Front Royal, Virginia
Front Royal is a town of 15,296 people in Warren County, Virginia, founded in 1788.
Why visit Front Royal
Townapedia lists 17 museums and landmarks, 16 parks and trails, 67 places to eat, 14 places to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Royal Cinemas, Catlett Mountain, Balthis House and Front Royal Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 24°F, and about 21 inches of snow fall in a normal year.
Weather in Front Royal
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Front Royal
Front Royal is the only incorporated town in Warren County, Virginia, United States. The population was estimated at 15,400 as of 2023. It is the county seat of Warren County.
From the Wikipedia article Front Royal, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Museums and landmarks17
Balthis House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Front Royal Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic district in Virginia, United States
Front Royal Recreational Park Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic district in Virginia, United States
Killahevlin
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Lackawanna
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Mountain House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.0 mi
Listed on the NRHP in Warren County, Virginia
Riverside
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
Historic home in Front Royal, Virginia, United States
Riverton Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Historic district in Front Royal, Virginia
Rose Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
NRHP-listed in Warren County, Virginia, United States
Sonner Hall
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
University building in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia
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_at_Main_Street_in_Front_Royal,_Warren_County,_Virginia.jpg){kind=link}
_between_5th_Street_and_6th_Street_in_Front_Royal,_Warren_County,_Virginia.jpg){kind=link}
Warren County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
Courthouse in Virginia, United States
5 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds16
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Park · 2.8 mi
Zoo research center
Bing Crosby Stadium
Sports field and stadium · 0.5 mi
50 Stadium Drive, Front Royal
4 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes67
Starbucks
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.8 mi
125 Riverton Commons Drive, Front Royal
Mo-Th 05:00-21:00; Sa-Su 05:30-21:30; Fr 05:00-21:30
Applebee's
Diner · American · 2.7 mi
45 Riverton Commons Drive, Front Royal
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-23:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-24:00
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 2.6 mi
15 Riverton Commons Drive, Front Royal
Mo-Th,Su 06:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 06:00-22:00
Fox's Pizza Den
Restaurant · Pizza · 1.0 mi
239 South Street
Mo-Th 10:00-23:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-00:00; Su 10:00-23:00
IHOP
Restaurant · Breakfast, Pancake · 2.9 mi
135 Crooked Run Plaza, Front Royal
Mo-Th,Su 07:00-23:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-24:00
L'Dees Pancake House
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
522 East Main Street, Front Royal
Mo-Su 06:00-14:00; Tu off
Ledo Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza, Pasta · 2.9 mi
135 Crooked Run Plaza, Front Royal
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-22:00
Main Street Daily Grind
Cafe · Coffee, Sandwich · 0.7 mi
215 East Main Street, Front Royal
Mo-Fr 07:00-21:00; Sa 08:00-21:00; Su 08:00-18:00
TGI Fridays
Diner · American · 2.9 mi
180 Crooked Run Plaza, Front Royal
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-01:00, Fr-Sa 11:00-02:00
Castiglia's
Restaurant · Italian, Pizza · 1.2 mi
328 Remount Road, Front Royal
Mo-Th,Su 11:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-23:00
Soul Mountain Restaurant
Restaurant · 0.6 mi
300 East Main Street, Front Royal
Tu-Su 11:30-15:30, 17:30-21:00
55 more on the map.
History
The entire Shenandoah Valley including the area to become Front Royal was annexed and claimed for hunting by the Iroquois Confederation during the later Beaver Wars, by 1672. Some bands of the Shawnee settled in the area as client groups to the Iroquois and alternately to the Cherokee after 1721. The Iroquois formally sold their entire claim east of the Alleghenies to the Virginia Colony at the Treaty of Lancaster in 1744. Front Royal, originally settled in 1754, had been known to European explorers as early as the 1670s, and the nearby settlement of Chester's Ferry was in existence by 1736. The town also had a well-known nickname by the 1790s, "Helltown," due to the many livestock wranglers and boatmen on the Shenandoah coming through the area, who came into town looking for alcohol. It was incorporated as "Front Royal" in 1788.
Rail service was established in 1854 with the construction of the Alexandria, Orange and Manassas Gap Railroad between Manassas and Riverton. This line was soon extended to Strasburg in time to become a factor in the Battle of Front Royal on May 23, 1862, and throughout the Civil War. Lumber, agriculture, manufacturing and grain mills provided employment in the region for decades after the Civil War.
