Shenandoah NP area lodging

[RoxMonster]

I’m so excited I finally get to take a vacation in a non-summer month since leaving teaching! We’re doing West Virginia and Virginia the first week in Oct. I have accommodations for our time near New River Gorge but need something for four nights in or near Shenandoah.

I’ve researched and asked on Trip Advisor but I am just torn on in-park or out of parking lodging. Both Big Meadows and Skyland had some rooms open still for our dates. We usually always stay in the park if we are able on national park trips. We love the early morning and evening times when a lot of people leave the park. I don’t even mind the exaggerated prices for it.

However people on TA did Point out that it’s slow going to get to towns outside the park using only Skyline Drive. We definitely wanted to visit Harpers Ferry and possibly some of the BRP. So I was also considering something in Luray-hoping for a cabin rental. I was assured Luray is not like Gatlinburg (which I hated).

For those who have been, what did you do? My first instinct is to book within the park but will we feel stuck and will we regret having longer drives outside the park? If you did stay outside it, where did you stay? I’d like to be as close as possible.

[yellow23]

We always stay in the park when we go, usually at Lewis Mountain cabins, but have stayed at Skyland a couple times and have camped at Big Meadows. I can’t remember if we have stayed in the lodge at Big Meadows. Lewis Mountain cabins fill up the day reservations become available 13 month in advance so that’s likely not an option anyway. We never plan to leave the park when we go so it’s easier for us to stay inside it. Food options are limited, but there is a wayside at Big Meadows and restaurants at both Big Meadows and Skyland.

Luray is absolutely nothing like Gatlinburg. Any cabin or hotel outside the park will be nicer than one inside it. You are paying to be in the park, not for how nice the rooms are. The biggest downside to staying outside the park is the time it takes to get back in. In October, there can be a very long line of cars to enter the park. Plus, with only a few entrances and one road, it’s a slow drive on Skyline Drive to get where you want to go.

[bbdoll]

We stayed here and it was right in the middle of all the different activities you mention. It was a nice neighborhood. www.vrbo.com/1580921

[MixedBerryJam]

Jun 1, 2022 14:21:54 GMT -5 yellow23 said:

... The biggest downside to staying outside the park is the time it takes to get back in. In October, there can be a very long line of cars to enter the park. Plus, with only a few entrances and one road, it’s a slow drive on Skyline Drive to get where you want to go.

This. It can take 40 minutes to get through the gate on the weekends in the fall. For that reason alone I’d want to stay inside. They also have guided stargazing at night. I wouldn’t want to have to drive out after a night of stargazing; I’d much rather walk back to my lodge. And Luray is super close. Like 20 minutes from the north entrance.

[RoxMonster]

Thanks everyone! I went with my gut which was to stay in the park and we booked a room at Skyland Lodge. I’m so excited!

[FastHands]

Can I hijack? What's the NP traffic like in the summer (late July, early August)? I imagine it's similar with summer vacation peak?