Today we have arrived at the final portion of our Virginia road trip. We started out with the Historic Triangle with Kids covering our stops in Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. Then we continued on to 4 Days with Kids in Washington, D.C. Now we end with the Skyline Drive and Upper Blue Ridge Parkway Roadtrip.
Skyline Drive
Luray Caverns
We began our journey down the Skyline Drive at Luray Caverns in Luray, Virginia. We arrived at Luray Caverns right when it opened so we would have enough time to explore the caverns and complete the Skyline Drive. Cavern tours are every 30 minutes and contain about 30 people. The tour is an easy 1.25 miles and there are stairs at the beginning and end. Some portions are steep.
After our tour, we made a quick stop in the Toy Museum and Car Museum. Both are next door to the cavern and are included in your ticket price. Our kids loved looking at all the old toys. It just made me feel old!
Skyline Drive
Next, we hopped onto Skyline Drive at one of the 4 entrances. Skyline Drive runs 105 miles north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah National Park. The drive is open every day, weather permitting, and there is an entrance fee. Our middle child’s Every Kid in a Park pass got us in for free. Otherwise, it is $25 per vehicle. Mile marker 0 is located near Front Royal, Virginia, while mile marker 105 is near Waynesboro, Virginia.
Pinnacles
A short while later, we stopped at the Pinnacles picnic area for a picnic lunch. There were lots of picnic tables and a couple of portable bathrooms. We immediately saw a bear trap right in the middle of the picnic area. It was kind of unnerving! We were on high alert the entire time. Our kids thought every shadow was a bear.
Big Meadows
Then it was off to Big Meadows and the Harry F. Byrd Sr. Visitor Center. There are tons and tons of pull-offs along Skyline Drive. We stopped at some of the more notable overlooks. Pick and choose depending on your time. Big Meadows is a large area containing a visitor center, gift shop, picnic area, and campground. We found the area to be very crowded. There were a lot of school kids, which made it very hard to view the visitor center exhibits.
On the final portion of Skyline Drive, we just pulled off at overlooks of our choice. We just took our time and enjoyed the views. The views from the highest points in the drive were spectacular.
Waynesboro, Virginia
We ended our day at the Holiday Inn Express in Waynesboro, Virginia. Waynesboro contains the southern end of Skyline Drive and also the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The small town has ample hotels, restaurants, and shopping. It is also a short drive to Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
Monticello
On the following day, we started out at Monticello in Charlottesville, Virginia. I highly recommend that you purchase your tickets online. Not only do you get a small discount, but you avoid the long ticket lines. After securing your tickets, you’ll take a short bus drive up to the house. House tours are at set times, be sure to check your ticket for your time. Tours through the house only include the first floor. On your own, you can explore the cellar, grounds, and the small cemetery containing Thomas Jefferson’s grave. You can either ride the bus back to the visitor center or take a short nature trail. If you are at the cemetery, I recommend taking the trail. It was a nice shaded walk.
Back at the visitor center, make sure to go through all the exhibits and the Discovery Room. Our kids loved the Discovery Room. It is made just for kids to explore and learn. They could have stayed here for hours. Also at the visitor center, you will find shops, a cafe, and restrooms. The cafe was reasonably priced. We chose to purchase a couple sandwiches to take with us to the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Blue Ridge Parkway
Humpback Rocks
We ate our sandwiches at a picnic table near the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center trailhead. We originally were looking for the Humpback Rocks picnic area, but the map and directions were confusing. The picnic area turned out to be a couple miles past the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. The Visitor Center was very small and included restrooms and a small 1890’s farm.
The remainder of the day we drove south on the Blue Ridge Parkway until we reached the turnoff for Natural Bridge. The Blue Ridge Parkway is 469 miles long connecting Great Smoky Mountain National Park and Shenandoah National Park. Like Skyline Drive, there are tons of overlooks with spectacular views. Pick and choose as your time allows. I highly recommend picking up a park map at one of the many visitor centers. We chose to get off the parkway at Natural Bridge so we could take the interstate to our hotel in Roanoke.
Roanoke
Roanoke, Virginia is a large spread out city adjacent to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We chose to stay at Mainstay Suites near the airport. You will find lots of restaurants, hotels, and shopping in Roanoke. It also has some great museums that we wished we had time to visit.
Natural Bridge State Park
The next day we began at Natural Bridge State Park in Natural Bridge, Virginia. This state park is a short distance off the Blue Ridge Parkway. There is a small entrance fee to the park. If you think this state park is just the natural bridge, you are wrong. There are hiking trails, a Monacan Indian Village, a waterfall, and a visitor center with a gift shop and cafe. A set of stairs leads you down to the Natural Bridge, Indian Village, and then the waterfall. It is an easy, mostly level 2 mile walk.
James River
Afterward, we hopped back onto the Blue Ridge Parkway and headed to the James River Visitor Center near milepost 63.7. At the James River, you can walk across the river via the pedestrian bridge to view the old lock system. We enjoyed a picnic lunch in the picnic area that overlooks the river. It was a nice shaded and quiet spot. There are also a couple of hiking trails that begin at the visitor center.
Peaks of Otter
Next, we headed to the Peaks of Otter Visitor Center at milepost 86. Once we arrived, we found out that the Johnson farm was closed for the season. If visiting the living history farm is important to you, check online for dates of operation. Peaks of Otter also has a small visitor center and gift shop. Hiking trails and a picnic area can also be found in this area.
Explore Park
We ended our Blue Ridge Parkway journey at Explore Park near milepost 115. This was a huge disappointment for us. The visitor center was open and it was well done. We spent the most time there exploring the exhibits. Unfortunately, the historic buildings were all closed uptight. You couldn’t even look in the windows. Even the bathrooms were locked. When I researched visiting Explore Park I found nothing stating that the historic buildings were only open seasonally. The ranger we spoke within the visitor center didn’t even mention it. If you discover the buildings open, I think Explore Park is worth visiting. I suggest calling ahead to be sure.
It was disappointing to end our trip down the Blue Ridge Parkway with a dud stop. But you win some and you lose some. That’s life! After this trip, we have now visited the northernmost part and the southernmost part of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The middle still awaits!
For further reading about Shenandoah National Park visit our post A Weekend in the Shenandoah Valley with Kids or Just Go Travel Studios post on the Best Hikes in Shenandoah National Park.
Also, check out our post about our 2019 road trip down the Mid-Blue Ridge Parkway.
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own. I did not receive compensation for this post.
6 Comment