Virginia

Virginia's mountains are best seen slowly. Skyline Drive runs the length of Shenandoah National Park, with overlooks all along the way. In the park, the Limberlost Trail loops through the woods.

Where Skyline Drive ends, the Blue Ridge Parkway begins and winds south toward North Carolina, so the two make a natural pair. At Peaks of Otter, the Abbott Lake Trail makes a one-mile loop. At Humpback Rocks, a trail leads from the visitor center to a farmstead. Farther south comes the Blue Ridge Music Center.

Pack a jacket for the overlooks and a little patience for the curves. Then pull over, and give the view a minute.