Exploring Shenandoah National Park

Have the travel bug but don't want to go far? I've got you covered. Last month I took a road trip to Shenandoah National Park (SNP). When I told my friends I planned to take a week-long road trip from through Virginia, they told me a week would be way too long. Boy, were they wrong.

With a car filled with sleeping bags, clothes, sunscreen, and bug spray, I took off on an eight-hour drive to meet my friend, Jackie, in Warm Springs, VA. From there, we combined all our stuff into one car and took off through the mountains for Luray, which is approximately 2 hours north. In total, we spent 2-nights in Luray, 1-night camping in SNP, and 2-nights in Warm Springs (check out my next post about Warm Springs and the Washington and Jefferson National Forest).

Luray, Virginia Most people think of the Luray Caverns when they think Luray, but there is way more than just the caverns to explore. We decided to stay in Luray because it is near one of the only three entrances into the SNP. Nevertheless, we found Luray filled with friendly people, lots of art, and some great food. We stayed downtown at the Mimslyn Inn. With a balcony and rocking chairs allowing you to stare at the stars, and delicious breakfast in the morning, the Inn proved to be the perfect place to set up home base in Luray. It is also on the main street and walking distance from almost anything you want to see.

Downtown Luray is home to some amazing restaurants; some of my favorites were Circa 31 - inside the Mimslyn Inn - and Valley Cork. If you are planning a trip, definitely find time to stop by Hawksbill Brewery and the River Hill Distillery. Not only will you find good drinks, but also genuine hospitality and the perfect environment for making some new friends! Make sure you have a DD or plan to stay and watch the animals for a while at River Hill because Uber and Lyft won't be able to help you get home.

Wondering what else to do in Luray? You cannot miss the walking art tour, which takes you along a walking path past some uplifting murals and sculptures. It's a self-guided tour you can take any time throughout the day. Best of all, it's free! Check out this map for some path options. If you are looking for more art, or don't want to walk but still want to embrace your creative vibes, the Warehouse Art Gallery is filled with inspiring pieces and is located just off the main road.

Of course, I'd be remised if I didn't tell you to wander Main Street and explore without a destination. Stop in the local book store to browse for the perfect book for the trip home while you chat with the owner about the history of Scotland. Peep in the thrift store to find that unique jacket you can't find anywhere else. Take a quick picture in front of your political parties' Page County Headquarters - whatever your preference is. Buy a ticket to see a movie (because really, when is the last time you sat in a small-town movie theater?).

On your way out of town, don't forget to swing by the Luray Caverns. You have to buy a ticket, but it is worth it! The ticket gives you access to the museums nearby. Make sure to leave time go into the Garden Maze to find the four goals and discover the secret of the maze! The line for the Caverns gets really long by the end of the day, so, quick tip: wake up and beat the rush.

Shenandoah National Park

Once we left Luray, we drove straight into Shenandoah, paying the vehicle fee ($30) to enter the park, and made our way through the twists and turns of the mountains on Skyline Drive as we stopped at lookout points to take pictures and soak up the views. The park pass varies depending on the type of vehicle and number of people entering, but you can find out more here at the national park website.

There are not many camping sites in the park, so we set out to find an open campground and set up our tent before our day of hiking began. We happened to camp on a day when all the parks were first-come, first-serve. Online it said each park was at capacity, but we decided to drive through and double-check. Thankfully we did because we found an open spot at Big Meadows campground. I definitely suggest making your way to each of the campsites if you don't see anything online or if the park entrance says the sites are full. Originally we wanted to stay further south - at Loft Mountain - so our drive the next day would be shorter, but we didn't want to risk not finding an open campsite and having to drive back up skyline rather than hike. The speed limit on Skyline Drive is 35mph; however, people tend to drive slower given the turns and sudden outlook stops. Make sure to calculate in some extra time for the slow but scenic drive!

After pitching our tent and locking the car, we made our way to the beginning of the hiking path with one goal: find a waterfall. We hiked the Story of a Forest trail, Dark Hollow Falls Trail (where we found a waterfall and took a swim), Rose River Fire Trail, and the Appalachian Trail. Essentially, we made a large loop beginning and ending by the Big Meadow campsites. I recommend the loop if you are staying at Big Meadows. While it is not a fully connected loop, the trails tend to stop and end right near each other and it seemed like the best way to go when looking at a map. Overall it took us about four hours, included swim time and a brief break at the Fisher's Gap overlook. I used the maps.me app because I have used it for navigating abroad and love the hiking trail feature which didn't require internet service. The internet and phone service in general was especially spotty throughout the hike. We didn't have service about 75% of the trip. Not to worry, we had each other to keep ourselves entertained!

The next morning we took another quick hike along a different part of the Appalachian Trail before making our way back on the road towards Warm Springs and Washington and Jefferson National Forest. About halfway there, we took a pit stop at White Oak Lavender and The Purple Wolf Vineyard, just outside Harrisburg. This stop was one of my favorites of the trip. We paused to pick up lunch down the road and brought it with to have a picnic during our wine tasting. Given that we were in the middle of a global pandemic, White Oak made me feel safe, healthy, and relaxed (although it was weird drinking wine out of plastic condiment cups). After the $12 wine tasting, during which we sampled 12 different wines, we paid three dollars to get into the discovery farm where we could explore the grounds and look at cute animals. Due to the coronavirus, we couldn't pet them. The grounds housed horses, sheep, chickens, rabbits, a turkey, and many other animals. We took the time to swing on the wooden swing set and play life-sized checkers.

A few hours later we got back on the road and finished our trek down to Warm Springs, VA!