I always make New Year’s resolutions. Some I keep, some I don’t, some I try diligently to keep but peter out about June or July… This year I’m making some day trip-related New Year’s resolutions — and I’m betting I’ll keep all these! Here are some day trips and places I haven’t been to yet, […]
Celebrating the Season at Fiore and Harford Wineries
Having heard about Harford Vineyard’s “Go Local for the Holidays” event, occurring each weekend in December, my friend and I decided to head out to the winery to check it out. A friend of mine visited Harford, and two other wineries along the Piedmont Wine Trail, just as the harvest had begun (see the link […]
Tail Lights Fun Way to Experience Symphony of Lights!
The moment I heard about Tail Lights, a dog-friendly stroll through the Symphony of Lights at Merriweather Post Pavilion’s Symphony Woods, sponsored by Howard County General Hospital, I was determined to participate. I rallied my reluctant (and definitely warm weather) husband and another friend (after all, I had three dogs to walk) and pre-registered. As […]
Frederick by Candlelight: Decorated Houses, Museums, and Houses of Worship
Funny how you take your home town for granted until you’ve lived away from it a few years. I moved away from Frederick in the late 1980s. Now I find myself coming back to explore it – from ghost tours of Mount Olivet Cemetery to the latest, the 28th Annual “Holidays in Historic Frederick” Candlelight […]
Visiting the Ponies at Assateague Island
Visiting Assateague Island isn’t just a summer day (or weekend) trip — the island offers a lot of interest for all seasons. When the ocean-dipping crowds depart, the island really comes alive for me. Cooler weather means pleasant walks along the island trails, and of course, no bugs! Map courtesy of AssateagueIsland.com Assateague Island is […]
Gift Suggestion for that Special Someone: A Year of Day Trips and Dates
So for once I’m suggesting that you just stay home: don’t spend Black Friday all day fighting crowds, just so you can give things that will eventually collect dust. Give memories and shared experiences! And all you need for this gift suggestion is some creativity, a computer and internet, or a phone. One of the […]
Sugarloaf Mountain Sort of Day!
Recently, two friends and I headed over to Sugarloaf Mountain, to check out the park itself, visit the winery at its base, and then eat at a local restaurant. There were some surprises and yes, a disappointment. But more on that later. Late fall is a fine time to check out the place that was […]
Stunning Views at the C&O Canal, Locks 33 and 34
This is sort of part two of last week’s Harpers Ferry blog–this is the stretch of the C&O Canal we were trying to reach via the railroad bridge when our beagle categorically refused to go down the stairs. (There is no joy in having to carry a 40lb beagle down and back up several flights […]
Harpers Ferry: Stepping Back in History
My husband and I probably spend a day or an afternoon at Harpers Ferry at least once a year, generally just walking around and then we’ll have lunch. Sometimes, such as on this most recent visit, we’ll bring a beagle or two. I’ve also taken my sons there multiple times — sometimes focusing more on […]
Going to the Birds in Bombay Hook
I try to get out to Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at least once a year, camera(s) in hand. Despite the fact I’ve got a lovely camera — far too sophisticated and decked out for the likes of me — I still get camera envy when I see the professionals with their ultra-powerful zoom […]
Piedmont Wine Trail: Harvest Time!
Piedmont Wine Trail at Harvest Time! Fourth in the Maryland Winery series This week Lynn, aka “Day Tripper,” shares her experiences on an Anne Arundel Community College-sponsored wine tasting trip along the Piedmont Wine Trail. Here’s what she thought about her experiences at three Maryland wineries. — Daytrip Gal I’m now convinced harvest time is the […]
Ghostly Orbs: Evidence of Hauntings During Annapolis Ghost Walk?
Looking for something low key and romantic to do, I talked Hubby into joining me for the Annapolis Ghost Walk. Annapolis is a frequent destination for us — just 30 minutes away from Columbia, MD. The historic capital of Maryland’s harbor draws us on many a hot summer’s night, as nothing is more fun or […]
Leaf Peeping in Dolly Sods Wilderness
Sometimes the beauty of Dolly Sods Wilderness Area is subtle, sometimes breathtaking. Dolly Sods also serves as an abject lesson for us: it was the scene of one of the worst ecological disasters in the 20th century. Despite that, Dolly Sods has rebounded over the past century and now is truly one of the most […]
Red Heifer Winery: Furlough Special
Third in a series on Maryland vineyards and wineries. A friend and Federal colleague who knows of my interest in visiting local Maryland wineries shared a Facebook post from the Red Heifer Winery, a new Maryland winery that is about to celebrate it’s first anniversary! The post read: “Furloughs stink and wine makes everything better so… […]
Dejon and Boordy: Contrast of New and Old Vineyards
Second in a Series of Maryland Wineries The first time I went to a winery — just a couple of months ago, by the way — I felt a bit insecure. After all — I’m by no means knowledgeable about wine and I’d mistakenly believed that I needed to be more sophisticated about wines before […]