For our second journey with the Airstream, we ventured to Madison, Virginia, in mid-July 2024. This trip was just the two of us and our faithful dogs, Archer and Bailey. We decided to stay at Madison Vines RV Resort, perfectly situated in the heart of Madison.
“The greatest adventures are often found in the most unexpected places, including your own backyard.” – Unknown
The drive to the campground was stunningly scenic with majestic skies and colorful views. The Tahoe and Airstream did well on the drive down. It was a relaxing and somewhat short road trip for us.
Upon arriving at the campground, we noticed it was packed with campers, but we could quickly see why. This campground had everything we could need while staying there. We were sure to indulge in their pizza and ice cream shop. It was pretty good and walking around the RV park was nice. They have a few dog parks, which the dogs love. They also have a place to fish, a large swimming pool, tennis courts, and a cute little camp store. The camp store is small, but they have just enough items if you run out of something. The campground also has cabins that people can rent.
After settling into our campsite, we decided to explore the charmingly small town of Madison, Virginia. The town boasts a handful of historic buildings and vintage businesses that give it a unique character. One of our favorite stops was a delightful store right across from the RV park called Yoder’s. This Amish Market and petting zoo offers an array of unique gifts, specialty foods, and handcrafted items. We couldn’t resist grabbing some delicious snacks and a few souvenirs to take home.
As luck would have it, Yoder’s was celebrating its 40th anniversary that day, and we were gifted a complimentary lunch cooler bag as part of the festivities. Behind the store, we discovered the petting zoo, a perfect spot for families with little ones. It featured a variety of adorable animals, and we were impressed by the larger backyard items they had for sale as well.
Archer and Bailey thoroughly enjoyed cruising through the quaint town, soaking in the sights and charm. Before heading back to the campsite, we made a quick stop at the local Food Lion grocery store to grab some essentials. It was a wonderful way to start our visit to Madison!
The Majestic Skies at Shenandoah National Park
We decided to take Archer and Bailey for another road trip the next day. We went to the beautiful Shenandoah Skyline Drive, where the views are so colorful and you can see the most majestic skies ever. The drive to the park was also amazing, and it wasn’t too far from the RV park. We drove several miles on the parkway and stopped several times to take photos and check out the landscape and views. We love going to this park. We have been hiking here on several occasions. Our favorite hike so far is Dark Hollow Falls hike in the Fall. The leaves are so vivid in the fall. It is a truly magical place to visit.
The Park’s Campgrounds
We took some time to explore the campgrounds located within the parkway and found them bustling with activity. Every site was filled to capacity, which came as a surprise given the scorching heat of the summer day. Most of the campgrounds appeared to offer primitive camping, lacking sewer hookups and electricity. Many campers had brought generators and set up makeshift outdoor showers to adapt to the conditions.
Campfire Time
After a long day of sightseeing, we traveled back to our camper. The evening was finished off by building a campfire to have smores. We heard live music playing near the pool while we relaxed by the campfire and roasted marshmallows on the open fire. After our campfire time, we played our favorite board games, Ticket to Ride and Post Cards of America. It was a wonderful and relaxing trip.
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