From the History section of Front Royal, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay14
Churches and places of worship36
Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church
Church · Roman Catholic · 0.8 mi
120 West Main Street, Front Royal
SS Joachim and Anna Ukrainian Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 1.3 mi
1396 Linden Street, Front Royal
Front Royal Presbyterian Church
Church · Presbyterian · 0.9 mi
115 Luray Avenue, Front Royal
Front Royal United Methodist Church
Church · United Methodist · 0.7 mi
1 West Main Street, Front Royal
Skyline Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.1 mi
1200 John Marshall Highway, Front Royal
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 1.9 mi
7145 Browntown Road, Front Royal
Shopping20
Gas and EV charging19
Schools, colleges and libraries20
Healthcare6
ValleyHealth Urgent Care
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.0 mi
415 South Street, Front Royal
Map of Front Royal
221 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 43°F | 24°F | 2.9 in | 4.7 in |
| Feb | 46°F | 26°F | 2.5 in | 9.4 in |
| Mar | 54°F | 32°F | 3.8 in | 2.2 in |
| Apr | 67°F | 42°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 74°F | 51°F | 4.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 82°F | 60°F | 4.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 64°F | 3.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 62°F | 4.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 78°F | 56°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 67°F | 45°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 47°F | 28°F | 3.1 in | 4.8 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Front Royal (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Warren County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
- 2016-03-07: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2012-11-26: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Front Royal-Warren County Airport (FRR) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Gainesville 31 mi east, about 49 min by car
- Culpeper 33 mi south, about 53 min by car
- Brambleton 35 mi east, about 57 min by car
- Broadlands 36 mi east, about 58 min by car
- Bull Run 37 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Ashburn 39 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Centreville 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Chantilly 40 mi east, about 1 h by car
- Buckhall 42 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
- Fair Oaks 45 mi east, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- 2019-07-19 13 07 10 View of Front Royal, Interstate 66, U.S. Routes 340 and 522 and Virginia State Route 55 in Warren County, Virginia, viewed from an airplane which recently took off from Washington..., Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-09-12 16 44 15 View south along U.S. Route 522 (Commerce Avenue) at 3rd Street in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-09-12 16 35 40 View north along U.S. Route 522 (Commerce Avenue) at Main Street in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-09-12 16 53 48 View north along U.S. Route 340 and west along Virginia State Route 55 (Royal Avenue) between 5th Street and 6th Street in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Main Street Front Royal 1, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal Historic District 2020i, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Edificio en la 15 Chester St de Front Royale, Oficial K, CC BY 4.0
- Front Royal Visitors Center, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal Historic District 2020j, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal Historic District 2020h, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Kiosko en la John Marlow Plaza de Front Royale 2, Oficial K, CC BY 4.0
- Kiosko en la John Marlow Plaza de Front Royale, Oficial K, CC BY 4.0
- 2016-09-12 18 13 01 View south along U.S. Route 340 and east along Virginia State Route 55 (Royal Avenue) between 8th Street and 7th Street in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Heladeria C&C Frozen Treats en Front Royal VA, Oficial K, CC BY 4.0
- Front Royal Main Street April 2009, Jason Riedy, CC BY 2.0
- Front Royal Historic District 2020k, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal street clock, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Main Street Front Royal 2, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Main Street Front Royal 3, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Street clock Front Royal, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal Historic District 2020l, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal gazebo 2, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal gazebo 1, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal gazebo, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal gazebo (cropped), AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Blue Ridge Arts Council en Front Royal VA, Oficial K, CC BY 4.0
- Front Royal Historic District 2020a, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal Historic District 2020m, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Battle of Front Royal reenactment 11, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Battle of Front Royal reenactment 13, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Battle of Front Royal reenactment 16, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Battle of Front Royal reenactment 5, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Battle of Front Royal reenactment 15, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sonner Hall RMC 20150328, Antepenultimate, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Front Royal golf course greens, self, CC BY 3.0
- ROSE HILL, FRONT ROYAL, WARREN COUNTY, VA, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ, M.D., CC BY-SA 4.0
- Warren County Courthouse cropped, AgnosticPreachersKid, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Lackawanna on a Fall morning, Mollythemick, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Riverton United Methodist Church building, old, self, CC BY 3.0
- Killahevlin from driveway, self, CC BY 3.0
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