Skycroft is a great retreat center for groups in the DMV area on a budget. It's 1.25 hours to the…read morenorth of Washington, D.C. in Maryland and it's actually on Google Maps and easy to find. It's an entire campus with several buildings. There are a few buildings for lodging. They are not cabins, but set up more like a motel with rooms with nice beds and a shower. They main center houses the dining hall and conference rooms. Next to that is a building with a coffee shop and the gym is behind this with a basketball and volleyball courts. On the property there's zip lining. If you're a runner, there are many trails to run (or hike). It's a great place for families and your kids will love all the activities! The only downside is the food (unless you already know retreat center food is the worst). It's better than awful, but still nothing to write home about (and everything they make is sooooo unhealthy). They do have a salad bar and chocolate milk, so #winning.

About 10 miles beyond Frederick, Skycroft is a retreat and conference center. Several lodges serve…read moreas sleeping quarters. We brought our own linens and towels. Other facilities accommodate small and large groups for teaching and fellowship. And the dining facilities are second to none. Nothing fancy, just good food. And, if you're lucky, you may even get to sample donuts and pastries crafted by a staff member. Nice place.

Attended a wedding here recently. The drive is my main complaint I guess. Once you leave I-70, it's…read morejust a narrow road with traffic backups. Rough unpaved road leading to the venue. Limited parking space. Not very wheelchair friendly. The barn where the reception took place was very nice though.

My husband and I just recently tied the knot over Labor Day weekend at Riverside on the Patomac in…read moreLeesburg, VA. Located among the wineries in beautiful Loudon County, this hidden gem of a venue was the perfect location for my dream of a semi-traditional indian wedding weekend to come to life. The outdoor ceremony site featuring a stone patio, picturesque background, and water feature all perfectly shaded by a giant tree by 5 PM made my 250 person group feel intimate. The Amish built barn repurposed as the reception hall was truly beautiful, with natural light filtering in from plexiglass filled gaps between the wooden boards. Beautiful lanterns and string bulb lighting as well as tables, ceremony chairs and other decor are included. In addition to the amazing facility, the property owner Suzi and her family are a class act - from making planning a breeze to jumping in to help whenever they were needed during our events- especially with escorting our older guests around the grounds. All of my guests commented on how warm and gracious everyone was the entire weekend. Thank you Riverside on the Patomac for being the perfect venue for my "Bolly in the Woods" Wedding Weekend

I went to Maury's Hill Events for my brother's wedding, and it was absolutely beautiful! The space…read moreis so cozy and charming -- that perfect mix of open, farm-style and barn-like vibes. Everything felt warm and inviting, and it made such a lovely backdrop for the day. Such a great venue for anyone wanting something rustic yet elegant!

Top notch service in weddings, great scenic location. Event services and photography.read more

What a gorgeous wedding venue! The grounds are stunning and well-maintained, as is the estate…read morebuilding itself.

Whitehall Estate is a BEAUTIFUL venue! If you like the updated-historic-home look, this is your…read morevenue. Both the building and the grounds are great for a wedding in the 100-150 guest range. The house has several 'rooms' which works well for appearing to have multiple event spaces, getting ready before the ceremony, and a quiet place for older guests to relax (if needed). Doug is the event manager and is super proactive, responsive and accommodating. Once we visited Whitehall, we knew we were done shopping for venues. On the day of, everything was seamless. The wait staff was very conscious of any specific meal requests (e.g., gluten free, allergies) when serving, prepared a table with snacks and drinks for both the bridal party and groomsmen before the ceremony, and also found us during pictures post-ceremony to see if we needed any foods/drinks - amazing service! One thing to note that due to the location, hotels are about 20-30 minutes away (so we opted to offer bus transportation for our guests), but there is a lot of parking available at the venue.

