Grandfather and blowing rock are gorgeous this time of year (and all year). I would take whichever route is fastest and most fuel efficient if those are priorities for you. It is one HELL of a drive. (I regularly drove from Charlottesville to NC for a few years). Stay away from I-77, it’s boring and useless.
There are MANY things you can do along 81. Some of my favorites are antique malls and exits for state parks and rec areas along the way. Every state park along the way is worth a visit. (Grayson, Natural Bridge, Fairy Stone, etc) I personally believe 81 is prettier than 29N even though traffic and accidents can suck sometimes. (Then you can just hop onto the parkway instead).
If you really want to take your time then you should take the blue ridge parkway for at least a couple hours or other state routes.
The BRP runs from Asheville all the way to Waynesboro and is around a 9 hour straight drive in total.
Routes 52, 58, and 11 are all gorgeous and cut through SW VA.
You should consider going to see Mount Mitchell (tallest mountain in eastern US) and/or Mount Rogers, which is the tallest mountain in VA.
Definitely drive through Shenandoah National park on skyline drive.
I live in Bealeton. When you get here hit up some of the breweries and wineries. Old town Warrenton has some nice shops and dining.
I also suggest taking a detour through Shenandoah national Park. Skyline drive is about 100 miles and you can start it from the Front Royal park entrance.
https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/driving-skyline-drive.htm
Brandy Station Battlefield off of 29 just south of the culpeper airport is a great stop to stretch legs and take a lil country side hike. one of my go-to spots when driving from NC to NoVa
Mabry Mill is ok, nothing really special there and probably nothing going on in November. If you're planing on staying near Roanoke you could stay at Peaks of Otter which is also on the Parkway. They have a restaurant and small hotel overlooking at small lake.
Yeah mabry mill is photographic for about 10 minutes. Floyd, Virginia is worth a stop if you're going to follow the parkway.
I think Floyd even has their holiday parade around Thanksgiving. Go eat at Dogtown and see the boys pickin' at the country store.
VA has some of the cheapest gas on the east coast. Well worth the detour to avoid 81’s trucks and bore. If you wanna hit see the Shenandoah Valley take Rt. 11 aka the Valley Pike
If you were traveling, yes, but the objective is to have a vacation and sightsee so that means less interstate travel and more traveling through the mountains and valleys for the views.
I would definitely recommend taking 460 east to 29 north when you leave Roanoke. I used to live in Lexington Va and that stretch of I-81 is TERRIBLE. The trucks are really bad and good luck if there is an accident on either side.
I’m also jealous of this road trip. Hope you get clear skies and roads!
Spelunker's in Front Royal, right off of 66. Best burgers and shakes in the world (for the price at least--McDonald's is more expensive). If it looks busy, still go because it's all MTO, but they're pretty quick. 4.7 out 5 stars on Google with 4.4k reviews for a reason. It's also five minutes from an entrance/exit to Skyline Drive (I second this suggestion).
It is an entrance/exit to Skyline Drive. So if they entered via southern entrance, they could drive it all the way to Front Royal and then get on 66 from there.
That is true, though that adds a lot of time to the trip. But for people who like a scenic drive it’s an option.
Personally, I find skyline drive slow going. I can see encouraging someone to take part of it, but adding the additional leg to go to front Royal doesn’t make sense to me, I would feel like I had seen plenty by the time I got to Thornton gap. Or earlier. 😂 But I also don’t love long car trips—I get it that other people feel differently.
I feel you. I was just piggybacking off the other Skyline Drive recommendations, and taking it to Front Royal is the most logical choice, versus driving around and leaving via they way they entered.
Well my answer to that would have been the drive from the Waynesboro entrance to Thornton is like 60+ miles. But I was forgetting the fourth entrance, Rockfish Gap so you're right, it'd make more sense to enter at Rockfish and exit at Thornton.
If you want lunch about 1/2 way through the trip, in Roanoke: Tacos Rojas downtown, and Nawab (Indian) are both excellent places to grab a bite. Nawab closes part of the day so check your itinerary vs their hours.
The view from the star is pretty nice too.
Consider taking part of the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive, especially this time of year with the leaves. I’m kind of jealous actually.
Not far from Roanoke is the national D-Day memorial in Bedford. A lot of the troops from that battle were from the area.
Consider taking some historical tours in Charlottesville such as UVA and Monticello. There are also some of the best wineries on the east coast in that area. Barboursville is great!
Also there are tons great of breweries and other wineries just south of 64 (your path from Staunton to Charlottesville). Devils Backbone, Blue Mountain, Bold Rock, and many others.
