Interior with Dog, Henri Matisse, 1934, oil on canvas There’s a hidden gem in Baltimore that we either take for granted or tend to overlook: the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA). With more than 95,000 works of art, the BMA has a massive collection. Madonna Adoring the Child with Five Angels, Sandro Botticelli and Studio, […]
winter daytrip
Historic Jamestowne
A model of the Susan Constant. In 1607, the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery landed, carrying 104 men and boys. These first colonists constructed a fort to protect themselves from the nearby Virginia Indian tribes and from a potential attack from the Spanish settlements in Florida. The following year, young women were recruited from England to travel […]
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 […]
Turkey Point Lighthouse Hike at Elk Neck State Park
Cliff-side views of the Chesapeake Bay, lighthouses, and a walk through the woods, the hike to Turkey Point Lighthouse has it all. As have several other state parks in Maryland, Elk Neck State Park was the result of the generosity of a major landholder. In 1936, naturalist Dr. William Abbott bequeathed his holdings along the […]
Sugarloaf Mountain Winter Hike
Sugarloaf Mountain is a small mountain and park about 10 miles south of Frederick, MD. The peak of this relatively low mountain is approximately 800 feet higher than the surrounding farmland. The blue trail, also known as the Northern Peaks Trail, travels approximately 5.9 miles to several peaks and along the ridge of Sugarloaf Mountain. […]
Government Island and the Capitol Quarries
Famous for the quarry from which the stones used to build the U.S. Government’s most famous buildings were sourced, Government Island is now a county park with a lovely, history-filled under 2-mile hike that you really shouldn’t miss. Although its referred to as Government Island, the park is really a peninsula. I love a great […]
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 […]
Winter Hike in Catoctin Mountain National Park
Catoctin Mountain Park, located in north-central Maryland, is part of the forested Catoctin Mountain ridge−range that forms the northeastern rampart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, in the Appalachian Mountains System. Despite the federal government shutdown, the sunny, 50-degree day was too nice — especially in January — not to go hiking. This national park has […]
Williamsburg’s Christmas Wreaths
Colonial Williamsburg’s Christmas wreaths are famous, evoking the spirit of simpler times, colonial American can-do spirit, and a nostalgic and idealized view of Christmas that focuses less on plastic Santa Claus light-up figures and more on family traditions. Many visitors come to Williamsburg in December specifically to enjoy the Christmas decorations and wreaths. I recall […]
Newport News’ Celebration of Lights
Celebration in Lights is a two mile drive through holiday light displays in Newport News Park, featuring some creative and well done lights arrangements. Celebration in Lights, Virginia’s first drive-through holiday light event, opens for its 26th season. Newport News Park is transformed by over a million individual lights, creating animated holiday and fanciful scenes. […]
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 […]
Christmas Magic in York, PA!
Christmas Magic celebrates its 35th year this holiday season in York County’s Rocky Ridge Park. The event is a walking trail (ADA approved) that meanders along a wooded hilltop through nearly 600,000 twinkling LED lights and animated scenes. It’s a kid’s delight! The half-mile trail sits among a mature oak forest nestled on a quiet […]
Vroom, Vroom! Harley-Davidson Factory Tour
Even if you’re not into motorcycles, taking a factory tour of the Harley-Davidson Vehicle Operations Factory in York, PA is fascinating. If you’re into motorcycles, and especially if you’re into Harley-Davidsons, then even better. This is also a great tour for your teen-aged children. I’ve always enjoyed factory tours, which demystify the world around us. […]
Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights
During the day, at Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, in Vienna, VA, you can explore 95 acres of ornamental display gardens and unique native plant collections. As you meander along the walking trails, you can discover local flora and fauna among lakes, meadows, and forests. Take in majestic views of the Piedmont hills, explore the Korean Bell Garden […]