Skyline Drive vs Blue Ridge Parkway — what's the difference?
Skyline Drive is a 105-mile road entirely inside Shenandoah National Park (entry fee, 35 mph). The Blue Ridge Parkway picks up where Skyline Drive ends at Rockfish Gap and continues 469 miles south to the Great Smoky Mountains (free, 45 mph). They connect — many road-trippers do both back-to-back.
Cost
Skyline Drive: $30 per vehicle for a 7-day pass (covered by an America the Beautiful pass). Blue Ridge Parkway: free.
Driving feel
Skyline Drive is tighter, slower (35 mph), and densely packed with overlooks every couple of miles. The Parkway is faster (45 mph), more sweeping, and the overlooks are spaced further apart.
Which to pick if you only have a day
If you're near Front Royal, Luray, or the northern Valley — Skyline Drive. If you're near Roanoke, Asheville, or the southern end — the Parkway. From the central Valley (Staunton, Waynesboro), Rockfish Gap puts you on either one within 20 minutes.