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, […]
kid-friendly
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 […]
Taking the Healing Waters at Capon Springs and Farms Resort
The Capon Springs and Farms Resort is a family friendly, traditional resort nestled in the mountains along the Capon River, adjacent the George Washington National Forest. With a history dating back to pre-Civil War days, almost all the buildings on the property are historic, so it’s a bit like stepping back in time! Because the […]
Five Locks Walk: Learning About the D&H Canal in High Falls, NY
There are some interesting ruins along the canal. I walked in the steps of a hoggee. Yes, you read that correctly: a hoggee, or boys or girls (usually boys) who led the mules that pulled the boats along the 108-mile Delaware and Hudson Canal, which ran from Honesdale, PA to Kingston, NY. In one of the […]
USS New Jersey – Exploring a WWII Battleship
Ever since spending a couple of years of my childhood in Panama, I’ve enjoyed touring battleships. Luckily, there are a few in the mid-Atlantic region, including one in Camden, NJ: the USS New Jersey. The USS New Jersey is an Iowa-class battleship, and was the second ship of the U.S Navy to be named after […]
Planes, Trains and Automobiles at the Old Rhinebeck Aerodome
The Old Rhinebeck Aerodome is one of those hidden gems that make writing MidAtlanticDayTrips so rewarding! But despite the title of this article, there really weren’t any trains there, other than an old caboose near the runway that didn’t look as if it was in very good shape. But there were many historic and reproduction […]
Bear Town State Park — West Virginia’s Hidden Gem
Bear Town State Park is a relatively small state park in West Virginia, on the border of Pocahontas and Greenbrier counties. Its 110 acres encompass a really cool geological rock maze of deep crevices that form alleyways and rooms — all traversed by a boardwalk that leads you to cool vantage points in, among, and […]
Maryland’s Amazing Rock Maze
Get lost in Maryland’s very own rock maze! No, I’m kidding — you can’t get lost in Maryland’s rock maze, but you can definitely have a lot of fun exploring all the cracks and crevices. This short hike — not even a mile total there and back — is at first a lovely walk (slightly […]
Blooms and Butterflies at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens
Despite its location in the heart of northern Virginian suburbs, few know about this wonderful garden oasis. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens is part botanical garden, part sculpture garden (there are a number of striking sculptures around the grounds, part arboretum. There are pretty little ponds with lotuses and waterlillies, and other water plants growing in and […]
Cranberry Glades Boardwalk, One of the Coolest Spots You’ll Encounter!
You should definitely check out the Cranberry Glades Botanical Area if you’re in Pocahontas County, WV. One of West Virginia’s largest wetlands, this 750-acre area features open bogs, with the surrounding moutains — Black, Cranberry and Kennison — creating a natural bowl. With an elevation of 3400 feet, the Glades resemble an Artic tundra, only […]
Seven Fabulous Forts in the Mid-Atlantic States You Should Visit!
Everyone’s probably heard of famous Fort McHenry in Baltimore, which tells the story of the War of 1812 and is immortalized in Francis Scott Key’s “Star-Spangled Banner.” But seven other fabulous forts are worth exploring in the mid-Atlantic region: three in Maryland, and two each in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Each fort has a unique history […]
Three Budget-friendly Day Trips in Dover DE Sure to Please the Kids
An Airplane Petting Zoo Is Incredible Fun for Kids of All Ages! Even if you’re not an aviation geek, you’ll likely enjoy the Air Mobility Command Museum. This is a great place for kids and families to explore aviation history. The different shapes of the planes are impressive — a couple of them are bigger […]
Cloudy Day Hike on the Soapstone Loop Trail in PVSP
Patapsco Valley State Park is near my home — at least part of it is: it’s strung out along 36 miles of the Patapsco River like exquisite glass beads on a necklace. Because of its location, it’s my go-to park for a hike, especially when I only have a couple of hours. PVSP is a […]
Hiking Marshy Point Park
Marshy Point Nature Park is a quiet little park in Middle River, MD. The park is on the peninsula of land jutting out between the Dundee and Saltpeter Creeks, and offers more than eight miles of hiking trails, a wildlife observation platform, a butterfly garden, a paddle trail, and a canoe launch and pier. The […]
Hike to Dark Hollow Falls
IT sounds like an ominous thing, Dark Hollow Falls — there should be a ghost story or something associated with it, but I couldn’t find any mention of ghosts, nor how Dark Hollow Falls got its name, although I could well imagine how shady and dark the falls would be if the leaves still fluttered […]