Romantic Stay in Arlington

Take your spouse on a romantic night away.  You don't have to go too far to have a relaxing weekend.

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Check in at the Hyatt Arlington, a really nice hotel with beautiful rooms


2.  Spend the afternoon/evening in Georgetown:

• Walk across Key Bridge to Georgetown
• Wander through the Francis Scott Key Park on your way to buy amazing cupcakes at Georgetown Cupcake
• Take your cupcakes and eat them at the Georgetown Waterfront Park
• Stroll up and down the Potomac River
• Share a pizza for dinner at il Canale
• Walk back to the hotel along M Street, enjoying the many shops and sites
• Time your walk in order to watch the sun set on the Potomac from the middle of Key Bridge

Georgetown Walking Path
(Point B - Francis Scott Key Park, Point C - Georgetown Cupcakes,
Point D - Georgetown Waterfront Park, Point E - il Canale, Point F - Hyatt Arlington)

3.  Wake up early and eat a picnic breakfast while watching the sun rise over Washington, D.C. (the U.S. Marine Corps War Memorial and Netherlands Carillon are both close by and both great spots)

4.  Return to the hotel (relax) and then check out of the hotel


5.  Return to Georgetown and take a Washington Monument Cruise (roundtrip to Old Town Alexandria) and see the Jefferson Memorial, John F. Kennedy Center, the Washington Monument, Memorial Bridge, and the 14th Street Bridge along the way


6.  Stop over and spend the afternoon/evening in Old Town Alexandria

• Walk to the Ramsay House Visitor Center (pick-up a map and brochures of the area)
• Go take a tour of the Gadsby's Tavern Museum, temporary quarters of George and Martha Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams
• Visit The Lyceum, a city historical museum with two galleries, historical exhibits of Alexandria, and a gift shop
• Stop and see the bronze sculpture, The Confederate Soldier
• Stroll over to the Old Presbyterian Meeting House and see a marker commemorating the Unknown Soldier of the Revolutionary War
• Stroll down Price Street to Waterfront Park to see a scenic view of the river
• Visit the Torpedo Factory Art Center, previously used to manufacture torpedoes during World War I and II and now houses the studios of about 160 artists
• Go on a romantic stroll along Alexandria's waterfront

Old Town Alexandria Walking Path
(Point B - Ramsay House Visitor Center, Point C - Gadsby's Tavern Museum,
Point D - The Lyceum, Point E - Old Presbyterian Meeting House, Point F - Waterfront Park,
Point G - Torpedo Factory Art Center, Point H - Founders Park)

7.  Take the boat back to Georgetown to end your weekend getaway

THINGS TO KNOW:

Plan to spend this romantic getaway walking hand-in-hand with your spouse-this adventure requires no car, but it does require comfortable shoes.  This overnight trip is the perfect way to spend quality time together and reconnect.  

The Hyatt Arlington is a reasonably priced hotel with clean and beautifully decorated rooms.  It is the perfect hub for a romantic weekend, given it is close to so many wonderful things to see and do.  Either take the Metro to the hotel (steps away from Rosslyn Metro Station) or park your car at the Hyatt (for a fee).  You won't need your car for approximately 24 hours.  If you park at the hotel, verify how long you can leave your car in the garage without paying extra fees.

Check into your hotel as early as you can to give yourself time to enjoy Georgetown.  Make a beeline for Georgetown Cupcake.  We were surprised to see a long line extending out the shop door and up the road; however, the line moved pretty quick and the cupcakes were delicious and worth the wait.  We chose to buy our cupcakes before dinner to avoid the dessert crowd and enjoyed eating them on the edge of the Potomac River.  We then went on a walk before dinner.  Il Canale had great food-the pizza is authentic Neapolitan prepared by an Italian-born chef.  We were not only impressed with the quality of the food, but also with the atmosphere and the service.  

On the way back to the hotel, we stopped by a convenience store to grab some quick and easy breakfast items for the next morning.  Watching the sun rise over the city is magnificent and is definitely something everyone should do at least once (if not many times).   

One of the great things about living in or near D.C. is living so close to the monuments that celebrate the great people and great moments of our history.  But driving by them so frequently, sometimes they become simply a background.  The boat ride you will take from Georgetown to Old Town Alexandria provides you with an opportunity to step back and see the monuments from a different perspective than what you see every day.   Whether in a different light or a different altitude, these different vantage points help to regain an appreciation for what surrounds us.  

When you arrive at Old Town Alexandria, you can either stay on the boat and return to Georgetown or debark and enjoy the area.  If you have time, we recommend taking a tour of Old Town.  Customize your time in Alexandria based when you need to return home.  The boat operates well into the evening, so there's no rush.  If you decide to stay until evening, you will find a great selection of places to eat dinner.

