looking for weekend trip ideas from dc

February 12, 2008 9:22 AM

I'm looking for affordable weekend trip ideas for this coming weekend from DC with a friend (evening of Feb 21, Feb 22, 23 and 24th) Either a super-cheap flight to somewhere cool or somewhere within about 6 hours driving distance.

We've both been to all the cities on the BosWash corridor, and i'm trying to think of what might be a interesting, less well-known destination (doesnt have to be a city, town or rural area is fine) to the South.

Obviously, I would have more ideal places to go if the weather weren't so cold (say, Ocean City, Cape Hatteras, etcetera)

I'm just looking for inspiration - so any great trips or places that you have visited (in...say, the Carolinas for example) would be great.

posted by waylaid to travel & transportation (8 comments total)

Go into Kentucky and Tennessee, do some bourbon tasting.
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 9:52 AM on February 12, 2008

Berkeley Springs, WV is nice for a weekend and a soak. It's pretty relaxed there, with not too much to do, but there's hiking and stuff around. It's ~3hrs away.
posted by OmieWise at 10:22 AM on February 12, 2008

KY and TN are going to be a bit far away for your time limit.
posted by OmieWise at 10:22 AM on February 12, 2008

I agree, although KY and TN are not bad options for a future, longer trip.
posted by waylaid at 10:25 AM on February 12, 2008

Not sure how super-cheap you like your airfare, but you can get BWI-Nashville round-trip on those dates for about $250 on Southwest.
posted by General Malaise at 11:14 AM on February 12, 2008

Also, I haven't done it, but there are a lot of cabins you can rent in PA state parks. This may be true in WV or along the Blue Ridge, too. Many are available year-round.
posted by OmieWise at 11:17 AM on February 12, 2008

I second the cabin rental in PA even though it's not South. Cook Forest State Park is a great place with stands of beautiful old growth trees. I think if you go to the Gateway Lodge site that they have activities every weekend...nothing special, but you said you might be looking for offbeat. Also, on your way, you can stop in Punsxutawney, PA, home of the prognosticating groundhog (about 45 minutes south), Oil City (35 minutes to the west) the place of the first oil derrick in the United States and many, many decaying Victorian towns with their own little charms within an hour's drive.
posted by mrmojoflying at 11:33 AM on February 12, 2008

I'll second the Bourbon tasting. I did it this past year and it was an unbelievable experience. One word of advice: Kentucky won't even let you drink free booze on a Sunday so the distilleries usually close, or the ones that stay open only let you taste bourbon balls. I wrote an angry letter to Ernie Fletcher because that's ridiculous.

And for what it's worth, there's always the Dale Trail which is kind of cool and different. Even if it is cold out.
posted by indiebass at 2:07 PM on February 12, 2008