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 […]

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, […]

24 Things to Do in 24 Hours in Lynchburg

Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the “City of Seven Hills.” It’s a city nestled in its surroundings. If you’re a history buff, you’ve come to the right place — there’s history galore here. Interestingly, it’s a Southern city grappling with […]

Four Must-See African-American Sites in Alexandria, VA

Alexandria, VA is a city steeped in African-American history since its founding in 1749, but much of this history has become hidden over the years. Forgotten burial grounds, a former slave jail, and the Alexandria Black History Museum will help start your journey to discover Alexandria’s hidden history. In 1790, when the first federal census […]

Have a Hauntingly Great Time in Lewes DE!

Lewes, DE is rich with historic happenings, legends, and tall-tales, many of them involving a touch of the paranormal. From the founding of Lewes in 1631 and the massacre of its settlement the following year, to the unknown sailors’ cemetery at the Cape May-Lewes Ferry, some residents never seem to depart. Lewes is more than […]

Mt Hebron Cemetery Holds 35 Thousand Stories

It’s a cliche, but still true, that you can discern much about a town by its cemetery; Mount Hebron Cemetery reveals Winchester’s secrets. Mount Hebron Cemetery, in Winchester, VA started modestly, in 1844, adjacent to two much older cemeteries: the German Reformed Church Cemetery, chartered more than a hundred years earlier, and the Lutheran Church […]

American Moses: Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad

Born in Maryland in 1820, Harriet Tubman escaped slavery in 1849 to become a leading abolitionist. She led hundreds of enslaved people to freedom along the Underground Railroad. During the Civil War, she helped the Union Army, working as a spy, among other roles. After the Civil War ended, Harriet dedicated her life to helping […]

Gotta Catch Them All: 11 Best Places to Play Pokemon Go

With multiple Pokéstops and Pokégyms, 1. Columbia’s four lakes in Howard County, MD, offer Pokémon Go players great game play in a pleasant, shaded setting that belies its urban location. Proximity to water also ensures you’ll catch plenty of magikarp as you collect what you need to evolve a gyarados. 2. Downtown Pittsburgh has hundreds […]

Montpelier: James Madison’s Presidential Retreat

My sister and I are determined to visit all the local presidential mansions: Mount Vernon, Monticello, and Montpelier, among them. Montpelier is the estate of our 4th president, James Madison, and one of America’s Founding Fathers. He is known for putting his lawyerly training to work by helping write the U.S. Constitution in the late […]

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

It was only recently that I learned that Sleepy Hollow, made famous by Washington Irving’s story, “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow,” was a real place. So, although it’s a little out of day trip range for Marylanders — I justified the excursion and this blog with the knowledge that the Mid-Atlantic Day Trips Blog’s northern […]