● Warrenton/Fauquier County: Historic back roads bounded by stone fences cut through rolling terrain in Fauquier County, and many lead to wineries. More than 20 wineries are now in the county and they range from big and splashy to small and intimate;
● 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 blaze 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 wine and a fall view;
This photograph shows the view from the boat ramp at Virginia's Hungry Mother State Park
● 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 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 falconry;
● Down the Shenandoah Valley on Backroads: Interstate 81 runs the length of the Shenandoah Valley and in the fall might be one of the most beautiful freeways in the U.S. However, secondary roads offer more leisurely viewing. 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 a 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 and is 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; and
● 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 23-mile 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 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.
To plan a fall vacation or getaway in Virginia, visit FallinVirginia.org. For a free Virginia is for Lovers Travel Guide call toll-free 1-800-VISITVA.
Related to this story:
- RV Rental Firm Lists USA’s Top Ten Fall Foliage Road Trips
- Experts Say This Fall Could Be Western North Carolina’s Best for Years
- New York State’s Finger Lakes Wine Country Offers Full Schedule of Fall Events
- National Park Foundation Lists USA’s 10 Top Parks for Fall Foliage
- Killington, Vermont Combines Events with Spectacular Fall Views
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