Shenandoah National Park

Shenandoah National Park unrolls along the crest of Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountains, a long, green ribbon of Appalachian wilderness barely 75 miles from Washington, DC. Its defining feature is Skyline Drive, a 105-mile ridge-top road that threads the length of the park with more than 70 overlooks gazing out over the hazy folds of the Shenandoah Valley on one side and the Piedmont on the other.

Ancient hills and hidden waterfalls

These are old, soft mountains, worn round by time and cloaked in dense hardwood forest that erupts into spectacular colour each autumn. Beneath the canopy, streams tumble over ledges into a string of waterfalls, from the dramatic Dark Hollow Falls to the tall cascade of Whiteoak Canyon. Black bears, white-tailed deer, and wild turkeys roam the woods, and a hundred miles of the Appalachian Trail run the length of the park.

For a UK family, Shenandoah feels almost reassuringly familiar, greener and gentler than the raw peaks of the West, with a scale and rhythm not unlike a supersized version of walking in the Malverns or the Peak District.

You come to Shenandoah for the easy, restorative pleasure of a mountain ridge you can drive the whole length of, stopping wherever the view moves you. Skyline Drive is the star: a slow, unhurried road with a fresh panorama around every bend, perfect for a family that wants scenery without a strenuous slog. It is one of America's great scenic drives.

But the deeper reward lies just off the tarmac. Short trails drop into shady hollows to chase waterfalls, and the chance of spotting a black bear ambling across a meadow gives every hike a frisson of excitement. In autumn the forest blazes red and gold in one of the finest leaf displays in the eastern United States. Add its closeness to Washington and you have a park that slots effortlessly into a wider East Coast family trip.

Everything in Shenandoah revolves around Skyline Drive, the single 105-mile road that runs the entire length of the ridge with four entrance stations along the way. There is no shuttle; you explore by car, pulling off at overlooks and trailheads as the mood takes you. The full drive takes around three hours one way at the 35 mph limit, so plan your day around which section you want to explore rather than trying to do it all. Trails branch off the road into the hollows and up to the peaks. In winter, snow and ice frequently close all or part of the drive, sometimes for days. Fuel is scarce, so enter with a full tank.

There is no public transport into or within Shenandoah National Park, and no in-park shuttle service. The entire experience is built around driving Skyline Drive and pulling off to walk, so a hire car is essential for any family visit. From Washington, the most practical approach is to rent a vehicle and drive the 90 minutes or so out to the northern entrance at Front Royal. Once inside, the single ridge-top road connects every overlook, trailhead, lodge, and campground, but only a private vehicle lets you use it. Plan on a car for the full duration of your Blue Ridge trip.

• Skyline Drive has a 35 mph speed limit and takes around three hours end to end without stops, so do not underestimate how long the full length takes with a family.
• Autumn colour peaks in mid to late October and draws huge weekend crowds; visit midweek if you can.
• The waterfalls run fullest in spring and after rain; by late summer some slow to a trickle.
• Dark Hollow Falls is the shortest waterfall hike, but it is steep coming back up, so pace teens accordingly.
• Dawn and dusk are prime for wildlife along the drive; watch for deer and bears near the road.
• Fuel is available at only one or two points along the drive, so top up before you enter.
• Big Meadows is a good central base with lodging, dining, and easy walks.

Shenandoah sees four distinct, temperate seasons much like Britain, only more pronounced. Spring is mild and wet, filling the waterfalls and carpeting the slopes in wildflowers. Summers are warm and humid, often hazy, with afternoon thunderstorms. Autumn is crisp, clear, and famous for its foliage, while winters are cold with snow and ice that can close Skyline Drive. The ridge-top is always cooler and windier than the valley below, so pack layers, a waterproof, and sturdy footwear for potentially muddy, rocky trails. Even a warm summer day can turn chilly and blustery on an exposed overlook, so a fleece is worth carrying year-round.

Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) is the main gateway, roughly 1.5 hours from the park's northern entrance at Front Royal and well served by direct flights from the UK. Charlottesville-Albemarle (CHO) is closer to the southern end, about 45 minutes away, but has more limited connections. For most families the natural plan is a long-haul flight into the Washington area, a day or two of sightseeing in the capital, then a scenic drive out to the Blue Ridge. Shenandoah pairs beautifully with a wider East Coast itinerary taking in DC's museums and monuments. Hiring a car is essential, both for reaching the park and for the joy of driving Skyline Drive itself.