College Visit Guides

Drive guide · 2 days, 2 campuses

James Madison and VMI in 2 Days: A Shenandoah Valley College Road Trip

A parent-first plan for seeing James Madison University in Harrisonburg and the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington in two days: how each visit works, where to park, four hotels from budget to upscale, drive times up the Shenandoah Valley, a state park for siblings and seasonal weather, every fact sourced and checked Oct 29, 2026.

Wilson Hall, a columned stone building with a white cupola and red roof, at the end of a wide lawn with students and early fall trees under a blue sky
Wilson Hall on the Quad at James Madison University (Oct 2015). Photo: Atb17 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Every fact comes from the pages listed in Sources at the bottom. Some hotel and tour links are affiliate links (disclosure).

The short version

Trip at a glance

Schools
James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA) · Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, VA)
Days
2 days: JMU on day 1, then about 1 hr 11 min south to Lexington; VMI on day 2. Arrive the evening before.
Fly into
Shenandoah Valley Regional (SHD), which JMU says is 20 minutes away, or Washington Dulles (IAD), about 2 hr 18 min from Harrisonburg with no traffic. Fly home from Roanoke-Blacksburg (ROA), about 1 hr 5 min from VMI.
Best base
Night 1: Hotel Madison, about a 6-minute walk from JMU's Holland Yates Hall. Night 2: The Georges in downtown Lexington, about an 11-minute walk from VMI.
Car or transit
Rent a car: the campuses are about 59 miles apart along I-81.
Registration
Sign up for a JMU visit online. VMI's cadet-guided post tours need no reservation (except for large groups), and you can request a personal admissions interview online.

1. Who this guide is for

This plan is for parents with a high schooler, and maybe younger siblings, who want to compare two very different Virginia schools in one short trip: James Madison University in Harrisonburg and the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, about 59 miles apart in the Shenandoah Valley.

JMU's admissions office is in Holland Yates Hall at 100 E. Grace St., and VMI's admissions office is at 319 Letcher Ave. in Lexington, a town VMI shares with Washington & Lee University.

Why this order

  • Day 1: JMU offers in-person information sessions, guided tours and self-guided tours, all booked through its visit sign-up.
  • Day 2: VMI's free cadet-guided post tours start in the VMI Museum lobby, on the second floor of Memorial Hall, and run about 45 minutes; VMI calls its campus "post."
  • Each stop has something for siblings: JMU's Edith J. Carrier Arboretum is free and about 5 minutes by car from Holland Yates Hall, and Natural Bridge State Park is about 23 minutes from VMI.
Plan ahead: registration and timing
  • JMU: pick an information session or tour on JMU's official visit sign-up. JMU notes that the location and parking for information sessions vary through the year, so check your confirmation.
  • VMI: post tours run daily only while classes are in session, with breaks such as Thanksgiving furlough; check VMI's visit page for this semester's dates. Groups larger than 15 should call the VMI Museum at 540-464-7334.
Tour availability varies by season.
  • JMU holds an Academic Open House on Nov. 14, 2026, with academic presentations, a campus tour and student support services; register from JMU's visit page.
  • VMI's two-day Open Houses for high school juniors, seniors and transfer students include an overnight in Barracks with a cadet host, while parents arrange their own lodging in Lexington. Registration closes two days before each weekend or when spaces fill.

2. The suggested 2-day drive

  • Drive and walk times are no-traffic estimates from OpenStreetMap routing, using addresses geocoded with OpenStreetMap Nominatim. Leave extra time on I-81, especially in bad weather.

Arrival evening: fly into SHD or Dulles

  1. Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD) → Hotel Madison (710 S. Main St., Harrisonburg)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~26 min, 15.4 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  2. Washington Dulles (IAD) → Hotel Madison

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~2 hr 18 min, 118.6 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • If you plan to fly home from Roanoke (ROA), check one-way rental car options before you book.

Day 1: James Madison University, then on to Lexington

  1. Hotel Madison → Holland Yates Hall (100 E. Grace St.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    Leave the car at the hotel
    Driving and walking
    ~6 min walk, 0.3 mi

  2. Holland Yates Hall → Edith J. Carrier Arboretum (780 University Blvd.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~5 min, 1.7 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  3. Holland Yates Hall → VMI (319 Letcher Ave., Lexington)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 11 min, 58.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Your JMU visit can include an information session and a guided or self-guided tour; check your confirmation email for where to go and where to park.
  • The Arboretum's grounds and trails are free and open every day from dawn to dusk, with visitor parking in the R-5 lot on University Boulevard and the Frances Plecker Education Center lot.

