Things to Do in Ballenger Creek

Valley Ballooning takes passengers’ breaths away with safely obtained, unobstructed aerial views of the Shenandoah Valley’s majestic rivers, vineyards, and animal inhabitants. Tours at sunrise or sunset cover up to 10 miles, with experienced pilots pointing out such incomparable sights as whitetail deer bounding below or the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains frolicking in the distance. Winter flights include a warming cup of hot chocolate or coffee to keep passengers from growing envious of balloons, and toast packages conclude with the celebratory ringing of sparkling-cider glasses.

Craig and Cammie Cole, the husband-and-wife team behind Soaring Eagles Adventures, believe that life was not meant to be lived within cubical walls. Even though they’ve been sharing the wonders of the wilderness for nine years, the sight of a bald eagle's massive wings as it soars gracefully overhead has never lost an ounce of splendor. To them, each canoe excursion they lead is a much-needed break from the stressors of the modern world, so their trips venture into river valleys devoid of human interference, where bald eagles carry on their lives as they’ve done ever since Bigfoot stopped supplying them with toupees. The pair leads guests on half-day, full-day, and overnight camping trips, and share tips for surviving the wilderness and even marriage through podcasts and regular seminars.

It was 1955 when Fred and Evelyn Greenberg finally realized their dream of founding an outdoor camp for children, choosing the sweeping vistas of the Shenandoah Mountains as its home. They started with three camps, gradually combining them into one—Timber Ridge Camp & Resort. Today, they maintain a staff of directors, activity specialists, and counselors brought from university outdoors programs across the country to supervise children through the camp’s 45 onsite activities and programs.

Camp staff leaves coed attendees ages 6–16 free to choose their own activities. Campers team up in land sports such as beach volleyball, soccer, and basketball on hardwood courts or rehearse for inclusive theatrical productions and highflying trapeze acts to earn roles as Batman’s sidekick. They also take on nature itself with water-based excursions ranging from canoeing and tubing to waterskiing on the Shenandoah River or cavort under the watchful eye of Red Cross–certified lifeguards at the outdoor pool. On other adventures, they study animals at the nature center and petting zoo or arm-wrestle gravity into submission on a high-ropes course with a 40-foot climbing tower and 150-foot zipline. Staffers keep campers fueled for daily physical activity with regular themed dinner nights, each with kosher alternatives.