Front Royal, Virginia. Vacation Destination?

It’s probably common knowledge – at least in my mind – that I love to travel. A day trip, a weekend getaway, or a full-blown vacation… I’m always planning the next one. Thankfully, I have a husband who goes along with most of these ideas with only minimal eye-rolling.

About once a month (sometimes more), we pick a direction and go. The plan is usually simple: head somewhere within a few hours and see what we can discover along the way. I’m a sucker for small towns. They’re just more interesting – but even in bigger places, we’re on the lookout for the quirky stuff. The largest something, the smallest something, the weirdest something… if it exists, I’ve probably searched for it.

Now, because one of us loves crowds and “the vibes,” and the other would prefer fewer… humans… choosing a destination can feel a bit like a negotiation. Or a hostage situation. Depends on the day.

So when people walk into our little shop on Main Street, I’m naturally curious. Where are they from? Are they staying or just passing through? And I’ll admit it still surprises me when they say this County is the destination. Not just a stop, not just a pass-through, but the plan.  Like… you chose us? On purpose?

Usually it starts with, “We drove through once and thought it looked cute… so here we are!”  Which, honestly, is the same decision-making process behind half of my trips, so I respect it.

And then comes my favorite question: “What are your plans?” That’s when we get to share ideas – places to go, things to do, little hidden gems they might otherwise miss.

I like to think we’re doing a good job welcoming people. I know I’ve seen some visitors come back again. Even when I don’t remember them, they remember us, and that’s a pretty great feeling. It means something stuck.

What’s harder to hear, though, is when someone walks in asking about negative things they’ve seen online or heard around town. Because let’s be honest – people talk. And lately, there’s been a lot of wondering about tourism. Who’s benefiting? Where’s the money going? Are we doing enough?

Everyone has an opinion. But from where I stand, I don’t think we’re worse off than other places. In fact, I’ve seen more visitors lately…from other states, other cities…even if that hasn’t always translated directly into sales. And I get it – my shop is a “want,” not a “need.”

Still, when I’m out in the evenings, the restaurants are busy. On nice days, Main Street is full enough that you actually have to pay attention crossing the road.

Parking? Please. People will park in another zip code at a theme park and happily walk 20 minutes, but suddenly, Main Street is too much?

And the Afton Inn? Every town has something it’d rather not feature in the welcome brochure. But let’s not pretend it’s stopping anyone from visiting or strolling right past it with an ice cream cone in hand.

At the end of the day, people are still coming here. On purpose, even. They’re still exploring. And more often than not, they’re leaving with a good impression and, most importantly, coming back.

So maybe… just maybe… we’re doing better than we think. And that’s something worth building on.