Day 2: Virginia Military Institute, then fly home

  1. The Georges (11 N. Main St., Lexington) → VMI Museum, Memorial Hall

    Driving (no traffic)
    Leave the car at the hotel
    Driving and walking
    ~11 min walk, 0.5 mi

  2. VMI → Natural Bridge State Park (6477 S. Lee Hwy.)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~23 min, 14.9 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car

  3. VMI → Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA)

    Driving (no traffic)
    ~1 hr 5 min, 49.2 mi (no-traffic estimate)
    Driving and walking
    Rental car
  • Join a cadet-guided post tour in the VMI Museum lobby (second floor, Memorial Hall); no reservation is needed unless you're a large group. Check VMI's visit page for the meeting time.
  • The VMI Museum is open daily and charges admission; exhibits include Little Sorrel, "Stonewall" Jackson's horse, and seven Medals of Honor awarded to VMI alumni.
  • Driving back to SHD instead takes about 1 hr 5 min, 50.7 miles, with no traffic.

3. Campus by campus

Wilson Hall, a columned stone building with a white cupola and red roof, at the end of a wide lawn with students and early fall trees under a blue sky
Wilson Hall on the Quad at James Madison University (Oct 2015). Photo: Atb17 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA)

Where visits start
  • JMU offers in-person information sessions, guided tours and self-guided tours; book through JMU's visit sign-up.
  • The Office of Admissions is in Holland Yates Hall, 100 E. Grace St. JMU notes that information session locations vary through the year, so check your confirmation.
  • JMU also offers virtual visits, academic visits with some colleges and departments, transfer visits and group visits.
Visitor parking
  • Admissions visitors park on the second level of the Mason Street Parking Deck. If you registered, follow the parking instructions in your confirmation email; if not, get a parking pass at the Holland Yates Hall welcome desk.
  • Accessible parking is in front of Holland Yates Hall. From the deck, walk along Mason Street, take the stairs down to the Colonnade and walk through to the hall's main entrance.
Getting there
  • Holland Yates Hall is about a 6-minute walk from Hotel Madison, about 7 minutes by car from the Hampton Inn Harrisonburg - University and about 26 minutes by car from SHD with no traffic.
  • From I-81, JMU's directions use exit 245 (Port Republic Road / VA-253).
What to know
  • The JMU photo in this guide shows Wilson Hall on the Quad in early fall.
  • The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum is growing from 63 to 110 acres under an expansion JMU announced in April 2026.
Contact
JMU Office of Admissions, Holland Yates Hall, 100 E. Grace St., Harrisonburg, VA; (540) 568-5681, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: JMU: Visit JMU · JMU: Directions and parking · JMU: Places to stay

Aerial view of the VMI post in Lexington, with pale barracks and academic buildings, a parade ground, a running track and athletic fields, and wooded mountains behind
Aerial view of the VMI post in Lexington, Virginia (Jul 2026). Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · resized and cropped

Campus

Virginia Military Institute (Lexington, VA)

Where visits start
  • Cadet-guided post tours are free and run daily while classes are in session, starting in the VMI Museum lobby on the second floor of Memorial Hall. No reservation is needed unless you're a group larger than 15.
  • You can request a one-on-one interview with VMI admissions, in person or virtually, through VMI's online form.
  • VMI's post has 59 buildings on 200 acres and is a national historic district; Old Barracks is a national historic landmark.
Visitor parking
  • VMI's visit pages don't list a visitor lot. If you're staying downtown, walk over; otherwise ask admissions at (540) 464-7211 where to park. Watch posted speed limits and cadet movements as you enter post.
Getting there
  • VMI is about an 11-minute walk from The Georges, about 5 minutes by car from the Hampton Inn Lexington-Historic District and about 1 hr 5 min by car from ROA with no traffic.
  • Use 319 Letcher Ave. as your GPS address. From I-81 northbound, VMI's directions use exit 188-B; from southbound, exit 195.
What to know
  • The VMI photo in this guide is an aerial view of post, with Lexington and the surrounding mountains.
  • The VMI Museum, founded in 1845, was the first public museum in Virginia, per VMI.
Contact
VMI Admissions, 319 Letcher Ave., Lexington, VA; admissions@vmi.edu, (540) 464-7211. Open House questions: openhouse@vmi.edu.

Last checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour and admissions details change often, so confirm them on the school's official visit page before you go.

