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TeaThe last part of the climb is a rocky struggle. The Bearfens Loop Trail is steep but short, and after a little more than a mile, I’m clinging to the root of a tree as I pull myself up to the highest point – and from there Shenandoah National Park stretches out before me. The morning light picks out the rich colors of summer throughout Virginia The Piedmont Plateau and in the distance, chestnut-covered mountains rise above the Shenandoah Valley. Peregrine falcons swoop down, and a light breeze rustles the leaves of the red oak forests.
I’m leaving the park after three days of exploring, but I couldn’t resist checking out Skyline Drive. one last hikeBecause, despite the fact that this trip through Virginia would take me from the mountains to the coast, that was the way I had decided to travel: taking the slow, uncrowded, and scenic route over the highways.
Skyline Drive feels like it was made for this type of trip. The 105-mile road passes through Shenandoah National Park from north to south, climbing the Blue Ridge Mountains as it winds through untouched wilderness, rocky terrain, panoramic views of forest-covered mountains, and gently rolling valleys. During morning walks and horseback rides on forest trails, I have seen white-tailed deer wandering across the road, and it is not uncommon to see black bears in the bushes.
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I picked up my rental car in Washington DC, which is the obvious starting point for road tripWith plans to build a loop that would take in the sea and the sky. From the capital, it’s about 75 miles to the park entrance, taking less than two hours to drive, passing through wine country dotted with pretty towns, horse barns and lush green hills. Middleburg is a good choice to stop for lunch and stroll down the quaint main street lined with boutique stores, local art galleries, antique shops and cafes.
Shenandoah National Park has three major lodging options, including Skyland Resort, Big Meadows Lodge, and Lewis Mountain Cabins, as well as various camping options. I chose the Skyland Resort, a series of cabins, suites, and comfortable rooms located at the highest point on Skyline Drive at an elevation of 3,680 feet.
Nearby hikes include the only wheelchair accessible trail in the park – the Limberlost Trail is a 1.3-mile loop through lush foliage – as well as the Stony Man Hike, which is a short, family-friendly walk of about two miles with a sweeping view at the top. For a slightly different perspective, the beautiful horses at Skyland Stables will take you for a gentle stroll on the trails.
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From the mountains, it’s a relatively direct route to the coast (you can cover both the peaks and the coast in a day), but I took the circuitous route, staying on Skyline Drive as much as possible and then spending a few hours exploring Charlottesville along the way. This eclectic university town has a “mall” that’s actually a bustling main street with a retro cinema, quirky boutiques, independent bookstores and hipster cafés (try Petite Mariebet for coffee and pastries).
Back on the road, I headed past Richmond, but before continuing on, stopped briefly for grilled cheese at SB’s Love Shack just outside of town, which was full of knick-knacks and a fun crowd. Virginia Beach,
The town has a bit of a seaside charm that you get in towns like Blackpool and Margate in the UK. The boardwalk is lively, with music filling the streets and beaches well into the evening, but it has a slightly old-fashioned feel. Once a thriving vacation destination in the 1920s, Virginia Beach became increasingly rundown in the 50s and 60s, with residents moving away and tourists looking elsewhere, leaving hotels vacant and storefronts vacant. But now the arts and community have breathed new life into the area, with the Creative Vibe District at the center of this regeneration.
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This neighborhood, which was founded in 2015, has murals adorning the walls, public art dotted the streets, community projects run throughout the week, and farmers and art markets held on the weekends. The area also offers the best restaurants, coffee shops and bakeries in the city, with Esoteric, Commune and Bad Ass Coffee being some of the best options.
budget hotelMotels and holiday rentals line the boardwalk, but step back from the main drag, and you’ll find gorgeous locales Cavalier Hotel, Steeped in American history. This is where the rich and famous partied during the Roaring Twenties; Where the likes of Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland and Muhammad Ali once roamed the Crystal Ballroom; And a long line of presidents – including Jimmy Carter, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy included – all are celebrating the holidays. It is also rumored that President Nixon burned White House tapes in the fireplace of the hotel’s Hunt Room lounge during the Watergate scandal.
While Virginia Beach’s main strip is bustling, if you go less than 10 miles north, you’ll reach First Landing State Park. The beach here is quiet (it’s the same as the locals’ beach) and there are miles of trails through salt marshes, cypress swamps, freshwater wetlands and pine trees.
Virginia Beach is only 3.5 hours or so from DC, but again, I took the long road hitting the coast, stopped for a while in the small town of Cape Charles and headed to Chincoteague Island. This leg of the trip begins with the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel, which spans an incredible 17.5 miles (most of it is bridge rather than tunnel), making it a slightly hair-raising, yet exhilarating, drive, with the deep blue of the Atlantic stretching below.
Beautiful pastel-colored homes greet you as you cross the very small bridge that leads to Chincoteague, a beachside vacation town that feels a world away from Virginia Beach. Here, there are no tall buildings, less traffic and a serene atmosphere. Drive a little further along Assateague Island and you’ll discover wind-swept beaches with stunning white sand surrounded by reed-filled salt marshes, home to an incredible array of bird life, as well as the famous wild horses that roam throughout the island.
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From Chincoteague, it is an almost direct road to Washington DC that passes through Maryland before heading east of the city. If you’re stopping by the capital at the beginning or end of your trip, head to Adams Morgan, a hipster neighborhood with an anti-establishment heritage, filled with street art, independent bookstores, local galleries, and possibly the best restaurants in the city (we’re talking everything from Nepalese to Afghani).
Virginia is a state that surprised me. Not only because of the rugged beauty of the national park, Chincoteague’s extensive white beaches and wildlife-filled wetlands along the shoreline. But also the generosity of Charlottesville, the thriving arts scene in Virginia Beach, and the open-minded discussions held while sitting at a rustic oyster bar on the Chesapeake Bay. Like much of America, you’ll have to dig a little deeper to reach the heart of this place – and it’s always best to take a slow road.
how to get there
Airlines including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Delta, and American Airlines fly direct from London to Washington DC. Flight time is approximately 7 hours 30 minutes.
Annabelle’s trip was supported by Virginia Tourism and Travel South USA.
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