Anonymous wrote:I also love the 151 wine/beer route near wintergreen & charlottesville. There are tons of new spots to explore popping up all the time. The Blue Ridge Parkway is lovely.

I second the Canaan Valley area - anytime of year really! I think it's about 3 hours from dc and is my personal favorite mountain retreat. It gets MUCH colder there though and it gives adirondack/northern east coast vibes and if you go up to the dolly sods, I almost feel like I've been transported to Maine!

It's really perfect in summer because it's SO much cooler than DC. With young kids, we stayed in the Timberline resort; it was super cheap because it was largely off season. We were the only people at the pool and you could take the chair lift to a lake where they had canoes & such. They also have hiking paths (and I think mountain biking?)

Peak foilage is often around Columbus Day weekend. It's SO pretty, especially on Dolly Sods. So many low bush blueberries that turn BRIGHT red.

Massanutten Resort area. They have lots of non-snow related activities.

I also love the 151 wine/beer route near wintergreen & charlottesville. There are tons of new spots to explore popping up all the time. The Blue Ridge Parkway is lovely.

I second the Canaan Valley area - anytime of year really! I think it's about 3 hours from dc and is my personal favorite mountain retreat. It gets MUCH colder there though and it gives adirondack/northern east coast vibes and if you go up to the dolly sods, I almost feel like I've been transported to Maine!

I’ve had several nice trips to Wintergreen during all seasons. There are lots of options as far as accommodations go, and the resort itself usually has happenings like live music, fireworks in the summer, Smores-making, etc. There are a number of breweries in that area (Devil’s Backbone, Wild Wolf) that are fun too.
The Canaan Valley area of West Virginia is great for outdoor activities too, but I’ve only been there in wintertime so I don’t know much about what the area is like during other seasons.

Hello, I’m looking for a mountain retreat within driving distance from DC in Virginia. The Shenandoah area is huge. Are there any towns or specific properties you’d recommend looking in on Airbnb for a family getaway with grandparents and elementary school aged kids?