Day Trips and Excursions

Washington, D.C. is central to many oif the United States' most important historic attractions.  Attendees who come early or stay late can visit the places where the fight for freedom began. Bring the family, and let them learn about the founding fathers and settlers who came to the shores of the Atlantic, looking for new frontiers and horisonz. Select from one or more of the locations we recommend for your added enjoyment and enrichment.

Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis, MD

Just drive 30 miles (45 minutes) east on Route 50 at Exit 24, and you will find yourself at the Capital of the great state of Maryland. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay, the quaint and historic old town of Annapolis will take your breath away. The harbor view alone is worth the effort. Ships of all sizes and types bob up and down in their moorings, providing an opportunity to use up many rolls of film. This quaint village is alive with activity all year round, offering shopping opportunities, fine dining on the water, and rustic homes and buildings dating back to the early 1800s. The historic state capitol building overlooks this peaceful gem of a city, buttressed by the U.S. Naval Academy. You will find there are so many things to see and do that you will wonder why you didn’t take more days off to enjoy the area.

If you prefer to stretch your legs and see the most significant places, there are many tours to accommodate your desires. Guides dressed in colonial garb will help you discover the history of Annapolis and the U.S. Naval Academy. Daily tours run from April through October starting at 10:30 a.m. from the Visitors Center located at 26 West Street and at 1:30 p.m. from the Information Booth located at the City Dock. The Naval Academy Guide Service located at Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center provides walking tours of the Academy from March through November, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. Armel-Leftwich Visitor Center, 52 King George Street, (410) 263-2344, www.navyonline.com. Also visit www.usna.edu/museum for more information.

If you prefer to view the area from the water, Watermark Cruises offers both a 40 and 90 minute narrated boat tours and “Day on the Bay” cruises to St. Michaels, Rock Hall and Baltimore that leave from Annapolis Harbor. Contact Tour Information at (410) 268-7600 or visit the website at www.watermarkcruises.com.

Baltimore’s Inner Harbor

If your wanderlust wants to take you from one bustling city to another, drive 45 miles from D.C. north on Interstate 95. Spend the day in the exciting Inner Harbor, which offers 100s of shopping opportunities, fine dining and great views of the water. Harborplace and The Gallery rank as this city’s number one tourist attractions. Points of interest include the American Visionary Art Museum, the Baltimore Maritime Museum, Fort McHenry National Park/Monument, the newly-expanded Maryland Science Center, the Museum of Industry, the National Aquarium, the Marine Mammal Pavilion, Port Discovery Children’s Museum, and the Pride of Baltimore II, a schooner replica. Tours of visiting tall ships and navy vessels are also available at this seaboard location.

Gettysburg, PA

For all of you Civil War buffs that have never visited these historic places, please take the effort to drive to the battlefields. The first of these four is Gettysburg, which is about a 80 mile drive on US 15 from downtown Frederick, MD into Pennsylvania. If you decide to take this trip, plan on leaving early in the morning so that you can absorb all of the Gettysburg Civil War Trail to the somber battlefield. Note that this National Park closes at 5 p.m. Your visit should also include a tour of the town of Gettysburg, the Rupp House and other interesting shops and attractions. Visit these websites for updated information: CivilWarTraveler.com, www.friendsofgettysburg.org, www.nps.gov/gett, and www.gettysburg.com.

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

The small and picturesque Harpers Ferry area, 70 miles from Washington, D.C., has served in a pivotal role in several events that impacted the nation’s history. This city, on the border of Maryland and West Virginia, was made famous by John Brown’s raid on the U.S. Arsenal here. Brown believed if he captured enough guns and armed slaves, they would unite into an army and throw off the yoke of what he called “Southern Oppression.” Brown was caught and most of his band of men was killed. Since the 1950s, the National Park Service has tried to rehabilitate and restore the town while at the same time interpret its historical importance to the nearly 2 million people who visit it each year.

