The Shenandoah Valley Black History Project developed several driving tours, two of which actually combine quite nicely into one driving tour, doable in a few hours. The combined driving tour takes you through scenic backroads in Rockingham and Shenandoah counties in the Shenandoah Valley. Ultimately, this is an exploration of history that rarely makes it […]
Virginia
Book T Washington National Monument
“We all should rise, above the clouds of ignorance, narrowness, and selfishness.” ― Booker T. Washington, The Story of My Life and Work Booker T Washington was born into slavery, probably on April 18, 1856, as that’s the date that John Burroughs, who enslaved him, recorded the birth of a male […]
Pohick Bay Kayaking
Pohick Bay Regional Park is a Fairfax County regional park on Pohick Bay of the Potomac River. The park offers camping, hiking, a water park, boat launches for both canoes and kayaks (a place along the shoreline) and a boat ramp for motorized boats. Once you launch, head due north — or turn left after […]
Sherando Cliffs and Lake Hike
The Sherando Cliffs and Lakeside Loop Hike is a short hike — less than 2 miles for the entire loop — with minimal elevation gain (300 feet or less) that offers some pretty views, a pleasant leg-stretch climbing up the side of a mountain, and some gorgeous vistas of Sherando Lake itself. Sherando Lake Recreation […]
Scenic Drive Along the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive
The Skyline Drive – Blue Ridge Parkway together form an historic scenic drive that runs 574 miles through Virginia and North Carolina through the Blue Ridge Mountains and Appalachia. That time I almost lost my phone hanging out the window taking a photo along Skyline Drive. The Blue Ridge Parkway is a […]
Octagon Mountain House: Nature is Art
I’d always wanted to live in an octagon shaped house, and when I saw the Octagon Mountain House on AirBnB near where we were planning on vacationing in the Shenandoah Valley, I leapt at the chance to rent it for a week, to serve as our homebase while we explored the hiking trails, historic sites […]
Holiday Cheer at Bull Run Festival of Lights
Brighten your holiday season with the magical 2.5 miles of illuminated light displays of the Bull Run Festival of Lights. Because of Covid 19, the annual fair and carnival at the end of the light displays is missing. Don’t let that dissuade you from visiting this holiday lights display — I do believe it’s one […]
Let Holiday Lights Displays Light Up Your Holiday Season!
If you’re looking for a way to enjoy the holidays, then check out some holiday lights in and around Maryland — whether drive through or walk through, holiday lights displays are a family-friendly holiday activity! Whether drive thru or on foot, this is a fun way to get some holiday cheer while letting your inner […]
On the Road to Revolution Following Patrick Henry
The Road to Revolution Heritage Trail links historic sites and institutions in Virginia that interpret the life of Patrick Henry, orator of the Revolution and Virginia’s first governor, as well as other important Virginians who made significant contributions to the American Revolution. I had the opportunity to visit four sites along the Road to Revolution […]
White Rock Falls Hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains
White Rock Falls Hike is a hidden gem of a hike: moderate, 2.5-mile out-and-back, that offers very pretty views, hidden grottos amongst the rhododendron, wading pools, and a series of small water cascades that collectively form White Rock Falls. It’s located in central Virginia south of Humpback Rocks on the Blue Ridge Parkway at mile […]
10 Spooky and Haunted Daytrips in the MidAtlantic
If you’re looking for the spookiest — and possibly most haunted — places to visit, here’s our pick of 10 of the scariest places to visit, even during the daytime!! Take a tour of the spooky MidAtlantic states — or if you dare to go see the ghosts and ghouls and more yourself, check out […]
Point of Honor Mansion
A lovely old house — mansion, really — sits overlooking Winchester on one of its seven hills. Dating back to 1806, Point of Honor was built by Dr. George Cabell and he and his family lived there until 1826. Now a house museum, the house depicts the lifestyle enjoyed by Cabell and his contemporaries in […]
History and Wonder at the Natural Bridge
I remember a photo of my grandmother posing, pretending to hold up a rock bridge in Virginia. My grandfather would often tell my grandmother to “pack for cold” or “pack for warm” depending on whatever destination he had in mind. And then they would set off for an adventure. He took my Nana all over […]
Two Lexington Hotels
Lexington VA, the home to the legendary Virginia Military Institute and the Washington and Lee University, has a lot to offer those seeking a getaway weekend. In addition to lots of Civil War history and historic sites, there are outdoor adventures to be had! Not far away is the Virginia Safari Park and the Natural […]
Strolling Lynchburg’s Old City Cemetery
The Old City Cemetery is a historic cemetery in Lynchburg, Virginia. It is the oldest municipal cemetery still in use today in the state of Virginia, and one of the oldest such burial grounds in the United States. Between 15 and 20 thousand individuals are thought to be interred in Old City Cemetery. Unusual for […]