Shenandoah National Park is 45 kilometres north on US-33, with the Skyline Drive entering at Swift Run Gap. The drive along the ridge offers views on both sides of the Blue Ridge; Whiteoak Canyon (6 kilometres in from the Skyline Drive, east side) has six waterfalls and is one of the better day hikes in the park. Old Rag Mountain, technically outside the park boundary but managed by it, is a 13-kilometre circuit with a rock scramble near the summit that is among the most popular hikes in the mid-Atlantic — go on a weekday to avoid crowds.
For wineries, Barboursville Vineyards is 30 kilometres northeast of Charlottesville and produces Virginia's most consistently impressive Italian varietals — the Octagon (Bordeaux blend) and the Nebbiolo have both won national attention. The ruins of the Barboursville mansion, designed by Jefferson and burned on Christmas Day 1884, add a melancholy backdrop to the tasting room. The winery is closed Mondays.
