Easy Winter Day Trips From the DC Area

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You do not want a lodge or Airbnb reservation to scratch your trip itch.

Whether or not you are after an athletic journey, a whale-watching tour or a car-free getaway, listed here are concepts for straightforward winter day journeys from the D.C. space.

Hit the Slopes

Storm Team4 Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer is a fan of Liberty Mountain in southern Pennsylvania, about 75 miles from downtown D.C. It provides snowboarding, snowboarding, terrain parks and snow tubing (together with on Presidents Day).
“I usually drive up round 10 a.m., ski for 2 to a few hours and head dwelling. A simple, fast journey to get in a couple of runs with the kiddos,” Doug mentioned.

Wintergreen Resort, three hours from D.C., boasts Virginia’s largest tubing park. Close by, the Satan’s Spine Basecamp Brewpub and the Daring Rock Cidery have beautiful views to your apres-ski comfortable hour.

Small City Attraction

Simply over an hour from downtown D.C., Middleburg, Virginia, provides a historic district crammed with tales together with the year-round vacation store The Christmas Sleigh, plus distinctive tales and high-end boutiques. Cease by the AiM Gallery, which lately debuted a brand new exhibit, and Misplaced Barrel Brewing, providing beer and laborious seltzer flights.

Should you dwell within the Beltway, Frederick, Maryland, is simply far sufficient away for a purchasing journey to native ebook, vintage, artwork or bike shops. Take within the small-town film set vibes whereas popping into beautiful espresso retailers and eating places — you would possibly see a star chef at Bryan Voltaggio’s Mid-Atlantic restaurant Thatcher & Rye. Choices for curated adventures embrace self-guided artwork, historical past and structure excursions.

Prepare Journeys: Daytrips From D.C. With out a Automobile

Amtrak like Biden to hit up Baltimore’s aquarium and the American Visionary Artwork Museum or tour Richmond in a day. Bonus: The Virginia Wine Expo is going on Feb. 25 to March 5.

You may simply make a day of the Nationwide Air and Area Museum Udvar-Hazy Middle. Though free timed-entry passes are required for the D.C. museum, you may stroll into the outpost in Fairfax County anytime it is open (10 am. to five:30 p.m. every day, besides Christmas Day).

The Udvar-Hazy Middle is dwelling to some favorites. The area shuttle Discovery’s sheer dimension will cease you in your tracks, plus there are fighter jets, choppers and a Blackbird that appears proper out of “X-Males.” Bonus: “Ant-Man And The Wasp: Quantumania” is taking part in on the six-story IMAX display screen. The Fairfax Connector runs shuttle service from the Silver Line Innovation Middle Metro station (or, pay to park).

Winter on the Water

Whale-watching season in Virginia Seaside is at its peak. Rudee Excursions ensures whale sightings by way of February, and also you’ll virtually definitely see dolphins, seals and different wildlife. The boat’s inside is heated, however put on a lot of layers and produce a lap blanket for time on the deck. If a 3.5-hour drive from D.C. is an excessive amount of for sooner or later, you will discover good low season charges at oceanfront motels.

If the phrases “boat” and “February” make you shiver, thaw your winter blues at Berkeley Springs State Park’s bathhouse and Previous Roman Bathhouse — about 2 hours from downtown D.C. Name forward for an appointment: 304-258-2711.