Capital Region Coast & Mountains - 14 nights

Take advantage of all DC has to offer on a classic DC get-away including monuments, memorials and museums. Rent a bicycle and explore on your own or take a self guided walking tour. Go to Union Station where you can take a guided tour via bus, segway, on foot or bicycle. If you're feeling adventurous, head to the Georgetown Waterfront. Rent a kayak or canoe for a view of the city from the water. Indulge in a chili half-smoke and milkshake at Ben’s Chili Bowl, a DC institution. Go undercover at the International Spy Museum, where you can crack codes, take on covers and even let your group take on its own covert operation. Or visit one or more of the 19 museums comprising the Smithsonian system. Other must-sees include Madame Tussauds wax museum and the National Geographic Museum.

 

Hikers can access the Appalachian Trail from the Front Royal area. It is also the northern entrance to Shenandoah National Park via the famous Skyline Drive. Other attractions for outdoor enthusiasts include nearby George Washington National Forest. Visitors can enjoy canoeing and kayaking on the Shenandoah Valley River and visit numerous Civil War attractions in the region, such as the Warren Rifles Confederate Museum. In nearby Winchester, the spectacular Museum of the Shenandoah Valley tells the story of the art, history and culture of the great valley for which it is named.

 

Natural Bridge’s awe-inspiring nature-sculpted arch is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the Modern World. It is also a National Historic Landmark and gateway to the historic and beautiful Cedar Creek Trail. History buffs will enjoy visiting nearby Lexington and the Virginia Military Institute, the nation's oldest state-supported military college. Free tours of the VMI campus (post) are conducted by cadets during the summer months. Summertime also brings popular Lime Kiln Theatre productions. The home of famous Civil War General, Stonewall Jackson is open for touring. Other recreational activities can be enjoyed off the Blue Ridge Parkway and at nearby George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

 

Williamsburg is the "Colonial Capital" of Virginia and is internationally known for its restoration activities and re-creation of 18th-century America at Colonial Williamsburg. Shopping opportunities abound in the area with numerous outlet malls, Merchants Square, New Town and the Farmer's Market. Recreational opportunities abound in Williamsburg, including world-famous golf courses at Kingsmill and watersports on the James and York Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay. Families love Busch Gardens theme park and Water Country USA!

 

Welcome to the largest city in Virginia. With 38 miles of shoreline, Virginia Beach is a "Beach Lovers' Beach," with 14 miles of public beach area and its popular 3-mile boardwalk! Be certain to visit the Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center, with 700,000 gallons of aquariums and live animal habitats, three touch tanks, more than 300 hands-on exhibits, an outdoor aviary, 10 acres of marsh habitat, and a 1/3-mile nature trail. Activities for outdoor enthusiasts are myriad including sports fishing charters, SCUBA and snorkeling excursions, surfing and sailing instruction and equipment rentals, biking, hiking and nature watching along the boardwalk and Back Bay National Refuge.

 

Cross the 17.5 mile Chesapeake Bay-Bridge Tunnel, an attraction in and of itself, and you are on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, stretching for 70 miles and located between the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Step back to a time of old railroad towns and quaint fishing villages. Shop at a roadside stand and learn how to do some crabbin' from a pier. Sites not to be missed include the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge, Assateague Lighthouse, Kiptopeke State Park and the villages of Onancock and Exmore.

 

Escape to St. Michaels, a quaint waterfront village on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Fascinating water tours, enchanting inns, charming bed and breakfasts, gourmet restaurants and unique specialty shops invite you to take a leisurely stroll and explore. Spend the weekend relaxing on a skipjack, eating freshly-caught crabs and oysters or visiting the famous Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum. Enjoy a game of golf, sailing or simply reading a good book relaxing on the porch. Whatever your dream, St. Michaels is the perfect retreat.

 

Acquaint yourself with this charming town by taking a boat, horse and carriage, trolley or even a Segway tour. Add a little education to your day. Visit the US Naval Academy, or see an 18th century farmhouse or a colonial village in historic London Town. Visit the Annapolis Maritime Museum or Captain Salem Avery House in Shady Side. Go biking in Downs Memorial Park along the shore of the Chesapeake Bay, paddle boating in Quiet Waters Park or walk the Java Trail at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center.

 

Flight home or extend your stay.

 

Hotel accommodation is offered on two quality levels: “standard” typically 2/3 star hotels providing clean and moderate accommodations with several basic facilities, some with a limited dining room and sometimes a swimming pool. “Select” indicates a more superior style of accommodation typically of a 3/4 star quality, in a central location with extended facilities including a dining room and usually a swimming pool. Rooms in both levels of accommodation choice provide private facilities and are based on the hotels standard or lead in room type.