Family-Friendly Fun
Harrisonburg offers tons of family-friendly activities from the Explore More Discovery Museum to Massanutten Waterpark to the JMU Planetarium so be prepared to be amazed by the number of unique fun and entertaining educational options while visiting Harrisonburg. Kids big and small may have trouble choosing between so many recreation spots and cool museums, so fuel up for action-and-learning-packed days. Harrisonburg has numerous parks with playgrounds and walking trails but no trip to Harrisonburg would be complete for young children without a visit to A Dream Come True playground. In addition to free playgrounds Harrisonburg boasts the free Larry W. Shifflett Fire Museum with fun activities and experiences for the whole family. There are four seasons of family fun in Harrisonburg from ice skating to bowling to indoor climbing walls to snow tubing, zip lining and apple picking. Make Harrisonburg “the friendly city” your next family vacation destination.
Museums
Explore More Discovery Museum, Harrisonburg Children’s Museum
150 S. Main St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-442-8900
Experience the Explore More Discovery Museum: Harrisonburg’s children’s museum designed to engage young minds through interactive, multi-sensory learning experiences. Exhibits range from a play kitchen and craft areas to a makers-space for ages 9 and up. With exhibits ranging in topics from medicine to farming to theatre, and numerous workshops throughout the year, children can learn about the world around us through exploration.
Larry W. Shifflett Fire Museum
3rd Floor, Public Safety Building 101 N. Main St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-432-7703
Harrionburg’s Fire Museum provides an in-depth look at one of the city’s most exciting departments:- the Harrisonburg Fire Department. In addition to old fire memorabilia such as uniforms, medals, an old fire alarm, photographs and equipment, the museum provides a behind-the-scenes look at some of our nation’s heroes. Admission to this museum is free.
Heritage Museum: Harrisonburg-Rockingham Historical Society
382 High St. Dayton, VA 22821 | 540-879-2616 (Volunteer Desk)
The Heritage Museum features “Invincible Spirit”, a 5,000 square-foot exhibit portraying the unique history of the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. There is also a Folk Art collection, featuring the traditional arts of the Shenandoah region.; Stonewall Jackson’s famous Valley Campaign map is presented in a unique audiovisual setting. Also on display is; an extensive genealogy research library; and Civil War displays and artifacts. General admission includes all the galleries, the automated Civil War map of Stonewall Jackson’s Valley campaign, the bookstore and gift shop, and the research library.
Hugo Kohl’s Museum of American Jewelry Design and Manufacturing Company
217 South Liberty St., Ste. 103 Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-564-2755
Hugo Kohl’s vision was to design a museum that provides visitors with a full sensory experience of jewelry manufacturing. An elevated floor plan allows guests to browse the retail store while watching artisans create in the workshop below. Sign up for a guided tour here, or explore the self guided tour at your own pace.
Brethren & Mennonite Heritage Center
1921 Heritage Center Way Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-438-1275
Experience the Valley’s unique religious and cultural heritage where Brethren and Mennonite religion and culture meet. Tour the interpretive center as well as the 1800s homestead and a one room schoolhouse, and attend events celebrating the history and heritage of the Brethren and Mennonite way of life.
Valley Turnpike Museum
Located in the Hardesty-Higgins House 212 S. Main St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-432-8935
Admission is free.
The Valley Turnpike Museum is located inside the historic Hardesty-Higgins House (circa 1848), home of Harrisonburg’s first mayor, Isaac Hardesty. The Valley Turnpike Museum is located on the historic road for which it was named, now known as U.S. Route 11. The museum explores the history of the road, from its beginning as a buffalo path to Stonewall Jackson’s famous Valley Campaign, to the toll road era and the development of the interstate highway system.
Virginia Quilt Museum
301 S. Main St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-433-3818
Open Tues-Sat 10am-4pm. Closed all major holidays
The Virginia Quilt Museum offers opportunities to view significant work by both early and contemporary quilt artisans. Located in the historic Warren-Sipe House, the museum offers historic elements of quilting as well as a Civil War history room, special events and rotating exhibits.
Parks & Playgrounds | Planetarium | Theaters
Back Home on the Farm
2915 Willow Run Rd. Harrisonburg, VA | 540-442-6493
Back Home on the Farm is a beautiful 240 acres of farm land in Rockingham County with many attractions for all ages. The farm activities include pig races, carousel rides, a cow train, hay rides, a corn maze and much more. Hours, and some activities such as pumpkin picking, are seasonal, so be sure to contact them before your visit.
Elevation Sports
1925 E. Market St., Ste. 302 Harrisonburg, VA | 540-705-0951
Elevation Sports is the Shenandoah Valley’s premier provider of Bubble Soccer, Combat Archery, and Nerf Wars. Elevation Sports provide unforgettable experiences by offering unique, family-friendly recreational activities that promote health and wellness through physical exercise. Enjoy walk-in Pay & Play with your family or a group of friends. Also offering party and event reservations for exclusive use of our facilities.
First Tee of Harrisonburg
690 Garbers Church Rd. Harrisonburg, VA | 540-437-4239
The First Tee provides young people with the skills to be successful on and off the golf course. Classes range from beginner to advanced. Clinics, open play, movie nights, and other events are also offered.
Funky’s Skate Center – Closed until further notice
100 Miller Cir. Harrisonburg, VA | 540-433-1834
Funky’s Skate Center offers open skating, party or rentals, roller derby, and speed skating.
