Shenandoah National Park's main feature is the 100 mile long Skyline Drive. It is similar to the Blue Ridge Parkway but with the Shenandoah Valley alongside it has different scenery. The undergrowth is different too with lots of lovely ferns. Most of the park was built by the CCC "boys" in the 1930s and the park has a great video on that effort. It reminded me of my Dad and the time he spent in the CCC in Nebraska.
There are overlooks and hikes everywhere along the drive and two visitor centers. Big Meadows is the main one with lots of information, hiking and even lodging. We had dinner one night at Skyland which is the highest point on the parkway and a terrific place to stay a couple nights or just have dinner.
Our homebase was Luray VA which is an historic town. Nearby is Shenandoah River State Park which is a fantastic state park on the Shenandoah River (duh) with miles of hiking trails and beautiful facilities. Great Place ! The weather is nice most mornings but by late afternoon the clouds roll in and usually thunder and lightning. Fortunately, it is rare for there to be tornados in the mountains which makes us very happy after seeing the awful news about the lives lost in Joplin, MO.
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