View toward the Blue Ridge Mountains in Greenville, VA
Summer is finally here! I kicked off my summer with a great
little vacation at a bed & breakfast on a horse farm. It was the perfect place for relaxing and
getting a big dose of Mother Nature. I was just outside of Staunton, VA which
is a picturesque little town and perfect for a lazy day of browsing the shops,
finding a fantastic milkshake and having dinner at one of the many good places
to eat. What originally drew me to the area was the AmericanShakespeare Center, where I saw their production of Macbeth. (It was fantastic! I’m already
plotting my return to see the other summer plays.) The Blackfriars Playhouse and the
production itself are designed to recreate original staging conditions of
Shakespeare’s time. You can even opt to sit on the Gallant’s Stools that line
the edge of the stage…which definitely leads to a more interactive theater
experience than what we generally know today. I also spent a day hiking in the
beautiful St. Mary’s Wildernessarea. Many travelers to this area visit the
popular Crabtree Fallsbut my St. Mary’s hike wore me out too much to do both hikes on the same day. (When
your last two miles out of six go back up a steep mountain trail to return to
your car on a hot, muggy afternoon, any extra effort is definitely out of the
question.)
Scenes from along my hike in St. Mary's Wilderness, VA
How did I discover such a great little place? Travel guidebooks!
I started my planning knowing that I wanted to stay in the radius of a three to
four hour drive and to avoid the crowded beaches. I browsed in the 917’s for travel guidebooks on the Mid-Atlantic regionto get some
ideas. I also glanced through issues of Washingtonian
(your local branch should have a subscription) devoted to day trips. There are
so many places that look interesting! We are lucky to live in an area so rich
with things to do and see. I even started making a list so that I wouldn’t
forget some of them when I need local travel inspirationin
the future.
Some things can keep you pretty close to home. The Smithsonian Folklife Festivalon the
National Mall is a multi-day celebration of worldwide cultural heritage. There
are free performances and exhibitions over the course of two weeks (with a
break for July 4th celebrations). Brave the crowds to join the Independence Day celebrations happening along the malland stay for the spectacular display of fireworks.
Happy exploring!