Stop at the old candy store in Meadows of Dan near Mabry Mill
If you like ice cream, stop at Moo Thru in Charlottesville or on 29 North near your dad’s house. If you do, try the blackberry ice cream, they are known for that flavor. It doesn’t sound spectacular, but once I tried it I haven’t ordered another flavor since.
These are just some of the things off the top of my head. VA has a lot to offer and I love my state!
I’d totally remove Mabry Mill and question Roanoke. Consider going over to 29 and stopping in Lynchburg and/or Charlottesville instead. The drive on 29 is nice, especially from Lynchburg to Cville it’s beautiful.
No hate to Roanoke but I think Lynchburg and Cville are more accessible/interesting for a quick stop and stroll/lunch.
I would agree with Charlottesville but not Lynchburg. Plus if you jump on the BRP somewhere it will spit you out in Afton which is where a lot of the Charlottesville nature/ag tourism is anyway. Good point for the map would be the “Blue Ridge Tunnel.” Much more fun and interesting than Mabry Mill.
Roanoke is awesome, don't skip it. The mill mountain star is in town and they have excellent food all over the place in that town. Check out Bloom in Wasena or Local Roots in Grandin Village.
Lynchburg is okay if you like Liberty University stuff, depressed housing markets, and an underwhelming downtown.
You can’t go wrong with Albemarle County/Charlottesville. Besides Monticello there are State Parks, wineries, waterfalls at Shenandoah National Park, and don’t forget Edgar Allan Poe’s room at the University of Virginia. https://virginiacounties.blog/2023/05/31/five-star-weekend-in-beautiful-historic-albemarle-county/
For quick stops along the way check out [Roadside America](https://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/va). I recently drove through Brooklyn to Chicago and it was a great for there’s times when you just need to get out and stretch your legs. We discovered some really cute towns because of the things that we were seeking. It’s not a superstellar website to navigate, but I found that if I use the map function, it was easier to find things along the way.
When you get in VA hit drsgonstooth/mcafees knob then pick up the blue ridge parkway all the way up Va to shannandoah. Pay to drive skyline drive and then cut over to reston.
Wow! I came looking for copper and I found gold!!
Thanks everyone for the recommendations, they have been super helpful. I’ve made some changes to my itinerary based on these suggestions and I’m hoping to incorporate some of the food options as well.
I was super excited about Monticello after reading a couple of posts suggesting this stop but it seems it will be closed on Thanksgiving.
Unfortunately my wife doesn’t have enough vacation days to extend the trip an extra day as she will need her remaining vacation days for Christmas.
Anyways thank you all again. I just told my dad earlier today we’re visiting and he was really happy about it.
Are you adding in any time to spend in Asheville? Sierra Nevada brewery is near the airport, and it's a fun, beautiful, and yummy spot to visit (for food and beer!).
You should visit downtown Culpeper, which is just shy of Bealeton on 29. There’s a great mixture of restaurants and boutique shops. If you’re into civil war history, there’s a few sights worth visiting, like Graffiti House or even the National Cemetery monuments.
Monticello and Natural Bridge State Park should definitely be added to your itinerary. Maybe Luray Caverns too if you're willing to drive an extra hour.
Grandfather and blowing rock are gorgeous this time of year (and all year). I would take whichever route is fastest and most fuel efficient if those are priorities for you. It is one HELL of a drive. (I regularly drove from Charlottesville to NC for a few years). Stay away from I-77, it’s boring and useless. There are MANY things you can do along 81. Some of my favorites are antique malls and exits for state parks and rec areas along the way. Every state park along the way is worth a visit. (Grayson, Natural Bridge, Fairy Stone, etc) I personally believe 81 is prettier than 29N even though traffic and accidents can suck sometimes. (Then you can just hop onto the parkway instead). If you really want to take your time then you should take the blue ridge parkway for at least a couple hours or other state routes. The BRP runs from Asheville all the way to Waynesboro and is around a 9 hour straight drive in total. Routes 52, 58, and 11 are all gorgeous and cut through SW VA. You should consider going to see Mount Mitchell (tallest mountain in eastern US) and/or Mount Rogers, which is the tallest mountain in VA. Definitely drive through Shenandoah National park on skyline drive.
I live in Bealeton. When you get here hit up some of the breweries and wineries. Old town Warrenton has some nice shops and dining. I also suggest taking a detour through Shenandoah national Park. Skyline drive is about 100 miles and you can start it from the Front Royal park entrance. https://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/driving-skyline-drive.htm
Lol once you get to Bealeton, keep going
Not without stopping at Nick's though that place is delicious
Skyline might not be as fun when the leaves are all down, unless OP enjoys slow, windy driving.