Horizons Edge Sports Campus
325 Cornerstone Ln, Harrisonburg, VA | 540-214-2377
Horizons Edge Sports Campus is a one-stop destination for sports, events, banquets, meetings, trade shows, parties, overnight camps, and much more. This brand new indoor sports facility includes a state of the art Clip N Climb facility for play by the hour. With over a dozen different ascents, it is filled with challenges for all ages. The field house is approximately 90,000 sq. ft. and includes 4-basketball courts, 6-volleyball courts, a 200 by 100 ft. multipurpose/indoor soccer field, and a family entertainment center. Outdoor facilities include a regulation size multipurpose/soccer lighted artificial turf field.
Ice Skating at Generations Park
412 N. Main St. Bridgewater, VA | 540-908-4212
Generations Park operates an ice skating rink during the winter and a farmers’ market, movies, and concerts during the spring, summer and fall. The ice rink opens on Thanksgiving Day each year and remains open through the first weekend in March.
Ice Skating at Massanutten Resort – Closed for the season
LeClub Recreation Center at Massanutten | 540-289-4987
Lace up your skates and take on the ice skating rink at Massanutten Resort with the family! The outdoor rink is a 4,250 square-foot facility open from mid-November to mid-March.
Kinetic Kids
4753 Spotswood Trail, Penn Laird, VA | 540-433-5437
Kinetic Kids is a qym and energy dance studio promoting physical fitness among youth. Gymnastics, karate, kinetic discovery, sports prep, summer camps, and parties, are all available.
Massanutten Family Adventure Park
540-289-4042
Family-friendly adventures! Getting outside and into the woods is an amazing, educational, and exciting experience. Now, you can climb, tube, and zip at the Massanutten Family Adventure Park!
Massanutten Regional Library
174 S Main Street, Harrisonburg, VA | 540-434-4475
The Massanutten Regional Library system provides free services to Harrisonburg City and Rockingham and Page Counties. The library system provides the community with a well-trained staff and a comprehensive, balanced collection of materials, programs, and technology in a safe and welcoming environment.
Mulligan’s Golf Center & Miniature Golf
141 Carpenter Ln. Harrisonburg, VA | 540-432-9040
Mulligan’s Golf Center is a practice facility and pro shop that is dedicated to providing an inviting and fun environment for golfers of all ages. Hit a bucket of balls, or check out MGC’s miniature 18-hole golf course that features challenging holes and detailed landscapes.
Ruby’s Arcade
165 S. Main St. #100b Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-615-5351
Enjoy duckpin bowling, billiards, darts, pizza, and more at Ruby’s Arcade.
Turks Baseball
Veterans Memorial Park, JMU Complex
395 S. High Street Harrisonburg, VA 22801
Join the excitement and watch a Turks Baseball game!
You Made It Pottery
1019 Port Republic Road, Harrisonburg, VA | 540-434-4500
You Made It Pottery is a design your own pottery and fused glass studio in Harrisonburg.
Valley Jump Trampoline Park
4549-3 Spotswood Trail Penn Laird, VA | 540-269-3066
Valley Jump Trampoline Park is the Shenandoah Valley’s first trampoline park.This might be the largest kid-friendly attraction to date with over 7000 square feet of trampolines in a 18000 square foot building. Enjoy a snack at our snack bar, and book one of our three party rooms and have a great time with your friends.
Valley Lanes
3106 S. Main St. Harrisonburg, VA | 540-434-8721
Valley Lanes is a 32 lane bowling center that has been family owned and operated since 1960.
Waterpark at Massanutten
1200 Adventure Dr, McGaheysville, VA 22840 | 540-289-4952
The waterpark located at four-season Massanutten Resort is available to both resort guests and the public. The indoor waterpark paradise is open year-round and is always 84 degrees. Massanutten also offers a seasonal outdoor waterpark as well.
Westover Skate Park
305 S. Dogwood Dr. Harrisonburg, VA | 540-433-2474
Westover SkatePark is a free City of Harrisonburg skatepark with an attendant during hours of operation.
Parks & Playgrounds
A Dream Come True Playground
1050 Neff Ave. Harrisonburg, VA
A Dream Come True Playground is a free accessible Harrisonburg city playground with a wheelchair accessible swing called “Liberty Swing.” The playground has separate equipment for 2-5 year olds and 5-12 year olds. Features include a rock, rainbow arches, shade structures, roadway, hammock swing, draw wall, pavilion and family comfort stations that are fully accessible.
Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation
Visit Harrisonburg’s Parks and Recreation Department website for activities and classes, pool information, map of city parks, activity and education centers, athletics, and a seasonal activity guide.
Planetarium
John C. Wells Planetarium at James Madison University
91 East Grace Street Harrisonburg, VA 22807 | Visitors may park in the M-lot next to Miller Hall
The John C. Wells Planetarium at James Madison University is a state-of-the-art hybrid facility, the only one of its kind in the world. It hosts both an Evans & Sutherland Digistar 5, an ultra-high resolution digital projection system, and a Goto Chronos opto-mechanical star projector that provides visitors with a superior and realistic night sky. This digital system allows for presentations of unique full dome movies as well as projections of the multi-wavelength universe on the dome. This Goto Chronos starball allows the planetarium to project an authentic night sky for any location on the Earth’s surface.
Theaters
Court Square Theater
41-F Court Square Harrisonburg, VA 22801 | 540-433-9189
Court Square Theater, located in the heart of downtown Harrisonburg, offers showings of a variety of movies, from documentaries, to independent films, to award-winners, and more. Court Square Theater also offers a calendar of theatrical and musical performances throughout the year.