roam RAPPAHANNOCK
Must-Do activities are abundant and quite exclusive in our unique neck of the woods. America’s favorite protected treasure is here - Shenandoah National Park. Virginia’s best agritourism farms are here. So, the absolute best adventures you’ll ever encounter are here! Check out the must-do activities that happen in rural Rappahannock and the outskirts of our villages, paired with the most spectacular Blue Ridge mountain views on the East Coast
7 Library Road in Washington
The Rappahannock County Visitors Center located at 3 Library Road in Little Washington, next to our public library, is Open March-October Friday through Sunday. Brochures, local attractions, business listings, & community events are available at all times on the outside kiosk.
Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community
291 Gay Street in Little Washington
RAAC enriches the lives of all through participation and exposure to the arts. The Rappahannock Association for Arts and Community hosts the famous annual Rapp Art Tour, theater, music, talks, films, dance, and special kids programs. Plays, screen movies, RAAC talks, and present in-house concerts happen at the Theatre in Little Washington. Check the RAAC Events page for what’s on!
Dirt Road Wine Academy’s Foodie-U Wine School
65 Clark Lane in Washington
Wine ed classes happen every weekend at Little Washington Winery’s agritourism farm. It’s straight talk, in plain English, all about enjoying food and wine! Experience Virginia Wine Country in a whole new way with enhanced wine and food tasting components and a winemaker. The Dirt Road Wine Academy hosts 24 different pairing and regional wine classes. Choose your favorite topic and date. Reserve seats online in advance for a wine ed class with winemakers.
12567 Lee Hwy Washington
Polo at the Blue Rock has returned for the 2024 season. Games are held on the first and third Friday evenings on the Blue Rock Inn property in Washington. Events include two full games with four teams. Gates open at 5:30 pm and first game starts by 6:15. Enjoy the Polo Bar arena side and after the matches head over to the Blue Rock Inn to enjoy a glass of wine lakeside with the sunset.
72 Christmas Tree Lane in Little Washington
World-class 18-Hole Disc Golf destination right here in Rappahannock! This course meanders through the forest and rolling mountain farmland in the Blue Ridge mountains of Little Washington. The Jenkins Mountain course is a PDGA sanctioned course, packed with top quality tee pads, multiple pin positions, tons of elevation change & amazing Blue Ridge Mountain views. Tee #1 and hole #18 are both right across from the entrance to Skyline Brewing. If at first you don’t succeed in throwing your frisbees in a basket, just consider it the most gorgeous 5k hike you’ve ever taken in the Blue Ridge mountains! Free to play every day 9am-sunset.
Plein Air Landscape Painting Lessons
with Nora Harrington
What better way could there be to enjoy the scenery of Rappahannock than by spending several hours truly observing it? Plein air painting lessons enable you to truly live in the moment - to enter the landscape, and to interact with and respond to the environment around you. Anyone can sign up. The group size limit is seven students. Some advance notice is needed to provide supplies Please book a week in advance.
Civil War History in Rappahannock
Rappahannock Historical Society 328 Gay St in Washington
The Rappahannock Historical Society has produced a detailed map and guide to the 30-plus Virginia Civil War Trails markers and the troop movements and skirmishes in Rappahannock County. The map and guide are available at the Visitors Center located at 7 Library Road in Washington. The Visitor Center is open Friday-Sunday. Map and guides are also available through the Rappahannock Historical Society open on Monday, Tuesday Thursday at 328 Gay Street in Washington.
12018 Lee Hwy in Sperryville
Experience the tranquil beauty of Rappahannock County. This unique golf course features nine challenging par-3 holes, ranging in length from 85-171 yards. The course meanders through a series of native wildflower meadows bordered by the Thornton River and the historic ruins of the original Smoot Tannery. These nine holes are the adventure for a sunrise/sunset kinda day.
Eldon Farms began as a cattle operation in the 1960s, and are dedicated to raising top-notch beef through cutting edge genetics and good old hard work. A stone’s throw from Shenandoah National Park. Eldon Farms is also home to trails, a hunting club, unbelievable views, and an impressive variety of birds and wildlife. Don’t miss the John Jackson Piedmont Blues Festival held here the last Saturday in September.
