Where should I stop on I-81 in Virginia?
The best I-81 stops in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley are Winchester (Exit 313), New Market Battlefield (Exit 264), Harrisonburg downtown (Exit 245), Staunton historic district (Exit 222), and Lexington (Exit 188) — each is within 3 miles of the interstate and worth at least 30 minutes.
Quick food stops worth leaving the interstate for
Mrs. Rowe's in Staunton (Exit 222), the Route 11 Potato Chips factory in Mount Jackson (Exit 273), and any of Harrisonburg's downtown breweries (Exit 245).
If you have an extra hour
Detour east to Skyline Drive at Front Royal (Exit 300) or Swift Run Gap (Exit 247), or south to the Natural Bridge (Exit 175). All three are signed from I-81.
Good places to stretch your legs
Lexington's downtown is the most walkable Valley stop directly off the interstate. Staunton is a close second. Both have free public parking within two blocks of the historic core.