Volume 27, November ‘05 by Kate Sheiner, buzzSpotter James Madison University, located in Harrisonburg, Virginia, is a campus nestled in the rolling green hills of the Shenandoah Mountains. Harrisonburg is quite the quintessential college town: there is a main street, it embodies small town charm and houses local "townies" that aren't all too happy to have JMU students making up about half the town's population. Oh, and did I mention our campus is divided by a highway and Harrisonburg is home to a poultry processing plant (which happens to create a smell so awful and terrible after it rains, that you seriously contemplate moving at least one state away). Yes, Harrisonburg is quite the quirky town, but with all its vices comes a wide array of eats, hangouts, and activities for any type of person, student or townie. Eating off campus, like most upper classmen do, opens up some terrific dining options. Dave's Taverna is a restaurant that covers the gamut: they offer live music, tasty Greek food and a bar with good happy hour deals. The Little Grill Collective is a tiny restaurant downtown that caters to vegans and vegetarians, but not exclusively. They make the best vegan rib sandwich I've ever had, and if you can make vegan food taste that good, you are okay in my book. Hippies, hipsters and frat boys alike flock to Little Grill for its tasty treats, especially their Sunday breakfasts. Buffalo Wild Wings, or B-Dubs, is the place to be to watch big sports games. Their 10 cent wing nights, multiple flat screen TV's, karaoke Thursdays and location across the street from campus give this place a one-up on the competition. There are a lot of great coffee shops around town, most of which pull double duty for something else. Daily Grind serves coffee, the best chocolate chip croissants ever made and plenty of tables to study at. Cups 2 Go is a newer coffee shop, which also serves up live shows at night. My favorite is The Artful Dodger, a coffee shop turned martini bar at night. They have a funky, fun vibe that is definitely one of a kind. It also does not hurt that their Dirty Girl Scout martinis are to die for and they offer live music. As for the bar nightlife in town, it's pretty non-existent. All the bars in Harrisonburg are required to offer full-course meals, which takes away some of the allure of going to a bar. However, The Highlawn Pavilion is the Thursday night hotspot. They've got a monstrous dance floor and huge open bar. It's always packed with the fraternity and sorority scenesters. You can also head over to B-Dubs for a few good drinks, chicken wings and a football game. Wednesday night is the only acceptable night to go to Main Street because every other night of the week they are crowded with townies; and who wants to dance with a boy that has eight yellow teeth anyways? If clubs aren't your cup of tea, there are plenty of things to do outdoors year round. You can hike Skyline Drive in the fall to see the leaves changing just a quick 30 minute drive down the highway to the Appalachian Mountains. Or you can watch the most gorgeous sunset or sunrise at Reddish Knob. There are tons of local farmers markets to buy fresh produce and cute knick-knacks. As for retail shopping, well, it doesn't exist past some pretty down-home thrift stores. However, most students make the 45-minute drive to the nearby college town of Charlottesville, where there are stores galore. Other students make the 1.5-hour trek up to northern Virginia or Washington, D.C. to shop more urban stores. One of the biggest perks of living in a rural college town is the housing. Apartments and town homes run from between $200 and $400 per person. There are also beautiful, old neighborhoods that rent houses out to students. I live in an old Victorian-style home that was built in the late 1800's. My house, which includes a front and back yard, wrap around porch, four floors, four bedrooms and a washer and dryer, is a steal at only $350 a month. The only drawbacks are my townie neighbors, an elderly couple both retired from the local sheriff's department, across the street. Maybe Harrisonburg has its vices, like the townies and the lack of nightlife, but the location, cheap cost of living and variety of places to eat and hang out make for a pretty fun town. Sure, Harrisonburg is no New York City, but I am surrounded by beautiful mountains, rolling green hills, and fresh mountain air that the city can't hold a dime against. // archive // sign up! ^^