Skyline Drive | route 211 Lee’s Highway | Sperryville trading co. | Before & After Roaster | Magnolia vineyards | Flint Hill, VA | Luray Caverns

This trip was a product of a spontaneous decision we made back in September, after the first few days of school were trying and seemed impossible. After an “I’ve had it!” kind of day, I went home to visit mom, and we just kinda…well, booked a trip to Virginia.

An AirBnb in Flint Hill, to be exact! It was delightful, the perfect little pad for a girls’ weekend. We had the upstairs to a barn turned garage turned loft. About 20 minutes from the Skyline Drive, we spent the weekend poking around, doing a little bit of everything. From running over already-deceased road kill on the Lee’s Highway, to perusing yard sales, to wine-tasting and shopping at Marshall’s, we did about everything. We even explored the famous Luray Caverns, an otherworldly subterranean wonder filled with giant stalagmites and stalactites. The best part was the nature, hands down. We saw a friendly and photogenic little black bear within the Shenandoah National Park not once, but twice (and possibly thrice from the road). From the window of our AirBnb, we saw an unimpeded view of the night sky, with lots of stars glowing brightly in the sky amongst the branches of the naked trees. We devoured a delicious black pepper cheese paired with our Magnolia Cabernet, and thin sea salt crackers while watching The Hunt for Red October (with subtitles, highly recommend!). We drove home the long way, taking the Skyline Drive, which was shrouded in a spooky thick fog all morning.

Most importantly, we got away together for another road trip: one of my favorite things to do.