A Trip Underground

Growing up my parents made it a goal to show my sister and I the most important national landmarks and monuments by the time we were grown. We road-tripped to the Grand Canyon and made it up to Niagara Falls; we even saw some less-popular landmarks, kept quite literally, underground. Luray VA, about an hour drive from Charlottesville, is home to the remarkably large LurayCaverns. Spanning over 3 acres, the interwoven underground caverns hide 4,000,000 year old pillars, stalactite and stalagmite formations, and spring pools in cathedral sized rooms over 10 stories high. As a kid I remember craning my neck just to see the ominously large formations suspended from the ceiling. Today, Luray Caverns have 11 points of interest in the depths of the chambers, one being the Great Stalacpipe Organ that creates a unique music from the stalactite formations around it. The caverns really are an incredible sight to see for both adults and kids, but maybe not those with a fear of heights. Hour-long tours along the paved walkways through the caverns are offered year round. After you have walked through all of the cliffs and caves, the Luray Museum is definitely worth checking out. It holds all of the precious gems discovered within the caverns, one of which I still have in my keepsake box. Truly an incredible sight to see, Luray Caverns is one for the scrapbook.

Ellen Studer
Bestweekends.com