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Virginia Tourist AttractionsGuide to roadside oddities and other weird, strange and unusual attractions in Virginia.
Caves are big Virginia tourist attractions, especially in the Shenandoah Valley. It’s a very cavey place.
Many of the caves have something uniquely their own to offer the jaded palate of the world-weary traveler….. The largest is Luray Caverns which has a special music treat for your ears.
Others include Endless Caverns that has their own special Spring Water, Grand Caverns with its Civil War graffiti and Natural Bridge Caverns, where roadside attractions and nature meet in a wonderfully kitschy Virginia tourist trap.
The world’s largest musical instrument is in Luray Caverns. Well, actually it IS Luray Caverns. How can a cave be a musical instrument? The wind blowing through it maybe? Nooooooooooooo. Not this time. It’s an organ, a Stalacpipe Organ Yeah? And?????? It’s hooked up to 3 ½ acres of stalactites, each matched to a note of the musical scale. When a key is tapped, a rubber-tipped mallet hits the corresponding stalactite. This is the only Stalacpipe Organ in the world, a Virginia tourist attraction that is one of those “must-hears”!! Luray Caverns is also home to a really cool maze. If one of your goals is to get lost in a maze, this one will work great. Luray Caverns is at 970 US Highway 211 West, Luray, VA
Huh??? The Route 11 Potato Chip Factory on, uh, Route 11 maybe? in Middletown Virginia makes some unique potato chips.
Like for instance, their Chesapeake Crab chips. They use the same special blend of spices the fishermen and restaurants use to flavor their crab.
The chips are all made by hand and there is a viewing window at their factory. They’re open from 9-5 Mon-Sat. The best time to watch is between 9 and 11:30 am. And Fridays and Saturdays are the best days because all the chip varieties are available to sample.
Photo courtesy Route 11 Potato Chips. Tip: Call the day before to make sure they’re making chips. Sometimes the machine is down for repairs or cleaning. The Route 11 Potato Chip Factory is on Route 11 in Middletown VA off I-81, exit 302. They are located on Main Street (Route 11) in the center of town, just south of the only stoplight. Phone: 1-800-294-SPUD (7783) or (540) 869 -0104
A Virginia roadside attraction that’s a natural wonder with plenty of kitsch and tackiness added to lure the traveler in. Like many of the tourist trap show caves across the US, the developers of Natural Bridge have added other attractions too. Sure, there really is a Natural Bridge. And yes, it’s cool. But the kitschy roadside oddities are cool, too. Like Foamhenge. A full-size replica of the Stonehenge of England. Made out of foam.
And Foamhenge is FREE to go see, too!
Photo courtesy Natural Bridge website. And for even more – there’s a show cave at Natural Bridge, too! You go down 34 stories into the earth at The Caverns. Natural Bridge is on Route 11 between exits 175 and 180 off I-81. Foamhenge is at exit 180 off I-81, just south of the Natural Bridge Petting Zoo on Hwy 11.
Take a drive on the world’s largest bridge-tunnel complex. It crosses over and under the open waters where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. There’s a pier to go fishing off, a great view stop, and a there’s a café on one of the manmade islands.
Photo courtesy Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel is not only a Virginia tourist attraction, it’s also a travel convenience providing a major shortcut between the Virginia mainland and Virginia’s Eastern Shore.
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