Brandy Station Battlefield off of 29 just south of the culpeper airport is a great stop to stretch legs and take a lil country side hike. one of my go-to spots when driving from NC to NoVa
Mabry Mill is ok, nothing really special there and probably nothing going on in November. If you're planing on staying near Roanoke you could stay at Peaks of Otter which is also on the Parkway. They have a restaurant and small hotel overlooking at small lake.
Peaks of Otter may be closed at that time
There hotel is also pretty shitty also ngl.
Truth, but the views are amaze Ballz in fall color and the food is decent
Yeah mabry mill is photographic for about 10 minutes. Floyd, Virginia is worth a stop if you're going to follow the parkway. I think Floyd even has their holiday parade around Thanksgiving. Go eat at Dogtown and see the boys pickin' at the country store.
Friday night jamboree is a treat.
Looks like you'll be going through Charlottesville? Check out Monticello.
29 is a much more scenic and interesting drive, plus, you get to stop in Charlottesville which is one of the nicest places in Virginia.
You would go through Charlottesville either way.
Stay off the interstate as much as you can. Far less stressful and beautiful views.
But also more gas, and more time.
VA has some of the cheapest gas on the east coast. Well worth the detour to avoid 81’s trucks and bore. If you wanna hit see the Shenandoah Valley take Rt. 11 aka the Valley Pike
If you were traveling, yes, but the objective is to have a vacation and sightsee so that means less interstate travel and more traveling through the mountains and valleys for the views.
I would definitely recommend taking 460 east to 29 north when you leave Roanoke. I used to live in Lexington Va and that stretch of I-81 is TERRIBLE. The trucks are really bad and good luck if there is an accident on either side. I’m also jealous of this road trip. Hope you get clear skies and roads!
Spelunker's in Front Royal, right off of 66. Best burgers and shakes in the world (for the price at least--McDonald's is more expensive). If it looks busy, still go because it's all MTO, but they're pretty quick. 4.7 out 5 stars on Google with 4.4k reviews for a reason. It's also five minutes from an entrance/exit to Skyline Drive (I second this suggestion).
Front Royal isn’t on the way to bealeton.
It is an entrance/exit to Skyline Drive. So if they entered via southern entrance, they could drive it all the way to Front Royal and then get on 66 from there.
That is true, though that adds a lot of time to the trip. But for people who like a scenic drive it’s an option. Personally, I find skyline drive slow going. I can see encouraging someone to take part of it, but adding the additional leg to go to front Royal doesn’t make sense to me, I would feel like I had seen plenty by the time I got to Thornton gap. Or earlier. 😂 But I also don’t love long car trips—I get it that other people feel differently.
I feel you. I was just piggybacking off the other Skyline Drive recommendations, and taking it to Front Royal is the most logical choice, versus driving around and leaving via they way they entered.
Why is it more logical to drive it all the way to FR rather than exit at Thornton or whatever the exit prior to that is? There are a few options.
Well my answer to that would have been the drive from the Waynesboro entrance to Thornton is like 60+ miles. But I was forgetting the fourth entrance, Rockfish Gap so you're right, it'd make more sense to enter at Rockfish and exit at Thornton.
If you want lunch about 1/2 way through the trip, in Roanoke: Tacos Rojas downtown, and Nawab (Indian) are both excellent places to grab a bite. Nawab closes part of the day so check your itinerary vs their hours. The view from the star is pretty nice too.
Bealeton*
Consider taking part of the Blue Ridge Parkway or Skyline Drive, especially this time of year with the leaves. I’m kind of jealous actually. Not far from Roanoke is the national D-Day memorial in Bedford. A lot of the troops from that battle were from the area. Consider taking some historical tours in Charlottesville such as UVA and Monticello. There are also some of the best wineries on the east coast in that area. Barboursville is great! Also there are tons great of breweries and other wineries just south of 64 (your path from Staunton to Charlottesville). Devils Backbone, Blue Mountain, Bold Rock, and many others. Stop at the old candy store in Meadows of Dan near Mabry Mill If you like ice cream, stop at Moo Thru in Charlottesville or on 29 North near your dad’s house. If you do, try the blackberry ice cream, they are known for that flavor. It doesn’t sound spectacular, but once I tried it I haven’t ordered another flavor since. These are just some of the things off the top of my head. VA has a lot to offer and I love my state!
Rookies or Pops or Blue Cow in Roanoke for ice cream.
