Here is a general idea for a route..........

Day 1 DC to Front Royal/Entrance to Shenandoah National Park/Drive 105 miles on the beautiful Skyline Dr (stop in Luray to visit the Luray Caverns) ending in Waynesboro; Day 2 drive east to Charlottesville, visit Monticello; Day 3 & 4 (& maybe 5) drive east on I64, stop in Richmond if interested or continue to Williamsburg and visit Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown; Day 5 & 6 (or 6 & 7) continue east on I64 to the coast and visit Norfolk and Va Beach; drive I64E to Va58 to I95S to continue your trip to Fla. This route winds through the mountains, historical areas, and the east coast. I'm sure you will get other good suggestions. Enjoy your time in Virginia.

Hi, DBtraveller,

Visiting Virginia in the fall is a great idea. I live in Charlottesville, which is - I'm biased, I confess - a beautiful college town at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We have the only dual UNESCO world heritage site - Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, and the university he founded in 1819, the University of Virginia. Both are must-sees and offer daily tours without need of reservations. October should be spectacular for seeing both, and if you're a sports fan, it might be fun to get tickets to see a U.Va. football game, polo, etc. This is horse and vineyard country, after all.

If you're willing to adjust your schedule slightly, the Virginia Film Festival is a good time here also. "Scheduled from Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, the 21st annual Virginia Film Festival will explore the theme of “Aliens!” as more than 150 films and speakers address cinema’s fearful and alluring images of immigrants, outsiders and extraterrestrials."

Charlottesville also boasts a European-style pedestrian mall with cafes, shopping, an ice-skating rink, and a large outdoor amphiteatre. This is a town of foodies, so I think with a little research, you will find a great place to sit down, people-watch, and enjoy a glass or two of wine from one of our many vineyards. The Charlottesville area offers quite a few, and I would recommend a tour of King Family Vineyards, in particular. Barboursville Vineyards is another, and they offer a terrific, rustic inn with a tasting menu at their acclaimed "Palladio" restaurant. Worth trying, although it's expensive, even by Charlottesville standards. Other high-end treats include staying at Keswick Hall ("Selected by Good Morning America as one of the most romantic hideaways, Keswick Hall provides a Virginia setting kissed with Italian inspired architecture...") and/or the Boar's Head Inn (but mostly dining at their Old Mill Room).

The other poster recommended taking I-66 West from Washington and getting on Skyline Drive, which is the perfect way to get to Charlottesville. Skyline Drive winds through Shenandoah National Park, providing breathtaking views of the Blue Ridge. Check leaf-viewing sites for peak times.

Other recommended sites: Ashlawn-Highlands, the home of James Monroe (close to Monticello); Montpelier, the home of James Madison; Richmond; Colonial Williamsburg; Jamestown; and the Yorktown Victory Center. I hope you have a nice trip.

Cheers.

Whenever I go north to Warrenton or DC, or whenever I go south to Lynchburg or Charlotte, NC, I’m very fond of traveling Route 29, which goes straight through Virginia (north to south). It’s much nicer & more scenic than either I-81 or I-95 (which are more or less for people who just want to get somewhere fast).

I like GoneAgain2’s itinerary, except that I think 105 miles on the Skyline Drive is too much. Although it is the way most people experience Skyline Drive & the Blue Ridge Parkway (driving much of it at 25-35 mph & pulling over at scenic views to snap photos), I’d suggest that if you must visit the Blue Ridge Mountains, that you drive less & get out to do a short hike & picnic. My only other concern for doing such a long distance on Skyline Drive in October is that if you come during peak leaf season (mid to late October), the traffic may be quite congested & the driving even slower (get behind an RV or drive it during fog or rain, and you’ll know what I mean…).

Anyway, here are some ideas –

Spend a day or two in DC seeing some of the highlights. Travel south on Route 29 – maybe stop in Manassas at the Manassas National Battlefield.

As you go south, you’ll pass by a number of wineries if you’re interested in Virginia wines.

You’ll pass by the towns of Warrenton & Culpeper – both offer places to eat & gas up the car if you hop off Route 29 toward their downtown areas. I like Culpeper best of the 2 (it seems a bit smaller & downtown has been revitalized & offers nice shopping & places to eat). It’s even possible that one or both of these towns has a fall festival.

At Madison, you can get off Route 29 and head south-east for a short trip to Montpelier, and continue south toward Barboursville, where there is a lovely inn, restaurant & vineyard.

Madison & Barboursville aren’t far from Charlottesville. The highlights of Charlottesville include the University of Virginia (lovely grounds), Monticello, historic downtown Charlottesville, Ash Lawn, and a number of vineyards. Plan to spend at least a day, if not 2.

If you’re here in October, you’ll be just in time for apple picking on Carter’s Mountain (within half a mile or so of Monticello). Drive up the mountain, park the car, and enjoy the views. You can either pick your own, or pick apples out of crates near the parking lot. While you’re there, enjoy their apple cider donuts.

If you do visit Carter’s Mountain, you may decide that you don’t need to drive to the mountains to the west. But if you do want to drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway/Skyline Drive, I would suggest driving west on Route 250 rather than the parallel Interstate 64. It’s a bit more scenic. When you get to Afton Mountain, you can go left to the Blue Ridge Parkway (which is free) and drive a few miles to Humpback Rocks & take a hike. It’s one of the more popular trails. Or you can turn right off of Route 250 & head onto Skyline Drive through the National Park (it’s not free). And remember -- both may be crowded during peak autumn leaf season.

Depending on how much longer you have, you can head east on I-64 to Richmond & the coast, then head towards North Carolina & Florida via I-95, or continue south on Route 29 toward North Carolina.

If you take Route 29 south of C’ville, you’ll travel through farm country, past small towns with cozy diners & roadside apple shacks – like Lovingston (between Lynchburg & C'ville).

Just south of Lynchburg is a new WWII memorial, and Jefferson’s Poplar Forest home. And on the border with North Carolina is the old factory town of Danville, which has gone through quite a downtown renovation & is enjoying some renewed vitality now that an Ikea factory has been built there.

Many thanks to all for the helpful tips. We are printing them out and will try to combine them all in single itinerary. Have to say that having read them and the other links we can't wait to spend some time there and if 1 week is not enough (We're sure it won't be) then we'll just have to return

Cheers