31 day road trip Virginia, Tennesse, Kentucky & W. Virginia

 In October 2024, H and I flew into Baltimore, rented a car, and embarked on our longest road trip to date. This was our first adventure together since Utah in 2020. Sadly, my father passed away at the end of 2023, so there was no rush to get back home—and plenty of places we wanted to see.

It's worth mentioning that I plan these trips well in advance, but as I've learned, no matter how carefully you organize things, something always goes wrong. This time, it was Hurricane Helene, which had swept through the region just a week before our arrival.

Our first stop, Shenandoah National Park, was thankfully fully open. However, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Mount Rogers National Recreation Area—where I had planned two days of hiking—were completely closed. That was a bit of a letdown, but we always manage to find something to do.

We spent our first few days exploring Shenandoah. Mornings were blanketed in thick clouds and fog, but by afternoon, the skies would clear and reveal those iconic, sweeping views. One unexpected nuisance: the gnat-like bugs. They weren’t biting, but they were relentless, swarming our faces and going straight for eyes, nose, and mouth. Fortunately, I had clove oil in the car—they hate clove oil. I dabbed some along the rims of our hats, and as long as we didn’t move our heads too quickly, we could mostly avoid them.

Because I only hike early in the morning when I’m traveling with H, I skipped hiking in Shenandoah. There wasn’t much point with the fog obscuring everything until the afternoon—and at 83 years young, H doesn’t hike anymore. Still, it was a beautiful and peaceful start to the trip.

After Shenandoah, we made our way to Chilhowie, Virginia, to explore the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. But as I mentioned earlier, it was completely closed due to the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene. So, we shifted gears and headed to Luray Caverns instead—and what a great decision that turned out to be.

Luray Caverns was an incredible experience. The tour was extremely well done, and the caverns themselves were absolutely stunning. I’ve been to several caves across the country, and this one was hands down the best so far.

Each section of the cavern has its own name, but the only one that really stuck with me was Dream Lake. It was mesmerizing. The water there is so still and clear that the reflection of the stalactites above looks like a perfect mirror—so much so that you might not even realize you’re looking at water at all. Photos just don’t do it justice.

Our next stop after Virginia was Great Smoky Mountains National Park—and we lucked out with two beautiful weather days. I took full advantage by heading out before sunrise to hike.

On the first day, I tackled the Laurel Falls Trail, a fairly easy 2.6-mile round trip that leads to a beautiful waterfall. Because the trails I chose were popular, I arrived at the trailhead at sunrise to beat both the heat and the crowds. As the photos show, Laurel Falls is a lovely, flowing waterfall—it was a great trail and a very rewarding early morning.

The next day, I hiked to Rainbow Falls, a 5.6-mile round trip. It was a nice hike overall, though not very well marked. At one point, I and another group stopped at what looked like a waterfall—but it turned out to be more of a runoff. We all stood around wondering, “Is this it?” Then we saw people coming from behind some bushes and realized we hadn’t reached the actual falls yet.

When we did finally arrive, Rainbow Falls was a bit of a letdown. There wasn’t much water flowing, though what was there came from fairly high up. Even so, it was still a decent hike and worth the effort.

Since I was done with both hikes before 11 a.m., I headed back to the hotel to pick up H, and we spent the rest of the day exploring by car. We stopped at nearly every scenic pullout, including the always-popular Cades Cove, where there’s a lot to see. It was an excellent couple of days in the Smokies.

This was the first trip where I had time to visit state parks as well as National Parks and these two did not disappoint.  The waterfall at Cumberland Falls was spectacular.  H wasn't able to do the full walkway with me, but there are nice benches and plenty to see. We arrived just before 9am and the place was pretty empty.  But by the time we left around noon, all the concessions were open, and the parking lot was full.  Natural Bridge was beautiful as well.  Although you are only allowed under the bridge it was still a great experience.  There is a short hike to a small waterfall definitely worth the walk.

Camp Nelson, located in Kentucky, was full of fascinating history. I’ll admit—I knew absolutely nothing about it before our visit, but I walked away with a much deeper understanding and a real appreciation for the site.

The visitor center is a must, and we had great weather that day, which made the short stroll through the old farm area even more enjoyable. The grounds of Camp Nelson are quite expansive. While I took time to read through the information boards near the entrance, we didn’t venture too far since H’s ability to walk long distances is limited.

Even with a brief visit, it was a meaningful stop—rich in history and well worth the time.

Mammoth Cave National Park is the world's longest known cave system.  

As of 2022, more than 426 miles (686 km) of passageways had been surveyed, over 1.5 times longer than the second-longest cave system, Mexico's Sac Actun underwater cave. The park was established as a national park on July 1, 1941, after oft-contentious eminent domain proceedings whose consequences still affect the region. It was named a World Heritage Site on October 27, 1981; an international Biosphere Reserve on September 26, 1990; and an International Dark Sky Park on October 28, 2021. (Wikepedia)

We had planned two days at Mammoth Cave National Park, but we never actually made it into the cave. This was one of those moments where the stars just didn’t align, and we had to roll with the disappointment.