4 River Lane in Sperryville
Wild Roots Apothecary is a heart-centered venture founded to explore the art of herbal medicine. Owner and herbalist, Colleen O’Bryant, leads herbal classes of all kinds and shares botanical remedies in the form of teas, elixirs and wellness-based body care products. Click through to check out the line-up of up coming classes.
65 Clark Lane in Washington
Experience the ultimate Food & Wine education retreat in the gorgeous Blue Ridge Mountains west of Washington D.C. at Little Washington Winery's Dirt Road Wine Academy. Get a head start on achieving your Dirt Road Wine Academy Diploma! With the Blue Ridge Wine Retreat you'll knock out 6 of the 24 Dirt Road Wine Academy classes in one weekend. Enjoy wine and food centric classes, plus an evening farm to table pairing filled with laughter, learning and fun in this unique weekend farm adventure. Let the wine and food adventures begin!
44 Main Street in Sperryville
Bet you've never encountered a gym like this one before! Offering a variety of specialty events and classes all throughout the year. Workshops on yoga, qigong, Thai Massage, meditation, martial arts and more. Seminars with renowned instructors. Fun on the water all summer long with paddle boards. Many ways to Lift Body, Mind & Spirits! Day Pass, Weekend Pass and Couples Pass available in advance or at the door. Please make contact.
Abracadabra Massage & Wellness
32 Main Street in Sperryville
Cara Cutro is a Massage Therapist, Clinical Herbalist, Reiki Master Teacher, Tarot Reader, Sound Therapist, and Wellness Advocate best known for her skills as an intuitive. She customizes each service to your individual needs and loves combining her many talents. Cara has also studied and practiced as an herbalist for more than a decade.
671 Castleton View Road in Castleton
Founded in 2009 by world-reknowned Maestro Lorin Maazel and Dietlinde Turban Maazel, the Castleton Festival introduced classical music, theatre, and opera to the rolling hills of Rappahannock County. Set in one of the most beautiful areas of Virginia, Castleton performances take place at the Theatre House: a former chicken coop for 15,000 hens converted to a “mini-Globe” European-style theatre with one of the finest acoustics in the world. There are four primary themes to Castleton’s present activities: Castleton in Residency: Residencies for Artists of the highest caliber furthering their collaborative work and artistic growth. Castleton in Mentorship: Artists in Residence are encouraged to make time available to teach Master Classes to high potential students from the local community. Castleton in Conversation: A series which engages an extraordinary diversity of guests such as writers, musicians, scientists, entertainers, and thinkers in captivating and spirited dialogue. Castleton in Performance, a year-round series, offers a multicultural experience. This diverse series of recitals, chamber music, jazz, world music, theatre, chamber opera, and dance, brings internationally acclaimed artists into our own backyard.
Located in Amissville
Have an unforgettable day cuddling goats, pony rides, farm tours, playing with piglets and much more. Perfect place for a child’s birthday party. We’re all children, right? Oscar the Unicorn is available for magical unicorn rides at birthday parties and other events. Advance reservations required.
Black Twig Lawn - 12018 Lee Hwy in Sperryville
2024 Season Every Saturday, 9am-12pm April 27 – November 23
Spectator Sport of sorts - The Rappahannock Hunt is spectacularly situated in the foothills of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains. Its roots stretch back two centuries and its sporting traditions still thrill riders in an area known as "the cradle of the American foxhound." Rappahannock Hunt offers something for everyone. Visitors are welcome to join in Rappahannock Hunt activities!
Enjoy 20+ miles of well groomed horseback, carriage and cycling trails over 1,400 acres in bucolic Rappahannock County… mostly covered with pulverized granite for great horse footing or biking traction. There are 18 Stone/Log/Coop jumps for Eventing enthusiasts. Reserve Date and Time.
714 Zachary Taylor Hwy in Flint Hill
Mullany Art Studio hosts classes and workshops. Please be sure to make contact if interested in an mosiac class, pottery class, watercolor class, Summer Open Studio sessions, Picassiette Summer Mini Camps for children.
