettle restaurant/bar. Copper Kettle serves lunch and dinner daily starting at 11:00 am, but is only open for breakfast Fri-Sun (8:00 am).
Check the Bryce Resort website for more information.
Shenandoah River Outfitters
6502 S Page Valley RdArea favorite for kayaking/tubing/etc
Sightseeing
Luray Caverns
101 Cave Hill RdSpectacular caverns; nearly certain to exceed expectations
Not as famous as Luray Caverns, but very, very similar and significantly closer. Very likely to exceed expectations.
96 locals recommend
Shenandoah Caverns
261 Caverns RdNot as famous as Luray Caverns, but very, very similar and significantly closer. Very likely to exceed expectations.
A retreat open to the public and operated by local Lutheran diocese. Also home to the Shenandoah Music Festival during the summer months. Stations Of The Cross hike up the hill to the cross is worth a visit - and qualifies as legitimate exercise.
8 locals recommend
Shrine Mont
217 Shrine Mont CirA retreat open to the public and operated by local Lutheran diocese. Also home to the Shenandoah Music Festival during the summer months. Stations Of The Cross hike up the hill to the cross is worth a visit - and qualifies as legitimate exercise.
Essentials
About 45 minutes away, but it is an excellent grocery with really nice produce and very wide variety of groceries including organic/health food. Probably worth a stop if you also want to see Harrisonburg, which is home to James Madison University and has an interesting downtown and some good restaurants (e.g., Jimmy Madison's Southern Kitchen & Bourbon Bar).
44 locals recommend
Martin's Food
2035 E Market StAbout 45 minutes away, but it is an excellent grocery with really nice produce and very wide variety of groceries including organic/health food. Probably worth a stop if you also want to see Harrisonburg, which is home to James Madison University and has an interesting downtown and some good restaurants (e.g., Jimmy Madison's Southern Kitchen & Bourbon Bar).
Food Lion
5300 Main StThe closest full-service grocery - about 15 minutes away
Woodstock has the nearest big-box stores (Walmart and Lowe's) and chain restaurants like Cracker Barrel.
20 locals recommend
Woodstock
Woodstock has the nearest big-box stores (Walmart and Lowe's) and chain restaurants like Cracker Barrel.
There is a gas station and small country convenience store in Basye right outside the Bryce Resort entrance. For fully-stocked groceries, you need to go to Food Lion in Mt. Jackson.
9 locals recommend
Basye
There is a gas station and small country convenience store in Basye right outside the Bryce Resort entrance. For fully-stocked groceries, you need to go to Food Lion in Mt. Jackson.
Arts & Culture
Thomas Jefferson's manor/plantation. Incredible historical site. Highest recommendation. Tickets with designated tour time are required. 100 miles away, but it is absolutely worth it .
635 locals recommend
Monticello
1050 Thomas Jefferson PkwyThomas Jefferson's manor/plantation. Incredible historical site. Highest recommendation. Tickets with designated tour time are required. 100 miles away, but it is absolutely worth it .