Hooray for Luray Caverns

Virginia is a beautiful place, with unique scenery, and some of the most extraordinary sights! One great example is Luray Caverns, with their magnificent and unique splendor. Portions of the caverns are open to the public, drawing over 500,000 visitors a year. YOU should be one of them!

Did you know that Luray Caverns are now more accessible and step-free?  The steps that lead tours from the Entrance Lobby into the caverns are now bypassed by a looping covered walkway and a 164-foot corridor that was excavated into the hillside adjacent to the Entrance Building. This makes them one of the few underground marvels providing both a step-free entrance and tours on all-paved walkways, making them even more accessible to visitors today and into the future.

Located in the Shenandoah Valley, the Luray Caverns are truly a sight to behold. They make up the largest cave system on the East Coast, with a stunning array of geological wonders. In fact, a Smithsonian Institution report in 1880 stated that “there is probably no other cave in the world more completely and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation.” Today, the National Park Service has designated the caverns as a National Natural Landmark.

The caves do have an otherworldly appearance. They are vast expanses filled with creamy white Limestone forming fantastic shapes such as columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, and even mirrored pools. The Luray Caverns were discovered by Europeans in 1878, but evidence indicates that it had been used by Native people long before. Artifacts and bone fragments were found embedded in the stalagmites.

If you’re looking for a fun weekend trip, head straight to Luray. It offers family fun and the chance to check out something distinctive to Virginia. They even have a rope course and hedge maze, as well as three on-site museums to explore.  Have you already been to the Caverns?  Test your Cavern I.Q. with this quiz!

We are lucky to live in the Commonwealth of Virginia and encourage everyone to get out there to admire what makes our state unique!