Where to Find the Best Virginia Fall Foliage This Year

Every Fall here in northern Virginia, the leaves turn a stunning mix of gold, orange, and red worthy of a postcard. So, this year, as the time draws near, know where the best Virginia Fall foliage is before you visit! Never been to Virginia in the Fall? You’re missing out! Here we’ll tell you where you can find some of the most vivid color in the state. It’s peak season for a Virginia Fall foliage vacation!

Sure, Virginia Fall foliage is a huge draw during the autumn season, but there’s plenty more our area has to offer! For insider information on the best things to do, restaurants to try, historical points of interest, and more, be sure to download our free Vacation Guide. Here at By the Side of the Road Inn & Cottages, we want you to have the very best time!

Explore The Best Virginia Fall Foliage

Skyline Drive

While planning your trip to take in the Shenandoah Fall foliage, be sure to plan part of the day to drive the length of Shenandoah Skyline Drive. The Shenandoah National Park’s most renowned road, there are numerous scenic outlooks to stop at and get expansive panoramas of the entire valley below. The drive itself is quite beautiful and slow, and there are many opportunities to pull off the road and take a quick or long hike through the changing woods. There are few things so quintessential to experiencing the Shenandoah Fall foliage than Skyline Drive.

Shenandoah River

Yet another experience that is bound to be breathtaking is exploring the Shenandoah River. Snaking through the Shenandoah Valley, take some time to hike along its shores or even rent a canoe or kayak and get on the water. Seeing the colors reflect off the still places along the river will be such a treat, as well as witnessing the fauna of the forest scurrying about collecting their winter provisions.

Shenandoah Fall Foliage Bike Festival

This annual event is a favorite among locals and people from all over the East Coast. Suited for a wide range of cyclists from the experienced competitors to families with small children, the well-marked Fall Foliage Bike Festival courses will take you through some of the best places to witness the Shenandoah Fall foliage. Take rides at your leisure, stop to take in the views, and enjoy many events when you’re not in the saddle.

Edith J. Carrier Arboretum and Botanical Gardens

Spanning 125 acres of land in Harrisonburg, VA, the JMU Arboretum, or Edith J Carrier Arboretum, is a “public urban garden and forested greenspace” where Fall colors present a vivid array for you to behold. You’ll also find a wide range of birds, trees, flowers, and mushrooms that inhabit the arboretum’s grounds, which are open year round.

Take Advantage of Our Fall Foliage Package

The fantastic color of the Shenandoah Valley in peak season is, of course, a worthy reason to visit Harrisonburg! But, to sweeten the deal, we offer our Fall in Love in Fall Foliage package! It’s the perfect combination of romantic getaway and Fall foliage tour. You’re going to love it. So, browse our available accommodations and contact us to get your Fall vacation underway. We can’t wait to have you!