Having never been to a National Park, I wasn’t sure what to expect (or whether Shenandoah was typical of National Parks):

The landscape is beautiful, much better than I had imagined. But I wasn’t thrilled with the park’s layout. You can drive along the top of the entire ridge, and then stop to hike from dozens of parking areas. Which is a blessing and a curse—you can see the ridge-top views from your car, but that makes the downhill hikes somewhat anticlimactic (though there are supposedly some very nice waterfalls).

Part of my disappointment probably comes from the fact that I only spent a day in the park; I’m sure there are plenty of hidden treasures to discover (backcountry permits are available, apparently). But since everything seems so car-accessible, I didn’t feel the sense of adventure that some other wilderness areas seem to possess.

Having said that, I still had a great time. The scenery is wonderful, and definitely worth visiting if you’re in the area.