Local Trailblazers love exploring and trying new things. They embrace the experiences and beauty nature throws at them. They take advantage of local food and products. They revel in all the things that make an area special and unique. Here are five ways to be a trailblazer along the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail.

Eat Local

The Beerwerks Trail footprint is home to many great restaurants and Agri-pubs  specializing in local ingredients. You’ll find upscale dining establishments like Haywoods, Zynodoa, or the Joshua Wilton House, and restaurants that serve up heaps of Southern classics like Heritage on Main Street.

Try Edelweiss German Restaurant and Gloria’s Pupuseria for global favorites. Stop by a converted school bus for burgers to die for at Old School Burgers or score a plate of finger-licking barbeque at Log Cabin Barbeque or The Fishin’ Pig.

 Friendly City Food Co-op is good for grab-n-go meals. Save room for fresh local ice cream from Smiley’s Ice Cream or Sweet Things.

Check out more of our restaurants.

Shop Local

Shop along the Beerwerks Trail for one-of-a-kind items from an eclectic selection of independent shops, unique boutiques, and art galleries. 

• Staunton’s historic downtown boasts a number of fine restaurants ranging from comfort food to culinary elegance, and sometimes a mix of the two. You’ll also find unusual offerings like sweet or savory pies at Firkin Pie Company and gelato at The Split Banana. Don’t miss an opportunity to purchase specialty food items at Staunton Grocery. 

• Shop historic downtown Waynesboro for original, local art. Stop by the Shenandoah Valley Art Center, P. Buckley Moss Gallery, and The Wayne Theatre’s newly reopened exhibit gallery to view or make purchases.
• Harrisonburg offers an excellent range of national brand stores and independent retailers. You’ll find beautiful hand-made goods at Lineage Goods, New Creation VA, The Lady Jane, and more.

• Lexington and Rockbridge County have a number of unique boutiques and specialty shops where you can find high-end clothing, antiques, local crafts and artwork, and more. They’re also known for their four country stores: Layne’s Country Store, Natural Bridge General Store and Natty B’s Café, Gerties, and Coiner’s Country Store, and the Brownsburg Museum’s country store replica exhibit.

• Augusta County is a great place to score antiques. Start at Verona’s Factory Antique Mall and the Stuarts Draft Antique Mall. Take advantage of farm-fresh opportunities like farm-to-table dining, farmers’ markets, and farm tours.
• Rockingham County shines in the area of specialty Farm Markets and produce shops like the Dayton Market, Shenandoah Heritage Market, J&B Country Store, Fulks Run Grocery and The Valley Pantry.

Drink Local

With 18 craft breweries and more on the way, you’re always close to a cold Beerwerks brew. Stop in today and try the freshest beer around. If you want to know ahead of time what’s on tap, download the Untappd app. All Beerwerks breweries have profiles and you can read descriptions and reviews of the brews.

Adventure Local

Trailblazers love adventure, and there’s plenty of that along the trail. Keep busy with three new ways to adventure local! 

• The newly restored and opened Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel delves right under Afton Mountain. There’s a 2.25-mile trail for hikers and bikers that stretches from the trailhead in Waynesboro to the one in Nelson County. The mile-long tunnel was originally built for trains in the 1850s, and was once the longest railroad tunnel in North America. It isn’t lit, so you’ll need a flashlight, but the entire family will enjoy hunting for crawfish and salamanders and the slightly spooky sensation of being so far underground.

• Natural Bridge State Park is another stellar location to explore a natural wonder and learn about the history and geography of our area. Use the self-guiding materials to learn about the 215-foot limestone arch, explore the seven miles of trails, and enjoy the beauty of nature. Try out one of the seasonal living history programs and let the kids play, climb, dig, and explore in the Children’s Discovery Area. Keep an eye out for the park’s native animals and insects as well as George Washington’s carved initials! 

• Finally, head to Massanutten Resort’s Adventure Park, where the entire family will find thrills and joy in nature. Hone your skills with a guided climbing and rappelling tour or rocket down the mountain at 30 m.p.h. on the MegaZip! A two-hour canopy tour challenges you with all sorts of aerial obstacles. Children under 12 will enjoy gem mining at the kids’ playland or a kids’ adventure tour with age-appropriate versions of the canopy challenges. The park offers 600 feet of downhill tubing in both winter and summer, thanks to a special surface on the run and a conveyor lift. The park recently installed a climbing area with 16-30-foot walls as well as a quick flight jump tower designed to help you achieve weightlessness!

Wear Local

Skinny jeans might be on their way out, but Beerwerks T-shirts are in, and they flatter everyone!

Earn yours by doing what you love: drinking beer! Get started by signing up for the Beerwerks passport program. Pick up your passport at any of our participating breweries or visitor’s centers (Harrisonburg, Staunton, Lexington and Rockbridge, Waynesboro, or Rockfish Gap). Next, collect stamps at any eight breweries on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail. Fill out and mail your passport, making sure to include your shirt size. Finally, wait for that shirt to arrive!

Check the Beerwerks Website for more ways to be a Trailblazer!