Gather the gang and gas up the Kia to explore some of Virginia’s best natural attractions from Falls Church and Arlington to Williamsburg, Luray, and the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Whether your ride is a Beyer Kia Stinger, Soul, or Sportage, it’ll get you to some of Virginia’s best natural attractions, state parks, and scenic byways. Worried about squabbling kids and adults with no leg room? The third-row seating in the Kia Sorento or Telluride SUVs makes it roomy and comfortable for group excursions. For good gas mileage, you can’t go wrong with the mid-size Kia Optima’s 27/37 mpg stats. Settle in for some ideas for your next adventure.  

Lake Anna State Park

Located between Richmond and Alexandria, Lake Anna State Park is about 1.5 hours from Falls Church. Take your bike, the boat, or your fishing gear along. The park has campsites and cabins for rent, as well as a small sandy beach, picnic areas, and a boat ramp. There are 15 miles of trails for hiking and biking. The man-made Virginia lake is popular for swimming, waterskiing, wakeboarding, boating, and fishing.

Lake Anna State Park, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Luray Caverns

Virginia’s beautiful Luray Caverns is about a 1.5-hour drive from Falls Church. The cave system is the largest in the eastern United States and features a variety of stalactites, stalagmites, columns, mudflows, and mirrored pools. Take a guided tour and then visit The Car & Carriage Cavern Museum, the Shenandoah Heritage Village, and Toy Town Junction.

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests

George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are located along the Appalachian Mountain range near Harrisonburg and Shenandoah National Park, just off the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s about a three-hour drive from Falls Church but well-worth the time to get there. The forest system stretches into Kentucky and West Virginia if you're looking to check off more states on your bucket list. 

It features five major waterfalls and several smaller ones. The showstopper is Crabtree Falls, which is one of the largest sets of waterfalls east of the Mississippi River. Some of the falls can be easily reached via a paved trail. Take in stunning views of the Tye River Valley. Make it a long weekend and check out lodging at Steeles Tavern Manor, Fenton Inn, or the Osceola Mill Bed & Breakfast Fine Dining & Lodging.

Theodore Roosevelt Island

If you just want to get out for a quick day trip close to home, Theodore Roosevelt Island is a great choice. It’s located in Arlington, less than half an hour from Falls Church. Part of the National Park Service, the park was developed as a memorial to Theodore Roosevelt in the 1930s. Be sure to check out the memorial statue!

Pack a picnic and spend time walking, running, kayaking, or bird-watching along the Potomac River. You can put a kayak in near the footbridge leading to the island. There are wooded trails and marshland as well as ranger-led walking trails, and a boardwalk pathway leads through the Swamp Trail.

Colonial Parkway

If you like to drive, check out the scenic Colonial Parkway. It’s about 2.5 hours from Falls Church and makes a nice distraction from city driving with its natural setting and no commercial development. The 23-mile trail spans out from the York River to the James River connecting the Historic Triangle of Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Jamestown.

Courtesy of Flickr

The Colonial Parkway is part of the National Park Service's Colonial National Historic Park. It’s a designated National Scenic Byway and All-American Road. Along the way, you’ll pass by coastal wetlands, wooded areas, and marshes at Jones Mill Pond, King Creek, and Halfway Creek. There are historical markers at some of the scenic pull-offs if you’re interested in learning while looking.

The parkway gets “cool factor” points from its bridges, which are made of brick and feature a unique Colonial Era vibe. One tunnel even goes underneath Colonial Williamsburg. Check out the Jamestown Settlement, Colonial Williamsburg, or Busch Gardens while you’re there. Enjoy!

Have you been to any of these Virginia sites? What’s your favorite Kia model? Let us know in the comments.