Official pages: VMI: Visit VMI (post tours and Open House registration) · VMI Museum · VMI: Our location and directions

4. Where to stay: one night in Harrisonburg, one in Lexington

Price tiers (Budget, Mid-range, Upscale) follow each hotel's star class on Expedia. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Hotel · Our pickMid-range

Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Conference Center

710 S. Main St., Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Why here

  • JMU calls it the Official Hotel of JMU, next to the Office of Admissions; it's about a 6-minute walk to Holland Yates Hall and about 26 minutes by car from SHD.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 3.5-star property, so we place it in the Mid-range tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 230 rooms, an indoor pool, the on-site Montpelier Restaurant, self-parking for a fee, no pets and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateUpscale

The Georges

11 N. Main St., Lexington, VA 24450

Why here

  • Our night-2 base: in downtown Lexington, about an 11-minute walk from VMI.
  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 4-star property, so we place it in the Upscale tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists free breakfast, free self-parking, two on-site restaurants and two bars, and notes the front desk keeps limited hours, so contact the hotel ahead if you'll arrive after 8 p.m. No pets; minimum check-in age 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn Harrisonburg - University

85 University Blvd., Harrisonburg, VA 22801

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 7 minutes by car from Holland Yates Hall with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 159 rooms, a free breakfast buffet, free self-parking, a seasonal outdoor pool and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Hotel · AlternateBudget

Hampton Inn Lexington-Historic District

401 E. Nelson St., Lexington, VA 24450

Why here

  • Expedia lists this hotel as a 2.5-star property, so we place it in the Budget tier. Rates vary by date, so check your dates on Expedia.
  • It's about 5 minutes by car from VMI with no traffic.

Good to know

  • Expedia lists 86 rooms, a free breakfast buffet, free self-parking and a minimum check-in age of 21. Confirm details on the Expedia listing before you book.

Check rates on Expedia →

Expedia link is an affiliate link

Sleep next to JMU the first night so you can walk to Holland Yates Hall in the morning, then drive to Lexington after your visit and spend night 2 within walking distance of VMI.

5. Meals between tours

Hours change, so check before you go.

In Harrisonburg

Hotel Madison's on-site Montpelier Restaurant serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, per Expedia; JMU's visit page also links a list of local restaurants.

In Lexington

The Georges has two on-site restaurants serving American cuisine, per Expedia, a short walk from VMI.

6. Things for siblings along the route

With siblings

Edith J. Carrier Arboretum

780 University Blvd., Harrisonburg, VA

JMU's arboretum, about 5 minutes by car from Holland Yates Hall. The grounds and trails are free and open daily from dawn to dusk.

Official page →

With siblings

VMI Museum

Memorial Hall, VMI, Lexington, VA

Open daily, with Little Sorrel, "Stonewall" Jackson's horse, seven Medals of Honor and the Stewart Firearms Collection. Admission is charged; children 5 and under are free.

Official page →

With siblings

Natural Bridge State Park

6477 S. Lee Hwy., Natural Bridge, VA 24578

About 23 minutes by car from VMI. The 200-foot-tall Natural Bridge sits in a limestone gorge, with 10 miles of trails; reaching the bridge takes a stairway of 137 steps, and accessibility accommodations can be requested at the visitor center.

Official page →

With siblings

A Dukes or Keydets game

Harrisonburg and Lexington, VA

Check the JMU and VMI athletics calendars for a home game on your dates.

Official page →

7. Practical tips

Driving and parking

  • Holland Yates Hall to VMI is about 58.9 miles and 1 hr 11 min with no traffic, so plan the drive for after your JMU visit.
  • At JMU, park on the second level of the Mason Street Parking Deck unless your confirmation says otherwise. In Lexington, staying downtown lets you walk to VMI.

Flying in and out

  • JMU says Shenandoah Valley Regional (SHD) is 20 minutes away and that Harrisonburg is 2 hours from Washington, D.C., and Richmond.
  • Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional (ROA) is about 1 hr 5 min from VMI with no traffic, so you can fly home without backtracking.

Weather by season (1991–2020 NOAA normals: Dale Enterprise, near Harrisonburg)

  • Spring: April averages about 65°F highs and 40°F lows, with about 3.3 inches of rain.
  • Summer: July averages about 86°F/64°F, with about 4.1 inches of rain, so bring water for the walking tours.
  • Fall: October averages about 67°F/43°F, with about 2.5 inches of rain.
  • Winter: January averages about 42°F/23°F, with about 4.2 inches of snow.

