Only and hour from Harrisonburg, Shenandoah National Park is beautiful in every season.
Live & Play Here
Just like in bigger cities, the growing Harrisonburg, Virginia, urban population is enjoying living and working in the downtown area, where refurbished buildings with delightful character and new, contemporary apartments and lofts abound.
What’s Doing
With multiple colleges and universities, as well as attractive job opportunities in the agricultural, technology, retail and service sectors, the community offers a wide range of things to do, from plays, concerts and operas to local festivals and events. Nestled in the Shenandoah Valley between two stunning mountain ranges and just a hop, skip and a jump from excellent hiking, hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities, it is a safe, family friendly community that offers excellent schools.
Within an hour of Harrisonburg you can learn about history by visiting Montpelier (James Madison’s house), Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s home), the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, and several other historic sites. The New Market Battlefield and Museum is just a few miles away. (Did you know that eight U.S. presidents came from Virginia?)
In 2015, downtown Harrisonburg was designated the First Culinary District in Virginia. The number, quality and diversity of restaurants continues to grow. You can enjoy a hot dog at Jess’s, an Indian buffet at Taj India, unique hamburgers at Jack Brown’s, or Indonesian food at Boboko. Get good ole’ American food at Rocktown Grill, Capital Ale House or Clementine. Stop by one of the many food trucks for Mexican, Korean or other ethnic food. Have fun dressing up and being served with elegance at the Joshua Wilton House or the Local Chop House & Grill. Get your hippie on at The Little Grill or Bowl of Good. And that’s only just a few of the wonderful restaurants in the downtown area.
There is also a growing segment of local breweries: Brothers Craft Brewery, Pale Fire Brewing Company, Three Notch’d Brewing Company and others. Although there are no wineries right in town, the surrounding area offers a huge selection—Bluestone Vineyard, Cross Keys Vineyard, and Purple Wolf Vineyard, to name a few.
Besides eating and drinking, the downtown area offers several art galleries, lovely shops, and local museums, including the children’s museum, Explore More Discovery Museum, and the Virginia Quilt Museum, Harrisonburg Fire Museum, and Valley Turnpike Museum and Civil War Orientation Center. Step into Cat’s Cradle and pet the cats and kittens, or take your dog to the dog park for a run. Go salsa dancing, join a wine and paint group, or make your own pottery.
If you are into the music scene, Harrisonburg is the place to be. The Golden Pony, Clementine and Artful Dodger regularly offer live music. And each spring, downtown is alive with MACROCK, an annual multi-venue music conference and performance established in 1997.
Who Lives Here
The City of Harrisonburg’s population of more than 52,000 (as of 2014) skews slightly female (52.5%), perhaps because its biggest university, James Madison University, was originally an historic women’s teacher’s college. Designated as one of eight refugee resettlement communities in the U.S., Harrisonburg draws a diverse population to the area. More than 35 languages are spoken at the high school. Church World Service sponsors the newcomers, helps to find them homes and jobs, and provides mentors, necessary skills and language training for the refugees.
Making a Life
Volunteering can help you create a rich life, and an abundance of volunteer opportunities are available in the community. Some work with children, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters; some, like Our Community Place and Open Doors, work with the homeless and addicted population. Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, Way to Go, and United Way all offer volunteer experiences.
Organized religion is a mainstay in the Harrisonburg area, and whatever church you are looking for is likely to be represented, with Lutheran, Methodist, Episcopal, Mennonite and Catholic all within a block or two of downtown. A few miles away you will find the Unitarian Universalists and the Quakers.
Fit in Immediately
Lots of professional groups in the community offer ways to meet like-minded folks for work and friendship: Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce, Shenandoah Valley Technology Council, and the American Marketing Association, and others.
Is Harrisonburg in your sights? We have jobs available. Contact Lois at xxx-xxx-xxxx.