Drive the Blue Ridge
 

Hello ,

We plan to drive from Orlando to Maryland and have a Sat and Sun at hand to cover the distance. Was owndering if we could do a round about to cover the Blue Ridge Pkwy? I could not get any maps that helped. Normally would take I-95, but would love to have a scenic route option. Also what would be the ideal place to stay the night ? Travelling with a 6 yr old and a 7 month old!!!

Any input would be helpful.

Thanks
Vbee

Whereabout in MD are you going to? Orlando to Baltimore is a long 900 miles already, so you don't have time to do much sightseeing.

Blue Ridge Parkway is a slow windy 2-lane road, and cover the whole thing will take most of a day. It as three sections, so you can do just one.

From Orlando, you can take I-95, then I-26 to Columbia, SC, then I-77 north to I-81. Blue Ridge Parkway runs paralle to I-81 between I-64 and I-66. So, you can jump on to one section, and then get off and continue.

But again, with two young kids and a long drive already, it's not a good idea.

If you elect to do a section I would do only a small section. As the other poster pointed out, it is slow going in some areas, very windy and in bad weather (ice, snow) it is often closed. Because it is at a higher elevation you may find sections closed when weather "below" is fine.

several years ago i wanted to drive the blue ridge up from the great smokies, i only lasted for about 3 or 4 hours it's beutiful but curve after curve after curve yikes it just got to me and i do a lot of "adventurous" driving. sugget as other posters to only do a portion.

Pick an on/ off spot and drive it for a few miles. The sections around Boone NC and VA are my favorites.

Another suggestion? Why don't you consider Skyline Drive instead (closer to MD). You could take 95N to Richmond, then 64? west thru Charlottesville to the Shenandoah Natl. Park.Exit/Entrances are widely spaced so don't plan on driving more than 2 segments.If there is no Univ. of VA football game, you could stay in Charlottesville or consider the Skyland lodging(open til Thanksgiving wknd.) on Skyline Drive . Our recent weather has been great but watch the weather on either Drive-Skyline has already had snow!

After reading my original reply, I realized I was actually talking about Skyline Drive between I-64 and I-66 in the Shenandoah National Park. Skyline Drive is actually an extension of the Blue Ridge Parkway, as the two connect. Scenery is much better, as for long stretches of the BRP, it's just a winding road through the forest. All you see are trees, trees and more trees.

On the Skyline Drive, you actually get to see something.