Best Winter Hikes for Outdoor-Loving Families

Screen time is on the up and up, due in large part to pandemic-prompted distance learning in school districts across the state. To offset this rise in eyeballs on screens, it's time to get the kids outside, on a scenic hiking trail in the Shenandoah Valley. Best Winter Hikes for Outdoor-Loving Families Even in winter, there's loads of active family fun to be had on our hiking trails, like scrambling rocks, skipping stones across streams and ogling frozen waterfalls. We asked Erin Gifford of Go Hike Virginia to share her best winter hikes fo...

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Winter Family Adventures

While we wait for vaccines to make their way to our communities, there are still winter family adventures that incorporate COVID safety. The Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains offer a host of outdoor activities considered to be “lower risk” by health professionals such as those at Johns Hopkins. And we’ve also found some indoor ways to make learning fun for your whole “quaran-team”. Winter Family Adventures and COVID Safety When you’re dressed for the elements, winter is a great time to explore. The area is home to not only the Shenan...

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Check Out These Shenandoah Valley Holiday Happenings

Happy Holidays! Looking for Shenandoah Valley holiday happenings? We’ve put together a great list of ideas. As always, take your mask, practice social distancing, and check social media for the latest updates before you visit. Shenandoah Valley Holiday Happenings Christmas parades and town tree lightings are uncertain at best right now. But you still want to get into the holiday spirit. Try one of these light shows shining this season in the Shenandoah Valley. Walking Through a Winter Wonderland. Clearbrook Park. Now - January 3. This annu...

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Make Learning Fun with Air and Space

Combine interactive online activities with a visit to the Smithsonian’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center and make learning fun! Get helpful tips on making the most of your museum experience and how to use the learning portal to supplement your visit as well as your child’s education. Make Learning Fun at the Museum Located next to the Dulles Airport, the Udvar-Hazy Center is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum’s annex. But with 3000 artifacts on display, there’s nothing subordinate about this museum’s collection. And if your child is fas...

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Halloween is Still Happening in the Valley

Halloween is still happening in the Shenandoah Valley. While larger events are cancelled, there are small town celebrations, family-friendly ghost tours, and other fun ways to enjoy all things spooky. Here are some events to put on your calendar, along with some helpful advice from Valley Health. Halloween is Still Happening in the Valley Admit it - there’s nothing cuter than seeing kids in Halloween costumes. And even though Halloween 2020 will be different because of COVID-19, families can still enjoy the spooky season. Local medical pr...

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Free Fall Family Fun Ideas

Fall family fun doesn’t need to be expensive! Let the Kids Trail gang show you some free (or nearly free) fall family fun ideas. Bucket knows the best places for day hikes, picnicking and biking. Fungi takes you to a PYO orchard then shares a baked apple recipe. Shenny has come up with some fun fall crafts that make beautiful holiday gifts. And Ridge shows us how to celebrate our natural heritage by gathering a future forest. Free Fall Family Fun Ideas Some would argue that there’s no better season than fall in the Blue Ridge and Shenandoah V...

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2020 Apple Harvest Festival Continues Community Giving

Local charities have taken a donation hit during COVID-19. But the Rotary Club of Winchester is working to safely host the 2020 Shenandoah Valley Apple Harvest Festival September 19 and 20 and raise much needed funds for area nonprofits. This year, Apple Harvest Festival celebrates 45 years of community giving. 45 Years Supporting Local Charities Since 1975, the Apple Harvest Festival has been a key fundraising source for the Rotary Club of Winchester. Through the festival, says organizer Darla McCrary, the Rotary has donated over $1 million...

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11 Great Garden Goodies for Picky Eaters

Entice the picky eaters in your family with these 11 great garden goodies. With unique textures, shapes, and tastes, they make healthy eating fun for kids. Take a tour with Kids Trail Mascot Fungi and see what’s in the garden. Great Garden Goodies Lydia’s Fields at Wheatlands in Purcellville has not only summer “classics” like cucumbers and eggplants. The farm also offers unique vegetables, fruits and herbs. Carrying on a 200 year old farming tradition, Lydia’s Fields grows an assortment of heirloom tomatoes as well as hybrid varieties. C...

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Blue Ridge Family Fun Is Now Open

Slowly, but surely, Blue Ridge family fun is now reopening. Here’s an update of Kids Trail stops for kid friendly adventure. And always, “know before you go.” Check websites and social media for updates. Blue Ridge Family Fun in Winchester State and national parks are a popular family adventure choice. The Winchester region of the Kids Trail is home to Shenandoah National Park as well as Shenandoah River State Park. Get the latest Virginia Park updates here. Looking for more outdoor fun? While in the area, take a trip to the prehistoric p...

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Family Biking Tips and Trails

Family biking on the VA Kids Trail offers city sights, mountain scenery, easy outings and challenging terrain. Even the youngest family members can enjoy the adventure. Review these bike safety tips and then try one of these trails. Family Biking on the Kids Trail Bike riding is a fun, healthy family activity. There are family bike adventures for all ages and skills. Parks and rec departments provide “greenways” winding along urban nature pockets. Virginia State parks have miles of “multi-use” trails for biking, hiking, and horseback riding. ...

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