Highway 81 in Virginia offers stunning views of the Shenandoah and Blue Ridge Mountains, showcasing the beautiful peaks and valleys of the Old Dominion State. This highway also connects many of Virginia’s colleges, universities and small charming towns. As we’ve traveled several times with our kids to a summer destination outside of Blacksburg, we have discovered and explored interesting stops along the way. The recommendations below highlight noteworthy spots along Highway 81 from Front Royal to Blacksburg.

The Practical Takeaways

• Some sites off of Highway 81 can be destinations unto themself, particularly if you’re looking for a few days to be surrounded by nature and outdoor adventure. Most of the places below don’t require a full day and you can stop to see them while on your way to wherever your destination may be.
• There are so many local breweries along the way – for the past two trips we have picked chain hotels to stay in based on their convenience to a kid-friendly brewery. This strategy has not disappointed. 

Stops along 81, ordered from North to South

• Route 11 Potato Chip Factory: This was an unexpectedly fun roadside stop. Less than 10 minutes off of Highway 81 in Mount Jackson is the Route 11 Potato Chip Factory. Here you’ll find yourself watching firsthand how potatoes are freshly processed into chips and bagged each day. You can also sample a bag of each flavor. We were particularly excited about the dill pickle chips and left with a few bags for the road! 

• White Oak Lavender Farm. Near Harrisonburg, this quaint stop has a gift shop and tasting room with all sorts of lavender treats. I was skeptical of trying Lavender white wine, but everyone in our group loved it and wished we’d bought more.
• Valley Pike Farm Market. If you are just looking for a quick bite for lunch, this market offers both sandwiches and food truck options. We were also impressed with the selection of jams, local goods, and craft beers from around the state. 

• Staunton, VA: If you have a bit more time to stop for lunch, we enjoyed a walk around Staunton. With lots of shops and restaurants, it’s a small town with lots of culture. We’ve stopped multiple times for sandwiches at Cranberry’s Grocery & Eatery. If you stay for the night you can plan to see a play at the American Shakespeare Center. Staunton is also a good jumping off point for visiting the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Grand Caverns. Note: Luray Caverns are an obvious stop along Highway 81 and well worth a visit. Grand Caverns are slightly less crowded.

• Devil’s Backbone Brewing. There are two Devil’s Backbone locations. One is the outpost and very conveniently located right along Highway 81 near Lexington. This is great for a quick bite, a drink, and a nice view. If you have more time for a unique brewery experience, take the longer, scenic route to the Devil’s Backbone Basecamp. Set deep in a valley with magnificent views of the mountains, you can spend hours here. It’s great for kids, too. 

• Virginia Safari Park: This stop is somewhat controversial for us to put on the list. It is certainly a unique experience to drive through a safari in Virginia. We were not fully ok with the aggressive ostriches eating from a cup of food held out the car window. Past the ostriches, along the drive you will see all sorts of wild animals roaming free alongside your car. Be prepared to go at very slow speeds and wait behind the many cars in front of you as they stop to take photos. You will likely need a car wash after your visit to clean up the mess the ostriches make – but your kids will love it. 

• Natural Bridge State Park. A short walk from the Visitor’s Center brings you to the showcase of this park – a rock formation that creates a 215-foot-high natural arch with a span of 90 feet. The park also includes hiking trails and a children’s discovery center.

• Roaring Run Furnace. This destination is a bit off the beaten path and GPS misled us several times. However, the waterfalls are truly spectacular and worth the drive to find. The 1.5 mile loop trail that leads to the falls is very manageable (we did it with a 6 and 9 year old). When we visited there were only a few other people there, making it all the more enjoyable for us. 

• Parkway Brewery: Great beer, food trucks, music, and a stream for kids to play in. What more do you need for a fun evening? This is the type of place you can stay and relax for a few hours.
• Roanoke Pinball Museum: The Roanoke Pinball Museum is located in the Center of the Square in Downtown Roanoke. After paying an entrance fee you have unlimited play of pinball machines from the 1940’s to present day. Our son thought it was the coolest place. It’s also across the street from Three Notch’d Brewing and around the corner from the Virginia Museum of Transportation. 

• Mill Mountain Star: The iconic Star shines down at night over the City of Roanoke. During the day its overlook can be reached by a 15-minute drive up the 1,045-foot elevation. 
• Peaks of Otter: The drive to Peaks of Otter is gorgeous, with sweeping vistas of the Blue Ridge Mountains. We only had time to do a quick and easy 1-mile walk around Abbott Lake, adjacent to the Peaks of Otter Lakeside Restaurant. If we had more time we would also have gone to the nearby Fallingwater Cascades and spent more time at the Visitor’s Center.

• Rising Silo Brewery: Similar to Parkway Brewing, Rising Silo offers beer, music, and an expansive lawn for kids to run around. It also has delicious wood-fired pizza.
• Floyd Country Store: There is no better way to experience Appalachian music than a Friday night at the Floyd Country Store. Inside the building, and alongside local goods for sale, flatfoot dancers and cloggers carry on a jamboree tradition. The music continues as you walk outside where jam sessions seem to spontaneously occur at every corner and fireflies magically light up all around. A few restaurants, an ice cream parlor, and the ridiculously good coffee at Red Rooster Coffee, add to the charm of visiting Floyd. We stayed at the Hotel Floyd, which like everything else in this town, feels unique and authentic.   

• The Alley Cat: If you like what you hear in Floyd and want to continue your music journey, you can travel the appropriately named Crooked Road Heritage Music Trail to Rocky Mount where you’ll find live bluegrass and Americana at the Alley Cat. Another music venue, the Harvester, hosts touring acts within the genre. Note that there are limited lodging and dining options here (we stayed at the Holiday Inn Express) and this may be a place only to seek out if you’re a bluegrass fan.  

A Few Extra Tips

• The stretch between Roanoke and Blacksburg is the most scenic part of the ride with mountain ranges in every direction. For an even more incredible view, you can drive the Blue Ridge Parkway, which runs parallel to 81.
• If looking for nicer accommodations, the Hotel Roanoke offers luxury within walking distance of downtown. 
• This post only hits some road trip highlights down the western part of Virginia. There is much more to explore in Shenandoah National Park and its surrounding area along the way. 
• For a Virginia experience closer to the D.C. area, you can take a look at my post about Berryville, VA – just a 90 minute drive east of the beltway.
• If you are continuing south on your road trip and want to explore more on the American music story, check on my post on Memphis, TN and Mississippi.