Mommy Rendezvous
April 22, 2010 6:43 AM   Subscribe

I live in Allentown PA. My mother lives 7.5 hours away in Wytheville VA. Where can we meet to hang out this weekend? We had originally planned to camp and hike but there is a 75% chance of thunderstorms and I am honestly just not that hardcore. Something geographically between us would be great, as we only have a weekend. My mother would really like to take a day hike, but at night it would be great to have something to do/a cute town to hang out in/a good restaurant to eat at. Whatcha got?

Some information about us:
Im a 25 year old female and my mom is 55.
We both like cuisine from around the world. Mom especially likes ethiopian, thai and indian.
We dont really like to shop, unless that includes a flea market/thriftstore vibe.
I like to see experimental music. My mom tolerates it pretty well.
We are open to any other ideas, as I lived in Harrisonburg VA for a few years and I'm pretty familiar with the towns along the 81 corridor.

Thanks for your suggestions!
posted by quelindo to Travel & Transportation (13 answers total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
Go to a restaurant in DC? Baltimore?
posted by Geckwoistmeinauto at 6:59 AM on April 22, 2010


This prior question: "I'm going to take a road trip this summer from here (Philadelphia) down to Old Fort, NC." has a lot of ideas for you.

I have to say, for indian, thai or ethiopian food, the Shenandoah Valley is not a hotspot. You could jet over to Washington DC though.

Now, thriftstores/flea markets: every small town on your route has antique stores that will have fun items.

Experimental music is a bit vague, there's some interesting music being made and performed: check shenandoahmusic.com maybe.

For other random ideas, you could do worse than to look at the posts and retweets of the goShenandoah account.
posted by artlung at 7:06 AM on April 22, 2010


You could find a stretch of the Appalachian trail that runs through the Valley, make it a day hike where one of you parks at the termination point and then the other picks up and drives down to the entry point. (then reverse at end to pick up car at entry point) If you do it around the Waynesboro area, you can then get into Charlottesville rather easily which has a plethora of fine eating establishments that meet your mother's interest.
posted by Atreides at 7:08 AM on April 22, 2010


Forgot to mention, C'ville also has or had a good music scene which should meet that need, as well.
posted by Atreides at 7:09 AM on April 22, 2010


Frederick MD would be a good central base for you. It's got a great downtown with shops & restaurants including http://www.thairicefrederick.com/& several Indian that I know of but probably others as well, and a nice artsy district with antiques & all that good stuff. Cunningham Falls is nearby and has a lake, little hikes, and a waterfall in addition to camping (you can hear the animals in the nearby zoo at night when you camp there).
posted by headnsouth at 7:33 AM on April 22, 2010


Sorry that was supposed to say "including Thai & several ..."
posted by headnsouth at 7:36 AM on April 22, 2010


Sperryville, Va., has an antique market, a cool restaurant, and it's close to the shops around the Inn at Little Washington.
posted by jgirl at 7:48 AM on April 22, 2010


The best Thai food in Virginia is in Arrington/Colleen, VA (Nelson County, eastern side of the Blue Ridge Mtns, off Rte 29, 30 miles south of Charlottesville, 30 miles north of Lynchburg) at Thai Siam Carryout (link to chowhound reviews full of superlatives like "one of the best 3 Thai restaurants in the US"). I would definitely call first; they weren't open yesterday at 3:30, even though their schedule indicates they were supposed to be. Caveat: when they get busy, they don't answer the phone.

There are a number of antique and quasi-junk shops on Rte 29 in nearby towns like Nellysford and Scottsville and Lynchburg, access to the Blue Ridge Parkway if the weather is good, proximity to Charlottesville, Lynchburg, and museums for everything from the Waltons to Thomas Jefferson's homes (his summer home is in Lynchburg).

Your center point on 81, Front Royal, doesn't scream getaway vacation, but nearby towns like Winchester (and further afield) Leesburg (although I'd pick Frederick to visit over Leesburg for better variety, less traffic), Berkeley Springs WV, and Harper's Ferry, WV offer a variety of inside/outside activities
posted by julen at 7:59 AM on April 22, 2010 [2 favorites]


Luray Caverns is a fun little underground hike, so thunderstorms aren't a real issue. the surrounding area doesn't really meet your other requirements very well though..
posted by jrishel at 8:09 AM on April 22, 2010


Best answer: Berkeley Springs, WV. It's a really cute little town with good restaurants (not necessarily ethnic, tho--), antique stores, boutiques and shops with a kind of a hippy slant, spas (services at the state park spa are quite affordable), hiking at Cacopon State Park, C&O Canal and Green Ridge State Forest. Evening musical entertainment on the weekends tends toward the folky/bluegrassy coffee house sort.
posted by drlith at 8:16 AM on April 22, 2010 [1 favorite]


Best answer: off the wall idea: Pittsburgh

it's not directly between you and you're mom, but is about the same distance away for both of you, and a visit to the Andy Warhol museum and create your own silk screen t-shirts. Sunday morning you can check out the Pittsburgh Flea Market and then you can then follow up with catching one of these experimental music recitals, and I'm sure some local can point you to the best Thai, Ethiopian and Indian in town.

if you've never been, it's a fun city to explore.
posted by jrishel at 8:21 AM on April 22, 2010


your MOM, not you'RE mom. doh
posted by jrishel at 8:22 AM on April 22, 2010


Response by poster: Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

I must say the Pittsburgh idea is tempting, but I'll have to save that one for when i have more time. A DJ I really like is actually playing there tonight and I would have liked to see that. But Berkeley Springs sounds like a good mother-daughter outing as well. Lounging in hot spring water!
posted by quelindo at 10:42 AM on April 22, 2010


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