Delaware Seashore State Park

Escape for a day of relaxation and fun at the beach.

Delaware Seashore State Park (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Delaware Seashore State Park (137 miles, 2 hours 53 minutes)

• Swim and sunbathe
• Surf, skim board, or body board
• Have a picnic on the beach
• Build a sandcastle or bury a family member in the sand
• Go clamming or crabbing in specified areas (check with Park Office for details)
• If you are lucky, see dolphins

THINGS TO KNOW:

This day trip is perfect for anyone who wants to visit the beach, but doesn't feel the need to spend a lot of time there.  While it can be a lot of driving in one day, if you time it right you may have all the kids sleeping peacefully on the way home and you save yourself the effort of packing an over-night bag and the expense of a hotel.

Delaware Seashore State Park is affordable and convenient.  The cost is $8 for out-of-state visitors, but includes access to bathhouses with showers and changing rooms.  This is an important aspect for our family.  The showers are not glamorous (you have to push a button to turn the water on every 10 seconds), but they get the job done so you don't have to drive 3 hours home sitting (and chafing) in sandy clothes. 

There are two ocean swimming areas at Delaware Seashore State Park, Tower Ocean Road and South Inlet Day Area.  Tower Ocean Road is the best option if you enjoy or are interested in trying surfing.  Our family really enjoyed the day we spent at the South Inlet Day Area.  Both areas have bathhouses.  

If you want to save yourself the effort of packing beach equipment or don't want to bother purchasing beach gear that will only be used once a year, you can rent chairs for $5 and umbrellas for $12 to use all day.  There are also concessions available at both swimming areas.  Regardless of whether you buy or bring your own food, you'll have to take your own trash out of the park.

Our family enjoys visiting Delaware Seashore State Park because we like visiting the beach without the commercialism of a boardwalk.  However, the park is only about 10 minutes away from Dewey Beach and about 15 minutes away from Rehoboth Beach where we can find the typical beach stores if we need to purchase body boards or sand castle supplies on the way to the beach.  

We recommend staying until 4:00 p.m.  By the time you pack up and shower (be aware that there may be lines for the shower at this time),  it will be time for dinner.  There are plenty of great places to eat along Delaware 1.  After a full day in the sun and a good dinner, the kids will be sufficiently prepared to sleep on the way home.  And best of all, you just masterfully avoided traffic on the beltway! 

Bull Run

Visit the Manassas National Battlefield Park in Manassas, VA.  See the location where the Battles of Bull Run (First Manassas) and Second Bull Run (Second Manassas) were fought.  Then go to Bull Run Regional Park to cool off Atlantis Waterpark.

Manassas National Battlefield Park (Point B) and Atlantis Waterpark (Point C)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Manassas National Battlefield Park (31 miles, 39 minutes)

• Explore the Henry Hill Visitor Center when it opens at 8:30 a.m.
• Watch the park's 45 minutes orientation film
• Hike the 5.4 mile First Manassas Trail loop (blue dashes on map) and see the battlefield where newly formed Union and Confederate armies clashed for the first time, the Stone Bridge, the Bull Run, the Stone House, and the spot where Brigadier General Thomas J. Jackson earned his nickname "Stonewall" (Note: a future post will feature the Battle of Second Manassas) 
• Picnic at the Brownsville Picnic Area, off of Groveton Road   

First Manassas Battlefield

Stone Bridge

First Manassas Trail

Stone House

2.  Atlantis Waterpark (6 miles, 13 minutes)

• Play in the water, ride waterslides, and sun bathe for the rest of the afternoon (closes at 7:00 p.m.)

THINGS TO KNOW:

Walking through Manassas National Battlefield Park is an opportunity to appreciate the beauty of the area in which we live, but if you take the time to go to the visitor center, you’ll develop a new appreciation for the area and the significant events that occurred here.  The movie at this visitor center is definitely worth the time.  You’ll also find water fountains, restrooms, and a gift shop at the visitor center.  There is a fee to visit the park, unless you have the annual National Parks Pass. 

The hike will take you through fields and forests.  Bring your sun block and bug repellant.  You’ll go up and down some hills, but nothing too difficult.  (If you’re not up to the hike, ask the visitor center about the driving tour of the park.)  After spending a couple of hours hiking the grounds and learning about the buildings and the Battle of First Manassas, you’ll probably worked up an appetite.  But don’t pull out your picnic just yet; the park only allows picnicking in specific picnic locations and if you’ve followed First Manassas Trail, you’re a few miles away from the picnic area.

If you’ve decided to pack a picnic, get in your car and drive to either the Brownsville Picnic Area or go straight to Atlantis Waterpark.  The waterpark does not permit you to bring your own food, so you’ll have to picnic on the grass near the parking lot.  If you’d prefer to buy lunch, Atlantis does have a café where they sell a variety of fast food.

Atlantis Waterpark is a great place for kids to play, but there’s also some fun for the adults.  Check the website for admission fees; discounts are given if you’ve decided to camp in the park and they’re also given for admission to the park after 4:00 pm. (weekdays only).  There’s quite a few rules at the park that you may want to familiarize yourself with prior to visiting (such as where non-toilet trained children are allowed to play, no water guns in the pool, no sunglasses on the waterslide, etc.).  

