Baltimore to Charlottesville via Skyline Dr

Hi

As you may be able to tell from my TA designation, I am most familiar with the NE. Well, my wife, 18 and 20 yo kids and in laws are taking a long weekend to drive Skyline and visit Monticello. What do you suggest for a stopover. We could stop along Skyline on Friday and finish the trip to Monticello the next day or is it suggested to do the trip in a day. We like to stop, some light hiking, take lots of pics, etc and do not want to just see life through car windows. So, if there are places that would take some hours to visit that is ok and we can stay overnight in a nice inn.

So, we really appreciate your suggestions. Thanks

Baltimore to Charlottesville via Skyline Dr

Shenandoah NP is a favorite of mine, if the weather is decent this weekend, I hope to be there hiking. Skyline Drive is a beautiful road with numerous scenic overlooks but for me nothing beats a hike, even a short one, to a nice spot. There are many such hikes....here are a few to consider, but you may want to stop bt the Visitors Center and share your interests, hiking abilities, and timeframes with a ranger for trail suggestions:

Stony Man Trail milepost 41.7, nice cliff views, about 1.5 mi rt, moderate

Hawksbill mp 46.7, steep but moderate, 2mi rt, beautiful views from the summit

Dark Hollow Falls very popular trail, lots of rain lately so falls may be nice, moderate, about 1.5 rt, mp 50.7

Bearfence mp 56.4, rock scramble, strenuous, 2.2mi rt, lots of fun, caution on rocks at summit especially if slippery

Also consider a trip to Luray to see the Caverns, just off Skyline Dr. There is a very nice hike/walk in Charlottesville called Saunders-Monticello Trail, about 2 mi one way to the Jefferson Visitors Center at Monticello, trail details at www.monticello.org/parkway/trail.html

I was in Conway with friends for a few days in 2006 and it was beautiful...wish we%26#39;d had more time. Stayed at the Christmas Farm Inn and hope to return sometime.

Enjoy Virginia and Happy trails.

Baltimore to Charlottesville via Skyline Dr

As far as B%26amp;B%26#39;s along the way, check out sperryville.com, a beautiful town with several B%26amp;B%26#39;s as well as close proximity to Old Rag Mountain in Madison (great hiking) and The Inn at Little Washington- consistently Zagat%26#39;s #1 restaurant in the US. Little Washington is a quaint town just by itself. Greene County, south of there, and just north of C%26#39;ville/Albemarle County also has some B%26amp;B%26#39;s. (Albemarle County surrounds C%26#39;ville and it%26#39;s difficult to distinguish the boundaries.) A great place to eat on Skyline Drive is the restaurant at the Big Meadows Inn (Mile 51.2). It has great views off the back deck. The Inn itself has rooms and cabins which open typically the 3rd week in May.

Laura