<p>I love the travel advice that parents in the cafe offer, so maybe you all can help with my travel plans. </p>
<p>My boyfriend and I would like to get out of DC just for one night in a couple weeks. We would leave mid-afternoon and then return late the next evening. Since it’s fall now, I think the mountains would be a beautiful destination this time of year. The problem is that we have no idea where “the mountains” are or where we should go. Other suggestions for a single night vacation with 4-5 hours from DC are welcome. Thanks!</p>
<p>If it still exists, Graves Mountain Inn, about 1-2 hours S. of D.C. in the Shenandoas was a wonderful place to go especially in the spring and fall. The only problem was that it gets booked far in advance. H and I used to go there when we lived in D.C. in the 1970s.</p>
<p>I think 4 hours is longer than I’d want to drive, and the roommates are more than I’d want to pay, but the Greenbriar Resort is 4 hours from DC. It’s a pretty cool place. Love the hot springs! [The</a> Greenbrier | Defining Luxury since 1778.](<a href=“http://www.greenbrier.com/site/]The”>http://www.greenbrier.com/site/) It’s at the southern end of the Monongahela National Forest which is gorgeous - I used to go backpacking there when I was a Girl Scout. I’d guess the northern end is closer to a three hour drive. The mountains that the Luray Caverns are in are also very pretty, though I haven’t actually hiked there.</p>
<p>Second Wintergreen and a lunch at Blue Ridge Pig down the mountain. For a great dinner ride south about an hour on the Parkway and go to the Millstone Tea Room north of Bedford. Great food and casual. </p>
<p>Anitaw and Barrons already mentioned my favorite - Wintergreen!
Barrons is right on for food, too- I have a good college friend ( a caterer) who lives and works in Charlottesville and she took me to the Blue Ridge Pig when I visited. Yumm.</p>
<p>Wintergreen is beautiful and there are many condos that are available to rent - since it is not ski season you might be able to get a weekend rental only. There is a hotel but it might be pretty pricey.</p>
<p>For a nice dinner the restaurants at Wintergreen are pretty good as well.</p>
<p>re: Post #6 The Cactoctin mountains are where Camp David is located, and also the Girl Scout Camp (Camp Misty Mount - cabins are available) I attended in junior high. It’s also lovely.</p>
<p>Yes it is and the exact location of Camp David is a secret but - if you drive around the Cactoctin Mountains and encounter a Marine standing in the road asking you to turn around - you have found it.</p>
<p>If you’re going for one night…a bit closer would be better. Why waste all that time driving?
Berkeley Springs is less than two hours from DC and is a terrific escape. First spa in the country…they offer warm mineral baths in the smallest national park in the U.S. It’s a top 100 art town - check out the Ice House Gallery. Good restaurants (check out Tari’s or Lot 12). If you like spas they’re on every corner…offering great facials and massages…ooh la la…
Cacapon State park is right down the road and offers miles of hiking trails - the mountains are beautiful this time of year. C&O Trail nearby offers over 150 miles of biking or hiking - right on the Potomac (very beautiful and quiet).<br>
Panorama Overlook nearby is rated a top 5 view by National Geographic.<br>
Where to stay? There are some nice B&Bs in town. Berkeley Springs Cottage Rentals offers stays in cabins in town or out in the country. The Woods Resort is about 15 miles away and offers a spa and more hiking trails.</p>
<p>Whoopsy! I meant Berkeley Springs, WV, not Beckley! (I recently spent the night in Beckley on my way to visit my DS and wouldn’t wish that on anybody.)</p>
<p>These all sound like great ideas. Thanks, everyone. I’m really looking forward to some relaxation for my birthday, even if it’s just one day. Thanks again.</p>
<p>Any suggestions for nice restaurants about an hour north of Charlottesville? We are staying in a cabin for the weekend which has a kitchen, but will probably want to head out for a nice dinner Saturday night. (The Inn at Little Washington is not in our budget.) S2 is going to UVAMUN and we are going to drop him off and leave!</p>
<p>We have camped, hiked, etc. up at Catoctin many times over the years.</p>
<p>Slightly off-topic, but I would go ahead and stretch your budget and have dinner at The Inn at Little Washington for a special celebration. It is absolutely worth the money. We went a number of years ago to celebrate two graduations for our kids (college and high school) and took 10 people. My mother-in-law was very nervous and convinced that the inn would be snooty and that she’d not find anything she’d like to eat. She was sure that the menu would confuse her. From the moment she walked in, the staff charmed her. She was wined and dined and even got a tour of the kitchen and the herb garden nearby It was a wonderful experience for her and the rest of us as well. If you’re a foodie, you’ll love it. Even if you’re not, you’d be hard-pressed not to enjoy your meal. At the time we went, we lived in the DC area, but we loved it so much that we’re planning on going back when youngest D graduates from college.</p>
<p>This may be a little farther north than you want to go, but try the Ashby Inn in the tiny hamlet of Paris, VA. Excellent food in a beautiful location. Get an outside table if the weather is nice!</p>
<p>How about Canaan Valley or Blackwater Falls State Parks, WV. West Virginia is a beautiful, mountain state. I’ll bet the leaves have already peaked, though. Every fall we rent a cabin in Canaan Valley State Park. We take a 50 pound bag of corn and the deer eat it right out of our hands. My favorite thing to do there is to sit on our deck in the morning with a cup of coffee and throw sliced apples out to the deer. This year there were quite a few 8-point bucks. It’s so relaxing. Although you can spend the entire day hiking and sightseeing also.</p>
<p>Or Lancaster, PA. It’s about 3 hours from DC - of course this depends on Route 270 traffic - Ha!. Have you ever seen how the Amish Live? You can tour an Amish Farm, etc. As you are driving on the backroads, you will see tons of Amish in their buggies doing their daily business. I love to see the fields (especially if the farmers are working them with the horse drawn plows, etc., - sometimes 6 horses in a line) and the clothes hanging on the clotheslines that run from the house up to the top of the barn.</p>
<p>I second, or third, Berkeley Springs. It is such an easy drive from DC. My D and I stayed at Highlawn Inn recently and loved it. [Berkeley</a> Springs Bed and Breakfast WV Lodging West Virginia Inn B&B](<a href=“http://www.highlawninn.com/]Berkeley”>http://www.highlawninn.com/) It is an old-fashioned B&B with a wonderful homecooked breakfast. It is a nice walk into town where there are several good restaurants and coffee shops and other shops. The only drawback to the town is the traffic but staying at the B&B avoids that. There are also nice spas in town. If you have to go on a weekend though, some places require a two night stay this time of year.</p>