268 Fletcher's Mill Road, Woodville, VA 22749
Turkey Hill Stables is the perfect location for you and your horse to play and work! Lessons, access to miles of trail riding, and fox hunting in the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains are available to boarders and intermediate to advanced riders who want to get away for the day or a weekend.
September 28 – 29, 2024
11AM – 5PM RAIN OR SHINE
Here’s your one weekend a year when the Rappahannock Farms get together to show their stuff! Come out and go to local agritourism farms. The tour is self-guided so you can travel at your own pace. Have fun while learning about agriculture practices, with the breathtaking background of beautiful Rappahannock County hayrides, farm animals, wineries, goats, sheep, chickens, cows, bees and apiaries, pick your own apples – there is something for everyone to enjoy! The mission of the Rappahannock County Farm Tour is to present an unforgettable, educational and enriching experience of Rappahannock County’s (Agri)Culture.
Artists of Rappahannock Studio & Gallery Tour
November 2 - 3, 2024
10AM -5PM RAIN OR SHINE
Rappahannock Fall Art Tour is held every year Saturday and Sunday, The first full weekend of November. You are invited to tour the studios and galleries, in the villages and on the farms, of nearly 50 participating artists showing newly created work in a wide variety of media, including paintings, sculpture, pottery, jewelry, textiles, photography and more. The tour begins in Little Washington, where, for a small admission fee you will be able to view representative artwork from all the studios and galleries and pick up a map with driving directions to all the locations.
The Thornton Gap entrance to Skyline Drive is about 3 miles west of Sperryville on Route 211. Be sure to click through and check the SNP events calendar. Cascading waterfalls, spectacular vistas, quiet wooded hollows, 200,000 acres of protected lands are haven to black bears, deer, songbirds, the night sky … and you. Hiking trails, waterfalls, 75 scenic overlooks to stop and take in the panoramas, President Hoovers Summer White House, Shenandoah National Park museum at Big Meadow, Skyland Resort lunch + the famous Mile High Blackberry Ice Cream Pie, Go west on Route 211 past Sperryville about 3 miles and you will see the Thornton Gap ranger station to enter Shenandoah National Park.
2354 US Hwy 211 in Luray
50 acres of scenic forested area, ziplines and climbing fun and excitement for all levels of experience. See what you're missing from on top of the trees. Highly recommend this to families and couples. A great team building activity for businesses too! Book online to guarantee your spot on a tour. We do not always have the option to accommodate walk-ins. You can also call 540-743-1733.
101 Cave Hill Road in Luray
Just past Shenandoah National Park on 211, Luray Caverns is the largest caverns in the eastern United States, yet walking through feels more akin to an unearthly experience. Luray caverns have been inspiring guests for 125 years. Guided tours available daily. The Car & Carriage Caravan Museum, Luray Valley Museum, and Toy Town Junction are included with every Luray Caverns ticket.
6502 S. Page Valley Road in Luray
Plan now for all of the river activities–with Friends, Family and River Fun! Canoeing, kayaking, tubing down the river. We are the closest Outfitter to the Luray Caverns, Shenandoah National Park & Skyland and we border George Washington National Forest in beautiful Page County, Virginia. River Activities and Camp Outback opened for our 54th season April 1,2024. All of our cabins have hot tubs and are open year round!
James Madison’s Montpelier Estate
11350 Constitution Hwy in Montpelier Station
Montpelier is the lifelong home of James Madison, Father of the Constitution, Architect of the Bill of Rights, and fourth President of the United States. As a monument to James Madison and the Enslaved Community, a museum of American history, and a center for constitutional education, Montpelier engages the public with the enduring legacy of Madison’s most powerful idea: government by the people.
1050 Monticello Loop in Charlottesville
Thomas Jefferson was an American statesman, diplomat, lawyer, architect, philosopher, and Founding Father who served as the third president of the United States from 1801 to 1809. He was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence. Jefferson designed and redesigned his home at Monticello many times over his lifetime. The house includes 2500 acres, gorgeous gardens and spectacular views. For 100 years, Monticello has been maintained and kept open to the public by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc., which owns over 2,500 acres of Jefferson's 5,000-acre plantation.