Bluebird manor is the dream wedding venue. From the organized and kind people that work there, to…read morethe stunning property, there's no better place to get married. The owners are extremely detailed oriented and it's evident they have put thought and love into every single piece of this venue. You can feel the magic the second you step onto the property. On the day of my wedding, Carol was there to greet us and help with anything we needed. Leading up to my wedding, Bailey was a fast communicator and extremely accommodating. Working with bluebird felt like working with family. In addition, the venue is so versatile. I love that my guests could choose to be dancing inside, playing corn hole in the back, hanging on the balcony or watching the sunset. It was so important to us to have an indoor outdoor feel, and so many people commented on how unique and special it felt. Additionally, they have a gorgeous bridal suite with everything you need to feel comfortable and excited while getting ready on your big day. I really can't recommend the bluebird enough. After you see it in person, you'll never want to leave!

The venue has no AC so it's not wise to hold a wedding here. Far too hot. Ive also witnessed…read moremanagement hound the DJs to constantly turn down the volume. Tough to dance to a whisper. Plus they shut down all sound at exactly 10pm. Look elsewhere because there are better venues.

Food 4 Service 5…read moreAmbiance 5 Overall 4.66 I could not have been more impressed and will definitely come here for brunch the next time I visit Martinsburg for a weekend trip. The house is beautifully appointed with great attention to detail including two small versions of Renoir's painted masterpiece 'Luncheon of the Boating Party' on the wall over a fireplace in the room where we dined. Impressive ambiance included soft music of well-known standards from the forties and fifties, uniformed service staff and tablecloths covering all tables. This high-level of attention to detail apparently is thanks co-owner Donna Cobean who stopped by our table twice to ensure that we were being well taken care of. We assured her that our wonderful server by the name of Taylor and bartender by the name of Janice had been making us feel comfortable by providing great service. (I can recommend Janice's Bloody Mary.) The food was not only delicious, plentiful and hot, but there was such an awesome variety that it was extremely difficult to decide what to put on my two plates - - there were many selections I will have to wait for my next visit to try. The impressive desert table beckoned, but due to already having eaten too much, I took only a delicious puff pastry. This place is a real gem. The only two shortcomings that I can think of: 1. Not ADA compliant due to about ten steps at the front entrance. 2. The coffee was weak, a real disappointment. Rich Redfern Gaithersburg, MD

I took my mother here for their Special Mothers Day. Brunch and it was fantastic!!!! We got there…read morea little early which I highly advise since there space is a bit small but intimate. The decor and house itself is beautiful, each room is a bit different and the bar area is in the front and looks like a parlor has been altered very nicely.

Wedding Venue Review:…read more My fiancé and I toured this venue on a Friday morning and absolutely loved it! Not only was the venue gorgeous, but Rachel, the amazing event sales manager, answered all of our questions and made us feel special as we toured for our special day. Rachel emailed me back and forth prior to our tour to answer any questions that I had. She explained that the tour itself was about 20 minutes, but she blocked out an hour of her time incase we had questions on site or for her to explain anything in more detail. We easily used the entire hour discussing how to make our dreams a reality. We have had experiences at other venues where we felt unheard or that our questions didn't matter. That was NOT the case with Rachel as she was attentive to our questions. In the rare instance that she didn't have an immediate answer, or if we wanted to see specific photos of the venue (sparkler send off, ceremony in rain), she took notes and sent an email within a few hours after meeting. After touring other venues, this is by far the best service that we have received.

I had my daughter's 15th birthday at this venue last week and the experience was excellent! This…read morevenue is beautiful and a great value. I loved working with the coordinators, Susie, and particularly Bonnie and Sandy went out of their way to accommodate us. I wish I had more money to have all my parties at this venue. Thanks again for an unforgettable time!

I recently stayed at the Claggett center for a conference. The rooms were nice and clean. There was…read moreno TV in them so There was plenty of time to relax and take a break from technology. The staff there was amazingly nice and the food was good with there being plenty of vegan and vegetarian options. The spaces for the conference itself were nice comfortable, and all had a spectacular view of the countryside. It would be a great place to have a retreat our conference.

Our family loves being at the Claggett Center! Our teen agers grew up at Claggett summer camps,…read morewith the best and most kind counselors. I've come on group retreats and alone for a personal retreat. The food is always good- with healthy options that I appreciate. The trails have been freshened up during COVID pandemic and it's always refreshing to walk along the Monocracy River trails and along the edge of the nearby cornfields at any season. The staff is really committed to their work of hospitality, and there is a gentle and grace-filled presence in this place. The outdoor labyrinth is really great, too!