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Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge – Assateague lighthouse - panoramio (1)📷 Ron Shawley, CC BY 3.0

Road trips in Virginia

11 road trips and 29 hand-picked places in Virginia, with routes, stops and practical tips for driving and camping.

Trip guides
11
Places
29

Campsites in Virginia 364

Trip guides

Road trips through Virginia

Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown – Archaeological Site, Historic Jamestowne, Colonial National Historical Park, Jamestown, Virginia (14424246122)© Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Colonial
Themed road trips

Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown

108 mi7 stops3 days
Jefferson and Madison country: Montpelier to the Peaks of Otter – Montpelier (Orange, Virginia), James Madison home at Sunset© Jennifer Glass · CC BY-SA 3.0
29
Themed road trips

Jefferson and Madison country: Montpelier to the Peaks of Otter

242 mi9 stops4 days
Southwest Virginia highlands: Grayson ponies to the Breaks – HM 10-18-20 Bridge© vastateparksstaff · CC BY 2.0
81
Things to do in…

Southwest Virginia highlands: Grayson ponies to the Breaks

284 mi8 stops4 days
Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Bay Bridge-Tunnel – Assateague lighthouse - panoramio (1)© Ron Shawley · CC BY 3.0
13
Coast & island drives

Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Bay Bridge-Tunnel

153 mi9 stops3 days
Skyline Drive, Shenandoah – a scenic view of mountains and trees in the fallPhoto by Venkatesan P on Unsplash
SD
National park loops

Skyline Drive, Shenandoah

121 mi6 stops2 days
Along the Potomac: Mount Vernon, Great Falls and Harpers Ferry – Arlington Cemetery Wreaths Across America 2017© Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0
GWMP
Themed road trips

Along the Potomac: Mount Vernon, Great Falls and Harpers Ferry

83 mi7 stops3 days
Blue mountains, golden autumn – along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Great Smoky Mountains – a stone bridge over a lush green forestPhoto by Sakina Faisal on Unsplash
BRP
In-depth road trip guides

Blue mountains, golden autumn – along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Great Smoky Mountains

544 mi14 stops6 days
Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis – calm sea under blue sky during daytimePhoto by C Amick on Unsplash
13
In-depth road trip guides

Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis

332 mi12 stops7 days
The Blue Ridge Parkway, end to end – gray rock formation on brown sand during daytimePhoto by The AIRDEEz on Unsplash
BRP
Classic American drives

The Blue Ridge Parkway, end to end

465 mi12 stops4 days
Outer Banks – white metal fence on white sand during daytimePhoto by History in HD on Unsplash
12
Coast & island drives

Outer Banks

177 mi5 stops3 days
Moonbows, sandstone arches and coal trains – by camper across the Cumberland Plateau from Berea to the Breaks – Winter At Cumberland Falls (192471531)© Don Sniegowski · CC BY 3.0
119
In-depth road trip guides

Moonbows, sandstone arches and coal trains – by camper across the Cumberland Plateau from Berea to the Breaks

338 mi14 stops7 days
RouteSuggested daysDistanceDrivingStops
Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown3108 mi1 h 56 min7
Jefferson and Madison country: Montpelier to the Peaks of Otter4242 mi4 h 19 min9
Southwest Virginia highlands: Grayson ponies to the Breaks4284 mi5 h 04 min8
Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Bay Bridge-Tunnel3153 mi2 h 44 min9
Skyline Drive, Shenandoah2121 mi2 h 09 min6
Along the Potomac: Mount Vernon, Great Falls and Harpers Ferry383 mi1 h 29 min7
Blue mountains, golden autumn – along Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway into the Great Smoky Mountains6544 mi9 h 43 min14
Wild ponies, a bridge-tunnel and oyster boats – by camper from the Colonial Parkway across the Eastern Shore to Annapolis7332 mi5 h 56 min12
The Blue Ridge Parkway, end to end4465 mi8 h 18 min12
Outer Banks3177 mi3 h 10 min5
Moonbows, sandstone arches and coal trains – by camper across the Cumberland Plateau from Berea to the Breaks7338 mi6 h 02 min14
Editor's picks

Places worth the detour in Virginia

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge – Assateague lighthouse - panoramio (1)© Ron Shawley · CC BY 3.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

Chincoteague, VA
Archaeological Site, Historic Jamestowne, Colonial National Historical Park, Jamestown, Virginia (14424246122)© Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
Editor's pick
History

Historic Jamestowne

Williamsburg, VA
Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area – Colonial Williamsburg Capitol 1© Smash the Iron Cage · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
History

Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area

Williamsburg, VA
Monticello 01© Smash the Iron Cage · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
History

Monticello

Charlottesville, VA
Arlington National Cemetery – Arlington Cemetery Wreaths Across America 2017© Antony-22 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Editor's pick
History

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington, VA
George Washington’s Mount Vernon – Former Mount Vernon HS building© Ser_Amantio_di_Nicolao · CC BY-SA 3.0
Editor's pick
History

George Washington’s Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon, VA
Big Pinnancle View Pinnacles Trail Grayson Highlands State Park SW VA 110531© bobistraveling · CC BY 2.0
Editor's pick
Nature

Grayson Highlands State Park

Mouth of Wilson, VA
Mabry Mill – brown wooden house surrounded by green trees during daytimePhoto by Esperanza Doronila on Unsplash
History

Mabry Mill

Meadows of Dan, VA
Barn, Farm Museum at Humpback Rocks Visitor Center, Blue Ridge Parkway© Ser Amantio di Nicolao · CC0
Views

Humpback Rocks

Waynesboro, VA
Big Meadows, Shenandoah – Bathroom at Big Meadows Campground Shenandoah 2022-06-19 12-20-55 1© G. Edward Johnson · CC BY 4.0
Nature

Big Meadows, Shenandoah

Luray, VA
Luray Caverns – a cave filled with lots of cave like formationsPhoto by An Pham on Unsplash
Nature

Luray Caverns

Luray, VA
Natural Bridge State Park – Natural Bridge grand opening (29789768212)© vastateparksstaff · CC BY 2.0
Nature

Natural Bridge State Park

Natural Bridge, VA
Skyline Drive overlooks – Gold Skyline Drive - HDR (15643840808)© Nicolas Raymond from Bethesda, Maryland, USA · CC BY 2.0
Views

Skyline Drive overlooks

Luray, VA
NASA Wallops Visitor Center – Explore Wallops Visitor Center Interior© Standardpizza · CC BY 4.0
Oddities

NASA Wallops Visitor Center

Wallops Island, VA
Kiptopeke State Park – Concrete Ships forming Kiptopeke Breakwater© Ajblanck · CC BY-SA 3.0
Nature

Kiptopeke State Park

Cape Charles, VA
First Landing State Park – WWW FL (7145697869)© vastateparksstaff · CC BY 2.0
Nature

First Landing State Park

Virginia Beach, VA
British Inner Defense Lines, Yorktown Battlefield, Colonial National Historic Site, Yorktown, Virginia (14239307000)© Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0
History

Yorktown Battlefield

Yorktown, VA
Fort Monroe National Monument – Jefferson Davis archway Fort Monroe VA1© Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

Fort Monroe National Monument

Hampton, VA
James Madison’s Montpelier – Montpelier (Orange, Virginia), James Madison home at Sunset© Jennifer Glass · CC BY-SA 3.0
History

James Madison’s Montpelier

Orange, VA
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park – Appomattox barn VA1© Acroterion · CC BY-SA 4.0
History

Appomattox Court House National Historical Park

Appomattox, VA
Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest – Poplar Forest© Lzgoss · CC BY-SA 3.0
History

Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest

Forest, VA
Peaks of Otter – Prolly Woods Ordinary© Laura A. Macaluso, Ph.D. · CC BY-SA 4.0
Views

Peaks of Otter

Bedford, VA
2019-09-07 15 10 25 View north towards the Great Falls of the Potomac River from Overlook 1 about 100 feet downstream of the falls within Great Falls Park in Great Falls, Fairfax County, Virginia© Famartin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Nature

Great Falls Park

McLean, VA
Hungry Mother State Park – HM 10-18-20 Bridge© vastateparksstaff · CC BY 2.0
Nature

Hungry Mother State Park

Marion, VA

FAQs

What are the best road trips in Virginia?

Popular routes include Virginia’s Historic Triangle: Jamestown, Williamsburg and Yorktown, Jefferson and Madison country: Montpelier to the Peaks of Otter, Southwest Virginia highlands: Grayson ponies to the Breaks and Virginia’s Eastern Shore and the Bay Bridge-Tunnel. CampingSpirit has 11 trip guides that pass through Virginia, each with a stop-by-stop itinerary and a route map.

Which places in Virginia are worth a detour?

Our editors recommend Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Historic Jamestowne, Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area, Monticello, Arlington National Cemetery and George Washington’s Mount Vernon.

Nearby

West Virginia 5District of Columbia 3Maryland 8North Carolina 11Delaware 4Pennsylvania 10New Jersey 5Ohio 7