Planning a Wacky Road Trip for My Family - Ever Been To.....???

[Antonia]

I am planning a road trip for my family. Just a trip to get out and see some sites. Go some places we have never been or in some cases some of us have never been or it's been a long time.

If you have ever been to any of these places, please leave some tips of info! Like it, hate it, would never go back, etc. Maybe a place you stayed and liked or a great restaurant.....

Here are some potential stops along the trip, etc.:

Luray Caverns

Shenandoah National Park

Monticello - home of Thomas Jefferson

Charlottesville Va

Willamsburg Va

Jamestown Settlement since they redid it

Washington DC - just overnight

Other places along or near any of these places

We would probably stay 2 or three nights most places. Maybe just a night if we stop in DC just to hit the major monuments. Any ideas info would be appreciated if you have been to or live near these places. Thanks!!!!

P.S We were just going to do a beach trip and then we had a wild thought to do a road trip!!!! We are doing this in September so I have to think this our FAST!!!!

 

[Inigo]

Monticello - home of Thomas Jefferson

We enjoyed our visits there. The agriculture research done by TJ was fascinating. While there, you're also near the home of President James Monroe.

Charlottesville Va

The campus and town are beautiful. TJ designed the rotunda on campus.

Washington DC - just overnight

We've done a one day trip to DC, but that was only after we'd already had several longer trips there. If all you want to see are the monuments, you could do that in one day easily, but with kids, you really should spend some time at some of the Smithsonian museums. There's also the FBI building, the Spy museum, the Capital, the National Archives, the Zoo, Arlington Cemetery, Changing of the Guard, etc...

When the kids were little, we'd always take a paddle boat out on the little pond by the Jefferson Memorial.

Park on the outskirts of town and take the Metro into DC or to Arlington. It's very easy to figure out where you want to go, and the cost is reasonable. It's a lot better than trying to find parking in DC.

When we go to DC, we always stay at the Crystal City Marriott. There's a metro station under the hotel, which makes it easy to get around town. I've been able to find good rates using travelocity or the Marriott.com website.

Have fun, and be safe!

 

[scottishduffy]

My parents took me on a similar trip around age 7.

Luray Caverns were very cool. Enjoyed them alot, just the fact i *actually* remember them says something i suppose. We had lunch at a little cafe right near the caverns and then took the tour. Very cute area.

If you are doing DC for just a night maybe check out the Washington Walks Tours. I believe they have a tour specifically called "Monuments by night" which goes around to the major monuments as a night time walking tour.

 

[minkydog]

I grew up in the Tidewater area. We used to go to Williamsburg and Jamestown all the time. If you're staying 2-3 days you can easily see both places. Jamestown has a really interesting museum and the reproduction of the fort and the ships are very cool. When you go to Williamsburg tell them you have kids; the guy behind the counter was very helpful outlining the things that the kids would like. We had an awesome time!

 

[Iluvjiminy]

Been to Luray Caverns and really found it interesting, the Shenandoah Valley is the most beautiul place I've ever seen, my ex-inlaws live close enough to DC that we have been to the zoo there and loved it, we never got to see the entire zoo and were there almost all day, FIL took us to the Capital and my oldest DD like it she was about 8, we went to Lincoln Memorial, and all the monuments around DC we really enjoyed the Smithsonian as well. Alexandria, VA is nearby and the girls enjoyed that as well. We also visited Mount Vernon. When oldest DD was in 8th grade her sister and I joined her class on a field trip to Williamsburg and we enjoyed that even in the rain. We did Jamestown settlement and Yorktown Landing. We didnt make it to Busch Gardens we only did the "historical" site seeing since we were with a school group and then went to Norfolk and saw the battleship there. All together I would say the places that you listed that I have visited were really interesting and we enjoyed them all. I guess I need to shut up now before you pull your hair out. Hope this help.....have fun and be safe.

 

[minkydog]

We didnt make it to Busch Gardens...

*forehead smack* How did I overlook "The Old Country"/Busch Gardens? We love this one!

 

[Antonia]

Thanks for all your replies. We are definitely doing colonial williamsburg and DC.

 

[Antonia]

We may return home thru the Shenandoa.