Shenandoah and Washington, D.C.

Length of Trip

To experience the various destinations, we’ve written this itinerary over 7 full days, with air travel on the 1st and 7th days. However, depending on your interest, availability, and flight options, you could extend by adding extra time to any of the locations. You could also shorten the trip by reducing the time spent at any of the locations

Flight schedules may also impact your ability to do the activities as planned. See more details under “getting there” and reach out for any changes needed.

Travel Season

The best time to complete this itinerary is from late April to early June and from September to mid-October. These seasons offer mild, comfortable weather ideal for hiking in the mountains and sightseeing in the city. In spring, you’ll enjoy blooming wildflowers in Shenandoah and the iconic cherry blossoms in D.C., while fall brings vibrant foliage to both the Blue Ridge Mountains and the capital’s tree-lined avenues. These windows also help you avoid the peak summer heat and winter chill, making for a more enjoyable and balanced travel experience.

   Jan     Feb     Mar     Apr     May     Jun     Jul     Aug     Sep     Oct     Nov     Dec   

Key:     best months       okay months     not advised

Many accommodations and high-demand activity permits fill up quickly during peak seasons. Planning a minimum of 6 months in advance, or in some cases 12 months, increases availability. However, even with shorter time horizons, we will work to find options for you and your group.

Tip: The cherry blossoms in Washington, D.C. are a major attraction, with peak bloom usually occurring in late March or early April. The rich diversity of wildflowers in Shenandoah is particularly evident in spring at the lower elevations along streams. Later in the season, the banks of Skyline Drive and the Big Meadows area are great places to see summer and fall wildflowers.

Most nights on this trip involve lodging in 3-star hotels. Sometimes lodging in or adjacent to national parks may have fewer amenities, but is still the right choice based on location, as well as historic appeal. 

If you would prefer more luxurious lodging, let us know and we can present additional options along with the price difference. If you would prefer to save some money, let us know and we can discuss less expensive options as well. If you are interested in camping, there are campgrounds convenient to some, but not all, of the locations. Talk to our team about camping options in lieu of hotels when making your reservation. This will reduce cost significantly, but also may not always be available as park service campgrounds in particular often fill up quickly. (Note that Wandersaurus does not provide or facilitate rental of camping equipment.)

The recommended hikes throughout this trip are mostly of the 2-4 mile variety and can be completed by a reasonably fit person without much specific training. No more than 6 miles of hiking are listed on any individual day. Suggestions for longer trails can also be found in the detailed itinerary for those looking for increased challenge or to see a bit more of the park.

In the case of hikes that are a bit more challenging than the others in the itinerary, detailed descriptions are provided as well as alternative suggestions if one or more are not right for your group.  

Kids: You know your kids better than we do. A 5-year-old with enthusiasm for the outdoors and some hiking experience would not find any of these overly challenging. A 15-year-old with an “indoor cat” personality might struggle. That said, many trails are not stroller-friendly. A couple of individual trails will have notes of caution for kids in your detailed daily itinerary.

 Compared to most other Wandersaurus trips, the stops on this itinerary are practically next-door neighbors. You will not have any driving days greater than 2 hours:

• IAD to Shenandoah National Park: 2 hours

• Shenandoah National Park to IAD: 2 hours

Other Logistics

While half of the trip is spent in Washington, D.C., do not underestimate the amount of walking it will take to see the sights. This includes walking from sight to sight, as well as walking around any particular museum (ex., the Smithsonian Natural History Museum is HUGE!)

By Air

Washington, D.C. is served by three major airports, with Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) being the primary choice for many travelers arriving from across the country. Located ~ 25 miles west of downtown D.C., IAD is a major hub for United Airlines. The airport features a large, modern terminal and a wide range of amenities, including a consolidated rental car facility served by multiple agencies. While it’s a bit farther from the city center than Reagan National (DCA), it’s conveniently located for travelers heading to Shenandoah National Park, making it a practical starting and ending point for this itinerary. A morning arrival and afternoon departure are ideal, but if flight times don’t work, we can make changes to activity and/or lodging plans to accommodate.

The other two major airports in Washington, D.C. are Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). DCA is a 2.5-hour drive to Shenandoah National Park, and BWI is a 3-hour drive. 

By Car

Travelers from nearby states may find it more affordable to drive their own vehicle to the area rather than fly and rent a car.

• Baltimore, MD is 1.5 hours from DC and 3 hours from Shenandoah.

• Philadelphia, PA is 3 hours from DC and 4.5 hours from Shenandoah.

• Richmond, VA is 2 hours from DC and 2 hours from Shenandoah.

• Charlotte, NC is 6.5 hours from DC and 5.5 hours from Shenandoah.

• Pittsburgh, PA is 4.5 hours from DC and 5 hours from Shenandoah.

If you’ll be driving to the area, let us know the details and we can adjust the itinerary accordingly.

Some features of this trip may have seasonal variation, so all package prices are presented as estimated ranges. Contact us for a more precise price estimate for your preferred travel dates. Pricing does NOT include airfare.

Couples / Two Travelers

This trip was originally designed for parties of 2 people, sharing a room. The expected total price for all included items is $2100 - $2500.

Families

Groups of 3-6 people can enjoy this trip as well, with costs variable depending on room-sharing preferences. Contact us for details.

Solo

Unfortunately for solo travelers, very few of the costs are per-person activity fees, so we would expect the cost to be nearly the same.

Larger Groups

While details of this trip were not designed with larger groups in mind, the itinerary would still be functional. Contact us to discuss!

Payment Policies

• Payments must be made by credit card. Specific restrictions may exist for certain lodging or activity vendors. 

• 20% deposit due at time of reservation

• Balance due 90 days before trip start date (If booking within 90 days of trip, full balance due at time of reservation)

• Some portion of deposit may be nonrefundable, as some excursions or activity fees (which will have been booked upon confirmation) are nonrefundable. Accommodations and transportation will generally be reserved as refundable.

• Fully refundable until 60 days before trip start, less $100 admin fee and any nonrefundable excursions

• 50% refundable until 14 days before trip start

• If cancelling within 14 days of trip start, no refunds are given

Included In Your Package Price

• Bespoke itinerary - tailored as needed to suit your particular requirements

• Overnight accommodations for all nights

• Rental car

• Maps of all driving routes

• Trail maps and trail descriptions for all recommended hikes

• Restaurant recommendations, at a range of price points, highlighting vegetarian and kid-friendly options

• “America the Beautiful” federal lands pass (grants access to all National Park Service facilities on the trip)

• Tickets to all museums included in trip plan

• Fees for any guided tours mentioned in trip plan

• Expert advice and local information, including packing suggestions

• Updated information on any changing conditions delivered in the weeks before your trip

• Carbon offset credits for the mileage driven along the main route of the itinerary

• Full support during your trip from the Wandersaurus Travel team (9:00 am until 9:00 pm Eastern Time)

Not Included

• Travel to and from your starting/ending points

• Gasoline, parking, and/or any other ground transportation expenses unless specified

• Meals unless specified

• Additional guided tours or excursions beyond those specified

• Tips/gratuities for any guides

• Travel insurance. Note: we recommend purchasing travel insurance via a certified insurance agency