Day 1: Chicago to Charlottesville, VA

On Thursday, April 21, 2022, I took an afternoon flight to Charlottesville, VA, arriving just before 5pm. After picking up my rental car from Enterprise, I made the drive to Luray, a small town near the entrance of Shenandoah National Park. I checked into the Luray Caverns Motel-East which turned out to be a great base for the weekend. Conveniently located on the main street in Luray, it was close to grocery stores, the famous Luray Caverns, and just a short drive from the park entrance. It was also affordable, costing $349.65 for 3 nights in April 2022. The rooms were quiet and clean, and the bed was comfortable.

After checking in, I drove over to Walmart to pick up supplies for the weekend, then went straight to bed to rest up for the next day’s hikes.