It seems the only times I think to go hiking in Soldiers Delight Natural Environmental Area, a part of the Patapsco Valley State Park, is in the winter. And winter is a great time to hike there — it’s sunny and bright and really beautiful in the colder months; just walking there will lift your […]
budget-friendly day trip
Driving the Covered Bridge Scenic Tour in Lancaster County
Lancaster County is in southern Pennsylvania, on the Susquehanna River and is known for the beauty of its rolling farmland as well as its Amish community, the oldest and largest in the United States. Visit southeastern Lancaster County and its rolling farmland, plus the towns of Strasburg and Christiana, on this driving tour of its […]
Dinosaurs, Rail Cars and More at Depot at Dolittles!
What place offers food (both fine dining and “diner style”), a pizzeria, a brewery where you can sample craft beers, miniature golf, animatronic dinosaurs, and trains, both real historic train cars and a variety of models? There’s only one place in the mid-Atlantic region that I know of that has all these things: Depot at […]
Maryland’s Beauty Spots — A Driving Tour to Green Ridge State Forest’s Scenic Overlooks
Come on a journey to seven of Maryland’s beauty spots, during a scenic drive that will take you through the country roads and byways of the Green Ridge State Forest, past forgotten family cemeteries and to some of the prettiest spots in western Maryland. Plan on at least three hours for this 44-mile scenic drive […]
It’s All Downhill: the Blackwater Canyon Trail
The Blackwater Canyon Railtrail is an extension of the 35-mile Allegheny Highlands Railtrail, connecting to it in Hendricks, WV, and running through the gorge to Thomas. The railtrail is about 3 hours from Washington DC, but it’s a destination trail and worth the drive or planning a stay in Canaan Valley. You really need to […]
Add Hearing the Elk Bugle to Your Bucket List
Since I discovered it was a thing, it was on my bucket list: hearing the bull elk bugle during rutting season. I’d visited Clearfield County a couple times already and had seen a herd of elk cows and calves grazing in a meadow — and yes, that was an amazing thing, in and of itself. […]
Hiking the Buzzard Rock – Sawmill Trail Loop in Patapsco Valley State Park
Buzzards Rock and Sawmill Trail Loop is a 5 mile loop trail in the Patapsco Valley State Park that has multiple “pay-offs,” including a pretty view from Buzzards Rock, from which you can see the Patapsco River below; even from that distance you can hear the falls. There are some breath-taking inclines and declines, but […]
Sunset at Trap Pond State Park
There’s a meme floating around that states “The two best reasons for owning a kayak is sunrise and sunset.” Early morning and sunset are my favorite times to hit the water and Trap Pond, already one of the prettiest places for a paddle, is even lovelier when the shadows are long and the fading evening […]
Kayaking the Nanjemoy
Nanjemoy Creek flows just over 13 miles in Charles County, MD to the Potomac River. It comprises a some open water ways, as well as thick, marshy grassland, providing an ideal habitat for a variety of water fowel and other birds. It is also an ideal habitat for kayakers. Nanjemoy — the town and the […]
Revisiting Brookside Gardens
We first visited Brookside Gardens Mothers Day weekend, a few years ago. Construction was just beginning on the series of reflection ponds, but there was much to see and enjoy. This year, we visited on Father’s Day morning. We went early, hoping to beat any crowds and wishing to go while it would still be […]
Kayaking Patapsco River
During the COVID-19 pandemic, we followed Maryland’s “stay at home” orders, only venturing out for necessities and exercise, such as hiking and kayaking, and then only in less popular areas. One of our adventures was a really pretty paddle on the Patapsco River, putting in just above the dam at Daniels and paddling upstream about […]
Kayaking the Wicomico River
We headed to Whitehaven, an historic industrial town along the banks of the Wicomico River, for this paddling adventure. Lining the shores of the fairly placid river were mud flats and marshland, with numerous inlets and creeks to explore. The Wicomico River is a 24-mile-long tributary of the Chesapeake Bay on the eastern shore of […]
Green Is the Theme on the Old Main Line Hike in PVSP
Hiking along the Old Main Line in Patapsco Valley State Park is one of my favorite hikes, and I’ve visited repeatedly, but, it seems, always during the winter. This time we returned just as summer was setting in, and everything was green, green, green. It was lovely! As we walked along the Patapsco River, trees […]
Five Little Known Must-See Civil War Battle Sites
The midAtlantic states offer a plethora of great Civil War battlefields and sites to explore, from the obscure (Balls Bluff) to the famous Gettysburg, Manassas and Antietam national battlefields. Although many of these battlefields’ visitors centers are currently closed due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the need for social distancing, add these to your […]
12 Urban Oases To Escape To!
When the urban jungle becomes too much for us, we naturally seek an oasis of peace and calm amidst the asphalt and pandemonium. I’ve found twelve surprising urban oases offering us the promise of lovely vistas, green relief, or a pleasant walk. These are all near or in major cities in the mid-Atlantic region: Pittsburgh, […]