The Chesapeake Bay is a world-famous sailing destination, and there’s good reason why. With its rich maritime history, picture-postcard towns, quaint islands, and endless coves, creeks and anchorages, there are plenty of places to explore and to enjoy. The largest estuary in the US, and the second largest in North America, the Bay’s 200 miles […]
Author: Jody Arneson
Maymont Mansion, Richmond’s Gilded Age Spendor
Victorian exuberant excess is on display at the lovely Maymont Mansion, overlooking the James River in Richmond. Originally a 100-acre Victorian estate, Maymont is now a public park, and the mansion a house museum. On the grounds there’s an arboretum, formal gardens, a carriage collection, native wildlife exhibits, a nature center, and a children’s farm. […]
Fredericksburg: Quaint Town, Fun Shops, Good Eats
Fredericksburg, with its old, historic streets and predominantly colonial-era buildings downtown, really is a quaint town, with lots to see and do. The historic downtown area retains its colonial-era charm and is very walkable. I particularly enjoyed walking along Caroline and William Streets, browsing its many shops, including quite a few interesting boutique stores. I […]
Discover Bucks County with the 24 in 24 Challenge
Little girl jumping rope is a touch of whimsy at the Pearl S Buck House. Bucks County PA is a picturesque county, with lovely farmland, rolling hills, and historic little towns. Numerous historic homes, many dating to the 1700s, dot the countryside. There is so much to see and do in the historic Bucks County! […]
9 Great Hikes for Kids
The MidAtlantic states region offers numerous opportunities for hiking that will intrigue your kids without destroying their will to ever step into a forest again. The point of these daytrips is to have fun (actually, the point of ALL daytrips is to have fun!). Before you head out, though, a little preparation can go a […]
Biking the Lehigh Gorge Rail-Trail
The 26-mile Lehigh Gorge Rail-Trail is a popular rail trail that winds along the Lehigh River between White Haven and Jim Thorpe, PA. A good portion of the trail brings you through the Lehigh Gorge State Park and is notable for its gorgeous mountain and river scenery as well as the numerous tumbling waterfalls. The […]
Cape Henlopen State Park
Cape Henlopen State Park offers lovely stretches of beaches, perfect for whiling away the afternoon or weekend! But if you’re like me, you start to get a bit restless after a bit, just sitting on the beach. That’s why Cape Henlopen State Park is such a great park to visit. There are bike trails, hiking […]
Battlefield Bed & Breakfast
There is so much to see and do in Gettysburg, that it makes sense to consider spending a night or two at a local B&B. One of the local B&Bs is the Battlefield Bed and Breakfast, run by Florence and her spouse Debbie. The original portion of the farmhouse was built for Cornelius & Anna […]
1740 House: A Place of Peace and Meeting New Friends
The Delaware River has its place in history and of course, MidAtlanticDayTrips. This is not the first time I’ve covered parts of the river, from Gen. George Washington’s celebrated Revolutionary War crossing to upstream to the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, or downstream to the lighthouses in its bay! The river is steeped in […]
Daytripping Hampton VA
Sure, there’s history at Hampton VA — in fact, more than 400 years of recorded history, which makes Hampton an interesting place to visit. But there are plenty of other good reasons to visit Hampton as well, including the Virginia Air and Space Center and a harbor cruise that will take you to see the […]
Face the Music at Martin Guitar Factory Tour
I love factory tours. It is interesting seeing things go from nothing to something, and the factory tour at C.F. Martin & Co. Guitars didn’t disappoint. What I didn’t realize was what a rich history the company has and how much of the process still is hand done. At this station, the wood is “candled” […]
PVSP: Marriottsville Road to McKeldin Rapids Hike
This hike takes you along the Patapsco River, up some slight elevation gains (nothing strenuous) that offer pretty views of the river below, and then along the river to see the falls and the rapids that come just after the falls. You won’t encounter much solitude — lots of other hikers and quite a few […]
Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop
Hugh Mercer Apothecary was a pharmacy founded by Hugh Mercer in the mid-18th century. Mercer is an interesting figure in his own right. He initially served with the Jacobite forces of Bonnie Prince Charlie; he fled Scotland after the Battle of Culloden. He initially settled in Pennsylvania, and served with the British forces during the […]
Daniels Old Main Line and Ruins Loop Trail
Patapsco Valley State Park is a park strung out like beads on a necklace, extending along 32 miles of the Patapsco River south and west of the city of Baltimore. The Maryland Forestry Act of 1906’s provisions formed the park, to protect newly completed (and now destroyed) Bloede Dam from silting from nearby farm erosion. […]
Jamestown Settlement
Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia. If you’re looking for a way to introduce kids to American history, start here. There’s plenty to see, and the history lessons are snuck in, presented in a variety of different ways, so there’s little chance anyone will get bored. It’s great […]