Fodor's Expert Review Skyline Drive
Alternating between open vistas and forest-hemmed stretches, Skyline Drive offers 105 mi of easily accessible wilderness. Designated as a National Historic Landmark, the two-lane highway runs from Rockfish Gap at Afton, Virginia, to Front Royal. During weekends and holidays it can seem a little too much like city driving—a 35-mph speed limit, rubber-necking leaf-lookers, narrow overlook turnouts, and the occasional black bear sighting can back traffic up uncomfortably. It's best to choose a weekday and allow the entire day; you may want to spend an hour or two resting on one roadside boulder.