Virginia's Scenic Drives

Virginia’s scenic drives range from mountain roads with long-range overlooks to quiet parkways linking historic places. Start with the official state map to find designated Virginia Byways, then choose a route for its landscape, history, or nearby towns. Byway designation is a guide to a road’s scenic or cultural character—not a guarantee that every stretch is open or free of traffic—so check current conditions before setting out.

Choose a drive

Virginia’s Department of Transportation (VDOT) distinguishes state-designated Virginia Byways and Scenic Highways from National Scenic Byways and All-American Roads. Its official Scenic Roads and Byways map shows the designated routes and can be viewed online or downloaded; a printed copy is also available through VDOT’s map program. For trip ideas and regional suggestions, Virginia’s official tourism site also has a byways guide.

Skyline Drive

A 105-mile mountain route through Shenandoah National Park, running between Front Royal and the Blue Ridge Parkway near Waynesboro. Best suited to a slower day of overlooks, short walks, and park stops.

Blue Ridge Parkway

A long, milepost-marked drive through the Blue Ridge, with access to overlooks, trails, and places such as Humpback Rocks, Mabry Mill, and the Roanoke area. The parkway continues south into North Carolina.

Colonial Parkway

A 23-mile historic parkway connecting Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. A natural fit for a history-focused visit to the Historic Triangle.

George Washington Memorial Parkway

A Northern Virginia parkway with a mix of scenic road, memorial sites, recreation areas, and Potomac River landscapes. It offers a different kind of drive: a green corridor through a busy metropolitan region.

Smaller state byways

Use VDOT’s statewide map to explore less-familiar designated routes, including roads through the Shenandoah Valley, Piedmont, and Southwest Virginia. The map is more useful than choosing a route by name alone: it helps reveal nearby towns and connecting roads.

Signature routes

Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway

These two mountain roads meet near Rockfish Gap, making it possible to combine them into a longer trip or choose a shorter section. Skyline Drive follows the crest of the Blue Ridge for 105 miles through Shenandoah National Park, with mileposts that help locate overlooks and park facilities. The National Park Service says a full-length drive takes about three hours in clear conditions, before time for stops; wildlife may cross the road, and weather can cause closures.

The Blue Ridge Parkway begins at milepost 0 near Waynesboro and reaches the Virginia–North Carolina line at milepost 216.9. Its milepost system makes it easier to plan a segment around particular overlooks, trailheads, and access roads. The National Park Service advises checking its closure information before travel; roadworks and weather can affect sections of the route.

Colonial Parkway

For a compact drive shaped by history rather than elevation, the Colonial Parkway links Jamestown and Yorktown through the Historic Triangle. The National Park Service describes it as a 23-mile scenic roadway connecting the James River at Jamestown with the York River at Yorktown. Pair it with visits to Historic Jamestowne, Colonial Williamsburg, and Yorktown Battlefield; check the parkway’s current notices before relying on a particular route or access point.

George Washington Memorial Parkway

The George Washington Memorial Parkway is a scenic approach to Washington, D.C., as well as a way to reach parks and memorial places in the region. National Park Service materials describe a network of parkway roads and sites along the Potomac, including connections to places such as Arlington and George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Traffic can be part of the experience here, so plan around the specific destinations you want to visit rather than treating the entire route as a remote country drive.

Plan a road trip

• **Pick a section, not just a road.** Mountain parkways reward unhurried stops. A shorter out-and-back or point-to-point segment can leave more time for overlooks, hikes, and nearby communities.
• **Use the official map and mileposts.** VDOT’s map helps identify designated byways statewide. On Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway, mileposts are useful for locating planned stops and matching them to official park maps.
• **Check conditions on the day of travel.** Mountain weather, maintenance, and other conditions can close roads or change access. Check NPS alerts for park roads and VDOT’s travel resources for state-road information before departure.
• **Allow for slower travel.** Curves, scenic pull-offs, local traffic, and time spent outside the car can make a scenic route take longer than a direct highway journey.
• **Plan fuel and supplies.** Services may be limited along stretches of parkway. Check the route and nearby communities in advance, especially if driving a longer section.
• **Drive and stop safely.** Use designated pull-offs for views and photographs, watch for wildlife, and avoid stopping in travel lanes or blocking access.

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References

External links

• Virginia Byways — Virginia Department of Transportation
• VDOT maps, including the Scenic Roads and Byways map
• Virginia Byways — Virginia Is for Lovers
• Driving Skyline Drive — Shenandoah National Park
• Blue Ridge Parkway road status and closures
• The Colonial Parkway — Colonial National Historical Park
• George Washington Memorial Parkway — National Park Service