The quintessential festival of Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Waterfowl Festival just celebrated its 50th year November 12 – 14 in Easton, a town that still retains its old-timey charm and is known for its vibrant culinary and arts communities, as well as its historic downtown. The town’s charm translates to the festival itself — the Waterfowl […]
kid-friendly
Shenandoah Caverns Brings the Bacon!
Rainbow Lake, within Shenandoah Caverns. There are eight commercial caverns in Virginia, and each has unique formations inside and tours available. Each cavern has its own personality. Luray has the mostest — both in age and rock formations and other things to do right there. Grand Caverns has Civil War history that is cool and […]
Living Large at Lake Raystown Resort
If you’re looking for a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life — just over a couple hours away from several major cities, including Baltimore and Washington DC — then look no further than lovely Raystown Lake. Located on over 400 acres of waterfront property, Lake Raystown Resort is a great place […]
The Hidden Catskills Waterfalls Along the Vernooy Falls Hike
The Vernooy Kill Falls Hike is a short, out-and-back hike — either 2 miles or 3.6 miles, depending where you pick up the trailhead — to a very pretty waterfall. The falls is a series of picturesque little waterfalls with pools, dropping about 30 feet in 4 stages. During the warmer months, this would be […]
Exploring West Virginia’s Best State Park: Watoga State Park
There is so much to see and do in and around Watoga State Park, that it seems like the ideal location to set up a home base for your exploration of the area. The park covers more than 10 thousand acres, and began as a state forest designated as a wildlife and timber preserve. Franklin […]
Two More Delicious Creameries Along Maryland’s Best Ice Cream Trail
A sunny August afternoon lured us out again for some more ice cream — this time we decided to drive out to northern Baltimore County and Harford County MD, to Broom’s Bloom Dairy and Prigel Family Creamery respectively. About a decade ago, Maryland dairy farmers came up with a creative – and delicious – plan […]
Cool Ruins and a Waterfall Along the Madam Brett White and Red Trail
Madam Brett Park is a tranquil little park on Fishkill Creek in Beacon NY, alongside the Hudson River in Dutchess County, not far away from the Hudson Highlands Park. We were there to hike the “Madam Brett White and Red Trail, an out-and-back trail to a waterfall and marsh overlook. This area is noteworthy because […]
Larger than Life Sculpture Garden at Grounds for Sculpture
Seward Johnson, “Daydream” Grounds for Sculpture (GFS) is an outdoor art museum in Hamilton NJ, where you can walk around the beautifully landscaped grounds and experience the art from all angles. During a visit to GFS, you can stroll among the more than 500 works, nearly 300 of which are exhibited on the grounds year […]
Two Hikes You Shouldn’t Miss at Linn Run State Park
Once an ecological disaster — as with many areas of the East Coast that were clear cut by the lumber industry during the late 19th and early 20th centuries — Linn Run State Park is now a thriving second growth forest. Mountain laurel and native rhododendron cover the slopes — we caught the tail end […]
Old Forge Loop Trail, Foundry Park and a Little Surprise Civil War History!
The Old Forge Loop Trail was billed in AllTrails.com as being great for kids, and so I was about to dismiss this walk, until I noticed that there were ruins and a waterfall. The Hudson River from Foundry Dock Park They had me at ruins. Turns out, the waterfall is meh, but the history and […]
See the Secret Place Where Eagles Soar Aboard the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad
The Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad is a heritage railroad based in Romney, WV. The railroad operates excursion trains over a former Baltimore and Ohio Railroad line that runs between Green Spring and Petersburg. Since 1991, Potomac Eagle has operated scenic rail excursions through the South Branch Valley in West Virginia. As you wind along […]
Hiking in the Patuxent Research Refuge
The Patuxent Research Refuge offers several nearly level hikes that include a lot of interest, including a the 1.8 mile Cash Lake Loop Trail, the 4.9 mile North Tract Loop, and the 2.4 mile Forest Trail. Stretched for time, we chose the shorter “hike” (more like a walk, although there were a few muddy spots […]
Mysteries of the Hudson Highland State Park: Cornish Ruins Hike
Why are ruins so fascinating? Do we expect to see the ghosts of the people who lived or worked there to suddenly appear? I don’t know the answer to that, but I’m fascinated by ruins. There’s something sad and creepy and symbolic about beautiful places that have been abandoned. There’s almost a fairytale set of […]
Cool Sights Along the Maryland Creamery Trail in Frederick County
Our goal was simple and sweet: head out to sample two stops along the Maryland Creamery Trail in Frederick County. Along the way we enjoyed the pretty farmland countryside, discovered some hidden Civil War history, found some instantly instagramable old trucks, and — oh yeah, enjoyed the best summer snack ever! About a decade ago, […]
The Yummiest Daytrip Ever: Following the Ice Cream Trail in Mountain Maryland
The Golden Lady Sundae, by Frostburg Freeze We decided to usher in the unofficial start of summer Memorial Day Weekend by following the Allegheny County Ice Cream Trail. Our goal: to sample at least five of the nine stops along the tasty trail. #caloriesdon’tcountonanicecreamtrail I have a Know Before You Go pro-tip right of the […]