NEWS
Virginia Scenic Drives Make for Colorful Fall
Getaways
Media Contact
Tamra Talmadge-Anderson
Public Relations Director
TEL (804) 545-5573
CEL (804) 201-7839
EML ttanderson@virginia.org
Virginia Tourism Corporation
901 East Byrd Street
Richmond, VA 23219-4048 USA
TEL
FAX
(804) 545-5500
(804) 545-5501
Each fall when Virginia’s leaves turn brilliant shades of red, yellow and orange
the Commonwealth becomes a favorite destination for those who love the
splendor of autumn foliage. The tranquility and beauty of autumn in Virginia
provides the perfect setting in which to reconnect with each other. It’s a natural
season for enjoying the best of togetherness with loved ones.
To get the most out of fall in Virginia, plan a getaway that combines scenic
beauty with memorable things to do together. Here are nine scenic drives in
Virginia that offer gorgeous fall foliage as well as that special something extra
that visitors can enjoy together:

Nelson Scenic Loop: Traversing 50 beautiful miles along the eastern
side of the Blue Ridge Mountains, the Loop includes four Scenic
Byways west of Charlottesville. Take a hike and have a picnic at
Crabtree Falls, the highest vertical cascading waterfalls east of the
Mississippi. Fish for mountain trout in a stocked pond at Montebello.
Stay overnight in a creekside cabin and cozy up.

Blue Ridge Parkway: Cruise along the Parkway this fall and celebrate
75 years of America’s Favorite Drive. Generations of visitors have
made annual fall pilgrimages to the Parkway to view its natural
splendor and breathtaking views. Along the way are restaurants and
stores, hiking trails and diverse overnight accommodations. Learn
about the life of early mountain settlers and watch living history
demonstrations at Humpback Rocks Visitor Center. Visit Mabry Mill,
the most photographed site on the Parkway. Join a nature hike led by
friendly park rangers. Enjoy a romantic dinner at Chateau Morrisette
Winery. Watch luthiers crafting fiddles and mandolins at the Blue
Ridge Music Center. More ideas are found on www.Virginia.org/brp.

The Crooked Road: Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail winds through
the mountains and valleys of Southwest Virginia, a major wellspring
of American roots music and one of Virginia’s best regions for fall
foliage. Country music traces its beginnings here and the area is still a
hotbed of bluegrass and Old Time music. Live music venues,
museums and cultural centers lie along the trail. Some of bluegrass
music’s top acts perform at the Carter Family Fold, the Floyd Country
Store and the Rex Theater in Galax and impromptu jam sessions pop
up in barber shops and ice cream stands in small communities
throughout the region.
www.VaTravelStories.com
www.virginia.org (consumer)
www.vatc.org (industry)
~ more ~
NEWS

Skyline Drive: This roadway is the main artery of Shenandoah
National Park and one of America’s best fall foliage destinations. The
drive itself is a worthy journey but there is so much more to enjoy
along the route. Stay overnight at Skyland Lodge, Big Meadow or the
rustic cabins at Lewis Mountain. At dusk, herds of deer come out to
graze in meadows and along roadsides. The eastern black bear can be
seen along with a large variety of songbirds.

Virginia’s Wine Destinations: According to Luca Paschina, one of
Virginia’s leading winemakers, “A true wine experience is not only
about wine ... It's about food ... landscapes ... visiting historic sites. It's
about other things that all together are a true great wine experience."
That is particularly true in the fall. Virginia now boasts more than 150
wineries, many nestled along the hillsides of Virginia’s pastoral
Piedmont region. The area is canopied in color during the fall and is
filled with the variety of things that make up that “true wine
experience.” October is Virginia Wine Month and the wineries
celebrate with festivals and special events. Try one of these three drives
for starters:
- Charlottesville area: The Monticello Wine Trail combines
natural beauty with 22 of Virginia’s leading wineries. Presidents
Jefferson, Madison and Monroe made their homes here for a
reason. The glory of the countryside in the fall is unmatched.
Fine country inns and exceptional dining (some of which can be
found at the wineries themselves) are an essential part of the
experience.
- Warrenton/Fauquier County: Historic back roads bounded by
stone fences cut through rolling terrain in Fauquier County, and
nearly every one of them seems to lead to a winery . More than
twenty wineries are now in the county and range from big and
splashy to small and intimate. Pick a variety to visit – and enjoy
the journey that is as fulfilling as the destination.
- Leesburg/Loudoun County: This is the heart of Virginia’s
horse country. Horses of high blood roam the paddocks of farms
dating to the 1800s. The roads that meander through the area are
ablaze with color in the fall. Twenty-two wineries, including
some of Virginia’s oldest and newest, welcome fall visitors for
an afternoon on the terrace with a glass of good wine and a fall
view.

Lexington to Warm Springs through the pass: Lexington is one of
America’s most historic and beautiful small towns and is at the eastern
end of one of Virginia’s best fall drives. Going northwest out of
Lexington, take Rt. 39, a scenic Virginia Byway that parallels the
Maury River. At Goshen Pass the river comes gurgling through a
~ more ~
NEWS
boulder-strewn gorge where the western mountains end at the
Shenandoah Valley. Continue westward to the village of Hot Springs
and go south on Highway 220 to The Homestead, one of Virginia’s
premier four-seasons resorts. Activities there include horseback riding,
canoeing, carriage rides, hayrides and even falconry.

Down the ShenandoahValley on Backroads: Interstate 81 runs the
length of the Shenandoah Valley and in the fall might be one of the
most beautiful superhighways in the country. But for those wishing a
more leisurely pace while leaf peeping, get out of the fast lane and onto
a secondary road. Highway 11 parallels I-81 and takes drivers through
the hearts of small Valley towns with antique shops, historic sites,
restaurants and inns. Farther off the beaten path lie treasures such as the
Dayton Farmers Market, Luray Caverns and the Andre Viette Nursery.
At Front Royal look for canoeing rentals for an unforgettable fall float
down the picturesque Shenandoah River.

Journey Through Hallowed Ground: The 180-mile National Scenic
Byway and National Heritage Area enters Virginia in Loudoun County
and winds its way south along Highways 15 and 29 to its terminus at
Charlottesville. This is some of America’s most historic and most
beautiful landscape that’s at its best in fall. Look for farmers markets,
wineries, outdoor recreation sites, historic homes and towns, Civil War
battlefields, antebellum estates and honored establishments such as the
Inn at Little Washington and Keswick Hall.

Colonial National Parkway: In late fall, after the colors have crested
in Virginia’s mountains, fall foliage can be enjoyed in the eastern part
of the Commonwealth. One of the best routes for late leaves is the 23mile Colonial National Parkway, a National Scenic Byway connecting
historic Jamestown and Yorktown and passing through Williamsburg.
Devoid of billboards and other advertisements and with easements
keeping much development hidden, the Parkway is a peaceful and
beautiful meander. Colonial Williamsburg is gorgeous in the fall and is
one of America’s best family destinations. Historic Yorktown has a
vibrant waterfront and historic homes. Jamestown’s attractions detail
the history of the earliest permanent English settlement in the New
World along with the Virginia Indians who lived here long before.
Scenic fall foliage drives in Virginia take on new and memorable dimensions
when one sees amidst the trees a world of experiences to enjoy together.
Love is at the heart of every Virginia vacation. To plan your fall vacation or
getaway visit www.FallinVirginia.org. For a free Virginia is for Lovers Travel
Guide call toll-free 1-800-VISITVA.
#
#
#