Enjoy a 2 Day Van Adventure in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley

Have you been to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley? It’s a beautiful part of Virginia for outdoor activities, roughly 150 miles long with mountains, national forests, quaint small towns, the Shenandoah River, state parks, and Shenandoah National Park. The national park has miles of hiking trails and dozens of scenic overlooks with far-reaching mountain views. During the warmer months, the Shenandoah River is a place for water adventures. Spend a lazy afternoon floating in a tube, or even explore the river by canoe or kayak. Fall brings colorful foliage for miles along Skyline Drive. Less than 2 hours from Northern Virginia, Shenandoah Valley is a great day or overnight destination. It was also the perfect place for my first overnight adventure in the latest addition to our family, a self-contained camper van. 

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The freedom that comes with a van this size is the ability to explore all day and then comfortably sleep wherever you can safely park the vehicle for the night. The original owner had the van built with a solar/battery-power system, queen bed, refrigerator, shower, composting toilet, and lots of storage space. My husband has been busy stocking it with everything from clothes and kitchen necessities to adventure gear and emergency supplies. His most recent addition is pull-out trays in the rear garage that hold two bikes and store outdoor living gear. A few week-long trips exploring the mountains and forests of Virginia and Pennsylvania have been an exciting learning experience for him toward longer adventures. For me, I just had to get comfortable with spending my first night in the van! 

So what can you do on a two-day van adventure in the Shenandoah Valley? Take a hike and enjoy the views along Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, bike the Luray-Hawksbill Greenway, enjoy the charm of a small town, and visit Shenandoah River State Park to start. 

Read: 30 Things You Should Do When You Visit Virginia

Before you head into Shenandoah National Park, you may want to decide how much time you want to spend on Skyline Drive. The road runs along the Blue Ridge Mountains and driving a curvy road for over one hundred miles at 35 miles per hour is not for everyone. Keep in mind that the national park is a busy place on weekends when the weather is nice so visit during the week if you can. Take advantage of the four options to enter the park scattered from north to south. Entering at Thornton Gap near Luray put us within 15 miles of the Hawksbill Summit Hike at mile 46.5.

Like most hikers, we did a bit of reading about the hiking options in Shenandoah National Park and decided the Hawksbill Summit via Upper Hawksbill would work best. The National Park app displays all the hikes at a glance and is a great way to get an overview of activities at any park. My go-to resource for more detailed hiking information around the state is Go Hike Virginia. Reading the pros and cons of the three trails to Hawksbill Summit helped us decide which route to take. 

As we drove south on Skyline Drive towards the trailhead, we encountered one stunning overlook after the other, including Hazel Mountain (at mile 33) and Old Rag View (mile 46.5). We also ducked into Skyland to use the restrooms. Skyland is open seasonally, and includes lodging, a restaurant with big views (first come, first served), gift shop, and Skyland Stables, which offers guided horseback rides. Book a room in advance if you are interested in staying here overnight.

From the trailhead at the Upper Hawksbill parking lot, we set off on the two-mile round trip hike to Hawksbill Summit. You can expect an elevation gain of just over 500 feet. At the top, the highest point in Shenandoah National Park provides sweeping views that include Old Rag Mountain and lots of photo opportunities even with a bit of haze. After this hike, we enjoyed our lunch at the Thorofare Mountain Overlook and made several more scenic stops as we made our way out of the park. ​

​Our leisurely afternoon plan took us to nearby Luray to check out the Luray-Hawksbill Greenway. More and more, we have come to enjoy exploring these urban/rural, multi-use trails. We biked along the 2-mile trail that follows Hawksbill Creek, spotting murals, watching a blue heron fishing, and finding a small, pocket park with picnic tables. Two handicap-accessible fishing platforms were built for trout fishing in the creek.

It was obvious that this trail is well-loved, with memorial benches dotting the length of the trail and folks out walking and running on a warm Friday afternoon. We even got an ice cream recommendation after chatting with one of the locals—Flotsie’s Soft Serve, a colorful place with state-fair vibes. It was hard to choose, but the sundae and Blackberry milkshake hit the spot on a warm fall day.  

The next stop was our home for the night, Backroom Brewery in Middletown. I knew that sleeping in the woods wasn't the best option for my first night in the van, so we compromised and used our new membership with Harvest Hosts to reserve a spot. Harvest Host members support a nationwide network of local farms, breweries, and wineries and in return, have a place to park a self-contained camper van or RV outside of a traditional campground or public lands. The annual fee allows you to reserve unlimited one-night stays throughout the year, subject to availability.  We arrived at our destination with a few hours of daylight left to enjoy a flight of beer and food and share stories with another camper van couple. If you are interested in renting a camper van, check out this great resource I found--21 Camper Van Rental Companies for Your US Roadtrip—which includes things to consider when looking at van rentals.  

Rising with the sun the next morning, we decided to fuel up for the day with a big breakfast at Our Hometown Diner in Front Royal. Yes, we could have easily had breakfast in the van, but for this trip, we decided to try a local spot before heading to Shenandoah River State Park. It’s one of the parks included in 3 Fun Outdoor Day Trips at Virginia State Parks for good reason. The 24 miles of trails are suitable for hiking and mountain biking, with the Bluebell Trail (beautiful in spring) winding along the South Fork of the Shenandoah River. Stop by the visitor center, then head to the larger parking area near the bottom of the Hemlock Hollow trailhead. My husband is a big mountain biker, but it was my first time riding on a wooded trail with tree roots and rocks. I was proud of myself for overcoming my fears and not crashing even though the trail was mostly flat! We have hiked at this dog-friendly park before and love the panoramic view of the river at Culler’s Overlook (cover photo). Book in advance for camping spots.  

Both the state park and the northern entrance of the national park are close to Front Royal, making it convenient for a bite or drinks afterward. Grab a burger and fries at Spelunker’s Frozen Custard and Cavern Burgers, visit PaveMint Smokin’ Tap House for BBQ and beer, or try the Blue Wing Frog. Expect crowds around town during the peak fall season—changing leaf colors are in high demand! I considered a stop at the Apple House for their famous Apple Butter Cinnamon Donuts, but it was too crowded this fall Saturday afternoon. I guess we will have to go back!

Things to Know Before You Visit Shenandoah National park

*Skyline Drive is very crowded in the fall, especially on weekends - enjoying the leaves turning color is a BIG draw. Try to visit during the week if you can, or head out first thing in the morning to get a jump on the crowds. 
*If you have plans to visit several National Parks in a year, consider purchasing the annual America the Beautiful National Parks and Federal Lands Pass. Shenandoah NP entrance fee for a private vehicle is currently $30. We had purchased an annual pass in summer 2023 when we visited Rocky Mountain National Park so we were able to use that again.
*Download the National Park App, and save Shenandoah National Park for offline use before you go as cell service is sporadic to non-existent in and around the park. This gives you access to information about scenic overlooks and hiking when you are in the park. You can delete the content once you get home, …or save it for your next visit. Explore our National Park Tips & Resources to help plan your national park trip. 
*Find more activities to plan your Shenandoah Valley adventure no matter the season!