Luray Caverns

According to a Luray Cavern brochure, this cave is the "largest and most popular in the East"  John and I were tempted to pass on seeing it, as we have toured quite a few caves over our lifetime. However, our son Dan seemed determined to go, and so we went just because most caverns have not failed to thrill us.  Luray Caverns were no different in their awe factor.  Seemed to me they were exactly as National Geographic once described them as "a fairy land in stone".
The caverns were discovered in 1878 by a tinsmith and local photographer.  Cold air rushing out of a limestone sinkhole atop a big hill blew out their candle.  They dug out the rock around the hole, took a rope and slid into a large cavernous room.  The cave is noted for such large rooms, because of that there are paved walkways easily traversed, no steep stairs which we are use to encountering in many caves.  In fact, a lady in our tour group managed well in her wheelchair.

Pictured above is Saracen's Tent, one of the most perfectly formed drapery structures in the world.  Just imagine making a grand entrance through that opening in the middle of those stalactites!

Above is the Wishing Well, a pond where people have tossed coins since 1954.  Once a year the coins are removed and deposited in a special bank account for various charitable organizations. In some of the other ponds in the cave there are beautiful reflections of the towering stone columns and shimmering crystalline stalactites hanging above.  It is very much a fairy land of delicate beauty!

In the cavern there is the world's largest musical instrument, the" Great Stalacpipe Organ".  It makes concert-quality music from the surrounding formations which cover more than 3 acres.  The day we were in the caverns there was no organist to play it, but our tour guide did turn on a recording of a hymn played on the instrument.  We were sure the real thing might have sounded better!
We drove back to D.C. that afternoon, and the next day John and I took a southerly route back home.  We wanted to take the scenic by-way along the New River in West Virginia.  It made our return trip a bit longer, but was well worth it!