Natural Bridge, VA

Spend a night or two in Natural Bridge, VA.  Natural Bridge is 3 hours and 25 minutes southwest of Washington, D.C.

Washington, D.C. to Natural Bridge, VA (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:

1.  Natural Bridge/Lexington KOA

• Camp
• Swim in the pool
• Play chess on the giant chess set
• Enjoy the evening sitting around the campfire

2.  Natural Bridge

• Drive to Natural Bridge (4.2 miles from campsite) 
• Hike the 2 mile round trip Cedar Creek Nature Trail and see the Natural Bridge (if you don't want to hike the entire trail, at minimum walk to the Natural Bridge which is within the first 1/3 mile of the hike)
• Visit the Native American Village and learn about the Monacan Indians
• Other things to do include: Natural Bridge Caverns, Butterfly Garden, Drama of Creation (we didn't pay for or have time to do these things)

3.  Foamhenge

• Stop and see this quirky foam replica of Stonehenge on your way to or from the Natural Bridge
• Take pictures with your phone's camera and surprise friends and family who thought you went camping in VA

4.  Virginia Safari Park

• Visit this hilarious drive-thru zoo, located right next to your campsite (see my Day Trip blog for more details)

THINGS TO KNOW:

The KOA campsite is beautiful with plenty of trees for shade and keeping cool.  It is nicely laid out with nice-sized campsites.  Even the sites for the tents have electricity, which comes in handy for recharging all the gadgets that make road travel a little easier. 

Natural Bridge is a place that will leave you with a sense of awe.  It is a little commercialized with a large gift shop and all the additional attractions, but it is worth the trip.  You’ll start at the gift shop to buy your tickets (or buy them in advance online), and you’ll be given directions to the Cedar Creek Nature Trail which will take you to the Natural Bridge and the Native American Village and then ends overlooking a waterfall.  By the time you get to the beginning of the trail, you’ll feel that you’ve left the majority of the commercialism behind you and you’ll find the trail peaceful and beautiful.  You’ll find people dressed in Native American clothing working in the village and they have a wealth of information they’ll happily share with you.  Before you pay for your tickets, ask about or look online for discounts or bundle packages for the Bridge and other attractions. 

Foamhenge is just a funny place altogether.  In fact, it was built as an April Fools Joke in 2004 and is still standing.  It is exactly what it sounds like: a replica of Stonehenge built out of foam and put right in the middle of Virginia.  We weren’t expecting to find this place and kept asking ourselves “Why is this here?”  We finally realized that it’s not a question “Why?” so much as a question of “Why not?”  It is free and open to the public.  There isn’t a lot of parking and advertising for it, but it is easy to find and just right off the road.  Park your car and walk up the hill to see it up close.  

West Virginia Mountain Getaway

Stay in a wonderful little cabin in Simoda, WV, which is only 3 hours and 15 minutes away from Washington, D.C.  

Washington, D.C. to Simoda, WV (Point B)

THINGS TO DO:  

1.  Spruce Knob-Seneca Rocks National Recreation Area

Seneca Rocks

• Visit Seneca Rocks Discovery Center (11.9 miles north of the cabin)
• Hike to the observation deck at the top of Seneca Rocks (3 miles round trip, 1,000 feet ascent)
• Hike to the tower on top of Spruce Knob, the highest mountain in WV (9.7 miles west of the cabin) 

View from Spruce Knob

2.  Seneca Caverns

• Walk through the cavern (7.7 miles northeast of the cabin)
• Buy mining rough from gift shop and pan for gemstones, fossils, or arrowheads




Panning Area (Entrance to Caverns in Background)

3.  Cass Scenic Railroad State Park

• Visit the little town of Cass (43.1 miles southwest of the cabin)
• Glance in the Railroad and Logging History Museum
• Take a picnic and ride the train to Bald Knob Run, the third highest point in WV (take cash to by snacks at the Whitaker stop)
• Shop at the Cass Company Store afterwards (buy some ice cream)

Picnicking at Bald Knob Run

4.  Blackwater Falls State Park

Blackwater Falls

• Hike to Blackwater Falls (46.2 miles north of the cabin)
• Hike to Elakala Falls
• Hike to Lindy Point Overlook

THINGS TO KNOW:

Spruce Knob's observation tower in the Monogohelia National Forest is the highest point in West Virginia.  It is free and definitely worth the drive to the observation tower.  There is a short, easy walk from the parking lot on a gravel walkway to the observation tower.  The tower is 2 flights of stairs up, no elevator.  There is a 1/2 mile "hike" that begins at the base of the tower.   This pathway is just as easy as the path to the tower.  There are 3 or 4 gorgeous places to stop and sit or climb around on some rocks while you enjoy the great view.  There are also several picnic tables.  There is no visitor center nearby, but there are some restrooms.

