Looking for spring and summer day trips in Central Virginia?
I've got you covered. Here is a fantastic day trip where you can even drive it in a circle if you plan it well (and depending on where you live!). Plus, there are many places to camp to make it an overnight or even weekend getaway.
We started out from the Richmond area and took Route 60 west from 288 through Powhatan. Two hours and a few turns once you hit Route 29 (always be sure your GPS set before hitting an area that may not have strong service) you will arrive on the Blue Ridge Parkway just north of the James River Visitor Center. The visitor center offers bathrooms, a Junior Ranger program, information on area wildlife, and trails - one of which leads you under the parkway over the James River on a suspended pedestrian bridge.
The Junior Ranger program was also a highlight. Your ranger will receive a booklet where they can complete tasks along the parkway at each visitor center. They will be sworn in by the park ranger on duty and given a badge! Quite a moment for a little one to experience!
Continue north on the parkway and check out the various vistas. We stopped to view House Mountain. About 50 miles north on the parkway (milepost 10.7) you will reach the Ravens Roost Overlook parking lot. This is a popular stop to take pictures of this breathtaking view. There are no facilities here - but the Humpback Rocks Visitor Center is only 5 miles further north and very close to the end of the parkway, Interstate 64, and the start of Skyline Drive (Shenandoah National Park). We jumped on 64 east back to the Richmond area, which from there is only an hour and a half away.
Humpback Rocks Visitor Center also offers quite a bit to check out - the center itself, bathrooms, picnic areas, an outdoor farm museum with costumed interpreters and demonstrations, hiking trails (although the hike to the rock itself is strenuous and not for small children, but there are other smaller trails, including the one through the farm area), and seasonally there is a outdoor concert series as well.
The visitor centers and some facilities do not open until May and there are some restrictions currently due to the pandemic. Be sure to check the website to plan your trip accordingly. https://www.nps.gov/blri/index.htm
Definitely pack plenty of food, water, extra clothes and shoes - and your camera! The parkway is also rolling with a low speed limit, so car naps for kids between stops is a definite possibility!
@blueridgenps
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