Have you been to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley? It’s a beautiful part of Virginia for outdoor activities, roughly 150 miles long with mountains, national forests, quaint small towns, the Shenandoah River, state parks, and Shenandoah National Park. The national park has miles of hiking trails and dozens of scenic overlooks with far-reaching mountain views. During the warmer months, the Shenandoah River is a place for water adventures. Spend a lazy afternoon floating in a tube, or even explore the river by canoe or kayak. Fall brings colorful foliage for miles along Skyline Drive. Less than 2 hours from Northern Virginia, Shenandoah Valley is a great day or overnight destination. It was also the perfect place for my first overnight adventure in the latest addition to our family, a self-contained camper van.
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The weather is turning colder, and ready or not, holiday music will soon be in the air. If you are looking for festive fun, Washington DC in December offers activities ranging from traditional holiday shows to outdoor shopping and seasonal displays. With temperatures generally in the 40’s and 50’s, it’s good weather for the many outdoor December events in DC, including holiday markets and the outdoor train exhibit at the United States Botanic Garden. For those who prefer to be warm and cozy, keep reading to explore indoor options for holiday fun. I have included a mix of free and ticketed events with this list of six ways to experience the holidays in Washington, DC.
Summer doesn’t officially end until the third week of September but it seems like as soon as August is over, all thoughts turn to fall. It’s one of my favorite times to travel and not just because of the colorful fall foliage. It’s a chance to enjoy outdoor activities like biking, hiking, and city strolls minus the blazing summer sun and often with less tourists. With more and more people planning fall getaways, now is a great time to get your next weekend getaway on the calendar. Explore these 7 ideas for active fall getaways up and down the east coast. Take a mountain adventure in Virginia or North Carolina, a beach weekend in Delaware, a bike ride on Maryland’s scenic Eastern Shore, discover waterfalls and wineries in New York, or explore cities like Washington, DC and Charleston, South Carolina. Read on for details.
It’s hard to describe the grandeur and beauty of Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park. Snow-capped mountain peaks, meadows, tundra, wildlife, and beautiful alpine lakes can be found within the over 265,000 acres that make up the park. Once you arrive, you will understand why this park typically ranks in the top five national parks for visitation, with well over 4 million visitors a year. We recently spent a few days enjoying the park as part of a Colorado family vacation. This gave us time to hike to beautiful alpine lakes, drive parts of Trail Ridge Road, and search for wildlife. You can see our three-day Rocky Mountain National Park Itinerary below to get a better sense of how we planned our days in the park.
When you think of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, you probably imagine it's all about the well-known Battle of Gettysburg and the Gettysburg Address. And rightly so, as Gettysburg National Military Park sees over one million visitors a year. Tours have blossomed in the area, expanding access to historical sites by car, foot, bike, segway, and horseback. But in addition to all the history, this vibrant small town is home to a growing food scene. Farm-to-table menus and historic restaurants give visitors plenty of dining choices. A favorite way to explore the local restaurant scene is via a food tour. Recently, we discovered that Savor Gettysburg Food Tours offers the perfect way to enjoy tasty foods, dished with a side of history, and something sweet for dessert!
 Have you heard of beautiful Estes Park, Colorado? Its proximity to Rocky Mountain National Park—just minutes down the road—makes it the perfect place to stay when visiting the park. Even if you don’t plan to enter Rocky Mountain National Park, there are plenty of things to do in Estes Park. Getting there from Denver is relatively easy, roughly 70 miles from downtown, and just under 90 minutes drive time. We spent four nights as part of a summer vacation in Colorado, with plenty of time to explore both downtown Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park. With an elevation of 7,522 feet in town, there are plenty of ways to enjoy the beautiful scenery no matter the season. Keep reading to learn more about what to do in Estes Park during the summer.
Just a few short hours from Miami is a place where palm trees sway in the breeze, restaurants and tiki bars pop up along the blue-green water, and colorful signs greet you at many of the local shops. It’s the Florida Keys, a chain of islands connected from Key Largo to Key West by the Overseas Highway. Often people ask: Is the Florida Keys kid friendly? With state parks like Fort Zachary Taylor and Bahia Honda for swimming and snorkeling, the Key West Aquarium and colorful Mallory Square, and accommodations like the family friendly Hawks Cay Resort, there are plenty of things to do throughout the Keys. We found it to be the perfect place for a tropical summer family vacation. Our kids who were teens at the time enjoyed a variety of activities, from snorkeling to a ghost tour. Here are 10 things you should put on your list when visiting the Florida Keys with teens.
One of my favorite things about the Mid-Atlantic area is the seemingly never-ending places to explore. And what better way to see them than from a bike trail. Besides the physical benefits of getting out on a bicycle, it’s the perfect way to view an area from a different perspective. One scenic bike trail that tops our list is the Mount Vernon Trail. You can’t beat the views of the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial as you pedal along the trail on the Virginia side of the Potomac River. Besides the popular DC bike trails, there are other wonderful places nearby well-suited for an active day or overnight trip from the DC area. These include Maryland’s Eastern Shore and bike-friendly Lewes, Delaware. Here you can combine fun cycling routes with delicious local food and drink. So if you live in DC, Maryland, or Virginia, and wonder Where are scenic bike trails near me? keep reading for our top picks throughout the Mid-Atlantic. Plus we include some favorite stops for coffee, a beautiful garden, and gelato!
Since I was a little girl, I have visited Rehoboth Beach, Delaware almost every summer. We would spend at least a week or two at the beach during the summer, along with weekends in the spring and fall, staying at our family cottage in nearby Dewey Beach. My childhood memories are filled with days on the beach, sailing in Rehoboth Bay, and nights roaming the Rehoboth Beach boardwalk. I continued this tradition with my own kids, creating new memories along the way. Although I have been to other beaches over the years, I am always drawn back to the Delaware beaches. Rehoboth Beach is located within easy driving distance from the Washington, DC area, and over the years has earned its nickname as the “Nation’s Summer Capital.” If you are looking for a great East Coast beach vacation spot, here are three good reasons why you should consider a warm-weather vacation at Rehoboth Beach. Plus keep reading for more activities in the area and a few tips from our many trips to Rehoboth over the years to help make the most of your visit.
 What do a bonsai museum, cherry blossoms, and the National Herb Garden have in common? Visitors can find all three and much more at the fabulous U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. A true gem in the city, this 451 acre facility less than 15 minutes from the U.S. Capitol was established by Congress in 1927 as a facility to conduct research for the U.S. Department of Agriculture while also providing public education programs and serving as a public garden. While slightly off the main tourist path, the National Arboretum in DC still draws over half a million visitors per year, and if you visit, you will understand why. It’s an easy drive from downtown DC, and there’s plenty of free parking in several lots found throughout the Arboretum. So here’s my 6 reasons to add a visit to the U.S. National Arboretum to your Washington, DC bucket list.
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