These Family Day Trips in Virginia are in the Shenandoah and Roanoke Valley
There is nothing like a day trip with your family but sometimes you don’t know where to start. I really enjoy planning out day trips for the kids that I know they will enjoy. Hopefully, these ideas for family day trips in Virginia will help you plan your next family adventure.
Lexington, Virginia Family Day Trips
Downtown
When you visit Lexington, VA, make sure to hit up downtown. Lexington is full of boutique shops, jewelry stores and some delicious food but it’s quite small. However, you could make a morning or afternoon of strolling up and down Main Street.
Also, Lexington has a thriving art scene. For example, Earth, Fire and Spirit Pottery have pieces from over 200 different local artists. There are several galleries downtown where you can get pottery, paintings, or even a Lexington Brick necklace.
Lastly, you could take a horse drawn carriage ride and the Lexington Carriage Company is great for the family. Take a ride downtown and learn the history of town and the colleges.
Virginia Safari Park
Natural Bridge State Park is just south of Lexington and is a great attraction in itself. This area is home to many tourist attractions but probably one of the most popular (aside from the bridge itself) is the Virginia Safari Park.
This park has a drive thru where you can feed many different types of animals and a walking section. We have season passes and the kids love coming here regularly. Guests can bring in outside food and have a picnic by the animals.
Dinosaur Kingdom II
Nearby, you can also find Dinosaur Kingdom II. This unique attraction houses dinosaur sculptures that are fighting in the Civil War and your family will be entertained by the creativity.
Hiking
Lexington has some great hiking trails in the area and they are great ways to take in the natural beauty. I personally love the Woods Creek Trail which winds through W & L and VMI campus. It takes you past the Woods Creek, through a tunnel and over a couple bridges.
The Chessie Trail is another great option and it leads from the end of the Woods Creek Trail over to Buena Vista. We love biking that one but there are many that just enjoy walking.
Staunton, Virginia Family Day Trips
Gypsy Hill
Gypsy Hill Park is a gem in the middle of downtown Staunton with 214 acres of fun and it’s a great place to take your time.
There is a large duck pond in the middle and we love stopping to feed them. Also, there are a couple of playgrounds, one for bigger and one for smaller kids.
Family Day Trips Tip: Buy duck food at Tractor Supply before you go
When you visit, see if the Gypsy Express Mini-Train is running. This small train runs around a small track in the park and it’s a perfect ride for the kids.
You could easily plan to spend your whole day here checking everything out and it would be a great spot for a picnic.
Wright’s Dairy Rite
Wright’s Dairy Rite is a car hop restaurant your kids will want to come back to every time they pass through the area.
This old school restaurant has car hops for in car dining. You can also eat inside the restaurant, or eat on their patio. Our kids love that they get their food in a car and free ice cream with their meal!
Pufferbellies
Toy stores are hard to come by now, but downtown Staunton has Pufferbellies. This toy store has so many options your kids will go crazy! Take some time to step in here and walk around downtown Staunton.
Sunspots
Lastly, Staunton is home to glass blowing artisans and you can watch them work! This unique shop has a glass blowing studio that you can observe and many pieces made in the studio for sale. Sunspots is a fun way to shop but also learn about the craft.
Harrisonburg, Virginia Family Day Trips
JMU
As a graduate of James Madison University, I feel obligated to tell you about not only how beautiful this campus is but also how easy it is to get Dukes fever. If you want to check it out, park in a parking garage and just walk around the campus and you will see high level gardening and landscaping.
Any season is beautiful here but there is just something about spring when the flowers are blooming (purple and yellow of course!) and the grass starts turning green again. There are several dining options on campus and it’s fun to just bring a frisbee and play on the quad or have a picnic.
JMU has a huge marching band (The Marching Royal Dukes are over 400 strong) and a football team that has won two National Championships. Try to catch a game to join in JMU Dukes fever and hit up the bookstore.
Family Day Trips tip: You don’t have to stay for a whole game, but you have to see halftime!
Explore More Discovery Museum
Downtown has some great places but a favorite of ours is the Explore More Discovery Museum. This kids museum has all hands on displays with puppets, a performing stage, crafts, an airplane (yes, a small one they can all get in!) and so much more! For reference, here is my review of the museum.
My kids beg to go there and I love taking them. Make sure you stop at Shirley’s Popcorn on the way out for a snack.
A Dream Come True Playground
This playground is perfect for so many reasons. First of all, it is huge and colorful with several different sections depending on the age of your kids. Second, it is accessible for kids who need wheelchairs and has a special swing so they can try it out too! This park truly is a Dream Come True for kids.
Massanutten Resort
Just outside of Harrisonburg, is the Massanutten Resort and this huge resort has restaurants, skiing, tubing, zip lining, an indoor/outdoor water park and more. You could easily enjoy some of the activities at the resort if you are up for the day and our kids really love the water park!
Kline’s Dairy Bar
If you have ever talked to someone who has lived in Harrisonburg (or Staunton) they have probably enjoyed Kline’s ice cream and this shop has three flavors a week including chocolate and vanilla. I recommend you get the waffle cone with a single scoop but the sundaes and milkshakes are fantastic, too! There are two locations in Harrisonburg, one in Staunton, one in Waynesboro and they are adding a couple more locations.
Roanoke, Virginia Family Day Trips
Center in the Square
Center in the Square is a large building in the middle of downtown Roanoke that houses many family friendly activities and also learning experiences.
First, there is the Roanoke Pinball Museum where you can play pinball and see 50 different games. Second, there is the Starcade where you guests can game for a fee.
Third, there is Kids’ Square where kids can have hands on play with different storefronts and explore their surroundings. Last, there is the Science Museum of Western Virginia with many hands on activities, touch tanks and more.
There is an attached parking garage to make the visit a little simpler and a candy shop on the bottom floor along with an aquarium.
Family Day Trips tip: Use the parking lot to your advantage and walk around downtown.
Mill Mountain Zoo
This zoo isn’t very big, but it’s a hit with the kids. There are many different animals in the Mill Mountain Zoo such as otters, snow leopards, porcupines and wolves. Also, make sure to take a ride on the Zoo Choo which is a train that rides around the whole zoo.
Roanoke Star
Lastly, Roanoke has a nickname of the “Star City” and it comes from having the giant, 88.5 foot tall Roanoke Star on Mill Mountain. Drive to the top of Mill Mountain and follow signs to the star. There is a great overlook of the whole city and it lights up at night but it’s something you have to see to believe.
Other Helpful Links
Explore More Discovery Museum Review
Explore the Beauty of Crabtree Falls