Blue Ridge Mountains Country Roads

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One of my favorite ways to explore a new place is by taking a road trip through the countryside. I’ve been to Virginia over a dozen times and am always amazed by its greenery. Rolling country roads zigzagging through lush green pastures and woodland seem to bring me back to an older, easier way of life. The deeper you get into rural Virginia, the more interesting the drive gets. Old farmhouses and Baptist churches from centuries ago dot the landscape. Pastures of horses and cows and a sprinkling of pig pens remind you that you are far from home. Vineyards and orchards grace the landscape tempting drivers to pull off the road and pick a bag of fresh peaches or taste some local wines. The country roads of Virginia seem to take you home to a different way of life. Simplier. Calmer. And carefree.

Blue Ridge Mountains

My sister and I decided to pack up the kids and take a road trip to the Blue Ridge Mountains, about a two hour drive west from her home near Williamsburg. The Blue Ridge Mountains are part of the massive Appalachian Mountain range that stretches all the way from Georgia to Pennsylvania, and earned their name from the trees that blanket the mountains making them appear a deep, velvety blue. From a distance, the Blue Ridge Mountains truly look blue and the contrast against the green foliage and pastures below make them absolutely spectacular.

As you drive from Williamsburg toward the Wintergreen Resort, a mountain play land located atop the Blue Ridge Mountains, you pass through Charlottesville and the drive gets gorgeous. Rolling hills paint the landscape green as you roll through one small town after another. If both my children weren’t terribly car sick, I would have pulled aside and taken pictures of the postcard perfect countryside. Instead, I admired the different views of the stunning blue mountains, the vineyards reaching to the sky and the little farmhouses painted white and lemon yellow within the valleys. And I prayed my children wouldn’t get sick.

We arrived around four o’clock and it was lovely. The air was fresh, the sun was shining and wildflowers lined the edge of the meandering mountain road. The next two days would be filled with fun, adventure, children fighting, and lack of sleep. I guess that is what you get with four kids aged 5-8. But it was worth the visit. Here are some photos from our short stay. I look forward to returning again someday and checking out the limitless amount of hiking trails and outdoor pursuits.

42 thoughts on “Blue Ridge Mountains Country Roads”

    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Me too! That is why I put that in the title! 🙂

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  2. loca4motion – Phuket, Thailand – Travel feeds my soul. The kick of living in foreign cultures keeps me awake. Photography, writing and the great outdoors are my passions.
    loca4motion on said:

    Looks lovely, Nicole! Are you back home now? Time for sleep?

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    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Lucy! Just got home and slept wonderfully last night. Only two weeks until school starts now. It is going to be a major change as Sophia will be going all day. I have mixed feelings. I will miss her during the afternoons yet have more time to focus on my writing and the next steps (whatever they are!). Hope you are doing well! 🙂

      Reply ↓
      • loca4motion – Phuket, Thailand – Travel feeds my soul. The kick of living in foreign cultures keeps me awake. Photography, writing and the great outdoors are my passions.
        loca4motion on said:

        There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep to feel great! I’m sure you’ll fill your afternoons in no time with writing and whatever else you decide to do. Good luck with everything, Nicole.
        All’s good thanks. Just found a place I like enough to rent. Finally! Still not sure Thailand is for me any more but giving it a bit more time. There’s still a chance I’ll go back to Guatemala or if not there, another Latino country. Time will make it clearer I hope.

      • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
        thirdeyemom on said:

        Oh thanks Lucy! We are both in a new phase of our lives, aren’t we?

      • loca4motion – Phuket, Thailand – Travel feeds my soul. The kick of living in foreign cultures keeps me awake. Photography, writing and the great outdoors are my passions.
        loca4motion on said:

        Yes, we are! The start of a new beginning for both of us!

    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks for bringing me there Fer and showing me a new part of Virginia! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Oh thank you so much! 🙂 You made me smile!

      Reply ↓

      • It’s always true! I have learned to always go to the names I recognize and who doesn’t like Thirdeyemom and her fabulous philanthropy!

        Also I identify with your name here. For years when my sons were very tiny and I heard or saw them doing something in the car behind my head I always said” I have a third eye in the back of my head that can see what your doing!!” They believed me for eyes when they were tiny! : ))

      • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
        thirdeyemom on said:

        That is cool! I never thought of it that way (i.e. my third eye as watching the kids). Yet another interpretation of my beloved third eye which helps me see the world in an open way!