Monticello

Located near Charlottesville, VA, Monticello is 115 miles or a four-hour drive from D.C. Monticello is the autobiographical masterpiece of Thomas Jefferson, designed and redesigned and built and rebuilt for more than 40 years. Thomas Jefferson called Monticello his “essay in architecture.” Reflecting the genius and versatility of its creator, Jefferson’s Monticello is a monument to a scrupulous interest in architecture, landscaping, agriculture and domestic comforts. The remarkable house, one of America’s most famous, is filled with ingenious devices and mementos of this revered founding father. Jefferson, the only architect ever to serve as president, believed this house was his individual exploration and expression of classical architecture. The home and plantation features extensive grounds, romantic gardens, and elegant furnishings, along with some of Jefferson’s prized personal belongings. Guided tours are available throughout the year, and include visits to the outdoor gardens and plantation offered during your trip to D.C. in April. Visit www.monticello.org for more information.

Mount Vernon

Just outside of Washington and only 14 miles away, this historic mansion of our first president is remarkable, due to its colorfulness and original heirlooms. The view of the Potomac from this site will align your thoughts with George Washington’s and confirm his rationale for choosing this prime spot as his estate. Your visit should include the Greenhouse, Slave Quarters, the George Washington Museum, Archaeology and Restoration Museum, Slave Memorial and Washington’s Tomb. Outdoors, you can experience a tour of the gardens, hike the Forest Trail and visit the Pioneer Farmer site. The newest additions include a working 18th century mill at George Washington’s Gristmill, and the new Ford Orientation Center and the Donald W. Reynolds’ Museum and Education Center (opening October 2006).

Chesapeake Bay

Exploring the Chesapeake Bay

The Bay is only 70 miles away and can be reached in about an hour and a half by car. Travel to the east means exploring the Chesapeake Bay. Day cruises are available from the Baltimore’s Harbor Place docks and should not be missed. Make sure you take time to visit the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD. From learning the oyster trade to the art of ship building, this museum makes the bay accessible through real people, real work and original exhibits. By the time you’re done, you’ll feel like a native.

Maryland’s Eastern Shore

With spots as close as an hour away and as far as almost four, the shore along the Chesapeake Bay can offer just about anything. Whether you crave a day of some of the nation’s best deep sea fishing, or want to relax on a quiet beach, the Chesapeake and Eastern shore have definitely got it. The Eastern Shore is probably most famous for its crabs. With the Chesapeake once again producing some of the biggest and most delicious blue crabs, a stop by a classic Maryland crab shack is a must if you visit the region. The Eastern Shore is also very well known for its wildlife. With several wildlife refuges, there are tremendous concentrations of rare animals, especially birds.

Rehoboth Beach

Rehoboth Beach is located 120 miles from D.C. on the Delaware shore of the Atlantic. This beautiful summer get away is less than a three hour drive due east from D.C.. Rehoboth stakes claim to one of the nation’s most well known boardwalks. With boardwalk fries, funnel cake, games, amusement parks, and anything else you can imagine, this boardwalk is home to some great beach characters. Rehoboth is a favorite escape for Washingtonians with the beach bug. It is a great spot to escape the humidity and hustle and bustle of the city and relax on a beautiful beach.

Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown

Take a step back in time and visit the Historic Triangle of Williamsburg, Jamestown and Yorktown, where our country established its roots in the 17th century. Located 150 miles from D.C., you will learn about the site of the first official Thanksgiving, enjoy the history, the food and the fun. Period costumes of the local residents and shop owners add to the colonial ambiance of this area.

Williamsburg was the thriving capital of Virginia when the dream of American freedom and independence was taking shape. Thanks in large part to philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., Colonial Williamsburg is the best preserved colonial city in America. From 1699 to 1780, Williamsburg was the political, cultural and educational center of what was then the largest, most populous and most influential of the American colonies. It was here that the fundamental concepts of our republic — responsible leadership, a sense of public service, self-government, and individual liberty — were nurtured under the leadership of patriots such as George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, George Mason and Peyton Randolph. Today, more than 85 percent of the 18th-century capital’s original colonial town is open to the public.

Stop at the Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center and discover the way the early settlers spent their first days on this continent, the difficulties they endured and the lifestyle they established. Just walking along the streets of these towns and visiting the homes they constructed will leave your decorating penchants room to expand your plans for refurbishing your own house. If ever there was a place to utilize some acquisition therapy, this is it. In addition to the quaint shops that offer unique gifts, artifacts, antiques and the like, Prime Outlets at Williamsburg, Patriot Plaza Premium Outlets and the Williamsburg Outlet Mall which has more than 150 outlet stores, will tempt your wallet. Plan on visiting the Williamsburg Pottery and the Williamsburg Candle Factory as well.