The Motorcycle Rides Virginia Riders Love the Most

Virginia is the perfect state for motorcycle rides, with beaches to the east, mountains and valleys in the west. This historic state, one of America’s original colonies, stretches from the Appalachian Mountains to the Chesapeake Bay and has a long, beautiful coastline. Virginia is home to various historic destinations and engineering marvels, so your motorcycle provides the ideal way to explore all of them. 

Read on as we look at some of the motorcycle routes Virginia riders love most. If you want to make the most of your weekends in this beautiful state, try out some of these scenic rides.

Best Motorcycle Rides in Virginia

The Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway, or “America’s Favorite Drive,” is a National Park Service road along the mountaintops connecting Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park in the north to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 469 miles farther south in western North Carolina. 

The route follows the Appalachian Mountain chain, and you can enjoy spectacular views of mountain peaks as high as 6,000 feet. Along the Blue Ridge Parkway, you’ll encounter various historic towns, scenic overlooks, and waterfalls. 

In Virginia, Rockfish Gap at Interstate 64 is the starting point of this spectacular route along the ridges, which takes approximately 12 hours to complete if you ride all the way. You’ll want to stop at many of the overlook pull-offs along the way. 

You can extend your route by starting at the northern end of the Skyline Drive, which runs for 105 miles farther north (see below).  

Shenandoah National Park: The Skyline Drive

The Skyline Drive is a world-renowned route and a favorite among Virginia-based bikers. This 105-mile route begins to the north of the Shenandoah Valley at Front Royal, VA, and heads south to Waynesboro along the highest ridges of the Blue Ridge mountains. At Afton, where Interstate 64 crosses the mountain, the Skyline Drive joins the Blue Ridge Parkway. 

On a motorcycle, the Skyline Drive takes about three hours to complete. You’ll find 75 lookout points and several waterfalls along the route, including the Dark Hollow Falls and the South River Falls near Stanardsville.

Nelson Scenic Loop

The 50-mile-long Nelson Scenic Loop follows the Blue Ridge Parkway and Routes 151, 664, and 56 through Nelson County, VA, where the hilly Piedmont farmland meets the Blue Ridge mountains. 

Riders can visit Crabtree Falls, hike on the Appalachian Trail, see amazing views from Raven’s Roost, and visit farm markets, craft shops, breweries, apple and peach cideries, and local restaurants. The best place to begin is at the Rockfish Valley Foundation’s Natural History Center on Route 151 in Wintergreen, VA.

Route 39: The Allegheny Mountains

This east-west drive takes about 90 minutes and begins in Lexington, VA, in the Shenandoah Valley. Follow Route 39 through various mountain passes to the West Virginia border from Lexington. Then, take the Goshen Pass through the George Washington National Forest and continue to Warm Springs.

Route 58 Through the Southern Highlands

The east-west Southern Highlands route following Route 58 boasts a total riding time of five hours or longer if you start at Meadows of Dan and head westward. The ride through some of Southwest Virginia’s famous mountain towns like Galax and Damascus goes all the way to Virginia’s western border at the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park, where you can get off and climb Pinnacle Overlook.

Route 16: The Back of the Dragon

With over 430 bends and switchbacks, Southwest Virginia’s mountainous Route 16 is among the most famed, technical drives in Virginia and beloved to motorcycle riders. Route 16 connects the Virginia small towns of Marion and Tazewell. When riding Route 16 from start to finish, you will cross three mountains and encounter spectacular views. 

Route 16’s popularity among bikers is due to its beautiful scenery, technical hairpin turns, and points of interest such as gift shops and breweries. Tazewell’s Back of the Dragon biker bar features cold beer, food trucks, and live music as well as souvenirs for completing the infamous route.

The George Washington Memorial Parkway

The George Washington Memorial Parkway is a 25-mile route between Northern Virginia and Washington D.C. that follows the bends of the Potomac River and takes about an hour to ride. Along the route, you will have scenic views of the river and woodlands, and you can park at various lookout points to admire the natural beauty. 

The George Washington Memorial Parkway connects various wildlife preserves and places of historical interest, including the Claude Moore Colonial Farm, Roosevelt Island, and Mount Vernon.

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel

The Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel crosses the Chesapeake Bay mouth, Elizabeth and James rivers, and the Hampton Roads harbor. The bridge-tunnel is 17.6 miles long and takes approximately 30 minutes to cross. 

Riding the bridge-tunnel can give you the sensation of crossing the Atlantic by road, especially in the areas where you can’t see land in front of you. With the ocean’s waves directly above or beneath you, crossing this bridge on a motorcycle is an exhilarating experience.

Colonial Parkway

The Colonial Parkway is a popular route for history lovers connecting the historic sites of Yorktown, Historic Jamestown, and Colonial Williamsburg. The drive is 23 miles long and takes around 45 minutes to complete. 

Jamestown was Virginia’s first colonial settlement in 1607, while Williamsburg was the capital of the Virginia Colony from 1699 to 1780. Yorktown was the site of the decisive Revolutionary War battle where the Americans defeated the British.

Along the Colonial Parkway, you can enjoy the beautiful scenery and visit the various historic landmarks. Other attractions along the route include various eateries and a theme park.

Motorcycle Accident? Get in Touch with Us at Law Tigers

A motorcycle accident can result in various types of damages, including medical expenses and bike repair costs. If your motorcycle accident was the result of another’s negligence, you might be entitled to pursue compensation. 

At Law Tigers Motorcycle Lawyers, we can help you with your claim. Call us today at 1-800-529-8443 to schedule a consultation with a motorcycle attorney near you anywhere in the U.S.