King George and Westmoreland Counties

Explore King George and Westmoreland counties in VA.  See bald eagles and look for shark teeth at Caledon State Park.  Go back in time and see a former plantation at the George Washington Birthplace National Monument.  If time, visit the birthplace of Robert E Lee, Stratford Hall.  

Caledon State Park (Point B), George Washington Birthplace National Monument (Point C),
Robert E Lee birthplace, Stratford Hall (Point D), and El Charro Mexican Restaurant (Point E)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Arrive at Caledon State Park early in the morning (56 miles, 1 hour 21 minutes)

• Start your day at the Visitors Center and ask where the eagles have been spotted recently
• Hike to see the bald eagles 
• Spend time looking for shark teeth on the beach (the state park allows you to keep any shark teeth you find)

2.  Visit the George Washington Birthplace National Monument (21 miles, 34 minutes)

• Stop at the Visitor Center
• See the original location of George Washington's house
• Explore Popes Creek, a living colonial farm
• Hike

3.  If time and interest in paying fee, visit Stratford Hall (9 miles, 16 minutes)

4.  Eat dinner at El Charro Mexican Restaurant before heading home (24 miles, 32 minutes)


THINGS TO KNOW:

Caledon State Park is a park that is easy to pass on the road if you’re not paying attention.  On our adventure, we learned that this park is definitely worth a visit.  We followed some of the hikes that lead to the Potomac River and we had a wonderful time searching for eagles and for shark teeth (the state park allows you to keep any shark teeth you find).  Be sure to stop in at the Visitor Center for advice on where to find the eagles that day.  If you’re interested in paying an extra fee to go on an eagle spotting tour, call in advance to find out the specific times it will be offered on the day you visit the park. 

When you go to George Washington Birthplace National Monument (Popes Creek), you’ll find that there is no fee to enter the park.  There is a video in the visitor center and then you can take a self-guided tour around the property.  If possible, check the website for the park schedule and plan to go to the plantation when there will be demonstrations.  Our family loved the demonstrations on blacksmithing, cooking, sheep sheering, spinning and fabric dying. 

Both Caledon State Park and George Washington Birthplace have nice restrooms, water fountains, and small gift shops. 

We would’ve liked to see Stratford Hall, but half the passengers in our vehicle had worn themselves out on the beach of the Potomac hunting for treasures earlier in the day, so we opted to let them sleep.  If you go, leave a comment and tell us what you think of it.

We enjoyed El Charro Mexican Restaurant.  It was a recommendation of someone we know in the area and it didn’t disappoint.  

July 4th Fireworks

Celebrate July 4th with fireworks "outside" of D.C.

PLACES TO GO:

1.  Celebrate America, Manassas, VA (32 miles, 44 minutes)

Manassas, VA (Point B)

• Location:  Old Town Manassas
• Time: 4:00-10:00 p.m.
• Cost:  Free
• Fireworks:  9:15 p.m. (best seats on the Manassas Museum Lawn)
• In Addition to Fireworks (some additional cost): Kiddie rides, food, vendors, live entertainment

Manassas Fireworks' Finale (2012)

2.  July 4th Celebration, Great Meadows, VA (47 miles, 56 minutes)

Great Meadows, VA (Point B)

• Location:  5089 Old Tavern Road, The Plains, VA
• Time:  4:00-10:00 p.m.
• Cost:  $40-50 per vehicle (or more for reserved spaces - see link for details)
• Fireworks:  Dark (sit around the large field)
• In Addition to Fireworks (all inclusive except pony rides): tailgating, food court, choreographed helicopter air show, polo exhibitions, rocketry demonstrations, rain machine, laser tag, rock wall climbing, pony rides ($5 extra), moon bounce, bands 

Great Meadow Promo (2010)

3.  July 4th on the Mountain, McHenry, MD (179 miles, 3 hours) - Make a weekend out of it!!

McHenry, MD (Point B)

• Location:  Wisp Resort
• Cost:  Free
• Fireworks:  Dusk (from the top of the Wisp Outdoors Adventure Park)
• In Addition to Fireworks (additional cost):  Boat or waterski on Deep Creek Lake, man-made white water rafting, golf, canopy tour, mountain coaster, chairlift rides, laser games, disc golf

Wisp Fireworks Finale (2010)

THINGS TO KNOW:

The D.C. fireworks are impressive; however, we’ve discovered other impressive displays.  Unlike D.C., it’s nice to enjoy this July 4th tradition with space to move and without having to pass through security.  Each of these locations have events and activities in addition to the fireworks, which will keep you entertained for hours.   Or if you’d rather, just show up in the evening to set up your spot to watch fireworks. 

