Virginia is a favorite destination for scenic drives, beautiful views, and weekend getaways, especially during the fall and spring seasons. These five road trips offer gorgeous views and a peaceful retreat from the city.
Skyline Drive
This Virginia roadway is the main artery of Shenandoah National Park and one of America’s best fall foliage destinations. At dusk, herds of deer come out to graze in meadows and along roadsides. The eastern black bear can be seen along with a large variety of songbirds. Stay overnight at Skyland Lodge, Big Meadow, or the rustic cabins at Lewis Mountain.
Colonial National Parkway
One of the best scenic drives to enjoy late leaves in the fall – the 23-mile Colonial National Parkway connects the “Historic Triangle” of Jamestown and Yorktown and passes through Williamsburg. The Parkway is a peaceful and beautiful meander. Colonial Williamsburg is known as one of America’s prime family destinations. Historic Yorktown boasts a vibrant waterfront and traditional homes, while Jamestown’s attractions detail the history of the earliest permanent English settlement in the New World along with the Virginia Indians who were present long before.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Generations of visitors have made annual drives along the Parkway to view its natural splendor and breathtaking scenery. Along the way, restaurants, hiking trails, and diverse overnight accommodations can be found. Learn about the lives of early mountain settlers and watch living history demonstrations at Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. Visit Mabry Mill, recognized as the most photographed site on the Parkway, or take part in a ranger-led nature hike. Moreover, enjoy a romantic dinner at Chateau Morrisette Winery and observe luthiers crafting fiddles and mandolins at the Blue Ridge Music Center.
The Crooked Road
Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail winds through the mountains and valleys of Southwest Virginia, a significant hub of American roots music and one of Virginia’s best scenic drives. Country music traces its beginnings here, and the region remains a prominent area for bluegrass and Old-Time music. Live music venues, museums, and cultural centers populate the trail. Consequently, some of bluegrass music’s well-known acts perform at the Carter Family Fold, the Floyd Country Store, and the Rex Theater in Galax, with impromptu jam sessions occurring in small communities throughout the region.
Journey Through Hallowed Ground
The 180-mile National Scenic Byway and National Heritage Area run from Gettysburg, PA through Western Maryland and enters Virginia in Loudoun County. It winds its way south along Highways 15 and 29 through 9 more historic counties, culminating at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello in Charlottesville. This area features some of America’s most historic and beautiful landscapes. Visitors can discover farmers’ markets, wineries, outdoor recreation sites, historic homes and towns, Civil War battlefields, antebellum estates, and celebrated establishments such as the Inn at Little Washington and Keswick Hall.
