Day Trip(s): Staycation

Has sequestration dampened your summer plans?  Are you aching for a week-long vacation, but don't have the money?  Try a staycation.  Take the week off, but do multiple affordable day trips and return home each night to save money on hotels and restaurants.


THINGS TO KNOW & DO:

Monday - Richmond, VA (108 miles, 1 hour 45 minutes)

• Eat breakfast at home
• Drive to the Civil War Visitor Center (open at 9:00 a.m.) at Tredegar Iron Works (avoid a parking fee by parking nearby, outside the park)
• If you have children, pick up and complete Junior Ranger activity booklets while exploring the visitor center
• Get information regarding and visit the most exciting (to you) sites at Richmond National Battlefield Park
• Have a picnic in the park
• Drive to the Virginia State Capitol
• Take a one-hour guided tour of the Capitol (last tour at 4:00 p.m.)
• Drive home for dinner
• Cost:  gas $35

Tuesday - Delaware Seashore State Park (132 miles, 2 hours 45 minutes)

• Leave early in the morning
• Eat breakfast on the road
• Play at the beach all day
• Eat a picnic on the beach
• Cost:  gas $45, park fee $8 (per car)

Wednesday - Rest at Home

• Movie marathon
• Local pool or play ground
• Board games
• Cost:  free

Thursday - Whiteoak Canyon Area at Shenandoah National Park (93 miles, 2 hours)

• Leave early
• Eat breakfast on the road
• Arrive at Whiteoak Parking Area Skyline Drive (mile post 42.6)
• Hike the 4.6 mile round trip to Upper Whiteoak Falls
• Swim and picnic at the falls
• Return home for dinner
• Cost:  gas $29, park entrance $15 (per car, unless you have a national park pass)

Friday - Water Park at Bohrer Park in Gaithersburg, MD (27 miles, 36 minutes) 

• Arrive when the parks open at 11:00 a.m.
• Eat a picnic lunch
• Enjoy the water park all day
• Cost:  gas $9, water park rate $6.75 (per person)

In-Town Adventure: The Yards

Spend a day along the Anacostia River, visiting the Washington Navy Yard and the Yards Park.

Washington Navy Yard (Point B) and Yards Park (Point C)

Washington Navy Yard

• Tour the National Museum of the U.S. Navy, Navy Art Collection, and Display Ship Barry (visit last) 
• Admission is free
• Open Mondays - Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays - Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (closed Mondays July - September 2013 and on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Years Day)
• Public parking is available at 7th and M Street SE (there is a fee); free parking on base is only available on the weekends (vehicle registration and proof of insurance are required)
• On weekdays, use the 11th & O Street entrance and stop at the Visitor Center; on weekends, use the 6th and M Street Gate
• Valid government-issued ID (driver's license, passport, etc.) is required for individuals above the age of 16

Yards Park

• Eat a picnic lunch, play in the water fountain and 11" deep canal, view the river from various overlooks, and lounge in the River Street Gardens
• Admission is free
• Open every day from 7:00 a.m. until 2 hours after sunset
• Regularly scheduled maintenance of fountains are on Tuesday and Fridays from 9:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Road Expedition: To Grand Canyon and Back

Parks, parks, and more parks.  Enjoy national, state, and amusement parks on your way to and from the Grand Canyon!!  (Buy a year long National Park Service pass, if you haven't already).

ITINERARY:

Washington, D.C. (Point A) to the Grand Canyon (Point N)

Day 1

• Leave early in the morning (before 7:00 a.m.)
• Drive to Limestone, TN (425 miles, 6 hours 42 minutes)
• Visit the Davy Crockett Birthplace State Historic Park (visitor center and museum close at 4:30 p.m.)
• Drive to Pigeon Forge, TN (68 miles, 1 hour 40 minutes)

Day 2

• Enjoy the day at Dollywood

Day 3

• Drive to Clingmans Dome at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (33 miles, 1 hour 1 minute)
• On the way and as time permits, drive the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, hike to Grotto Falls, and visit the Sugarlands Visitors Center
• Drive to Nashville, TN (243 miles, 4 hours 23 minutes)

Day 4

• If time and interest, consider driving past the Grand Ole Opry, the Parthenon, and the AT&T Building (known affectionately to locals as the "Batman Building") on the way out of town
• Drive to Little Rock, AR (349 miles, 5 hours 13 minutes)
• Go to the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (closes at 4:30 p.m.)

Day 5

• Drive to Hot Springs, AR (55 miles, 59 minutes)
• Visit the Hot Springs National Park and take the 11:00 a.m. tour
• Drive to Oklahoma City, OK (311 miles, 5 hours 22 minutes)
• Visit the Oklahoma City National Memorial (the memorial is free and beautiful - rangers are available at the memorial until 10:00 p.m. during the summer; the museum has a cost and closes at 6:00 p.m.)

