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Episode 10: Shenandoah National Park: Easy Adventure for Neurodivergent Families-Travel in 3-2-1
29 Plays2 days ago
In this episode, I share our family’s experience visiting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. While Shenandoah may not have the dramatic landscapes of some of the western national parks, it offers something many families truly need: accessibility, manageable hikes, scenic drives, flexible plans, and beautiful mountain views without the pressure of an overwhelming itinerary.
You’ll also hear practical tips on choosing family-friendly hikes, pairing Shenandoah with Luray Caverns, using Skyline Drive on lower-energy days, and appreciating this park for what it is instead of comparing it to other national parks.
Topics Covered:
- 00:00:00 – Introduction
- 00:00:38 – Welcome to Family Travel that Supports ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety
- 00:01:35 – Introduction to Shenandoah National Park
- 00:02:48 – Place #1: Family-friendly hikes
- 00:04:37 – Limberlost Trail and accessibility
- 00:06:10 – Adaptive hiking cart information
- 00:06:37 – Place #2: Luray Caverns
- 00:08:02 – Place #3: Skyline Drive
- 00:09:07 – Eat #1: Big Meadows Lodge
- 00:10:33 – Eat #2: Gathering Grounds
- 00:11:05 – Travel tip: Appreciate Shenandoah for what it is
- 00:12:52 – Closing thoughts
About Your Host:
Dr. Josette Bianchi is a board-certified pediatrician, mom of three, and a travel lover who believes families should feel confident exploring the world together. Through Family Travel that Supports ADHD, Autism, and Anxiety, she shares practical tips, real-life experiences, and encouragement for families raising children with big feelings, sensory needs, or behavioral differences.
Combining her medical background with her perspective as a parent, Dr. Bianchi helps families plan flexible, sensory-friendly trips. Each episode offers simple ideas, honest stories, and helpful tools to make travel more manageable and more meaningful for neurodiverse families.
Connect with Dr. Josette Bianchi:
- Email: familytravelsupport@gmail.com; josettemarie@gmail.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josette-bianchi-40902943/
- Instagram: @familytravelthatsupports
Resources:
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Transcript
Introduction to Shenandoah National Park
00:00:00
Speaker
When people think of national parks, they often picture towering mountains, geysers, or once-in-a-lifetime landscapes. And while Shenandoah National Park may not have the jaw-dropping wow factor of some of the Western parks, I think that's actually part of its charm.
00:00:16
Speaker
Because what Shenandoah does offer is accessibility, flexibility, beautiful mountain views, and one of the easiest national park experiences we've had as a family.
00:00:27
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If you've been intimidated by planning a national park trip and are looking for an easy park to start with, this episode is definitely for you.
Podcast Introduction by Joseph Bianchi
00:00:38
Speaker
Welcome to Family Travel that supports ADHD, autism, and anxiety, a podcast for families who love to travel and have children with big feelings and challenging moments.
00:00:49
Speaker
I'm Joseph Bianchi, a mom of three, board-certified pediatrician, and a travel lover. If travel feels both meaningful and overwhelming for your family, you're in the right place.
00:01:00
Speaker
Each episode, we share real-life family travel experiences, practical tips, and supportive destinations for families navigating ADHD, autism, anxiety, and behavioral
3-2-1 Format Explained
00:01:11
Speaker
differences.
00:01:11
Speaker
Usually, we use our 3-2-1 format, three places, two eats, and one great tip for a given locale. But we also mix in interviews, deeper dives into various issues, and listen our stories.
00:01:22
Speaker
Around here, we believe travel doesn't have to look like anyone else's version to be meaningful. So grab your crew, your luggage, and your love of adventure and let's hit the road together.
Highlights of Skyline Drive and Overlooks
00:01:34
Speaker
Today we're heading to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Shenandoah is located just a couple hours from Washington, D.C. It stretches along the Blue Ridge Mountains and it's famous for skyline drive, scenic overlooks, waterfalls, and easy access to nature.
00:01:51
Speaker
While this may not be the most dramatic national park we've visited, it may be one of the easiest to enjoy as a family, which is really nice. I also just want to remind listeners, again, we're doing another National Park episode. This is our second one after Acadia, which was episode number six.
00:02:09
Speaker
Back then, we also covered the America the Beautiful Access Pass. So definitely want to check this out if someone in your group may qualify. It's a free lifetime entry pass to all U.S. National Parks for U.S. citizens or permanent residents who have a permanent disability, which which can include neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism or ADHD.
00:02:31
Speaker
Nothing is a guarantee, but it's definitely worth looking into, especially if your family enjoys going to national parks. So I just wanted to mention that again as we're heading into this national park episode.
Family-Friendly Hikes: Stony Man and Dark Hollow Falls
00:02:43
Speaker
OK, let's jump into today's 3-2-1 planning. Three places. Number one, a family-friendly hike. So we did Stony Man and Dark Hollow Falls. I don't know that those are the best options for those that listen to the show. So I'm going to talk about our experience with those two and then also offer two other great choices that I researched that I think may be even better.
