Virginia delivers a genuinely strong RV itinerary with a stunning national park in Shenandoah with Skyline Drive, the Assateague Island wild pony coast, Chincoteague, the Blue Ridge Parkway's northern end, and the Colonial History corridor all give it range from mountains to the Atlantic.
Compare prices based on the size rig you need. The average rental runs about $120/night, with travel trailers starting around $85/night and Class C motorhomes typically running $160/night.
Skyline Drive has a 35-mph speed limit and a 12-foot width restriction at some pullouts. The 105-mile Skyline Drive through Shenandoah NP is accessible to all standard RV sizes on the main road, but some overlook pullouts and campground access roads have tighter constraints. A Class C or travel trailer under 30 feet navigates the full Drive with the most flexibility.
A tow vehicle is useful for Shenandoah and Colonial Virginia. The historic towns of Williamsburg, Charlottesville, and Lexington have limited RV parking. A travel trailer with a tow vehicle lets you base camp at a Shenandoah-area campground or Williamsburg KOA and drive standard vehicle for city access.
Chincoteague requires a mid-size rig for the best campground access. Assateague Island (Virginia side) and the Chincoteague NWR campground have site length limits that favor rigs under 35 feet. The causeway to Chincoteague Island handles standard RVs, but the campground loops are tighter than on the Maryland side.
Fall color on Skyline Drive peaks in mid-October — book early. Shenandoah's fall foliage is spectacular and heavily demanded. Big Meadows Campground fills completely for Columbus Day weekend months in advance. Book through Recreation.gov the moment the window opens for any October travel.
Virginia is easy to navigate with advance planning on Shenandoah campgrounds. A few specifics:
Shenandoah National Park campgrounds book through Recreation.gov. Big Meadows is the most popular and has hookup sites. Loft Mountain, Lewis Mountain, and Matthews Arm are smaller and first-come, first-served. Big Meadows opens reservations 6 months ahead and fills fast for summer and fall weekends.
Skyline Drive entrance fees are separate from campsite reservations. The park charges a per-vehicle entrance fee regardless of campsite reservation. An America the Beautiful annual pass covers entry. Confirm whether your rental includes or assumes any park pass coverage.
Virginia State Parks use the Virginia State Parks reservation system. Douthat, Hungry Mother, Shenandoah River, and First Landing (Virginia Beach) are the most visited. First Landing fills extremely fast for summer — it's the only state park in Virginia with direct beach access.
The DC metro area significantly affects traffic on US-15, I-66, and I-81 corridors. If your pickup or drop-off is near Northern Virginia, plan to drive in or out during off-peak hours. Friday afternoon on I-66 westbound from DC with a rig is a miserable experience. Arrange delivery for a more convenient trip.
Find historic monuments and points of interest in our Virginia landmark guide.
Virginia is the perfect destination to go camping for the night or even a long week's vacation. In the city of Virginia Beach, you'll find resorts for camping like the Davis Lakes Resort and North Landing Beach RV Resort & Cottages. Virginia Beach KOA is also a great camping option that includes zip lines, playgrounds, and two swimming pools.
There are camping options in and around Chesapeake. The Chesapeake Campground provides a central location right off of Washington Highway to explore various parts of the city. The campground provides pony and hayrides on the weekends, plus they provide canoe, kayak, and bike rentals options daily. The Northwest River Park & Campground is also a great option for RV camping.
The Colonies RV and Travel Park is about 17 miles from the city of Norfolk and sits in a historic and scenic setting on Fort Monroe National Monument. There is beach access, bike rentals, picnic areas, and a country store on-site. Big Bear Family Campground is also a great place to stay nearby.
Camping travel spots near Richmond can be found in state parks, resorts, and campgrounds such as Pocahontas State Park, Americamps RV Resort, and Picture Lake Campground. These camping destinations offer many outdoor recreational activities such as hiking, biking, bird-watching, and water recreation.
Seasoned RVers know it's always important to familiarize themselves with the sanitary dumps along their trip itinerary. Don't worry if this happens to be your first rodeo, as there are plenty of options to select from on RVshare's Virginia dump station guide.
Some free to low-cost dump stations not mentioned in the guide are the Flying J Travel Center in Winchester and Wytheville, Lee Hi Travel Center in Lexington, and Davis Travel Center in Stony Creek.
You can also dump your tank at the nearby state parks like the First Landing State Park and Shenandoah River State Park.
The Shenandoah National Park provides a free dump station for guests who have paid the park entrance fee of $30 per vehicle.
Mount Vernon is a historic mansion that was built in 1734 and then later inherited by George Washington in 1761. The latest addition to a section of the house, known as the New Room, has two-story-high ceilings, stylish furniture, and detailed architectural ornaments. It was used for greeting visitors. Guided tours are offered for a fee of $28 per adult.
Luray Caverns is the largest cavern system in the eastern United States and is one of the few that offer a step-free entrance and tours on all-paved walkways. Discover the Geology's Hall of Fame in a lighted tour that leads guests through cathedral-sized rooms with ten-story high ceilings.
Arlington National Cemetery is a place of rest for over 300,000 veterans of American conflicts, from the Revolutionary War to Iraq and Afghanistan. The cemetery is the former grounds of Arlington House, which was the mansion of George Washington Parke Custis, the adopted grandson of President George Washington.
Explore the Colonial Williamsburg 18th-century city where you can meet people that bring history to life. It has 301 acres featuring historic taverns, iconic sites, working tradespeople, and two world-class art museums. There are shadows of the past ghost tours, lantern tours, a Colonial Dance, and more offered when the sun goes down. More information can be found in RVshare’s Virginia landmark guide.
On average expect to pay $166 per night in Virginia.
Do you need to be a certain age to rent an RV in Virginia?Yes. The minimum age is 25 to be eligible to get an RV Rental in Virginia from RVshare.
Does RVshare have emergency roadside assistance?Yes. Every RV rental booked through RVshare receives 24/7 emergency roadside assistance.
Does RVshare offer one way RV rentals in Virginia?Yes. Prior to renting any RV, check with the owner since not all will offer this particular option.
Do you need a special license to drive an RV in Virginia?No. You don’t need a special license or CDL to drive an RV in Virginia.