Looking for kid-friendly adventures for the summer? Below is MidAtlanticDayTrips’ curated kid-friendly daytrip destinations for Summer 2019, pulling from places I’ve visited in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC! Although there are some “obvious” destinations — the National Zoo comes to mind — I’ve looked for lesser known daytrips, such as the living history […]
Maryland
PVSP: Hiking the Cascade Falls Trail
Newt enjoyed playing in the stream. A beautiful June Sunday brought us out to a Maryland state park for an afternoon of hiking and exploring the Cascade Falls Trail, which is just a few miles away from my home in the Orange Grove Area of the Patapsco Valley State Park. In the heart of suburban […]
Biking with the Hound at Edwards Ferry
The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (more commonly known as the C&O Canal) runs 184+ miles in Maryland, stretching from DC to Cumberland along the Potomac River, passing many points of interest. With a variety of aqueducts, lock houses, and other buildings, sweeping views of the river in many places, and an almost entirely shaded towpath, […]
Sailing on the Shardana
The Chesapeake Bay is a world-famous sailing destination, and there’s good reason why. With its rich maritime history, picture-postcard towns, quaint islands, and endless coves, creeks and anchorages, there are plenty of places to explore and to enjoy. The largest estuary in the US, and the second largest in North America, the Bay’s 200 miles […]
9 Great Hikes for Kids
The MidAtlantic states region offers numerous opportunities for hiking that will intrigue your kids without destroying their will to ever step into a forest again. The point of these daytrips is to have fun (actually, the point of ALL daytrips is to have fun!). Before you head out, though, a little preparation can go a […]
PVSP: Marriottsville Road to McKeldin Rapids Hike
This hike takes you along the Patapsco River, up some slight elevation gains (nothing strenuous) that offer pretty views of the river below, and then along the river to see the falls and the rapids that come just after the falls. You won’t encounter much solitude — lots of other hikers and quite a few […]
Daniels Old Main Line and Ruins Loop Trail
Patapsco Valley State Park is a park strung out like beads on a necklace, extending along 32 miles of the Patapsco River south and west of the city of Baltimore. The Maryland Forestry Act of 1906’s provisions formed the park, to protect newly completed (and now destroyed) Bloede Dam from silting from nearby farm erosion. […]
Hiking Antietam National Battlefield
The Battle of Antietam is often referred to as the bloodiest day in American history. As we walk around the battlefield now, it’s hard to imagine that more than 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after 12 hours of savage combat on that hot September day in 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate […]
Loggers Trail Hike Offers Surprises in Oregon Ridge Park
A former ore pit quarry, now covered by vegetation. Oregon Ridge Park is a 1,043-acre park in Cockeysville, Maryland. The park features walking and hiking trails, nature center, picnic and recreation areas. The Loggers Trail is a 2-mile loop trail around the park that takes you past some of the It’s an easy hike, although […]
9 Great Daytrips for the Under-6 Crowd
If you’re looking for some great daytrip destinations to start your younger kids on a lifetime road to discovery, consider exploring the nine great suggestions below. From living history museums that recreate George Washington’s childhood home to a sail on the Chesapeake Bay in a replica of an historic fishing boat, there’s so much to […]
Snowy Hike to a Maryland Ghosttown
On Friday, a lovely, powdery snow fell, and I knew I wanted to go on one particular hike the next morning: to see the ruins of St Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church in the snow. To get there, we’d have to follow the Alberton Road Trail in Patapsco Valley State Park into the ghosttown of Daniels. […]
A Hike Through Snow and Ice to Chimney Rock
Nothing compares to the crisp, clean air of winter and the magnificent view of a snowy landscape — sometimes offering quite a nice surprise from the scenes you are more used to. We were looking for a strenuous hike, so we decided upon the Chimney Rock – Wolf Rock Loop, frequently called the best hike […]
12 Days of Daytrips for Winter Break
The kids are home for winter break and are starting to get bored! What do you do? Here are some fun, inexpensive ideas for great memory-making daytrip destinations in the mid-Atlantic region. Inspire your kids over the winter break! Have you ever wondered how the food you eat — a potato chip, for example — goes […]
Historic Annapolis by Candlelight
Have you ever wondered what those historic homes look like inside? I do! Thus, when I hear of a tour of private residences in a historic city, I leap at the chance to tour them! A home on a previous year’s tour. Photo courtesy VisitAnnapolis.org. Once a year, you get to find out how a […]
10 Great November Daytrip Destinations
November brings great weather for hiking and biking, and if you head south, there are still lovely autumn leaves and scenic drives to enjoy. November’s chill also reminds us the holidays are right around the corner. Start your holiday giving now by giving great experiences, the sort of ones that they’ll remember for years after. […]