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 […]
ecotourism
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 […]
Boating up the Broadkill River
The Broadkill River flows for its entire length in eastern Sussex County, DE. From Milton, the Broadkill River flows generally eastward, although it snakes through the landscape with lazy S curves that change the view constantly. The river passes through the wetlands and salt marshes of the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge and skirts the […]
Three Great Hikes in Patapsco Valley State Park
Some of these hikes are really popular — so social distancing might be a bit difficult. But if you haven’t been on these hikes, these are three good ones to add to your bucket list! Patapsco Valley State Park extends along 32 miles of the Patapsco River, encompassing 16,043 acres and eight developed recreational areas. […]
Lazy L at Willow Creek — A Relaxing, Dog-Friendly Retreat
Options are limited when you travel with your pooch, but one incredible bed and breakfast inn in Lewes, DE, provides both a relaxing retreat and a hearty welcome for your four-legged best friend. Many bed and breakfasts will welcome well-behaved dogs to just one room of theirs. The Lazy L at Willow Creek welcomes dogs […]
Biking in White Haven and Wicomico County
We were staying at the Whitehaven Hotel, a bed and breakfast inn in the sleepy village of Whitehaven, on the banks of the Wicomico River. The land is flat in and around Whitehaven, the roads surrounded by farm fields and marsh flats. In such a rural place, there’re few vehicles and the drivers all courteous, […]
Rooms and What a View! at the Iris Inn Bed and Breakfast
The Iris Inn, in Waynesboro,VA, is a low-key gem of a bed and breakfast inn offering travelers plenty of places to hang out and simply enjoy the views of the Blueridge Mountains — it’s a place to relax and unwind after a busy day of sight-seeing, or just because! The inn offers individual rooms in […]
Hiking and Bird Watching in the Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is a wildlife sanctuary expressly for migratory birds, located east of Milton, DE in southern Delaware. Translated from the Dutch words Priume Hoek, meaning Plum Point, Prime Hook was named by European settlers in the 1600s for the land’s abundance of purple beach plums. Established in 1963 on 10,000 acres along […]
Adventure Awaits in Clearfield County!
Gaining in popularity as a weekend getaway, Clearfield County has a lot to offer folks seeking lovely scenery and outdoor adventures such as hiking, biking and kayaking. There’s also an historic car museum, local wineries, and plenty of places to enjoy some tasty meals. There’s more to do than meets the eye in Clearfield County, […]
Storybook Trail – Masanutten State Park
The Story Book Trail is an almost mile-long, out-and-back wheel-chair accessible trail on Masanutten Mountain, leading to an overlook revealing the Page Valley and Route 211 below. The trail gently heads up hill under tree-cover the entire way. With boardwalks in places and a paved trail, you can walk it in your flip-flops. Along the […]
Delightful Winter Hike in Soldiers Delight NEA
It was a gorgeous winter day, sunny and a perfect 50 degrees and we decided to go hiking. We live near Soldiers Delight National Environmental Area, also referred to as the Patapsco Barrens, a serpentine barrens located northwest of Baltimore, in the midst of a highly populated suburbia. It is the largest and most diverse of […]
Hiking in Historic Pemberton Park
Pemberton Park is an historic park, just outside of Salisbury MD; the site of the former Pemberton Plantation, the historic house, built in 1741, still stands and is open for tours most weekends. But what really drew us to the park was the opportunity to explore its trail system, which takes you through a variety […]
Shenandoah Valley 24-in-24 Challenge
There is so much to see and do in the Shenandoah Valley! The valley is bounded to the east by the Blue Ridge Mountains, to the west by the eastern front of the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians (excluding Massanutten Mountain), to the north by the Potomac River and to the south by the James River. Within its […]
Where History Runs Deep — Exploring Grand Caverns
Grand Caverns, formerly known as Weyer’s Cave, is located in the central Shenandoah Valley in the town of Grottoes, VA and is America’s oldest “show cave.” Open to the public since 1806, there’s a lot of history in the cave, as former presidents and Confederate and Union soldiers have visited it over the years. Today, […]