Shenandoah Valley, VA

[HawgWild]

Looks like we may be up in West Virginia visiting next fall. I'm looking at driving over and taking Skyline Drive down through the Shenandoah National Park and joining into the Blue Ridge Parkway to Boone, NC. Places to stay in the park are limited - Skyland & Big Meadows are about it if you're not going to camp.

Anybody been in this area before? Any tips? 

[Old Tusk]

I've vacationed the area several times, but not sure what type info you are looking for. I will say I find the Skyline a bit boring. I think the valley is better.

[HawgWild]

We drove the BRP from Boone, NC into Gatlinburg, TN a few years ago. I thought I'd just finish off the northern part and do Skyline Drive while I'm up there. It'll take a couple of days to make the drive and I'm just looking for suggestions on where to stay and any special stops along the way.

[Old Tusk]

The Charlottesville area is great from a historical standpoint. Three founding fathers homes plus UVA.

[Inhogswetrust]

I've vacationed the area several times, but not sure what type info you are looking for. I will say I find the Skyline a bit boring. I think the valley is better.

No way. Skyline is a MUCH better drive. The problem is he said he was going in the fall. That drive can be a parking lot like rush hour on the capital beltway that time of year. Dang near impossible to find a decent hotel room anywhere close to the drive or BRP that time of year without getting off it and driving into a town.

[HawgWild]

I read yesterday that the BRP was by far the most visited national park in America. I can be flexible with my travel dates so I might be able to avoid the most travelers by driving it mid-week. We did this back in 2011 when traveling the BRP south from Boone and it wasn't crowded then.

[Inhogswetrust]

I read yesterday that the BRP was by far the most visited national park in America. I can be flexible with my travel dates so I might be able to avoid the most travelers by driving it mid-week. We did this back in 2011 when traveling the BRP south from Boone and it wasn't crowded then.

South of Boone is not so bad except weekends in the fall. The Skyline drive in SNP is stop and go during leave fall leave color changing.

[Inhogswetrust]

I read yesterday that the BRP was by far the most visited national park in America. I can be flexible with my travel dates so I might be able to avoid the most travelers by driving it mid-week. We did this back in 2011 when traveling the BRP south from Boone and it wasn't crowded then.

The most visited National area managed by the National Park Service is the Golden Gate National Recreation area. The BRP is #2. The most visited National PARK is the Great Smoky Mountains.

[HawgWild]

From the article I read:

"Blue Ridge Parkway, America's longest linear park that runs along part of the Appalachian Mountains, welcomed the most visitors in 2015 — 14,184,645 people. It's consistently the most-visited site in the National Park System, closely followed by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and which welcomed 13,851,213 visitors in 2015."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/12-national-parks-to-visit-now-before-they-get-way-too-crowded-2015-12-30?siteid=rss&rss=1

What's your source? Have them talk to my source.

[Inhogswetrust]

From the article I read:

"Blue Ridge Parkway, America's longest linear park that runs along part of the Appalachian Mountains, welcomed the most visitors in 2015 — 14,184,645 people. It's consistently the most-visited site in the National Park System, closely followed by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and which welcomed 13,851,213 visitors in 2015."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/12-national-parks-to-visit-now-before-they-get-way-too-crowded-2015-12-30?siteid=rss&rss=1

What's your source? Have them talk to my source.

Then the Golden Gate is down because it was over 15 million in 2014.

[Inhogswetrust]

From the article I read:

"Blue Ridge Parkway, America's longest linear park that runs along part of the Appalachian Mountains, welcomed the most visitors in 2015 — 14,184,645 people. It's consistently the most-visited site in the National Park System, closely followed by the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which includes San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge and which welcomed 13,851,213 visitors in 2015."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/12-national-parks-to-visit-now-before-they-get-way-too-crowded-2015-12-30?siteid=rss&rss=1

What's your source? Have them talk to my source.

This. The NPS itself for 2014. The 2015 numbers are not complete yet.

www.nps.gov/aboutus/news/upload/Visitation-historic-and-top-10-sites-2014.pdf

[Inhogswetrust]

Spring is also a good time to do the Skyline drive.

[pigture perfect]

If you are into battlefields, there are many. One of my favorites is New Market. Child troops from VMI left school to aid the confederates. Pretty sad, but very interesting.

[Inhogswetrust]

If you are into battlefields, there are many. One of my favorites is New Market. Child troops from VMI left school to aid the confederates. Pretty sad, but very interesting.

If a person likes that sot of thing then the whole east coach is the Mecca with BOTH American Revolution and Civil War battlefields. My favorite one I've visited is Antietam. Also I really like Harpers Ferry although it could be argued it isn't a major battlefield. I kind of like the American Revolution ones but don't care as much about the Civil war ones. Ironic in that both were about civil rights ultimately. Of course I guess most wars are, at least from one sides perspective.

[Inhogswetrust]

The Charlottesville area is great from a historical standpoint. Three founding fathers homes plus UVA.

Visit the homes. Don't bother with UVA........................Great school but simply another bland monotone building type campus.

[pigture perfect]

Schuyler Va. is the real life home of the Waltons of tv fame, only their name is really Hamner and you can meet the real Jim Bob and Ben.

[Old Tusk]

Visit the homes. Don't bother with UVA........................Great school but simply another bland monotone building type campus.

I sure which UVA you visited, but I visited the one designed and founded by Thomas Jefferson. The chapel and original builds are classic Jefferson design. The students do a great tour giving the rich history of the school.

[Inhogswetrust]

I sure which UVA you visited, but I visited the one designed and founded by Thomas Jefferson. The chapel and original builds are classic Jefferson design. The students do a great tour giving the rich history of the school.

Agree the school has great history academically. However the campus is bland. In the interest of full disclosure I'm not a huge fan of UVA OR Jeffersonian architectural design. Which is ironic in that i do like Monticello. Oh well go figure. I used to live in Richmond and went to Charlottesville quite a bit. Heck even saw the Hogs play them in basketball there a long time ago. Most students charged with giving tours of ANY campus in America usually does a good job.