00:03:09
Speaker
So Stony Man is pretty good. We did it. It's short. It's relatively manageable for most families. Nice views. Doesn't require an all-day commitment.
00:03:20
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And there's a little bit of a payoff before everyone's super exhausted, which I think with my kids can be very helpful when we're hiking. We also did Dark Hollow Falls, which is a 1.4 mile out and back trail. And at the end of the out portion, there's a beautiful 70 foot waterfall. If your kids really like waterfalls, they enjoy rivers, streams, This is really nice to do if they're able.
00:03:45
Speaker
It's very pretty. It's easy on the way down, but it is much more challenging when you're coming back up. so you definitely want to know your kids, know their capability, pace yourself, because you don't want to end up carrying a cranky toddler uphill at the end.
00:04:00
Speaker
It's really hard, as we kind of know from personal experience. This is rated as a moderate hike, probably because of this out and back portion that's a little bit more difficult, that back portion.
00:04:12
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So something to keep in mind, it's a popular trail as well. It can also get a little bit
Exploring Limberlost Trail
00:04:18
Speaker
crowded. So you wanna think about maybe starting it earlier in the morning or checking out how crowded it looks when you get to the trailhead.
00:04:26
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Also to note that it's not ADA a accessible. Okay, so those are the two hikes that we did and I have personal experience with, but I also want to mention some other great options. The first is the Limberloss Trail. This is the park's premier fully accessible circuit trail.
00:04:44
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It's a 1.3 mile flat loop. It has some nice smooth boardwalks, some crushed greenstone. It's specifically designed for strollers and wheelchairs. It also has a lot of resting benches along the way and accessible parking.
00:04:59
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So if anyone in your group has accessibility issues or you'd really like to use a stroller on a hike, this is a great option. There's a brochure that goes along with this hike called Senses and Sensitivity Shenandoah National Park. And it's specifically designed to engage sensory seekers or support sensory avoiders.
00:05:18
Speaker
So it's a nice little sensory trail as well. We've covered some of these in other episodes like our Letchworth episode. So I think that this is probably a really great trail for a lot of listeners to the
Black Rock Summit: Visual Rewards for Kids
00:05:30
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show. Okay, another great option is the Black Rock Summit.
00:05:34
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This is 1.1 miles in a loop. It has great visual rewards with minimal hiking effort, which I think is really good for a lot of kids, especially kids that may get bored easily or maybe hiking is just not their thing. It helps keep them engaged.
00:05:49
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I think my son really would have loved this. He loves to climb. It encircles a massive boulder field. It's a nice safe contained zone for those high energy sensory seekers who love to climb, but in a safe way. So I really wish we had done this one when we went and I knew more about it and I definitely will add it to our itinerary the next time we go. Also, just a quick note that Shenandoah allows all-terrain wheelchairs and accessibility hiking carts anywhere that foot travel is permitted.
00:06:20
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um You can also reserve an adaptive hiking cart for free. You can do that through the park's community gear library partner. So just something to keep in mind, again, for anyone that has those accessibility issues.
00:06:33
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So number one was a family-friendly hike, lots of
Complementing with Luray Caverns
00:06:36
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great options. Number two is Luray Caverns. So this is outside of the National Park itself, but many people pair these two together and they work really nicely together. Our family did both and it worked great. It's worth the short drive, and it's great if you guys just need a break from hiking or the weather. It's underground. The formations are really incredible, different from anything we've seen anywhere else, really, but definitely within the park itself. So it's a nice contrast. My kids really felt like they were entering another world. They still talk about it all the time.
00:07:10
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Whenever we go to a state park or national park, they always ask if there's going to be something like L'Oreille Caverns there. So this place really made a nice impression on them. It's also great, especially if you're going to Shenandoah during hot weather because it's cool. It's just a nice change of pace if you've been outside a lot. It's self-guided so you can go at your own pace. Definitely suggest layers because you're underground. It can be a little bit cool.
00:07:35
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If there's anyone in the group that has trouble with loud noises, there is an organ part that you might want to move through at a quicker pace, both because it's loud and a lot of crowds gather there. The other thing you just want to warn your kids about is that there's no touching. So you want to prepare them ahead of time. And it might be helpful to bring a in your day pack like some fidget toys or squishies just to occupy their hands a little bit if they're kids that really are sensory seekers and like to touch things.
00:08:02
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Okay, number three is Skyline Drive, which I know is technically a road.
The Scenic Experience of Skyline Drive
00:08:07
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It may sound super boring, but it's actually really great. It's kind of the heart of Shenandoah National Park. It's what you take to get you to most of the trailheads and the hikes, so you're going to be on it anyways. But it's also just nice if...