All cave tours must be booked in advance, and we had done that. The only tour H could participate in was the accessible tour—but unfortunately, the elevator was out of service during both of the days we were there. Since I hadn’t reserved any other tours ahead of time, it was nearly impossible to get into one of the morning tours on short notice.

So instead, we explored the above-ground sites, many of which are actually responsible for the cave’s formation. It wasn’t what we had planned, but it still made for an interesting visit.

 When I plan our road trips, I try to keep the driving to no more than three hours at a time—though sometimes it ends up being a little less, and occasionally a bit more. There are just so many places to see and things to do along the way. While researching Kentucky, I kept coming across the state parks. None of them are particularly large, but they’re beautiful, interesting, and absolutely worth the visit.

Our first stop was Natural Arch Scenic Area, part of the Daniel Boone National Forest. We arrived around 9 a.m. and walked the short quarter-mile trail to the lookout. As you can see from the photos, it was a beautiful day, so we stayed for a while just enjoying the view. Then we returned to the parking lot and picnic area, where I left H to relax while I hiked down to the arch itself via the Natural Arch Trail (#510). It’s about a mile each way and well worth the effort. The arch was impressive up close, and the trail was peaceful and scenic.

We also spent a day exploring Jenny Wiley State Resort Park in Prestonsburg, Kentucky. It was another perfect fall day, and surprisingly, the park was almost empty. Dewey Lake was incredibly still and gorgeous. I didn’t have time to hike that day, but we walked around quite a bit. The park is very well maintained, with plenty of opportunities to explore, relax, and take in the scenery.

Another stop was Paintsville Lake State Park. When we arrived, there happened to be a car show in the parking lot—an unexpected surprise. Once again, the weather was perfect, and the lake was smooth and clear, just like in the photos. Paintsville is smaller than Jenny Wiley and doesn’t have the same amenities, but the lake was just as stunning and made for a perfect day trip.

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is our nation’s newest national park. It was originally designated as a National River by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, and later, in 2020, parts of it became a National Park under President Donald Trump.

I had never heard of it before I started researching this trip, but we ended up spending three days exploring the area—which turned out to be the perfect amount of time.

One of the highlights was my hike to Sandstone Falls. While H waited in the car, I did the easy one-mile loop trail. It was well worth it—the falls were beautiful, with wide cascades that made for a peaceful and scenic walk.

We also stopped at Cathedral Falls, which is just a roadside pullout. It doesn’t have a heavy water flow, and I did question whether it truly qualifies as a “waterfall,” but it was still very picturesque. I was glad we made the stop.

Another memorable experience was my early morning hike on the Endless Wall Trail. It’s a relatively easy 3-mile loop, though I did get a bit turned around at the end and ended up at the wrong parking lot. I noticed I wasn’t the only one with that problem—it seems to be a common issue. Despite the navigation hiccup, the trail offered spectacular views, and as you can see from the photos, it was another glorious day.

Since H wasn’t up for hiking, we also spent a lot of time driving around the area, taking in the scenery from different vantage points. One day we stumbled upon Kanawha Lake and its small falls—an unexpected but lovely place to stop and have our lunch.

This was the final national park on our journey. Next stop: Harpers Ferry.

We spent two days exploring Harpers Ferry.  You can do it in one long day if you plan it to the minute, but when I travel with H I like to keep things short and sweet, so I don't wear her out too much.  Our visit to Harpers Ferry is a perfect example of that.   Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, encompasses several distinct areas within and around the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park. These include the historic Lower Town, Bolivar Heights, Camp Hill, Loudoun Heights, Maryland Heights, and Virginius and Hall's Islands. Each area offers unique historical and recreational opportunities, from exploring Civil War sites to enjoying scenic hikes.

 We didn’t make it to all of them, but we did explore Lower Town and Bolivar Heights, which was just the right amount for our two-day visit.

In Lower Town, we walked around together, took in the historic buildings, and even enjoyed some homemade ice cream. It was a lovely, relaxing afternoon. When we got to Bolivar Heights, I set off on my own to walk the full trail. It was a very pleasant stroll through the interpretive exhibits and into the woods—a peaceful, reflective experience.

While I’ve been to Washington, D.C. before for job interviews, this was my first time visiting as a tourist—and two days definitely wasn’t enough! But it was enough to make me want to come back.

As with every major city we’ve visited, the first thing we did was book a tour to get our bearings. We chose a four-hour “See DC In A Day: Guided Small Group Ultimate Day Tour” through Viator, and it was a great introduction. We hit the major highlights: the WWII Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Jefferson, Lincoln, and MLK memorials. We also drove by the Capitol, the State House, and the Library of Congress. I made a quick stop at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as well. Once again, the weather was perfect.

I’ve found that 4-to-6-hour tours are the sweet spot for us—long enough to see a lot, but not so long that it’s overwhelming. On our second day, I had a better sense of how to get around by car. We visited the Eisenhower Memorial and the Smithsonian’s Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. After that, we were ready to head back to the hotel, which was about 45 minutes away.

Since it was now Monday, and we expected heavier crowds and traffic, we decided to skip D.C. that day and visit Mount Vernon instead. I was pleasantly surprised by how beautiful and well-maintained it was. The tour was thoughtful and respectful, giving proper attention to the life and legacy of our first president and founding father. It was a memorable and meaningful way to wrap up our visit to the area.