The scenic Skyline drive forms the backbone of the NP. Its length is just slightly more than 100 miles and has a speed limit around 35 miles per hour. There are so many overlooks, picture moments, hiking opportunities as well as detours we can make along the way. We got in and out of the drive numerous times, and traversed the whole distance.
There are two accommodations inside the park: Skyland resort and Big Meadows resort. We ended up picking Skyland resort. With very limited restaurant choices, we ended up waiting for over an hour to even get a take out dinner. The room has basic amenities, and offers a good mountain view. These inside NP accommodations are simply overpriced, another reminder of the supply-and-demand market force.
Luray Caverns was a worthy visit, and lived up to the description “there is probably no other cave in the world more completely and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation than that of Luray.” What stood out was the Great Stalacpipe Organ. It is hard to think of another cave with a musical instrument.
There are many spots for sunrises and sunsets along the Skyline drive. We stopped at the Point Overlook for the sunset. It was a clear day, a bit cold. I have seen other sunsets, the layers and layers of mountains made this one very special. Watching the sun set over the mountain ranges was simply beautiful.
On two separate days, we did the stony man hike and the dark hollow falls hike. These hikes have been perfect for us, with some elevations, rewarding views and not too challenging. There were not that many hikers along the way.
Monticello is the never finished house of Thomas Jefferson, the third president who was known for the Declaration of Independence. Built amidst a vast land served by hundreds of slaves, the house said little about the presidential power. The reputation of Thomas Jefferson seems to have been tarnished in that he wrote “all men are created equal” in the Declaration of Independence, yet he owned so many slaves and did not free most in his lifetime. Mr. Jefferson could be the president that best epitomizes the country – with ideals, with principles, with dreams and yet full of dilemma and conflicts.
Charlottesville has been on the news headlines as a person drove the car into a crowd of counter protestors in the 2017 white nationalist rally in Charlottesville. We went to the downtown mall and had a good dinner at the Whiskey Jar. It was so full of young people and energy, hard to relay the downtown with the car attack terror in 2017.
A road trip, focused on National Parks, is hardly the formula of the best culinary experiences. The southern diet, of fried food, salty food and quite a bit of meat, is probably not the most healthy diet. Most days we started with a plain breakfast, had leftovers or a minimal lunch, hopefully a more decent dinner. We enjoyed the local cuisine. We tried the Cracker Barrel restaurant chain, as well as the Whisker Jar at Charlottesville. The beauty of travel includes diet relaxation and interesting dining experiences
Next: Blue Ridge Parkway
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