00:08:20
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You know, not everyone's having the best day. We had a day like that where everyone was kind of having a tough day. And so we just kind of drove on this for a little bit, stopped at overlooks until we were in a better space. And it was kind of nice. We used it for what we call reconnaissance. We tell our kids we're doing some reconnaissance and basically like we're going out to figure out what we like, what parking's like, what's available and what might work best. So you go, you do a little research, see which trails look good, look at some vistas. Some days are hiking days, some days aren't, and they're just driving around days. And so we had one of these and it was really nice.
00:08:56
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It's also great if anyone has accessibility issues sometimes to just see some of the vistas from the driving perspective.
Dining Highlights: Big Meadows Lodge and Gathering Grounds
00:09:03
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Okay, now that we've finished our three places to go near Shenandoah National Park, we're going to cover our two eats.
00:09:10
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Big Meadows Lodge is a must. It's very convenient, but it's also great. It's right in the park. It's casual, family-friendly, great mountain views, especially at sunset. And there's a few options within the lodge for dining.
00:09:23
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Also, they have pet-friendly options. They have an outdoor terrace. So lots of choices within there. You know, sometimes after a morning of hiking, convenience wins, and that's OK. And this is like a great spot for convenience, but it also has tons of options.
00:09:36
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It's right across from Big Meadow, which I didn't include in our three places, but was probably a close fourth. And it's a great place for kids to burn off some energy, run around. You can also stay at the lodge if you want to.
00:09:49
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One of the signature foods at the lodge is their famous blackberry ice cream pie, which people rave about. This kind of falls into that category of iconic travel food that remains completely elusive to me as a parent. I did not get to try it just like the Jordan Pond popovers at Acadia.
00:10:08
Speaker
I've been Acadia like half a dozen times and still have not tried a popover. So one day, maybe I'll sit down and have these yummy desserts and finish it. But for now, I'm just impressed if everyone in my group eats something and nobody melts down before we get the check. So I'll stick with that. But to the listeners of the show, please go try the pie for me. Report back. I really want to hear how it is.
00:10:32
Speaker
because I've yet to try either. The next place on our list is Gathering Grounds, which is a bakery and a cafe, and it's in La Re. So I included it because if you're going to see the caverns, this is a great place to stop on your way for coffee and quick breakfast, or maybe afterwards for lunch or dinner.
00:10:48
Speaker
It's family friendly, and you can also order ahead of time, which is nice. If you just want to pick it up, maybe eat in the car or go to a park and eat or back at your Airbnb or hotel because maybe nobody's in the mood to sit down at a restaurant. And we are often in that place. So I totally get it.
00:11:05
Speaker
One great travel tip for Shenandoah.
Appreciating Shenandoah's Accessibility
00:11:09
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I think so much of this show and what we talk about and the whole experience of traveling with children who have neurodivergence is mindset, right? It's all about mindset and making travel work for what your family is at that stage of your life, right? So this might sound strange for this one tip, but I think it goes along with our view on mindset.
00:11:32
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And that's appreciate Shenandoah for what it is. So I think a lot of people may leave this national park disappointed because they're comparing it to other parks, a lot of the West Coast parks or Midwest parks that offer different experiences.
00:11:46
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This park is not Yellowstone. It's not Glacier. It's not Zion. It's not the most Instagrammable national park that you'll go to. But it doesn't need to be. It offers accessibility, beautiful mountain scenery, nice manageable hikes for everyone in your group, flexible itineraries.
00:12:04
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And those things sometimes matter more than dramatic landscapes. I mean, from where I'm sitting as a mom to three with a busy schedule and sometimes kids that struggle with travel, this to me is more important than that big dramatic landscape. It's nice to have those landscapes and to see those things eventually And sometimes we do see those things, but it's also nice to kind of keep it simple and know that we can successfully navigate a national park.
00:12:30
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This one is very doable. It's also affordable as a school break option from the East Coast. Shenandoah really reminds me that national parks don't have to be extreme or your experience there doesn't have to be extreme to be memorable.
00:12:43
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Sometimes just need a scenic drive, a nice hike with your family, maybe a cave adventure, and enough flexibility to meet your kids where they are. Travel doesn't have to look like anyone else's version to be meaningful.
00:12:56
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Meet your family where they are, adjust when needed, and keep wandering without limits. You've got
Conclusion and Listener Engagement
00:13:01
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this. If this episode resonated with you, please follow or subscribe to the show and share it with another parent or caregiver who also might benefit.
00:13:09
Speaker
We'd also love to hear from you. Feedback, questions, places you'd like us to cover on the show. Email me a show suggestion or reach out if you're planning a trip and would like some support. I'm also really interested to hear some success stories and I'd love to start sharing them on an upcoming episode. I'll always ask before sharing.
00:13:27
Speaker
You can also reach us on Instagram at familytravelatsupports. You could send us an email. Our email is in the show notes. At our Instagram handle, we share tips, info on upcoming episodes, and ask for listener input on those upcoming episodes.
00:13:40
Speaker
And remember, this podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered medical advice for any patient. Thanks for tuning in, and we'll see you next time.