Annapolis, MD

Explore the Capital of Maryland (34 miles, 43 minutes)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Visit the Maryland State House

• See the oldest state capitol still in continuous legislative use
• Take a self-guided tour of the building

2.  Eat at Chick & Ruth's Delly (0.2 miles walking)

• You've got to experience this!

3.  Walk around the city dock and waterfront (0.2 miles walking)

4.  Explore the U.S. Naval Academy (0.2 miles walking)

• Begin at the visitor center (you must enter by foot, unless you have a DoD decal on your vehicle - ages 16 and older must have photo ID)
• Hike around the academy

5.  Drive to the Maryland World War II Memorial on your way out of town (2 miles, 5 minutes away from State House)

THINGS TO KNOW:

Before you go to Annapolis for a leisurely stroll through town, check the internet for the schedule of boat shows.  If you’re not interested in paying admission to see all the boats, you’ll probably want to avoid going during a boat show because you’ll have a hard time finding parking and you won’t have access to the waterfront without paying the admission fee.

You can take a self-guided tour any time while the Maryland State House is open (9:00am – 5:00 pm); informative brochures are available.   Don’t forget your photo ID.  The grounds are beautiful and we found more than one place to stop and pose for some family pictures. 

Main Street has an interesting collection of stores that could keep you wandering in and out for hours.  You’ll find everything from high-end clothing and art to stores full of Maryland souvenirs and ice cream shops.   We enjoyed wandering through the stores until lunch time and then we headed to Chick and Ruth’s.

Chick and Ruth’s Delly is more than a restaurant that happened to be available when we were hungry.  We had a blast at this place.  It was loud and crowded, but it had the happy atmosphere of an extended family reunion.  Though we’d never been there before, everyone seemed genuinely happy to see us and everyone from our servers to the owners worked to put a smile on our face.  The menu was huge and all the food that we ate was delicious.  We will go back and highly recommend it to everyone visiting Annapolis.  

The U.S. Naval Academy has an informative visitor center and it is interesting to learn about the history of the Navy.  There are plenty of interesting buildings and sculptures to see if you have the energy for more walking (remember, you’ll have to enter on foot unless by chance you have a DoD decal on your car).  There is a gift shop at the Visitor Center if you’re in need Navy sweatshirts, bags, teddy bears, etc. 

The Maryland WWII Memorial is located in an interesting spot: it is in the median of Governor Ritchie Highway.  Shortly after you cross the Naval Academy Bridge, you’ll find a left exit to get into the parking lot.  It is a beautifully done and very peaceful memorial, worth the little bit of extra time to see it.  

Sugarloaf Mountain

Have a picnic at the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, MD and then cool down with some ice cream at a local favorite.

Sugarloaf Mountain (Point B), Rocky Point Creamery (Point C)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Drive to Sugarloaf Mountain (43 miles, 53 minutes)

• Hike to the overlook (there are various trails of various lengths/difficulty)
• Climb rocks on the way
• Eat a picnic at the overlook

2.  If time, go to Rocky Point Creamery before heading home (10 miles, 17 minutes)

• Buy freshly made ice cream

THINGS TO KNOW:

Most hiking locations have a variety of trails from which you chose, but a lot of them only have one way to reach the main attraction.  What is great about Sugarloaf Mountain is there are a variety of trails and several of them reach the summit.  It is great to be able to decide how much you want to challenge yourself and how much time you want to take to get to the top.  It’s also nice to have a different view on the way up than on the way down if you decide to do a loop like we did.  Our first time there, we were informed the Orange trail that begins by the East View Parking Lot is the shortest, but also the most difficult way to the top, and the Green trail that begins from the West View Parking lot was slightly longer and easier.  We chose to park at the West View lot and begin our hike on the Blue Trail, then turn off onto the Red Trail to reach the Summit and return to our car via the Green Trail.  That made the steepest portion of the hike going down.  We’d recommend that route if you don’t consider yourself to be an expert hiker and if you have about an hour or two.  We'd also recommend to pack a picnic lunch to eat at the summit if you are hiking around lunch time.

