Harrisonburg

Harrisonburg is a city of 52,000 people (2020) in the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia,. The city is a major financial and retail center for eight counties in Virginia, and even draws people from parts of neighboring West Virginia. There is a traditionally strong agricultural base, but there has been tremendous growth in retail and industry sectors.

Get in
The main way into Harrisonburg is via I-81.

Get around
There are buses that run in Harrisonburg, and downtown Harrisonburg is compact and walkable. To explore the city, however, you will likely want to have a car.

See

 * James Madison University (JMU): The university has a beautiful campus that is worth exploring. The campus is divided into three sections. The old section is off South Main Street and is referred to as the Quad. It is the prettiest part of campus. The middle of campus is less aesthetically appealing, but the new section of campus is much prettier and features nice views of the mountains.

Do

 * Go hiking, Harrisonburg is near the George Washington National Forest and the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is great hiking in the National Forest. The drive there is also beautiful and passes through Mennonite communities.

Learn
The community is a major educational center.
 * James Madison University, . A public university that was found in 1908 and has approximately 20,000 students with a 630-acre campus.  Offers undergraduate and graduate level degrees.
 * Eastern Mennonite University, . A Christian liberal arts university that enrolls approximately 920 students.  It is also the home of the Eastern Mennonite Seminary.

Drink
Harrisonburg is known for its nightlife because of JMU students. In downtown Harrisonburg, there are many fun places to drink and many cheap drink specials.



Luray, Virginia

 * Luray Caverns, one of the most detailed, beautiful caverns in the world, about 30 minutes away from Harrisonburg.

Reddish Knob
A mountain peak on the Virginia-West Virginia border:
 * Reddish Knob, a well known nearby peak that has wonderful views of the Shenandoah Valley. Bill Clinton gave an important speech about the protection of National Forests from the peak of Reddish Knob.

Go next

 * Staunton (Virginia), a pretty city 30 minutes south of Harrisonburg.