Head east, less than 40 miles from DC, and you will find the charming town of Annapolis, Maryland. On warm, sunny days, locals and tourists alike fill the streets of this capital city, relaxing by City Dock and enjoying the small town ambiance. Filled with history, boats of every shape and size, and some of the best seafood in the area, there are plenty of things to do during a visit to Annapolis. But there is no easier way to get to know the city than to take a tour with a local guide. Keep reading to learn more about the Original Annapolis Seafood Crawl before you plan a visit to Annapolis.
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If the first thought that comes to mind when road trip planning is where to begin, then you are not alone. Over the years, we have taken several longer family road trips, along with many shorter ones, and initially the planning was overwhelming. With so many cool places to visit in the USA, it’s hard to even know where to begin. Now with many miles under our belts, I can say that we definitely learned a few tricks along the way. Here’s 5 tips to use for planning your next family road trip.
*This post was originally published in 2015 and updated in 2024
If I told you that winter is a perfect time of year to visit Virginia Beach, you might wonder why you would want to visit any beach during the winter that’s not in Florida or the Caribbean. Well for one, you might be surprised to find out that Virginia Beach is a popular place along the east coast for winter whale watching, as many humpback whales journey up the coast between the months of December and February. Besides whale watching, visitors can take advantage of the often mild winter temperatures and enjoy some of the natural beauty that Virginia Beach has to offer without the summer crowds. We were fortunate that during our recent January visit, we had a perfect blue sky day with temperatures in the upper 40’s. Read on to hear why I think it’s worth exploring Virginia Beach during the winter months.
As the new year begins and the coldest winter months set in, many of us will start daydreaming about a warm weekend escape. I don’t know about you, but a winter getaway to a destination like Arizona or Florida when it’s not 100 degrees in the shade sounds pretty appealing to me. So whether you need a short break from frigid temperatures, or just a quick recharge from everyday life, here’s 5 suggestions of places known for mild winter weather along with some ideas for things to do during a long weekend getaway.
*This post was updated January, 2024 When I think of covered bridges, New England often comes to mind. I picture a bright red wooden bridge against a backdrop of fiery orange and red leaves. After seeing a Maryland covered bridge photo recently on social media, I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the Maryland tourism office spotlights 6 historic bridges scattered throughout the state. Surprisingly, 3 of the covered bridges are located in Frederick County, Maryland, about 60 miles from downtown DC. With the timing of peak fall leaf color a bit inconsistent this year, we took advantage of a recent blue sky fall weekend to a check out the covered bridges. Although the trees had already shed some of their leaves, there were still plenty of photo opportunities with the bridges and surrounding area. The Frederick County location also happens to be close to popular Cunningham Falls State Park, which is a perfect place for a waterfall hike in any season. Keep reading to see some of my favorite photos from our day trip to see the a few of Maryland’s covered bridges plus the nearby Cunningham Falls.
Stepping into the wilderness, whether for one night or a month long adventure, opens up a world of new experiences. I’ll be the first to admit that, while I enjoy a good hike, I’m just not a sleep in the wilderness kind of person. My husband, on the other hand, recently returned from what has become his annual backpacking adventure with the guys, this time in North Cascades National Park in scenic Washington. Keep reading to see a few of his photos from this beautiful area. He’s been backpacking on and off for over 40 years, and has many wonderful memories of time spent in the wilderness. The peace of hiking in relative solitude, the joy of finding a pristine mountain lake, or the calm of watching a spectacular sunset or night sky are just some of the reasons he loves to head off into the backcountry. Whether you go with a hiking buddy or off for a family adventure, proper planning and preparation can go a long way to minimizing the challenges you are sure to find along the way. My husband has traveled with both kids and adults over the years, and offers these 5 backpacking tips along with some gear suggestions for beginner backpacking.
*This post was updated April, 2023
When is the last time you took a road trip? Over the summer I decided that it was finally time to take a road trip to Niagara Falls, a 7 ½ hour drive primarily through Pennsylvania and into western New York. The trip was somewhat of a last minute idea with my youngest daughter, and I knew that it would also be a great opportunity to explore some new places along the way. With the help of the Roadtrippers trip planning tool, I was able to easily find several cool attractions including two state parks to explore and help break up our drive on both legs of the trip. We didn’t have time to check out everything that was on my list, but we did enjoy these 4 interesting places to stop on the way from the Northern Virginia area to Niagara Falls.
*This post was updated December, 2023
I love exploring new places whenever I get the chance, so when the opportunity presented itself to explore the beautiful city of Charleston, South Carolina for a quick trip, I took it. If you haven’t visited Charleston, it’s one of those places filled with colorful historic homes, palmetto trees and waterfront views. There’s an almost endless selection of ways to explore the historic downtown area, several nearby family-friendly beaches, and enough restaurants for eating your way around town. Definitely too much to see and do in a short visit, but here’s some of colorful photos from my weekend in the Charleston area. I hope you get inspired to plan a trip to this historic and beautiful slice of the south.
*Updated September, 2023
Is a visit to Niagara Falls on your bucket list? I decided it was time to make the trip when I realized it was just over a 7 hour drive from the DC area. It was the perfect opportunity for a fun, long-weekend mother-daughter road trip with my youngest daughter. Not knowing if my last minute passport renewal would make it in time, I moved ahead with a plan to stay on the American side of the falls for two nights. I didn't spend as much time planning as I normally do, but definitely learned a few things during our visit. Here’s 6 helpful tips and other resources to read before planning a trip to Niagara Falls for the first time. And before you go, learn more about some interesting stops to make on a Niagara Falls road trip from the DC area.
*This post was updated January, 2024 Washington, DC is hard to beat when it comes to cities with family-friendly museums. With over a dozen free Smithsonian museums ranging from history to art from all over the world, there are plenty of opportunities to to do some serious museum hopping. But if you are interested in exploring outside of the city, you will be happy to know there are several popular museums within an hour or two drive. Keep reading to learn more about a few favorite museums that my family and I have explored over the years that are perfect for an easy day trip from DC.
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