Day 6

• Drive to Albuquerque, NM (541 miles, 8 hours 2 minutes)
• Along the way, stop in Amarillo, TX for lunch and to see Cadillac Ranch

Day 7

• Drive to McKinley, NM (157 miles, 3 hours 15 minutes)
• Visit Chaco Culture National Historical Park
• Drive to Cortez, CO (144 miles, 3 hours 17 minutes)

Day 8

• Visit Mesa Verde National Park (make reservations for a guided tour before you arrive to ensure you see what you want)

Day 9

• Drive to Teec Nos Pos, UT (50 miles, 58 minutes)
• Stand in UT, CO, NM, and AZ at the same time at the Four Corners Monument
• Drive to Grand Canyon Village (South Rim), AZ (228 miles, 3 hours 49 minutes)

Day 10

• Day at the Grand Canyon (lodging books a year in advance at the park, so plan ahead if you want to stay there)
• If you have kids, do the Junior Ranger Program

Grand Canyon (Point A) to Washington, D.C. (Point O)

Day 11

• Drive to St. George, UT (271 miles, 5 hours 1 minute)
• Get a shake at the Iceberg Drive-inn and rest

Day 12

• Drive to and visit Zion National Park (43 miles, 1 hour 1 minute)
• Take the Ride with a Ranger Shuttle Tour in the morning (seating limited)
• Consider hiking to the Emerald Pools (across from Zion Lodge) or to Weeping Rock
• Drive the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway before leaving
• Drive to Bryce Canyon, UT (84 miles, 1 hour 46 minutes)

Day 13

• Visit Bryce Canyon National Park
• At a minimum, drive to and see Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce viewpoints
• Drive to Orem, UT (233 miles, 3 hours 38 minutes)

Day 14

• Like trains?  Drive to Corinne, UT (124 miles, 2 hours 12 minutes) and visit the Golden Spike National Historic Site
• See the replica locomotives in the Engine House (if visiting on Saturday during the summer, reenactments are at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.)
• If time, take one of the auto tours
• Drive to Arco, ID (304 miles, 4 hours 45 minutes)
• See Craters of the Moon National Monument (best if visited early morning or late in the day, so if you are running late that is actually good)
• Take advantage of the programs offered at the Monument to best understand the park
• Late night drive to Idaho Falls, ID (91 miles, 1 hour 39 minutes)

Day 15

• Leave early
• Drive to and spend the day in Yellowstone National Park (159 miles, 3 hours 9 minutes)
• Stop at Midway Geyser Basin to see Grand Prismatic Basin
• Stop at Upper Geyser Basin to see Old Faithful Geyser and take the Firehole River Walk
• Drive to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and see the Upper and Lower Falls

Day 16

• Drive to Rapid City, SD (485 miles, 8 hours)
• Go to Mount Rushmore National Memorial's evening program at 9:00 p.m.

Day 17

• Hike the Presidential Trail at Mount Rushmore National Memorial to get an up-close view
• Drive to Jackson, SD (98 miles, 1 hour 39 minutes)
• Take a tour of a nuclear weapon launch control facility at the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
• Rest up for some long day drives

Day 18

• Drive to Harpers Ferry, IA (583 miles, 9 hours 3 minutes)

Day 19

• Explore the sacred grounds of Effigy Mounds National Monument
• Begin drive to Dearborn, MI (533 miles, 8 hours 38 minutes)
• See Chicago, IL along the way

Day 20

• If necessary, complete the drive to Dearborn, MI
• Visit the Ford Rouge Factory watching the assembly of Ford F-150s, visiting the multi-sensory Art of Manufacturing Theatre, learning about the Rouge at the Legacy Theatre, viewing historic vehicles, etc.
• Drive to Sandusky, OH (114 miles, 2 hours 6 minutes)

Day 21

• Celebrate 3 weeks of vacation at the roller coaster capital of the world, Cedar Point

Day 22

• Drive home (420 miles, 6 hours 56 minutes)

Road Expedition: Trip to Florida

Experience the South on your road trip to Florida...

ITINERARY:

Day 1 (preferably a Friday or Saturday)

• Drive to Appomattox, VA (193 miles, 3 hours 24 minutes)
• Visit the Appomattox Court House National Historical Park and see where the Civil War ended
• Drive to Floyd, VA (114 miles, 2 hours 19 minutes)
• In the evening, enjoy traditional Appalachian music and dancing at the Floyd Country Store

Day 2

• Drive to Charlotte, NC (143 miles, 2 hours 27 minutes)
• Eat lunch at Bar-B-Q King, as seen on Food Network (begin your comparison of BBQ restaurants in NC, SC, and GA)
• Go see the NASCAR Hall of Fame
• Drive to Charleston, SC (209 miles, 3 hours 13 minutes)

Day 3

• Explore Charleston, SC...
• See Fort Sumter National Monument to see where the Civil War began
• Visit Battery Park
• Eat at Bessinger's Bar-Be-Que
• Spend time at the beach

