US vacation 5: Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive

Just one more thing about vacationing in the US: If you ever end up living in Washington DC, or if you are just there for a longer holiday, try to drive down the Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia. It is not far, it is absolutely gorgeous, and you can combine the drive in the mountains with loads of other activities.

For example, you can do like Jim, Emma and I did: Drive out south from Washington DC on Route 66 and stop by some of the legendary Civil War Memorials in Manassas. Stop for lunch at the classic Frost’s silver diner in Warrenton and continue on 211 into the park. Drive around, make sure to listen to good music (we listened a lot to John Prine and discussed EU politics), stop for a hike here and there, and when you have finished the Skyline Drive, hit the small roads towards Charlottesville and make sure to stop at a vineyard.

Spend the night in Charlottesville, home of Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia (UVA), and close to his home Monticello. In Charlottesville, there are loads of hotels, but also nice smaller places like the 200 South Street Inn (where we were served a refreshing glass of white wine when checking in – as if you needed one more excuse).

Just a great idea for a weekend trip I wanted to share, and here are some photos as well: