• Visit the Luray Zoo.goats eye image by Allyson Ricketts from Fotolia.com
  
  Luray is a town of over 4,800 people in the Shenandoah Valley in Northern Virginia. Luray---which is the county seat for Page County---sits just under two hours from Washington, D.C., and the Maryland border, and an hour and 20 minutes from West Virginia. It's a good day trip into a rural area for nature and wildlife lovers.
  
  

Luray Caverns

• The Luray Caverns started forming 400 million years ago. A tinsmith and a photographer co-discovered the caverns on August 13, 1878. People flocked to see the caverns, and Luray became an unlikely tourist destination. The 1977 movie "The Other Side of Midnight" that starred Susan Sarandon was filmed at the caverns. Television shows such as "Mister Roger's Neighborhood" and "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" have featured the caverns. A highlight of the caverns is the Great Stalacpipe Organ, known as the "world's largest musical instrument." The stalactites hanging in the cavern make noises that sound like a symphony when tapped electronically by rubber-tipped mallets.
  
  Luray Caverns
  970 U.S. Hwy. 211 West
  Luray, VA 22835
  540-743-6551
  luraycaverns.com
  
  

Luray Zoo

• Zoos usually aren't found in small towns like Luray. The Luray Zoo, however, is a rescue zoo that features a range of animals, birds and reptiles. You can see a Bengal tiger, king cobras, wedged caped capuchin monkeys, eagle owls and Harris hawks. A petting zoo features less aggressive animals like pet fallow deer, goats, Tibetan yaks, a potbelly pig and a Sicilian donkey. The Luray Zoo also has shows like an alligator feeding and a venomous snake show.
  
  Luray Zoo
  1087 U.S. 211
  Luray, VA 22835
  540-743-4113
  lurayzoo.com
  
  

Shenandoah National Park

• The 105-mile long Shenandoah National Park has its headquarters in Luray. The 196,000-acre park includes hiking trails that cover over 500 miles, backcountry camping, bike riding, birdwatching, horseback riding, fishing and nature viewing like observing waterfalls. You can drive through the park on Skyline Drive. Highlights include overlook areas and picnic facilities. Stops near Luray include the Pass Mountain Overlook, the Jewell Hollow Overlook and the Pinnacles Overlook and picnic area.
  
  Shenandoah National Park
  3655 Hwy 211 East
  Luray, VA 22835
  540-999-3500
  nps.gov