Seneca Rocks is also part of Monongohelia National Forest.  Admission is free.  The Discovery Center consists of a 12 minute video, a few interesting and informative displays about the animal and plant life in the area, a decent gift shop, and a little learning area for young children with picture books and puppets (oh yeah, let's not forget the important stuff: clean restrooms, diaper changing stations, and water fountains).

You can begin the hike to Seneca Rocks at the Discovery Center, but don't let anyone fool you--that's not where the trailhead is.  From the Discovery Center, you'll walk a quarter of a mile or so on a sidewalk that leads you through the parking lot of the Sites' Homestead.  The trailhead is just opposite of the home site.  The hike is a challenge and a great workout, but it is do-able.  At the observation deck you stand with the rocks to your back and have a beautiful view of the valley below.  It is a fun hike with switch-backs, steep climbs, and stairs in some places.  There are places to stop and rest on the way up, but there are not any overlooks and views of the distance until you reach the observation deck at the very end of the trail.  The best view of the rocks themselves is actually from the parking lot of the Discovery Center.

Seneca Caverns is several miles away from Seneca Rocks.  It is privately owned and only open seasonally and for several days a week--check the hours before you go.  The guided tour for the cavern starts inside the gift shop where the tourists are handed hardhats (for those of you who have hat-sharing concerns, we noticed that they did spray the hats after each use).  They come in useful for the times when the ceiling is low.  This cavern is more primitive than Lurray Caverns.  There are a few sets of stairs, several narrow openings, and low ceilings.  The walkway is entirely unpaved (a fact that Seneca Caverns employees are proud of), but it is not physically demanding.  It can get cool, so layers of clothing are a good idea but not imperative.  Carrying a child in a hiking backpack is difficult due to the low ceilings.

In addition to the caverns, there are also a few other minor attractions.  There is a structure set up to pan for gemstones.  Purchase a bag of mining rough from the gift shop and take it outside to search for a treasure.  The gift shop guarantees that each bag will provide something.  Chose a bag labeled “gemstones,” “arrowheads,” “fossils,” or “emeralds.”  This was a huge hit with our kids.  No need to wear any sort of special clothing for this event.  The other attractions offered are: a restaurant, a small and very simple put-put golf course, and a playground and picnic area (none of which we utilized, so we can’t tell you much about them).

Cass Scenic Railroad State Park's museum is small (only one room) but it provides a lot of facts about the railroad and the town.  Be prepared to invest time there if you want to develop an understanding of the history.  The displays are informative, but they are not a quick, easy read.  The information provides perspective on where the train will take you, so if this interests you, allow yourself the time to read through it.  The general store has a lot of fun souvenirs, as well as ice cream for sale and public restrooms in the back.

The train itself is an open-car train with wooden benches to sit on.   It is general seating and people begin boarding about 30 minutes early.  We were among the last riders on the train and the only seats left were right by the engine, which our kids loved.  There is an announcer providing a lot of information throughout the entire ride, but we had a hard time hearing him, and I’m wondering if the proximity to the engine was the cause.  The train whistle is LOUD and a fun highlight for the kids.  Be prepared for the soot to rain on you if you stand up and look out the windows.  If you want to avoid the soot, you’re probably pretty safe if you stay seated on the bench in the middle of the car.  Layers of clothing are a good idea in case you find the breeze a little chilly.

There are two trips you can take: 1) a trip up to Whittaker Train Station and then back to the Cass Station, or 2) a longer trip which stops at Whittaker for about 30 minutes, then continues on to the top of the mountain where you can get off and look around for about 45 minutes, then returns to Cass without a stop at Whittaker.  We chose to go all the way to the top and we were glad we did so we could enjoy the view.  However, if we’d only gone as far as Whittaker, we would’ve felt satisfied with a fun train ride and a nice view.  There is a snack shop at Whittaker, but nothing available for sale at the top.  Take cash if you want to buy something.  There is plenty of time for a picnic at either stop.

The three hikes we did in Blackwater Falls State Park are mainly in the shade and are fairly easy. As you drive to the Lindy Point trailhead, there is a sign about 1 mile before the parking lot which leads people to believe they need a 4-wheel-drive to make it there.  This sign is misleading.  The point where you need a 4-wheel vehicle is actually beyond the Lindy Point trailhead, so don't worry about driving the mile and parking next to the trailhead.  The parking lot for the Lindy Point trail only has room for about 4 cars, so be prepared to park further away if it’s crowded.  While there was no waterfall to be seen from the Lindy Point Overlook, it was a great view.  The Elakala Falls trailhead is in the parking lot of the lodge (plenty of parking).  It is a small waterfall with a bridge going right over the top so you can see the water on both sides of you.  The Blackwater Falls is a more impressive size, but you can’t get quite as close to it.  That particular hike is mainly stairs--more than 200--but it’s worth the view.  That trailhead is in the parking lot of the Trading Post--also plenty of parking.