Top 10 Weekend Trips from Washington DC

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1.  Rehoboth/Dewey/Bethany Beaches 
123 miles...2 1/2 hours 
Couples/College/Families - there's a beach for everyone at DC's closest Atlantic Beaches. Choose from rental houses, townhouses, condos, hotels, inns and bed and breakfasts. 

2.  Virginia Beach  
156 miles...3 hours
Great boardwalk, lots of hotels, a haunted house, mini golf and even whale watching!  Visit Norfolk and Hampton on your way.

3.  Ocean City 
147 miles...3 hours 
One of Travel Channels' favorite boardwalks with 10 miles of free beach, restaurants, taffy, shopping, surf fishing, and more.  

4.  Annapolis 
32 miles...45 min 
Home of the Naval Academy, this charming Chesapeake Bay town is the sailing capital of the U.S.  Watch boats coast along ego alley while eating local seafood!

5.  Eastern Shore (St. Michaels/Oxford/Easton) 
81 miles...1 1/2 hours
 Walk these charming, (dog friendly) nautical towns with quaint shops, gourmet restaurants, sailing, upscale B and B's. 

6.  Baltimore's Inner Harbor 
30 miles...40 min
Keep the kids busy with a visit to the National Aquarium, IMAX, Port Discovery Children's Museum, water taxi, and Maryland Science Center. 

 

7.  Virginia's Hunt Country  
46 miles...1 hour
Head west to Middleburg, the heart of Virginia's Hunt Country.  After the Steeplechase races, visit the cozy shops and taverns in town and tour the Alpaca and Lavender farms.  

8.  Kings Dominion 
85 miles...1 1/2 hours
Virginia's Premier Amusement Park with RIDES, RIDES, RIDES.  New for 2012 = Windseeker, a 300 foot tall ride.  

9.  Colonial Williamsburg/Busch Gardens 
150 miles...2 1/2 hours 
Spend a couple of days immersed in American history, then drive to Busch Gardens for thrilling rides through Old Europe. 

10. Charlottesville 
116 miles...2 hours 
There's more to Thomas Jefferson's home town than Monticello.  Soak up the sun at the historic Downtown Mall, one of the largest pedestrian zones in VA with over 120 shops and 30 restaurants. 

11.  Appalachian Trail/Shenandoah Nat'l Park 

72 miles...1 hour
Hike past spectacular views, over 500 miles of trails including 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail.

12.  Ellicott City, MD 
37 miles...1/2 hour
Walk this quaint town lined with quirky shops, inns and one of a kind restaurants. Great stop to/from Baltimore.

13.  Atlantic City  
189 mi...3 1/2 hours
It's more than casinos!  Atlantic City boasts over 17 top spas and delivers heart pumping shows.  Don't forget the ocean.  Named Best Boardwalk by USA Today. 

14.  Take the Ferry to Cape May
150 miles...4 hours
Drive onto the Lewes-Cape May ferry and sit back and relax for the 85 minute scenic crossing of the Delaware Bay past lighthouses to this charming Atlantic Seaside Resort town. 

15.  Gettysburg 
78 miles...1 1/2 hour
Visit the most haunted place in America.  Aside from the civil war grounds, Gettysburg offers murder mystery dinners, ghost walks, candlelight tours and haunted inns.  Boo!  

 

16.  Antiquing in Frederick, MD 
47 miles...1 hour
Where else can you visit 200 dealers in an 8 block area?  And don't forget to stop by New Market, MD too!

17.  Virginia's Wine Country 
60-90 miles...1 hour
Pack a baguette and brie and spend a weekend of vineyard hopping from Tarara's Cave to Pearmund Cellar's Barrel Tastings.  Northern Virginia alone has over 70 vineyards.  Cheers.  

18.  Philadelphia  
150 miles...2 1/2 hours
Shop, Play, have a Philly cheese steak sandwich and see the Liberty Bell.  Don't miss the Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival, Sat. May 19th, 2012 and the grand opening of Kimpton's Hotel Monaco Philadelphia Fall 2012. 

19. Amish Country 
100-125 miles....2 hours
 Travel to a simpler way of life in Pennsylvania's Dutch Country with covered bridges, one room schoolhouses, handmade quilts, and shoofly pie.  Hershey Amusement park isn't far as well as Lancaster shopping outlets.

20.  Longwood Gardens  
110 miles...2 hours 
THE place for gardening and landscaping ideas.  Musical performances including Kevin Bacon in 2012.  Great to pair with a visit to Philadelphia if time permits. 

Oooops.  I guess we listed more than 10.  
Happy Road Trip Traveling!