Day 4

• Drive to Jekyll Island, GA (194 miles, 3 hours 26 minutes)
• On the way, quickly drive through Savannah (eat lunch at Angel's BBQ and taste test the pralines from River Street Sweets at 13 E River Street and Savannah's Candy Kitchen at 225 E River Street)
• Drive and walk around Jekyll Island

Day 5

• Drive to St. Augustine, FL (115 miles, 1 hour 57 minutes)
• Take the walking tour of St. Augustine
• If time, spend time at the beach
• Drive to Orlando, FL (107 miles, 1 hour 46 minutes)

Day 6

• Spend the day at Universal Studios Florida

Day 7

• Spend the day at Universal's Island of Adventure 

Day 8

• Drive to Atlanta, GA (438 miles, 6 hours 26 minutes)
• Watch a Braves baseball game or go to the Centennial Olympic Park (see the Fountain of Rings show at (normally) 6:30 p.m. or 9:00 p.m.)

Day 9

• Spend the day at Stone Mountain Park
• If you finish early, start for home

Day 10

• Drive home (637 miles, 9 hours 55 minutes)

Road Expedition: New England Vacation

Take a 10 day vacation and visit the states of the Northeast.

ITINERARY:

Day 1

• Drive to Lewes, DE (119 miles, 2 hours 34 minutes)
• Enjoy a day at the beach

Day 2

• Take the Cape May-Lewes Ferry to Cape May, NJ (1 hour 25 minutes)
• Drive to Hoboken, NJ (155 miles, 2 hours 32 minutes)
• See Atlantic City by car along the way
• Go to Carlo's Bakery from TV's Cake Boss
• Go to Liberty State Park to see the Manhattan skyline, the Statue of Liberty, and Ellis Island
• Drive through Long Island to Montauk, NY (155 miles, 2 hours 32 minutes)

Day 3

• Explore Montauk and the Montauk Point Lighthouse
• Drive to Orient Point, NY (38 miles, 1 hour 50 minutes)
• Take the Cross Sound Ferry to New London, CT (1 hour 20 minutes)
• Drive to Plymouth, MA (110 miles, 1 hour 57 minutes)
• Along the way, stop at Providence, RI for dinner

Day 4

• Visit Plymouth Rock
• Drive to Boston, MA (40 miles, 48 minutes)
• Take a tour of Harvard University
• Catch a Red Sox game or tour Fenway Park

Day 5

• Explore Boston by walking the 2.5 mile Freedom Trail, which includes Site of Boston Massacre, Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Bunker Hill Monument, USS Constitution, and much more

Day 6

• Drive to Portsmouth, NH (58 miles, 1 hour 7 minutes)
• Spend the day at Water County Water Park

Day 7

• Drive to Portland, ME (52 miles, 54 minutes)
• See puffins on a local cruise (1-2 hours away)
• Eat Maine lobster
• See Portland Head Light

Day 8

• Drive to Waterbury, VT (231 miles, 3 hours 38 minutes)
• On the way, stop in South Royalton, VT to see the birthplace of Joseph Smith, first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Take the Ben & Jerry's Factory Tour

Day 9

• Drive to Cooperstown, NY (223 miles, 4 hours 36 minutes)
• Visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame
• Start driving to Elysburg, PA (212 miles, 3 hours 41 minutes)

Day 10

• If necessary, finish driving to Elysburg, PA
• Have a fun day at Knoebel's Amusement Park, America's largest free-admission amusement park (be sure to try the chicken and waffles!)
• When you're ready, drive home (197 miles, 3 hours 33 minutes)

Day Trip: Hunt for Shark Teeth

Spend time on the Chespeake Bay, hunting for shark teeth at Bayfront Park.

2 hours prior to low tide - Drive to Bayfront Park (38 miles, 1 hour)

• Admission - 0-2 years is free, 3-11 is $6, 12-54 is $10, 55 and older is $6 (fee only collected from Memorial Day to Labor Day)
• Find the narrow entrance leading to the small, paved parking lot
• Walk the paved path to the beach (only walkable at low tide)
• Go right to explore and find the larger shark teeth (0.5 to 1.0 inch), staying away from the cliffs which have frequent rock falls
• Take a picnic and eat lunch

Day Trip: Apple Butter Festival

Check out the Annual Apple Butter Festival during the first weekend of October in Berkeley Springs, WV (105 miles, 1 hour 59 minutes).

• Arrive in time for the parade (9:00 am)
• Attend the Turtle Race (11:00 am) and Facial Hair Contest (2:50 pm), which are the centerpiece events dating back to the first festival in 1974
• Eat prize winning apple pie and apple butter
• Walk around town, visiting various booths and exhibits and eating great food
• Listen to local "rockabilly" and "old time" bands

Washington, DC to Berkeley Springs, WV (point B)