Driver

We're heading into Dulles, Washington DC at the tail end of June, staying there for 3 nights to acclimate, and then collecting a rental car from the airport to visit family for a few days in Florence, SC.

We're looking for an interesting drive on the way there, and another (different one?) on the way back stopping overnight if/as necessary in both directions.

So far I'm thinking of driving down the Skyline Drive/Blue Ridge Parkway (because we like that sort of thing) to Roanoke, but Google Maps just gave me a shock; the quick way to Roanoke is under 4 hours - quite feasible but highly undesirable. The Skyline route adds 48 miles but an incredible 4 hrs 40 mins to the drive time. That would mean an overnight stay somewhere before Roanoke.

Any ideas on a sensible plan for that route, or would you suggest something completely different?

After a few days in Florence, we'll need to head back to Washington DC for the flight home, so planning to use a different route back. Up the coast, perhaps?

As always, I value your knowledgeable input and thank you in advance for it.

soccr

You've probably already figured this out, but the reason for the difference in travel time is that you only go an average of 35-40 MPH on the Skyline/Blue Ridge routes, which twist and turn and go up and down.

It is a beautiful trip, but some parts are flatter than others. Why not split the difference and use interstate part of the trip, popping up onto the parkways for part of it?

If you take 66 from DC to connect with 81 and continue south, it's a pretty enough drive, even if you are on interstates. You're not IN the mountains, but you can see them becuase you're running parallel to them. State route 29 is also an alternative that runs parallel to the spine of the mountains - pretty, but not an interstate - it putters.

If you go all the way on 81/64 to the intersection with 77, that first part of 77, back through the mountains into NC, is scenic. If you wanted to take the time to "pop" over to the Blowing Rock/Boone area, you could take some time up on the BR Pkwy and enjoy the towns. (BTW the distance from 77 over to Boone looks like a long detour, but it's not at all.

A larger detour would be Asheville, although by now - if you've already checked the maps - you know that the BR parkway has taken you pretty far west.

And for what it's worth, Skyline Drive doesn't have the elevation for breathtaking views until you get toward Sperryville - and there's a "saddle" between Roanoke and NC, where the Blue Ridge Parkway begins to rise again into the higher elevations. (The lowest elevation is right around Lynchberg VA.)

Here's a map of the mountains with some of the elevations noted - http://tinyurl.com/2wb5hm

You'll go through Charlotte, most likely, on your way to Florence - much to do there and there are people here more than willing to give you suggestions.

For your return trip, unfortunately it's not that easy to go "up the coast" - the roads don't work too well to do that. But I might suggest a detour via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge (get off I95 at Emporia VA onto 58 to Portsmouth/Newport News - a reasonably quick drive) and then up the Delmarva peninsula through Salisbury and Cambridge - coming back to DC via the bridge to Annapolis. It does add hours, but as you will find out - you could easily lose many hours on I-95 between Fredericksburg and DC.

Hope this helps.

Driver

Helps? You're a flippin' marvel, soccr. Many thanks indeed for the in-depth advice. I'll copy it and map it out for my co-travellers (2 'l's? Must be a Brit!) to pore over.

Been there, done that re. Blowing Rock and Boone, (some years ago from a base in Maggie Valley, NC) but a good steer nonetheless, so thanks for that. Also very useful info about elevations and spectacular views, which I and my camera are particularly fond of.

It looks like we'll have to do the darting on/off the Parkway to make up some time, or else make more than one stop. I guess there's just so much Parkway one can take before it all becomes 'samey' anyway.

Once again, many thanks for your high quality info.

soccr

It's wonderful to have someone acknowledge your suggestions - thanks - makes me want to offer more help -- just let me know when you get further along in plans.

You will benefit from a certain amount of map-comparing time, and you probably also want to pay attention to what day of the week and time of day you're making your way back to DC. Even if you don't try to wander around the Delmarva, you might want our favorite alternate route between Richmond and DC. Let me know.

Dukey

You could return using US 17 as part of your route north. You could also use US 301 north instead of 95 although it really isn't that "scenic."

Birdie

soccr - I'll take your favorite route from Richmond to DC if you don't mind. I have yet to find a good alternative.

Driver

Hi people - the time is almost upon us. We fly out in two days time (on Jun 17) and the four of us (wrinklies) have almost made an itinerary. We're dawdling down the Skyline and popping off at various places to see caves and goodness knows what else on the way. A couple of nights stay at one of the towns and on to sis-in-law in Florence for a four day chillout.

After that, we work our way northwards quite swiftly (US 17, I think, Dukey) and then - yes Soccr - the Delmarva, Salisbury, Cambridge and Annapolis. Looking forward to it all immenseley, so thanks again for quality guides from both of you.