If you have traveled to Virginia, you probably have seen the “Virginia is for Lovers” slogan. After living in the state for over 30 years, I’ve discovered many things to love, including mountains, lakes, iconic food, local beer and wine, history, and tons of opportunities for outdoor adventure. The geography in the state varies, with the Allegheny and Blue Ridge mountain ranges in the west, and coastal beach areas in the eastern part of the state. In between, lakes and rivers offer water activities, fishing, hiking, camping and other fun outdoor activities. Throw in the close proximity of Northern Virginia to Washington, DC, and it’s a great choice for family fun. I hope that this list of 30 things to do in Virginia gives you a sense of the variety of activities the state has to offer for both visitors and locals. This Virginia bucket list has been broken down into several categories to help with planning. As locals, we think this list includes something for everyone.
*This post was updated August, 2024
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Are you ready to take a family road trip but not sure where to go or how to plan? This post was originally published in honor of the 100th birthday of the National Park Service, as a way to share several of the big National Park family trips that we have taken over the years. With a renewed interest in road trips for the summer of 2020, I’m spotlighting these 6 road trip suggestions, running in length from 4 days to 3 weeks. Some include urban activities, visiting cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia. Use the links to find more detailed information, including suggested routes and activities, with itineraries for the longer trips that include multiple national parks. You can also visit the familyTravelsUSA Pinterest boards, filled with thousands of ideas and suggestions, organized by topics including road trips, national parks, road food and many state-specific travel and food boards.
Are you thinking about your next outdoor getaway? With over 8,500 areas across the USA, state parks provide opportunities to get outside and connect with nature, often close to home. For a multi-day adventure, the America’s State Parks website shows that collectively the parks have over 200,000 campsites and almost 9,000 family cabins and cottages available for rent. Just be sure to book well in advance for an overnight stay or cabin rental. To kick off your planning, I’ve gathered a list of some favorite family-friendly state parks and tips from travel bloggers around the country. They share why these state parks from California to Vermont are great places for day trips or multi-day family adventures.
*This post was updated May, 2023 
Every year at the end of August, my husband looks forward to a week of outdoor adventure with the guys backpacking in the wilderness. Whether they are hiking parts of the popular Pacific Crest Trail, or heading to the Cascades, the backdrop is the spectacular scenery found in the Pacific Northwest. This year, the original plan to backpack for several nights near Buck Creek Pass in the Central Cascades fell through just a few weeks out. With a non-refundable airline ticket in hand, the silver lining was that it gave my husband a chance to spend more time with extended family and take a series of 4 interesting day hikes around the Seattle area. I recently had a chance to sit down with him to learn more about what he enjoyed about each of the hikes. He also shared some helpful tips along with a few photos. Keep in mind that he is an experienced hiker and backpacker, so some of these hikes may not be suitable for beginners. And always check the weather, especially with winter coming, and understand that conditions can deteriorate rapidly, especially at higher elevations.
*This post was updated August, 2022 
Sometimes you just need a few days to recharge and spending an extended weekend in Hilton Head, South Carolina was just the thing after a busy summer. If you have not been to Hilton Head Island, you might be interested to know that the island has earned the top spot for islands in the continental US by Travel + Leisure Magazine for four years in a row! It’s the type of place where families come back year after year, and after my recent visit for the first time in over 25 years, I see why. There are so many fun things to do on Hilton Head Island that a weekend is definitely not long enough, but it was certainly a fun way to get a flavor for many of the activities the island has to offer.
Growing up on the east coast, I always considered myself lucky that the ocean was just a few hours away. Like many families in the Mid-Atlantic area, our yearly ritual was taking a beach vacation to nearby Delaware, so it was easy for me to assume that the best water vacations had to be near the ocean. Then I found myself reading more and more about the many scenic lakes scattered throughout the USA. When this blog post was originally published back in 2015, I had been inspired by an article that highlighted some of the beautiful beaches on the Great Lakes. While we still haven’t taken that Great Lakes beach to beach road trip yet, over the years we’ve had the chance to explore a few other lakes. Here’s five places to consider for a summer lake vacation, including a few accessible by car from the DC area, and some that are still on my USA travel bucket list!
*This post was originally published in April, 2015; updated May, 2022  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.
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. And if you are looking for road trip itineraries and tips, check out other posts, including 5 Delicious Stops on the Road in Coastal Connecticut.
*This post was updated September, 2024 
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 
Looking for a weekend city getaway filled with southern charm, good food and plenty of outdoor activities? Then consider heading to Columbia, South Carolina, the state capital and home to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. It’s the perfect mix of college town and vibrant city along with innovative restaurants serving up southern style favorites and classic restaurant fare. We recently spent another weekend in Columbia, and packed in tons of walking, eating and exploring around town. So if you are looking for things to do in Columbia, South Carolina, here's 7 ways to fill a weekend.
*This post was updated January, 2024 |
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