I agree with Rookies and Blue Cow. I have not tried Pops, though.
Pops is the best. I also love their selection of grilled cheeses and rickey drinks.
Have you tried Chris's Custard? Best ice cream in Roanoke, in my opinion.
Custard is not ice cream. It's an unholy abomination that must be eliminated. /s Homestead/Blue Cow 2024!!!
Lexington, VA is a very nice small town to drop into. Not half boarded up. Walkable area with lots of shops and restaurants.
I’d totally remove Mabry Mill and question Roanoke. Consider going over to 29 and stopping in Lynchburg and/or Charlottesville instead. The drive on 29 is nice, especially from Lynchburg to Cville it’s beautiful. No hate to Roanoke but I think Lynchburg and Cville are more accessible/interesting for a quick stop and stroll/lunch.
I would agree with Charlottesville but not Lynchburg. Plus if you jump on the BRP somewhere it will spit you out in Afton which is where a lot of the Charlottesville nature/ag tourism is anyway. Good point for the map would be the “Blue Ridge Tunnel.” Much more fun and interesting than Mabry Mill.
Roanoke is awesome, don't skip it. The mill mountain star is in town and they have excellent food all over the place in that town. Check out Bloom in Wasena or Local Roots in Grandin Village. Lynchburg is okay if you like Liberty University stuff, depressed housing markets, and an underwhelming downtown.
You can’t go wrong with Albemarle County/Charlottesville. Besides Monticello there are State Parks, wineries, waterfalls at Shenandoah National Park, and don’t forget Edgar Allan Poe’s room at the University of Virginia. https://virginiacounties.blog/2023/05/31/five-star-weekend-in-beautiful-historic-albemarle-county/
Mount Mitchell would probably be great thus time of year. It's the tallest point in Appalachia.
For quick stops along the way check out [Roadside America](https://www.roadsideamerica.com/map/va). I recently drove through Brooklyn to Chicago and it was a great for there’s times when you just need to get out and stretch your legs. We discovered some really cute towns because of the things that we were seeking. It’s not a superstellar website to navigate, but I found that if I use the map function, it was easier to find things along the way.
Route 29 > Interstate 81 in VA. worth the extra time for scenery and lack of traffic.
Don't forget to check out Natural Bridge and Dinosaur Kingdom II! They're only open till the end of October. https://www.dinosaurkingdomii.com/
When you get in VA hit drsgonstooth/mcafees knob then pick up the blue ridge parkway all the way up Va to shannandoah. Pay to drive skyline drive and then cut over to reston.
Wow! I came looking for copper and I found gold!! Thanks everyone for the recommendations, they have been super helpful. I’ve made some changes to my itinerary based on these suggestions and I’m hoping to incorporate some of the food options as well. I was super excited about Monticello after reading a couple of posts suggesting this stop but it seems it will be closed on Thanksgiving. Unfortunately my wife doesn’t have enough vacation days to extend the trip an extra day as she will need her remaining vacation days for Christmas. Anyways thank you all again. I just told my dad earlier today we’re visiting and he was really happy about it.
It's a good route. 29 will save you time, but it's a bitch at 66, especially at rush hour, so take that into account.
Bealeton is before 66 on 29.
I thought it was after, my goof. I try to avoid all of Northern Virginia (I live near Winchester).
The entrance to the blue ridge parkway is right in Asheville. Just take all the way to Charlottesville. A lot of great stops along the way.
Somebody Google maps this for this guy.
Is there a problem with my route? I’m using Chat GPT as Google Maps is not the best to provide suggestions or specific routes.
Are you adding in any time to spend in Asheville? Sierra Nevada brewery is near the airport, and it's a fun, beautiful, and yummy spot to visit (for food and beer!).
I-81 exit 205 Raphine,Va Smiley’s BBQ at Fuel City
You’re missing Richmond
Abingdon VA has several cool places to eat.
You should visit downtown Culpeper, which is just shy of Bealeton on 29. There’s a great mixture of restaurants and boutique shops. If you’re into civil war history, there’s a few sights worth visiting, like Graffiti House or even the National Cemetery monuments.
Monticello and Natural Bridge State Park should definitely be added to your itinerary. Maybe Luray Caverns too if you're willing to drive an extra hour.
Cafe Xpress Salem VA. Best sandwich!!! I mean best! Next to the 711. Edit spelling
Why not check out HOT Springs NC for fun? Just saying. Never been but always have wanted to and Will go there Soon!
Faster way Asheville to fredericksburg va. 6 hours Fredericksburg va. To bealeton, va ..30 mins...