Family-Focused Four-Season Fun

Trade in your skyscraper views for panoramic mountain vistas at the 6,000-acre year-round Massanutten Resort in McGaheysville, Va. A recent family trip with my young adult children proved that the property is ideal for multigenerational travelers and family groups—from those with little kids to those with adult children. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, Massanutten’s roster of activities on and off site kept our family busy if we wanted from morning to night, but with the perfect amount of downtime to simply enjoy being together. A new hotel slated to open in October and a waterpark expansion to debut in 2027 will only add to the thrills.

The resort boasts an abundance of accommodation choices, from hotel rooms to multi-bedroom house-like condos. We chose the Regal Vistas community, which is the resort’s newest cottage style condos that feel more like a home and offer Blue Ridge Mountain views. Our two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo came with a full kitchen, a fireplace in the living room and another in the master bedroom, a whirlpool tub and separate shower in the master bathroom, a deck with gas grill, garage, and even a washer and dryer. More importantly there was plenty of room for all of us, including during relaxing movie and game nights.

Guests here get exclusive access to Regal Vista’s outdoor pool and small fitness room. Plus, the resort also has an outdoor pool and two indoor pools and an expansive fitness and rec center on-site. Here guests will find fitness classes, plus indoor and outdoor basketball courts, and outdoor pickleball courts. There is ice skating in the winter.

WHAT’S NEW
The popularity of the resort is evident in the additions that are slated to continue into 2027. Guests arriving this October and onward with young children can also opt to stay in the resort’s newest property, the 140-room ShenandoaH2O hotel featuring traditional guest rooms, as well as two- and three-bedroom suites tailored for families. It will add to the on-site dining offerings with Dockside, a casual restaurant and bar.

The hotel is located next to the indoor/outdoor waterpark, where an indoor expansion is slated for early 2027. Another new attraction at the resort made its debut this summer, the alpine coaster “Mountain Mayhem” at the Family Adventure Park. You can cruise downhill along 2,156 feet with two full 360-degree spirals. The six-minute run is fully-customizable with those with a need for speed being able to travel up to 25 miles per hour and those who are along for the ride just to take in the Shenandoah Valley views able to adjust their speed to a more leisurely pace. (Yes, please!) The park also offers ziplining, a climbing wall, summer tubing, and a Kids’ Adventure Course.

For more adult-friendly activities, Massanutten has two 18-hole golf courses and a driving range, which is where my husband took off to most mornings. Wine tasting, horseback riding, mountain biking, craft-making, and even comedy nights are more of the activities you can take while there. Winter brings the chance for skiing, snowboarding, and winter tubing. Our wonderful massages at the full-service spa added to the built-in relaxation of our locale. New to the spa is the Multi-S.A.L.T. Booth, an enclosed dry salt therapy booth, and an Infrared Dry Sauna.

Four restaurants and two coffee bars and a host of snack shops provide plenty of on-site casual dining choices. Outdoor dining at Base Camp is a top-pick for the mountain views, with live music offered on select nights adding to the low-key atmosphere of the resort.

EXPLORE THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY
Beyond Massanutten Resort the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley unfolds. The scenic 105-mile Skyline Drive runs along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Shenandoah National Park. Enter the park along Skyline Drive at the Swift Run Gap Entrance near Elkton, only a 20-minute drive from the resort. Drive along Skyline Drive and stop at overlooks for vistas of the area’s beauty. If you like to hike, turn off at the Blackrock Summit Trailhead for a one-mile circular hike that offers views of the Shenandoah Valley and Massanutten Mountain. It is even part of the Appalachian Trail.

For a very different stroll through something also created by nature, visit Luray Caverns in Luray. It is about a 35- to 45-minute drive from the resort. It takes 90 minutes along paved walkways to explore this truly impressive 64-acre subterranean U.S. Natural Landmark that began forming some 400 million years ago. You’ll pass cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings up to 10-stories high that feature stalactites, stalagmites, towering stone formations, clear pools, and the Great Stalacpipe Organ, which they say is the world’s largest musical instrument.