Road Trip: Go spelunking

The strikingly beautiful Luray Caverns in Luray, Virginia, are the largest caverns on the East Coast, and, thanks to their two-mile proximity to a general aviation airport with a friendly FBO, these caverns can be an easy and fun stop during a day of flying or a destination all on their own.

Land at Luray Caverns Airport (LUA) and you’ll be greeted by a friendly face and usually the cheapest avgas prices in the region. Tell the staff you’re headed to the caverns and they will shuttle you to the front door. Call when you’ve finished your tour, and they’ll pick you up.

At the caverns, you’ll take a mile and a quarter guided walking tour that gradually descends as much as 260 feet underground into rooms with 10-story ceilings and eerie pools with utterly motionless water. You’ll see stalactites and stalagmites—and be quizzed on the difference. “The Great Stalacpipe Organ” plays music via a console that taps stalactites of varying sizes with solenoid-activated rubber mallets to produce tones.

Luray Caverns (luraycaverns.com) is open 365 days a year. Admission includes access to the caverns, the Car & Carriage Museum, Shenandoah Heritage Village, and Toy Town Junction (a massive collection of model trains and toys).

Luray Caverns Airport (lurayairport.com) is open for fuel sales daily from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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