OP here! Thanks for all the ideas and feedback. Probably day trip but open to overnight. I do like the ideas of nearby as an additional option. We are in Upper North West so love the idea of Great Falls!

Also, I would not mind traveling just for the cute town or yummy restaurant and plan around that.

Thanks!

Harpers Ferry, Charles Town, Shepherdstown

Day trip or overnight? Shenandoah is a little too far for a day trip for us personally. Luray caverns is fun the first time you've been. Not really quaint towns though. Quaint makes me think Middleburg.

Where do you live? The drive to Shenandoah can be long. There are a good number of local trails where the leaves are changing that you could get to more quickly and then go to lunch. We were at Scott's Nature Preserve last week and saw the trees starting to change. You can hike down to the Potomac and see the trees all at once. Or go to Great Falls. Manassas Battle Field has a bunch of great hikes that go through the woods so you can see the leaves, get in a nice hike, and get in some history. And there are a ton of smaller places you can pull over for lunch and the like.

There are some great hikes in Shenandoah and lots of small towns that you can stop in. Front Royal has a bunch of different areas to stop but I am not sure what is open now and what has shut down because the Summer Season has ended.

Maybe Harper's Ferry, WV?
With the weather we're having, I'm not sure you're going to see a lot of fall color next week, though!

Hello!

I have guests from out of town next week and I would like to take them up to Shenendoah to see the leaves changing (open to other areas too if anyone has other ideas). Afterward, I'd like to take them to eat at a good restaurant and stroll through a quaint town, ideally something with cute shops. Recommendations for activities/ things to do to add to the itinerary also appreciated.