Something else great about the mountain is the plethora of boulders.  It’s the perfect  natural playground.  Kids of all ages can find rocks all along the way that are just the right size to explore.  We saw little toddlers proudly conquering rocks two feet tall, school-age children discovering alcoves perfect for hiding in boulders that were 10-feet tall, and fully-grown kids scaling huge rock walls with all the ropes and gear. 

A few other things to note: You’ll find plenty of picnic tables near the parking lots, but you’ll want to make sure to remember the table cloth.  You’ll also find portable toilets, but don’t forget to pack your own hand sanitizer.  As with any hiking trail in the east, you’ll be covered by trees the majority of the time and you’ll find poison ivy (though the trails are wide enough that you can easily avoid brushing up against the poison ivy if you don’t venture off). Don’t forget the bug spray. 

After a hike, who doesn’t need some sort of reward?  Rocky Point Creamery is delicious.  It’s a little on the pricy side, but what creamery isn’t?  The ice cream is made from the milk that is produced by the cows on that very property and it tastes  delightfully fresh.  There’s just something fun and unique about supporting the local family farms.    

Fall in the Shenandoah

See the Shenandoah in Autumn and pick your own apples!  (or see it in the summer and pick your own peaches)

Shenandoah National Park - Meadow Spring (Point B),

Front Royal (Point C), Stribling Orchard in Markham (Point D) 

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Drive to Shenandoah National Park, specifically the Meadow Spring area (83 miles, 1 hour 44 minutes)

• Park at Meadow Spring Parking
• Explore this area with its network of trails through woods, streams, and cascades (easily tailored based on your interests and ability)
• Eat a picnic lunch either before you leave or during the upcoming drive

2.  Drive through Shenandoah National Park towards Front Royal, VA (34 miles, 1 hour 2 minutes)

• Stop at overlooks to enjoy the view
• Take time to enjoy other points of interest
• If time, stop at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center

3.  Drive to Stribling Orchard in Markham, VA (12 miles, 20 minutes)

• Check-in, receive a picking pole, select the type of apples you want to pick, and walk or drive to the area of the orchard with those type of apples
• Have fun picking apples
• Visit the store

4.  At home, make Apple Crisp (recipe below)

APPLE CRISP

Ingredients:

1/2 box of yellow cake mix

4 cups of tart apples, peeled and sliced

3/4 cup of brown sugar

1 tsp of cinnamon

1/2 cup of melted butter

whipped cream or ice cream

Directions:

Grease a deep baking dish.  Place apples in bottom.  Combine sugar, cinnamon, cake mix, and butter.  Spread evenly over apples.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes (until apples are tender and crust is brown).  Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.


THINGS TO KNOW:

As promised, this is another activity where you’ll be glad to have a National Parks Pass.  You will be charged a fee for your entire car at Shenandoah National Park unless you’ve purchased a parks pass.  Something that we really love about Shenandoah National Park is that it is so easy to enjoy, regardless of your age and physical abilities.  There are plenty of difficult hikes for those eager for a workout, but you’ll also find easier hikes if you’re more in the mood for a stroll through the woods. (The easiest hikes are near the Northern Entrance). If you have no desire to leave your car, you’ll still be able to enjoy the beauty on the windy roads and the scenic over-looks.  

You’ll find picnic areas at a few different places within this drive: at the Pinnacles, just south of the Thorton Gap Entrance; at Elkwallow, several miles north of Thorton Gap Entrance; and at the Dickey Ridge Visitor Center, which is only a few miles south of the Front Royal (North) Entrance.  The Dickey Ridge Visitor Center has a small gift shop and a few educational exhibits on the Park. 

Stribling Orchard is a beautiful orchard operated by the Stribling family for several generations. When you check in, make sure to get the map of the orchard so you can park near the trees where you plan to pick.  Don’t forget to stop by the charming store where you can buy several jams and honey from the beehives located in the orchard.  There are picnic tables available in case you just can’t wait until you get home to eat your fresh apples or the yummy bakery items.