We decided to prolong our road trip by an extra day to glimpse the Blue Ridge Mountains and explore the Luray Caverns.  Not a voyage I would have ever considered making, but for the fact that it was more or less on our way home.  And I’m so glad we took the detour.

We started our explorations with a leisurely drive along Skyline Drive in the Shenandoah National Park. Created in the 1930s as a park to attract Americans who were starting to buy cars en masse, the 100+ mile route along the mountain summits was just beautiful.

Despite the touristy feel of the caverns (bad food, long lines, pricey tickets), those stalactites and stalagmites were absolutely exquisite.  Breathtaking, really.  These photos do not do justice to the majesty of the site.

Who’d have thought that a day in Virginia would be the perfect end to a fantastic vacation?