Are you interested in advice from a British reader?
The Shenandoah Valley and adjacent Blue Ridge Mountains are very beautiful, and well worth visiting.
There's a road which runs along the top of the mountains called Skyline Drive. (See 3rd picture) It's a few hundred miles long, but you can join and leave at various access points. Stunning views across the mountains and valley, and a chance of seeing wildlife. Waiting while a black bear played around in the road ahead of the car and then watching him (her?) climb up a bank into the forest is the sort of hold-up I can cope with. Amazing experience!
When planning time/distance along Skyline Drive, bear in mind you'll want to stop frequently to look at the view/take pictures, it's one lane in each direction, a winding scenic road with limited scope for overtaking.
You can alternate driving through the Shenandoah Valley and along the roughly parallel Skyline Drive. The northern end of the Drive is about 1½ hours from Washington DC.
Shenandoah Valley
Blue Ridge Mountains with the Valley in the distance
SkyLine Drive along the Ridge
The pics are a little hazy - the blue haze which gives the mountains their name. Visibility was good on the day. The haze shows more in photographs.
These links are a good start:
Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive
Visit Shenandoah.com
We stayed at
Skyland Lodge. It's at the highest point of the Drive, roughly abeam Luray.
Stunning views. Fairly basic 'mountain lodge' style rooms but clean, perfectly adequate and not expensive. I think it was about $80 per night per room. American hotels are so cheap compared with the rip-off prices we pay here. I'd definitely stay there again and recommend it. I rang them, but you can book on line. Make sure you ask for a view over the valley - not all rooms have them.
You may want to get away from helicopters, but the aerial views are wonderful. Blue Ridge Helicopters near Winchester have a Bell 47 @ $250
pr hr. They'll take two pax on a sight-seeing tour, or one if you want to fly - which, not flying for a living, I naturally did. The owner/instructor took the pictures. He flies a B407 for Fairfax County Police Dept so perhaps he'll give you a discount.
Blue Ridge Helicopters
Hope this helps. If you want any more information, either ask here or you're very welcome to e-mail me.
Tudor