Parent checklist

  • Register for a JMU visit for day 1, and check VMI's visit page for post tour dates on day 2.
  • Request a VMI admissions interview if your student wants one.
  • Book a rental car, and check one-way options if you'll fly home from ROA.
  • Book night 1 in Harrisonburg and night 2 in Lexington.
  • After each visit, take five minutes to jot down what stood out to your student.

8. Student-athlete recruiting visits

For families whose student hopes to play a college sport. Rules below are the NCAA's; each school's links were checked Oct 26, 2026.

Coaches arrange the recruiting part of a visit, not the admissions office. The tour sign-ups in this guide are for the regular family visit. An official (school-paid) visit is offered by the school, and contact with coaches follows NCAA rules that vary by division, sport and grade level.

Start with your sport's questionnaire, then email the coaches. The NCAA suggests emailing coaches with your achievements, highlight videos and interest in their program, including your name, position, NCAA ID and graduation year.

2 Division I

NCAA basics for parents

  • Unofficial visit: any campus visit you or your family pay for. You can take as many as you like; in Divisions I and II each one has to come after the first permissible date for your sport.
  • Official visit: a visit paid for by the school. Each school can offer your student only one. Before a Division I official visit, your student must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center, be on the school's institutional request list, and the school must have their high school transcripts.
  • Division I (James Madison University and Virginia Military Institute): on an official visit the school can pay for travel for the student and up to two family members, lodging, up to three meals a day for the student and up to four family members, and up to $60 a person in entertainment, including five home-game tickets. On an unofficial visit there are no free meals, but the school can give up to three home-game tickets. Division I uses recruiting calendars with contact, evaluation, quiet and dead periods; in a dead period, no in-person contact and no visits.
  • Rules change. Confirm with the coach, or check the NCAA's recruiting page and recruiting calendars, before you plan dates.

Planning around the season

  • Check each school's athletics schedule (linked above) before you pick dates, so a coach meeting doesn't land on a road trip or game day for your sport.
  • Our recommendation, not a school rule: ask the coach whether they can line up an admissions session or tour around your meeting. If not, book the regular family tour yourself through the official sign-up links in this guide, and leave time between the two.

Student-athlete sources

All checked Oct 26, 2026.

  1. NCAA, 2026-27 Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (pp. 3, 21–25)
  2. NCAA.org: NCAA Recruiting
  3. NCAA: Division I and II Recruiting Calendars and Guides
  4. NCAA Directory: James Madison University
  5. James Madison University Athletics (official site)
  6. James Madison University Athletics: Compliance
  7. James Madison University Athletics: Staff Directory
  8. James Madison University Athletics: schedule of events
  9. NCAA Directory: Virginia Military Institute
  10. Virginia Military Institute Athletics (official site)
  11. Virginia Military Institute Athletics: Staff Directory
  12. Virginia Military Institute Athletics: schedule of events

Trip planner

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Sources

All checked Oct 29, 2026. Tour schedules change constantly, so always confirm on each school's official sign-up page. Photo credits are under each photo and on our About page.

  1. JMU Admissions: Visit JMU
  2. JMU Admissions: Schedule your visit (official sign-up)
  3. JMU Admissions: Directions and parking
  4. JMU Admissions: Places to stay
  5. JMU: Edith J. Carrier Arboretum
  6. VMI Admissions: Visit VMI
  7. VMI Admissions: Personal interview request (official sign-up)
  8. VMI Museum
  9. VMI: Our location and directions
  10. Virginia State Parks: Natural Bridge State Park
  11. Expedia listing: Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Conference Center (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Harrisonburg-Hotels-Hotel-Madison-Shenandoah-Conference-Ctr.h19783363.Hotel-Information)
  12. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Harrisonburg - University (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Harrisonburg-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Harrisonburg-University.h8943.Hotel-Information)
  13. Expedia listing: The Georges, Lexington (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lexington-Hotels-The-Georges.h13431121.Hotel-Information)
  14. Expedia listing: Hampton Inn Lexington-Historic District (star class and amenities, checked 2026-10-29) (not linked: https://www.expedia.com/Lexington-Hotels-Hampton-Inn-Lexington-Historic-District.h199780.Hotel-Information)
  15. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), driving profile
  16. OSRM routing (OpenStreetMap), foot profile
  17. OpenStreetMap Nominatim geocoder
  18. NOAA NCEI 1991–2020 Monthly Normals, Dale Enterprise (near Harrisonburg), VA (USC00442208)
  19. JMU Dukes Athletics: Calendar
  20. VMI Keydets Athletics: Calendar