Blue Ridge Pkwy...advice needed
 

We are planning a trip next week (September 24) from Front Royale, Va to Waynesboro, VA. Are the trees changing colors? Are there any places that are particularly wonderful to stop? We are on a four day car trip, so won't probably stop at too many places, just want some that are worth the time. Thanks for any help you can give. :thumbup: :)

I'm a bit far south to answer your question with specifics, but the trees on the mountains we abut (south and east side of Peaks of Otter) do not seem to be changing much yet.

Jan in VA

Trees are not turning yet in the Gate City, VA area. You are going to be north of there, but I'd doubt you'll see much foliage color this early.

Thanks, Jan and Lisa. Trees have begun to change in the NW PA, and I wasn't sure if the colder temperatures had reached further south. We'll probably go this route anyway and enjoy the green! :-)

No change in color yet in East TN. You will find wonderful overlooks and some interesting places to stop at, but no color yet. Have fun.

Not much change near Ashville the leaves a re falling fast

Whatever the color...or lack of, the drive is beautiful. Some of the higher elevations may have started to change a bit, but I wouldn't expect much color yet.

Probably not much color this early. But you will have a great opportunity to see stars, especially if you are staying at the lodges in the park. It's very dark up there and stargazing is a very popular pasttime there. Try to be out before the moon rises or after it sets.

The trees probably won't have turned yet, but it will be pretty. I went to school in that area. There is a little town about an hour south of Front Royal and a few miles off 81, called Dayton. They have a fabulous fabric store called Patchwork Plus. I think they still sell Berninas as well. There's also a very nice gift and food store right there too. It's a small town, so it's very say to navigate.

I am in VT and the trees have just started changing here! Don't worry, it is a beautiful drive at any time of year and you will enjoy it.

http://www.stormfax.com/foliagemap.htm

No leaves turning yet around this area outside St. Louis. They will probably start by 1st to the middle of October.

Skyline Drive. Have fond memories of me and my parents going there about 1956. Went to Skyline Caverns too. That was so much fun. Then later I lived in Alexandria, VA. Anyone from Alexandria?

I drove on the Parkway today from Bedford to near Floyd, and there wasn't much color. A few trees are staring to turn a little bit.

We drove the PKWY from almost begining to end, about 350 miles of it. Not too much to see but mountains. There were a few places to stop for gifts or local art. A lot of stopping points to overlook the scenery. After awhile it became boring. And the Viaduct they talk about around a mountain is just a small curve on the ouside of the mountain. If you went to fast you would miss it. I'm glad we took the ride but it became very boring after 2 days of it. Probably better in the fall. Hope you enjoy it.

Leaves usually don't take on much color until after the first frost.

Thanks for the help! Ptquilts, I linked into the site you gave and really got distracted with all the information available for leaf peeping, plus other road trips! :o My husband is thrilled. :shock: Road Trips should have been his middle name, and I'm okay with them as long as there can be a quilt shop or craft store every now and then. :thumbup: My 84 year old mother goes on most with us, so we are mostly in the car. For this trip, we'll just do the VA part of the parkway. The trees in NW PA and SW NY are beginning to change. Some lovely reds are already showing! :thumbup:

After years of wanting to drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, we did it for a good long distance. Just be warned that there are limited places to get off it if you want to, and the speed limit is slower than an interstate. My memory was miles and miles and miles of not much to look at except trees next to the road. I don't want to sound like a negative person (I'm not) but we were disappointed.

Are the Luray Caverns on your route?I remember a great trip touring them.

Leaves are not changing yet. They are falling. You will have a great trip, just the beauty ;please plan to stop at the overlooks ,the Yancey and Mitchell co. overlooks are always wonderful.

Coopah, I hope your DH (if he drives) is better than mine - he always wants to do 5MPH over the posted speed limit, makes for an uncomfortable ride on those kind of roads. Plus you are past an overlook before you can slow down and stop.

Not sure if this in on your route, but there's a couple fabric stores in/near Fancy Gap
http://www.mtnplainsfabrics.com/index.php
Mountain Plains Fabrics
4505 Fancy Gap Hwy.
Hillsville, VA 24343
and
Fancy Gap Fabric Outlet; I've been to this one and all their quilting fabrics were 3.99, well worth the stop there
http://www.fancygappottery.com/fabri...es-online.html

The trees are changing slowly here in Southwest VA close to the Virginia Creeper Trail ....love my home in the mountains:)

The drive across the Parkway is beautiful no matter the leaf color or time of year. No there is not a lot of things to do ON the Parkway but tons of things to see and do just off of it.

Well, duh! It looks like we'll be on the Skyline Drive and not the Blue Ridge...I didn't check the map carefully...so we are on our way and will start tomorrow at Front Royal, VA and maybe finish at Waynesboro. We're on our way home, so don't want to stretch out the trip too much, but just get a flavor of the area. PTQuilts, my hubby will only go the speed limit, if that. So no worries about speeding by things! Laralea, I'll check the Google Map and see if we're anywhere near Hillsville. Sure need some more UFOs! LOL!!
Trees are starting to change in NW and central PA...gorgeous trip so far, but everything looks green in VA...except the pumpkins for sale. :-)

We are traveling back from Halifax Nova Scotia, going on to New York, and on to Ohio, and Tennessee home-the leaves are just so pretty we are in Rhode Island now, and all the trees along the way have been Yellow, Orange and Red-Fall is here and hope you have some colors also where you are going-Best of Luck

Not much color on the Skyline Drive, but it was still pretty and the views into next week were just amazing! Another week for leaves to begin changing in VA, I think. We had a pretty drive through PA with a mix of greens, oranges, and reds. BUT it's good to be home!! :-)

Thanks everyone who replied! We didn't get to check out any fabric shops, so I guess I'll settle for the quilt show in DeLand, FL this weekend.