    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes indeed! I love the blue color of the mountains. It is so rural too. It is nice to be away from it all!

      Reply ↓

  6. nature at its best and of course through your eyes ….so that I could sit here (India) on my desktop and take all in – thanks !

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      So glad you enjoyed! I’m sure it looks quite different than India! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  7. Wow, what a collection of stunning photos, Nicole. Not sure which one I love most. The butterflies are cool but the daisies are, as well. Take care, my friend.
    Hugs from Ecuador,
    Kathy

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Kathy! I like the butterflies the best with the purple butterfly bush. There were hundreds of them fluttering around. So beautiful!

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  8. Dex – A seafarer by profession, my life revolves around traveling. In my work, the boundaries to conquer are limitless – there’s always a new activity to try out and there’s always new places to see and explore.
    Dad For Real on said:

    beautiful…. very natural…. countryside for me is always fascinating…away from the traffic…and everything runs at slow pace….

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    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes indeed. So peaceful. It is nice to get away from it all and get some fresh air and relax.

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks LuAnn! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! I loved this bush as there were hundreds of butterflies fluttering around. There were also some black and blue ones but I didn’t get any of them on film. So pretty!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! This is the song I had in mind!!!!!

      Reply ↓
  12. Sarah Ann – Hi everyone! Thanks for visiting my blog, Safaris and Sunsets. I hope you all enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing. My name is Sarah. I'm a twenty-something year old Connecticut girl who loves all things life. Traveling, writing, reading, home decorating, baking, hiking, the beach, chocolate, skiing, wine tasting, boating, meeting new people, diving into new cultures and all things in between. I call my blog "life's little explorations" ... from the big safaris to the everyday sunsets.
    Sarah Ann on said:

    Absolutely beautiful photos! The Blue Ridge Mountains are one of the neatest places to visit!! So full of natural beauty.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! Yes it was really gorgeous and so peaceful! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  13. gallivance.net – On the Road! – We're Terri and James Vance - high school sweethearts who went on to international careers and became world nomads. Today, 65 countries later, we're still traveling ... and still in love. Check out Our Story for more of the backstory at gallivance.net.
    gallivance.net on said:

    Nicole your photos are gorgeous! I’m a long-time lover of the Blue Ridge Mountains and you truly captured their essence! All the best, Terri

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Terri! So glad you enjoyed! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  14. tatteredpassport – Perth. Western Australia – I stumbled over this for a while. How do I explain to you who I am? Do I tell you what I do for a living, do I tell you who I think I am, do I tell you what I want out of life? So I guess I kind of found and lost myself while traveling. Travel to me is exciting and relaxing, it helps me put my life into perspective, travel lifts me and also keeps grounded.
    mykombiandi on said:

    stunning imagery. Thank you for sharing.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      You’re welcome! So glad you enjoyed!

      Reply ↓
  16. Sunil – Hala I am from Wayanad, North Kerala in India. I’m from an agriculturalist family and we have plantations in Wayanad that consists of Coffee, Pepper, and other spices. My profession: Software Industry (Asst.Manager. Product Communication) After my graduation I moved between Mumbai, Doha, Dubai, and Bangalore taking up different jobs as a software support personnel and Product Communication specialist and finally landed up in Cochin. In between I ventured into a spiritual path and sank deep into it, and was lucky enough to have a sweet spiritual guru who guides me at times of distress. I taught yoga, meditation, pranayama and breathing techniques for a fairly long period, but gradually started keeping a low profile. It was not because I was enlightened, but due to family responsibilities and commitments. I have a family consisting of my wife, two kids and mom to support. Still I practice yoga and meditation but very irregular in my practices. I have been working at Cochin for almost 9 years and I am not sure how long will I stick to this place, because this is not exactly the place I want to be. I’m also a hospitality entrepreneur and own eco-friendly cottages (www.treasuretrovewayanad.com) in Wayanad. Wandering along the wildlife sanctuaries and spotting wild elephants is my favourite pastime. I enjoy travelling, trekking, photography, music and reading. I love to meet people and be connected with all of you around the globe.
    Sunil on said:

    Lovely post..Amazing scenes…Adorable kids…

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! My sister and in-laws live in Virginia so it is always fun to explore new places. The US is so huge too that there is much I haven’t see either! I love the west coast and crave to do some hiking in Washington, Oregon and Alaska someday!

      Reply ↓

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