Three picturesque drives in Northern Virginia.
Douglas Graham Douglas Graham / WLP
Driving
UNITED STATES - June 8, 2019: Paula Bliss and Lisette Graham drive along Purcellville Road near the Town of Hillsboro. (Photo By Douglas Graham/WLP)
There’s more to Northern Virginia than convoluted interstates and mind-numbing traffic jams. Just off the highways outside of D.C. lie some of the state’s most picturesque drives, full of pastoral beauty. These routes make great afternoon jaunts or inspire longer forays to relax over a fine meal, take a hike, or escape overnight. Here, three signature NoVa drives will make you a convert.
Virginia’s First Scenic Byway and Great Falls: Start at either end of the 12- mile Georgetown Pike. Plot a course that traverses Seneca Road and Beach Mill Road, as well as the town of Great Falls. This bucolic drive rises and falls through Virginia’s most expensive zip codes, great for real estate rubbernecking and taking in views of the Potomac at one of three parks. Great Falls Park offers two accessible viewpoints of the namesake falls. Be sure to take in the twisting beauty of Georgetown Pike between Dranesville and McLean.
Gilbert’s Corner at Aldie to Bluemont: Head west on Route 50, past the Aldie Mill on the left before taking a right onto Snickersville Turnpike, once an Iroquois hunting trail. Stone walls, reminiscent of the English countryside, line this 14-mile route, where you’ll pass fields, farms, and houses spanning the centuries. Instead of rowdy wineries with big parking lots, you’ll find the Philomont or Bluemont general stores along this quiet road. Other points of interest include Hibbs Bridge and a Civil War monument that commemorates the losses sustained by the 1st Massachusetts Cavalry. At Bluemont, continue on Route 7 to Bears Den Overlook, a popular stop on the Appalachian Trail, for stunning westward views of the Shenandoah Valley.
Middleburg into Fauquier County: Catch Middleburg’s horsey vibe before continuing west on Route 50 into Fauquier County. Note the farms, orchards, and vineyards that dot this gentle landscape as you pass through Upperville and Paris. The route gives way to the Blue Ridge foothills at Sky Meadows State Park as you head toward Markham via Leeds Mountain Road. In Markham, pick up Route 55, passing through Marshall with its historic schoolhouse—the one-room Number 18 School, that dates to 1887—and on through The Plains. To return to Aldie, take Hopewell Road to Route 15 or—if you’re feeling adventurous—take the unpaved Bull Run Mountain Road back to Route 50 in Aldie. FunInFairfaxVa.com
