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Skyline Drive

Road Trip

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Shutterstock.com/Jon Bilous
198.8 miles: 5 hours, 31 minutes
Roll down your windows for a better view of the wildflowers and wildlife as you cruise along Skyline Drive in Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. There’s a $15 fee to enter, but the 105-mile-long road offers 75 overlooks from point to point, and there are 200,000 acres to explore. Just don’t be in a hurry: the speed limit is 35 mph.
Courtesy of Luray Caverns
1
Waynesboro to Luray
101.3 miles: 2 hours, 54 minutes
Once you enter the park through the ranger station at Rockfish Gap, Skyline Drive is a limited access highway. The next exit isn’t until Swift Run Gap, 50 miles to the north. But leaving will be the last thing on your mind. This park is one to linger in—on the trails, in the heart of it all. There’s a low clearance tunnel just before the Thornton Gap entrance near Luray.
Recommended Stops
The Iris Inn & Cabins
191 Chinquapin Dr Waynesboro, VA 22980
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Veritas Vineyard & Winery
151 Veritas Ln. Afton, VA 22920
Luray Caverns
970 US 211W Luray, VA 22835
Courtesy of NPS
2
Luray to Front Royal
97.5 miles: 2 hours, 37 minutes
Be on the lookout for deer, black bear and wild turkey: they have right of way and are often seen crossing the road. You’ll never believe you’re only 75 miles away from Washington, D.C., as you find a quiet spot for a picnic high above the valley below. The highest point on the National Scenic Byway (3,680 feet up) is near the north entrance at Front Royal.
Recommended Stops
The Inn at Little Washington
Middle St and Main St Washington, VA 22747
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Skyline Caverns
10344 Stonewall Jackson Hwy. Front Royal, VA 22630
Balthis House
55 Chester St. Front Royal, VA 22630
L’Auberge Provencale
13630 Lord Fairfax Hwy White Post, VA 22663