Gathland, Bluberries, Harpers Ferry

Visit Gathland State Park and Harpers Ferry National Historic Park.  Some people prefer to visit the two parks while hiking the Appalachian Trail, we chose to visit the parks by car--allowing plenty of time to sightsee at both locations and pick blueberries in between.  

Gathland State Park (Point B), Frog Eye Farm (Point C), Harpers Ferry National Historic Park (Point D)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Explore Gathland State Park (62 miles, 1 hour 17 minutes)

• See the War Correspondent's Arch, a national historic monument
• Visit the remnant estate of George Alfred Townsend, a Civil War and perhaps first syndicated journalist
• Walk through the small museum, featuring artifacts of Townsend's life and career and artifacts from the Battle of South Mountain, the first major battle of the Civil War fought in Maryland

War Correspondent's Arch 

Townsend Estate/Museum

2.  Pick your own organic blueberries at Frog Eye Farm (4 miles, 8 minutes)

Blueberries at Frog Eye Farm

Frog Eye Farm

3.  Visit Harpers Ferry National Historic Park (8 miles, 13 minutes) and walk in the foot steps of various prominent Americans

• Stop at the Visitor Center to pick-up maps
• Take the shuttle Lower Town
• Eat lunch at Hannah's Train Depot
• Walk through town, stopping to see various town life, industry, Civil War, natural history, and African American history museums
• Hike about 0.5 mile (roundtrip) to Jefferson Rock, made famous by Thomas Jefferson's description of the convergence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers.
• If time and energy, cross the footbridge and hike the more difficult 4 mile (roundtrip) Overlook Cliff Trail for a great view of Harpers Ferry from the other side the Potomac River
• Take the shuttle back to your car
• If desired, drive to Bolivar Heights, site of the largest Civil War battle in West Virginia

Harpers Ferry Lower Town

Jefferson Rock 

Bolivar Heights

THINGS TO KNOW:

Gathland State Park is an interesting park.  The structures there are beautiful and would provide a nice backdrop for a photo shoot.  The museums are small, but informative.  It’s interesting to learn about journalism at the time of the Civil War and the roll that these writers played in our Nation’s history.  The museums are closed in the winter; check the website for specifics.  Don’t forget your bug spray, preferably something that repels gnats.  There are picnic tables at the park and restrooms are available; but don’t worry, there’s also restrooms available everywhere else along the route.

Frog Eye Farm is a serene little farm you don’t want to miss.  The owner was helpful and friendly, the blueberries were delicious (and organic), and there are places to just stop and sit down to relax and enjoy your blueberries.  Even if you don’t like blueberries, stop by this farm and pick a few to give to your neighbor.  Blueberry season is June – August, but varies slightly every year so make sure to check their website to make sure the berries are ready to be picked before you go. To get there from Gathland State Park, look for Frog Eye Road off Rt. 67; it’s a small road that’s easy to pass, so watch closely.  The road will turn into a dirt road and curve to the left.  When we went, there were small signs low to the ground that had pictures of blueberries and arrows making sure you find the driveway to the farm.  Bring cash or check to pay for the blueberries and a Tupperware container to take them home.

Harper’s Ferry is unlike most National Parks because it is a town.  There are lots of buildings that you can step into and learn various aspects of daily life during the civil war.   You’ll learn about why this town was important during the Civil War and how many times it changed hands over the course of the war.  In addition to the buildings that have been set aside for historical and educational purposes, you’ll also find plenty of modern shops, restaurants, and private residences.  The National Park Service (NPS) provides a shuttle from the visitor center because the town can’t accommodate the cars of all the visitors.  If you don’t want to take the shuttle, you won’t be stopped from driving there yourself and trying to find parking.  We recommend following the advice of the NPS and taking the shuttle unless you are visiting off-season.

The town is set right on a mountainside and there are steep hills.  If you’re not interested in the dealing with the hills, you’ll find plenty to do and see along Shenandoah Street, which is nice and flat.  Strollers aren’t terribly easy in this place: they’re awkward to get on and off the crowded shuttle, only to try to push them over cobblestone streets, and then drag them up two or three odd-sized steps to get into a building where you’ll find that there isn’t really much space for a stroller.  It’s not impossible to have stroller, but our advice is to skip it if your child is either small enough to be carried or big enough to walk on their own.   Bringing a picnic into the park via the shuttle is also not easy as the bus prohibits food and coolers.  For that reason, we suggest eating lunch at a restaurant in the town once you get off the shuttle (Hannah’s Train Depot on Potomac Street is a great place).  If you need to eat a lunch for home, we suggest eating it at either the Blueberry Farm prior to Harper’s Ferry. The hike to Jefferson Rock is short, but rather steep, so be prepared to climb quite a few steps and walk up hills.  It is a beautiful view and worth the effort.

When you get on the shuttle during the summer, Boliver Heights is the first stop on your way to Lower Town (the shuttle doesn’t take you there in the fall/winter).  When you get off the shuttle at Boliver Heights, you are required to stay there until another shuttle comes along.  During a busy day, you may be required to wait for several shuttles to come and go before there is room for you to board and go onto the main attraction.  For that reason, we suggest you stay on the bus and go right to the town.  When you’ve seen all you want to see at Lower Town, take the shuttle back to your car and drive up the hill to Boliver Heights.  You’ll find several signs describing why it is significant and a couple of different paths to follow, based on your interest level and time constraints.

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.