Really Fun, Best Place for a day trip From NoVa? (Virginia Beach: rentals, houses)

[clintsullivan]

It's not much cooler here in the eastern panhandle right now, but if you haven't been it would make a good day trip.
Here's the website for the Harpers Ferry National Historic Park http://www.nps.gov/hafe/index.htm . When you go to Harpers Ferry, you have a couple of options for parking & strolling. You can park in the NPS parking area (may be a fee) and ride a bus into the lower section of town. Or you can start at the top going through Bolivar and look for street parking, although much of the street parking is reserved for local permit holders. I think there is some non-restricted area on Filmore St. The lower section is the National Park area with a small variety of interpretive exhibits like the armory building that the terrorist John Brown holed up in and the remnants of the Harpers Ferry Arsenal. At certain times there are interperative demonstrations. From the lower section at the eastern most point you can walk across the old railroad bridge and hike the C&O canal towpath if you like. If you have started in the lower section of town, you'll want to work your way along Potomac St., then High St. From there be sure to head up Church St and to Jefferson Rock. After exploring the points of interest & shops in Harpers Ferry proper, you can continue up High St. into Bolivar where there are a few more antique shops and near the end of Washington St. there is another section of the National Park known as Bolivar Heights. If you're into Civil War stuff there's lots of open field which the Park Service now owns that you can drive to on Bloomery & Bakerton Rds and look at as well.
If time allows you can check out Shepherdstown &/or Charles Town both of which are about 10 miles apart roughly in a triangle with Harpers Ferry. No admission to stroll through the towns so you can reserve your money for a good lunch.


The horse races weezy mentioned is now Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, with slots & table games. No fee to get in, but probably not what you had in mind.

Another option for another day in WV is the Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad - Where Eagles Fly! in Romney. I think the fare for all might exceed the $50 limit, but you will see eagles and some beautiful scenery while not having to do alot of hiking.

[williamLeeManServe]

[quote=weezycom;14957712]I'd give the edge to the Harper's Ferry rec. History, charm, andit will probably be a little cooler up in the mountains, as well as a pretty drive. There's also the horse races up at Charlestown that's in the same general area, so you could watch the race card and[/quot


Oh, and can you tell me the prettiest drive?

Thanks alot!

[williamLeeManServe]

Originally Posted by clintsullivan

Check out Potomac Eagle Scenic Railroad - Where Eagles Fly! in Romney. I think the fare for all might exceed the $50 limit, but you will see eagles and some beautiful scenery while not having to do alot of hiking.

It's not much cooler here in the eastern panhandle right now, but if you haven't been it would make a good day trip. You can check out Shepherdstown, Harpers Ferry &/or Charles Town all of which are about 10 miles apart roughly in a triangle. No admission to stroll through the towns so you can reserve your money for a good lunch. From Harpers Ferry you can walk across the old railroad bridge and hike the C&O canal towpath as well.
The horse races weezy mentioned is now Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, with slots & table games. No fee to get in, but probably not what you had in mind.

The railway where eagles fly looks amazing! What day trip would you do from the two?

[bmwguydc]

Having taken the railroad, if you have not taken that trip, it's well worth the time and expense. Your six-month-old might not enjoy it as much, but the adults will.

[cdmurphy]

Some things you may want to know if you're doing Harpers Ferry with a stroller: if you park at the NPS Visitor's Center, you'll have to take a shuttle down to the historic area. There are some steep hills up into the shopping/dining parts of town. Also, there are specific accessible entrances to the historic buildings. Here's the accessibility map for reference. (I was just checking this out - I've been there several times, but my parents and grandmother are coming in a few weeks for my kids' second birthday, and they want to go to Harpers Ferry. So we're dealing with logistics for seniors and toddlers in strollers.)

It is such a pretty place. I even chose to go there for my 30th birthday (a while ago, ahem). We stayed at a bed-and-breakfast in Bolivar (it was really just a converted garage in someone's backyard, but very cute and comfortable). When I drive, I take Route 7 West from Leesburg, then Route 9/Charles Town Pike, then Harpers Ferry Rd. north to 340/Jefferson Pike. I always find breathtaking the view of the lower town as you come in along the Potomac. It's nestled there between the Shenandoah and the Potomac, with the railroad bridges leading across to Maryland... I can't wait until we go back!

[clintsullivan]

Originally Posted by williamLeeManServe

The railway where eagles fly looks amazing! What day trip would you do from the two?

I guess it depends on what you are up for. I've lived near Harpers Ferry for most of my life, so for me the drive to Romney to take the train would be my choice.

Drive time from wherever you are in NoVa is probably shorter to HF. As another poster mentioned, Harpers Ferry requires a fair bit of walking up and down hills and there can be issues with a stroller. When my kids were young we opted for the back pack stroller for these kind of outings. There is no happy medium for where you park. If you want to see it all you either have to start at the bottom, work up and then back down or start at the top and go down then back up. If you aren't into the Civil War history and reading lots of plaques describing battle details, then Harpers Ferry will probable not be a full day. So if you have time it's worth the drive to Shepherdstown too.

If you choose the train ride in Romney, you can search for some other places to check out along the way. If you are in northern NoVa, you'll take Rt. 7 to Winchester, hit I-81 N to the next exit at Rt 11/37 then go Rt. 37 around to Rt. 50 which takes you to Romney. So if you have extra time you could look for other things in; Purcellville, Berryville, Winchester, Capon Bridge WV, and Romney WV. If you are in southern NoVa, 66 W might be your best route. And a mid point stop to consider when heading west from NoVa is the Blandy Experimental Farm and The State Arboretum of Virginia. The Commonwealth's Public Garden . Great place for a picnic and a stroll.

[pcgeller]

Baltimore aquarium!

[normie]

If you like flowers, two places I recommend are McKee Beshers Wildlife Management Area Sunflower fields and Lilypons near Poolesville.

The sunflowers are especially nice right now. They're in peak July 10-18. They are very spectacular, but tall--so if you want some amazing photos bring a ladder to be able to get above the sunflowers. Also, bring bug spray and good hiking boots to get through the fields. From the Capital Beltway, take Exit 39 (River Road) west toward Potomac. Proceed for approximately 11 miles to the intersection of River Road and MD 112, Seneca Road. Turn left and continue on River Road for about 2 1/2 miles. McKee-Beshers will be on your left as you head west on River Road.

[Margery]

Google Harpers Ferry and you will find out loads of interesting places in the town. There is a big parking lot on the way in with a bus shuttle to the town. The town is small, you can walk everywhere. Wear comfortable shoes, it is all uphill from the main area. I also recommend Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park. Speed limit is 35, there are many overlooks to stop and view the mountains and the Valley. There are restaurants along the drive at Skylands and Big Meadows (expensive, I think, for the quality of the food) or you can take a picnic. You can take 66 straight into Front Royal or take 211 from Warrenton for the Sperryville entrance.

[williamLeeManServe]

We went to Harpers Ferry today and had such a good time. Thank you all so much for the valuble info. That area was really nice. One thing I was wondering is if the rivers around there are ok to swim in. I was wondering about the pollution of the water. Are the waters of those rivers ok to swim in/fish in?