Virginia
A glorious setting for an eclectic collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt to the present day, including works by Henri Matisse, Albert Bierstadt,…
Must-see attractions in Mid-Atlantic States
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
Trainspotters aren't the only ones who will find this museum fascinating. It is home to a large collection of photographs, sound recordings and film by O…
Northern Virginia
Between 1937 and 1959, famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed a series of small-scale houses that he called 'Usonian.' Modest in scale but rich in…
Washington, DC
The country's first modern-art museum (opened in 1921) houses a small but exquisite collection of European and American works. Renoir’s Luncheon of the…
Upper Northwest DC
One of DC's top attractions for architecture buffs and those with an interest in 20th-century art, this museum is housed in a stunning 1963 International…
Shenandoah Valley
Many visitors to Lexington give this museum in the grounds of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) a miss. We counsel you not to do the same, as its…
Northern Virginia
A relative newcomer to the Loudon district, this solar-powered 20-acre winery in the Waterford Cluster incorporates meticulously restored and rebuilt…
Blue Ridge Highlands & Southwest Virginia
The Blue Ridge Mountains form an attractive backdrop at this winery 13 miles southwest of Floyd. Head to the swish tasting room to try the signature Black…
The Piedmont
Wonderful views over the rolling plateau of the Piedmont await you at this exemplar of sustainable viticulture. The restaurant has an unapologetically…
The Piedmont
Located 20 miles from Charlottesville near the gorgeous high slopes of Skyline Drive, Blue Mountain Brewery is some kind of wonderful. These people are…
Northern Virginia
On a bluff overlooking the Potomac, this 475-acre estate is one of the most attractive vineyards in Virginia. The winery has a 6000-sq-ft cave/cellar, and…
Virginia
This influencer in the oyster world was established in 1899. It harvests more than 180,000 oysters each week, many of which are shipped to restaurants…
Northern Virginia
The best-known vineyard in the Loudoun Heights cluster, Breaux produces a wide range of wines, the best of which are the the Madeleine Chardonnay and the…
Washington, DC
Set on the south bank of the Tidal Basin amid the cherry trees, this memorial honors the third US president, political philosopher, drafter of the…
United States National Arboretum
Logan Circle, U Street & Columbia Heights
The greatest green space in Washington unfurls almost 450 acres of meadowland, sylvan theaters and a pastoral setting that feels somewhere between bucolic…
Northern Virginia
The National Air and Space Museum in the Mall is so awesome they made an attic for it: the Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA. It’s three times…
Northern Virginia
South of Arlington Cemetery is the Pentagon, the largest office building in the world and the headquarters of the US Department of Defense, the Army, Navy…
New River Gorge National Park and Preserve
Completed in 1977, the New River Gorge Bridge is the third-highest bridge in the US and the longest single-arch bridge in the Western Hemisphere. Made…
West Virginia
Red spruce trees, windswept boulders, valley views and boggy forests set a striking scene in the northern reaches of this remote but popular wilderness…
Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
Harpers Ferry
Historic buildings and museums are accessible to those with passes, which can be found, along with parking and shuttles, north of town at the Harpers…
Maryland
In Southern Maryland, skinny Calvert County scratches at the Chesapeake Bay and the Patuxent River. This is a gentle landscape ('user-friendly' as a local…
Washington, DC
The highest court in the USA occupies a pseudo-Greek temple protected by 13,000lb bronze doors. Arrive early to watch arguments (periodic Monday through…
Washington, DC
On April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth assassinated Abraham Lincoln here. Free timed-entry tickets provide access to the site, which has four parts: the…
National Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC
Arguably the most popular of the Smithsonian museums, so crowds are pretty much guaranteed. Wave to Henry, the elephant who guards the rotunda, then zip…
National Museum of American History
Washington, DC
Containing all kinds of artifacts of the American experience, this museum has as its centerpiece the flag that flew over Baltimore's Fort McHenry during…
Virginia
This island in the middle of the Chesapeake is a veritable trip into the past. Its inhabitants, watermen whose families have lived here for centuries,…
Washington, DC
Peaking at 555ft (and 5in) and composed of 36,000 blocks of stone, the Washington Monument is the district's tallest structure. Political shenanigans…
Maryland
The country's oldest state capitol in continuous legislative use, the grand 1772 State House also served as national capital from 1783 to 1784. Notably,…
National Great Blacks in Wax Museum
Baltimore
This simple but thought-provoking African American history museum has exhibits spotlighting Frederick Douglass, Jackie Robinson, Dr Martin Luther King Jr…
Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park
Northern Virginia
More than 13,000 Americans were killed during the Civil War in four battles fought in a 17-mile radius covered by this park: Fredericksburg,…
The Piedmont
Spread across 900 acres, Barboursville Vineyards has earned high praise for its fine wines, and you can plan an afternoon of wine tasting, strolling the…
Petersburg National Battlefield Park
The Piedmont
Several miles east of town, Petersburg National Battlefield is where Union soldiers planted explosives underneath a Confederate breastwork, leading to the…
West Virginia
One of the most photogenic spots in all of West Virginia is the main overlook at Coopers Rock. Picture a stone-and-log fence wrapped around a sandstone…
Virginia Aquarium & Marine Science Center
Virginia
If you want to see an aquarium done right, come here. In various habitats, you can see a great array of aquatic life, including sea turtles, river otters…
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Virginia
Formerly the Yorktown Victory Center, this expanded exhibition space and living history museum vividly describes the build-up to the Revolutionary War,…
Shenandoah Valley
We're going to let Thomas Jefferson write the review of the main feature in this state park, which he described in his book Notes on Virginia: 'It is…
Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum
Maryland
This small but engaging museum sits inside an 1891 life-saving station at the southern end of the boardwalk. Here, the station keeper and six to eight …
Assateague Island National Seashore
Maryland
A low-key barrier island, Assateague is a place to relax. In the Maryland section of the national seashore, you can cycle along a 4-mile road, hike nature…
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Delaware
Hundreds of thousands of waterfowl use this protected wetland as a stopping point along their migration routes. A 12-mile wildlife driving trail, running…
Maryland
In the 1600s, St Mary's City was a busy port and served as the state's first capital. Today, the spot is a living history museum romantically positioned…
