Skyline Drive Virginia
 

We will be driving thru the Blue Ridge Mts in July and plan on spending several days in the area before moving on. I've searched for info as much as I can, but would like some input from those of you that are familiar with the area. Any sites not to miss, good eats, side trips?? Thanks!

That is a beautiful area of the country, you should have a good time. Be sure to go to Luray Caverns, which is in Luray, just a few miles off of Skyline Drive. It's really spectacular, we've been there several times and never get tired of it. We've also been to the cavern that is in Front Royal (I think the name is Skyline Caverns), but Luray is larger and much nicer. They also have an organ in there made entirely of hammers hitting stalactities that are tuned to different pitches - kinda neat. I recommend making a side trip to Charlottesville, about 25 miles from the Southern end of Skyline Drive, to see Monticello (Thomas Jefferson's home). We went last Summer, it's really interesting (even our kids enjoyed it). There are a couple of other historic sites in Charlottesville near Monticello, such as the Michie Tavern, which might be interesting, but we didn't have time to visit them. Are you going farther South than the end of Skyline Drive onto the Blue Ridge Parkway? That's a lovely drive as well. If you get to Lexington you can visit the Natural Bridge, which is pretty neat. If you go as far south as Asheville, NC, be sure to go to Biltmore, the Vanderbilt estate - it's amazing. When we were in Asheville we took a white water raftng trip (a day trip) on the French Broad River, which was a lot of fun. If you're staying in Virginia, you can probably find rafting companies around there as well - depending on the river you go on, you can generally find outfits that offer a range of trips, from mild whitewater to Class 5 Rapids, to suit your desired thrill level. Have fun!

Sara, Thanks for responding to my post. I always research any trip I take but often the best ideas can be obtained right here on this forum. We do plan on going as far as Lexington and then hopping on Rt. 64 toward the coast. This should take us right past Charlottesville, so maybe we'll include Monticello...Nancy

Do include Monticello. It is an amazing place. Yes, there can be lots of folks (with a line winding throughout the lovely grounds before you reach the front door) but the tours are wonderful and it is well worth it. Thomas Jefferson had such an incredible mind, and there is so much common-sense engineering that went into the design of Monticello, you will be shaking your heads for years just remembering those strange little "touches."

Do include Monticello. It is an amazing place. Yes, there can be lots of folks (with a line winding throughout the lovely grounds before you reach the front door) but the tours are wonderful and it is well worth it. Thomas Jefferson had such an incredible mind, and there is so much common-sense engineering that went into the design of Monticello, you will be shaking your heads for years just remembering those strange little "touches."

Nancy, <BR>I grew up in that area of Virginia (Staunton to be exact), and it's wonderful. Luray Caverns and Monticello are great stops. I'd also consider visiting Staunton since it's located at the intersection of I-64 and I-81. Woodrow Wilson was born there, there's a neat museum of American Frontier Culture, and the downtown area is so charming--very turn-of-the-century feel. Let me know if you have other questions.

Hi, Nancy. That is a lovely area of the country. My son attends VMI in Lexington, and that little village is a treat itself. Washington & Lee is a beautiful campus, and I understand the Marshall Museum at VMI is a good tour. Of course, Lee Chapel on the W&L campus is nice. There are several nice "bed and breakfast's" there...e-mail me if you'd like more info.