It all started Sunday with a friend's Facebook post about her trip to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center...we hadn't been and had lived in the D.C. area for years...we were planning to visit family in the northwest suburbs the next weekend...why not hit the museum on Friday on our way? Oh, and I could surprise the family and just go there! But then I was on AirBnB looking at places for a possible trip this fall when I casually did a search for places near Shenandoah National Park. We were expecting temps in the 90's all week and escaping to the mountains was starting to sound pretty nice! But...I started to think about all the work we need to do here, the cost...but also the fun we could have...so I pulled in an accomplice! Who better to help me plan a fun surprise trip than Katreina??? I did ask Frank if he would mind if we went away for a few days and discussed budget, but after that we were planning! That night we requested a stay at a nice AirBnB that Katreina picked out (pricier than I was looking for, but she insisted we all deserved it!) and had a rough plan of activities that the boys would like. Monday we got our confirmation, planned what to pack for everyone, and told them to rest up because we were heading out bright and early Tuesday morning to...
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| At this point the boys were clueless! They had seen us pack hiking gear, swimsuits, sweatshirts... |
...Front Royal, Virginia! The boys couldn't guess what was up until we were in the car. Frank had a clue given how many days, the fact that I had talked about this location earlier, oh, and because I blurted it out to the marina manager the day before with him standing right there! But he didn't know exactly what we had planned so we filled them in on the drive. We would spend our days hiking, exploring caverns that we hadn't been to before, riding horses in the park, floating down the Shenandoah River, and enjoying some good eats in Front Royal! The house was cozy, the weather PERFECT, and the activities were a great mix of active and relaxing. I'm calling it a success!
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So cozy, with all the things boaters long for...a soaking tub, washer and dryer, dishwasher, lots of hot water...
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| Skyline Caverns was distinctly different from nearby Luray Caverns with curtain flows, rainbow lights (minimizes algae growth), and anthodites (a feature only found in two other caves in the world!). |
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| LOTS of hikes in Shenandoah NP! Fort Windham Rocks, Traces Trail, Rapidan Camp, Compton Peak, and a few little sections of the Appalachian Trial. Loves the scenic views, streams, history, geology, and peace. |
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| Our favorite activity of the trip! This was Trent's first time riding (and my first time since our honeymoon) and we all had a great time with our fabulous guides and sweet horses. |
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| A slooooooow float down the Shenandoah River. |
And of course, we visited the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center on our way from Front Royal to Gaithersburg. It. Was. AWESOME! I can't possibly list it all...Shuttle Discovery, old and new military aircraft, an SR-71, the Enola Gay, the Apollo 11 capsule, "Flak Bait," a Concorde, an X-Wing, and...and...and...AWESOME! And it's big and open so you can just wander around and take it all in. It's free to visit (love the Smithsonian museums!), but $15 to park--worth it.
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| Smithsonian Udvar-Hazy Center |
But wait, there's more! That was the end of the family staycation, but we spent the weekend with extended family to celebrate our niece's birthday and just enjoy the company of the people we love. The ladies headed into the city to visit the National Gallery of Art (and a very quick stop into the Natural History Museum)--this was my first visit to the NGA ever and I was blown away by how many famous works of art that I had read about were right in front of me here!
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| National Gallery of Art |
We ended the girls' day at Duck Duck Goose, a French brasserie, to celebrate family, a birthday, and a farewell. We were treated to champagne and a crazy candle for our celebration, my SIL was able to enjoy here favorite foie gras, and Katreina was able to try ratatouille (and loved it!). It was great to have so much family time ahead of K's departure in a few weeks--it's truly been a highlight of our marina stay this summer!
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| 💕Family💕 |
~Jo, 1st Mate
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