Dubbed the Friendly City, Harrisonburg, Virginia, has all the makings of a storybook fall getaway. Maybe it was the glass of wine, the crackle of the fire, or the pleasant ache in my legs courtesy of our late-afternoon hike, but from our window table in the historic Joshua Wilton House , Harrisonburg was starting to feel a lot like home. Fall was on full display as we made our way into town that morning.
The hour or so drive from the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport was an idyllic combination of bucolic farmland and rolling hills, accented by just enough roadside apple stands to remind us that people worked and lived here. As we drew closer to Harrisonburg and Shenandoah National Park , the Blue Ridge Mountains shifted into focus like patterns inside a kaleidoscope. Suddenly, the hazy, orange-brown mass was a well-defined patchwork of color, brandishing every hue from deep green and yellow to rust and fire-engine red.
Our first stop was the Harrisonburg Farmers Market , a year Saturday-morning tradition where we sampled homemade pickles and chocolate muffins. Inside The Lady Jane , I had a hard time choosing from the array of locally made candles, jewelry, tote bags, and other gift items.
I ended up with a pair of earrings and a stack of greeting cards. None of that existed when they got started. Our last retail rendezvous was at Shops at Agora , an eclectic collection of nine distinctive sellers all housed under one roof. If you go, be sure to grab some java from Broad Porch Coffee before browsing the patterned casserole dishes, milk glass pieces, and kitschy knick-snacks at mother-daughter-owned Heartworn Vintage.
Next door, Lineage focuses on handmade waxed-canvas and leather bags in a variety of classic styles. With plenty of light left in the day, we decided to stop for a bite before hitting the hiking trails.
