Student Guide to Downtown Harrisonburg
Welcome to Your Home Away from Home!
College students are a huge part of the vibrancy and energy of Downtown Harrisonburg. We are thrilled for you to join the community — you’ll soon love downtown as much as we do! Here’s a quick guide and a few college survival tips to help you navigate downtown over the next four years.
Just a short, 1-mile walk from JMU’s campus, downtown offers lots of great places to hang out, work, study, dine, shop, intern, and volunteer. Please get to know community members – you’ll learn about “secret events,” house concerts, and other great things happening here.
Get the Latest Updates
From weekend roundups, seasonal specials, jon openings, giveaways, and more - there is something new happening in Downtown Harrisonburg all the time! To get the latest updates, make sure to follow us on Instagram and Facebook. You can also sign up for our bi-weekly email newsletter for updates sent straight to your inbox.
@DowntownHarrisonburg on Instagram
Weekly Events
If you need a break from studying or are looking for things to do with your friends, browse the downtown events calendar! There’s always something happening downtown.
Don’t Miss the JMU Block Party in the ‘Burg
Each August, Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance throws a welcome back bash for the JMU community. Meet at The Quad and take a short walk down Main Street, led by the Marching Royal Dukes. This yearly tradition is the perfect opportunity to rediscover downtown businesses, grab some epic freebies, and create life-long memories in your community. We look forward to seeing you there!
Choose Your Own Adventure
Check out these maps, specifically curated and geared towards JMU students, filled with information about what Downtown Harrisonburg has to offer. If you’re new to downtown, in search of your new favorite downtown spot, or just looking for a fun thing to do, you’re in the right place!
Each of the locations featured across the four maps below were hand-picked by students, for students. The maps provide a description of each location that highlights something unique that students will love, hours, social medias, and occasionally a student discount thrown in. Happy exploring!
Photo courtesy of James Madison University
Gift Guide
In need of a gift, but don’t know where to look? Or maybe just want to do some shopping? We’ve got a ton of downtown small business recommendations!
Study Spots
Coffee shops, bakeries, libraries, parks, you name it! Here’s a list of different spaces downtown for your next study session!
Tour Guide
Family or friends in town, but don’t know where to bring them? We’ve compiled the best spots to show off to your visitors downtown has to offer!
Student Favorites
Looking for something fun to do downtown, but no idea where to go? Here are some of JMU students’ favorite spots downtown. We’ll see you there!