I was late to enjoying the ginkgo garden but it's still beautiful. The facility was clean and…read moreorganize.

It's amazing after all the years I've lived in and around the Winchester and Fauquier County areas,…read morethat I've never visited (BlandyFarm). State Arboretum of Virginia. -It's beautiful. Especially on Nov 1st 2024 when it's just at 80 degrees, wow. The sun was out. There was a slight breeze. The leaves were falling. What a great day! My daughter in law and my grandson came with me today. Area is 100% stroller friendly. Great places to throw down a blanket and have lunch. A couple picnic tables onsite also. Beautiful tress. Beautiful pollination fields. We had a really good time. I know I'll be back.

Must see and must do site on the PWC- Fauquier County line. While the site itself was closed on the…read moreday I visited, I walked the nature trail and was able to see the mill and the all the ruins on the trail. The train still runs by and the water from Broad Run make a spectacular scene. Good for families, solo hikes, or a date. Really special place and important historical site.

I was driving down the interstate and all of a sudden I see this massive structure. I knew it was…read morehistoric. I flew on by realizing it would be painful trying to get there when I was on the same side as it was on my way to Shenandoah. On my way back, I managed to figure out what this place was. It was an old 5 story stacked stone structure built in 1742 that had survived several wars and milled food through all of them. in 1998, it was victimized by arson. The roof is gone, and the building has remanence from the fire. Currently, the mill is blocked off from being accessed. According to their website, they are making updates to the road. I accessed it by the railroad that runs behind the building, but as mentioned, the fence does prevent from access. It was really neat to see and I really wish it wasn't blocked off so I could get closer. It's definitely worth a stop if you're in Broad Run and into history.

Winchester may just be one of my favorite towns in Virginia. I was first introduced to it back in…read morehigh school when I visited Shenandoah University on a whim. It ended up being my second-choice school, so I didn't land there, but the town etched itself into my memory pretty strongly. I've been back a few times since, most recently this summer, and it always feels like such a calming experience to pull into the downtown area. The pedestrian mall is well kept with lots of cute shops and restaurants. I look forward to future visits in the future.

Great spot for all ages! The pedestrian mall has the street closed off so it's safe to walk up and…read moredown the blocks. In old town you will find lots of shops, bars, restaurants, and a splash pad for kids. It's a great spot for both locals and tourists!

Our group of six enjoyed the visit to Belle Grove Plantation which is a well cared for property…read morelisted on the National Trust of historic buildings. The history of the Hite Family and its prominence in this community was well relayed by our enthusiastic tour docent who was a wealth of good information. She also gave a fair amount of discussion about the enslaved people who ran the day to day domestic activities in the home. Unfortunately there are few first hand records from that group so I suppose much of their history is conjecture. The gift shop has some nice crafts by local artisans and the surrounding fields are interesting as the site of civil war battles. Belle Grove is a nice place to examine several centuries of history that relate to this property and deserves a visit by those visiting the Shenandoah Valley.

My husband and I were looking for a place to engage in a low key hike and enjoy the majestic…read moremountain views. We started out GPSing to one intended destination and fortunately ended up here. It's on an absolutely gorgeous estate and the gentleman in the welcome center is an absolute pleasure. Zach was so helpful and hospitable. He honestly helped make my day.

**As of February 2018** This place is not easily accessible anymore. First off, you cannot LEGALLY…read morepark under the railroad tracks/bridge area. It is clearly marked "No Standing Fire Lane". You can get a ticket or probably towed. There is no other parking for miles. We drove to the Patapsco State Park Avalon Entrance ($4 entry fee), then to "Lost Lake", where there is a trail called Grist Mill Trail. This trail will take you 2.5 miles into the park where it eventually meets Ilchester Rd (right near the hidden staircase to the ruins). After walking 2.5 miles there, we ran into construction signs and a closure near the Bloede's Dam. Because of the closure blocking the rest of the trail, the only way to get across is to travel down the steep woods and walk across the railroad bridge (cross at your own risk- there are active trains passing through that could kill you) to the other side where the ruins are. There is a scenic overlook in the trails near the Dam where you can get a better idea of how steep the woods are to get to the road. Other options may include crossing at the suspension walking bridge (called the Grist Mill Walking Bridge) which is about a mile from the ruins. I haven't seen anyone go this route, but the hiking is more difficult on the other side of the suspension bridge. It appears until the Dam construction is over, this place is going to continue to be very difficult to get to (unless you want to risk getting ticketed or towed). I hope once the construction clears up I will have another opportunity to see this place!

This is my favorite area in Patapsco state park, I've brought many friends and family here over the…read moreyears. It's beautiful, you can find the ruins of an old mining camp and religious boarding school here. There's even a decent spot to jump off the train tracks into the water below, although take care because the water can be shallow in spots.

History is worth looking at. This is an interesting spot if you're a Washington fan. Get to know…read morehis early days.

Borrowed from the below site:…read more www.mdmountainside.com/listing/george-washingtons-headquarters/2042/#:~:text=The%20Headquarters%20of%20George%20Washington,the%20United%20States%20of%20America. "The Headquarters of George Washington is a historic site, located at 38 Greene Street, in the historic downtown district of Cumberland, Maryland. The centerpiece and primary attraction at the site is a historic log cabin twice occupied by George Washington, the first President of the United States of America. The cabin resides in an area known today as Riverside Park but was originally built about 2 blocks away. The original site is located nearby at 16 Washington Street. The cabin was originally built by General Edward Braddock's men, between 1755 and 1758, for then Colonel George Washington's use during his service in the French and Indian War. He later returned and used it briefly during 1794, then as the Commander in Chief, in order to review the troops gathered to put down the Whiskey Rebellion. This site is notable, as it signifies Washington's first military command. The original site lies on a hill that overlooks Wills Creek and the Potomac River. It was once the location of Fort Cumberland (Maryland) and today, The Emmanuel Episcopal Church (Cumberland, Maryland). The headquarters was part of Fort Cumberland during the French and Indian War, and it is the only building to survive from the original Fort. Though closed to the public, the cabin has windows visitors can peer into and see historical displays and artifacts of what the cabin may have looked like including a bed, desk, and fireplace as well as a life-size wax replica of Washington." If you come here, parking in the area is somewhat tight. During our visit, Greene and Baltimore Streets were under a lot of construction so we parked two blocks away for a buck in a pay lot near Basecamp Coffee. If you're so inclined, you could also park on the other side of the creek at the visitor center and walk over the bridge to get here. We came, read the placards, took a few pictures, walked a short distance to read a few more of the placards that go under 68 but then saw a few loud locals (i.e. homeless-hobo-vagrant) and thought better of going any further. With that said, this is by no means a stop that you're going out of your way for. At best, this is a few minutes passing curiosity just to say that you saw it. If you want something more substantive about Washington's time in the general area as a British officer, the NPS site Fort Necessity is the place. Tons of stuff there that George did including surrendering to the French. www.nps.gov/fone/index.htm

Visiting Antietam was a wonderful experience and the battlefield is very well-preserved. There's a…read morewealth of information available here and we learned a large amount about the battle that we hadn't known. The NPS has done a great job here and we really enjoyed being able to visit.

Wonderful place. Must be experienced to understand. The park service, abt and others have done a…read morewonderful job to bring the landscape back to September 1862 and preserve it. You can drive or walk the many miles of trails. Bucket list

On the side of the road near where Greenbelt Road crosses the Beltway is this historical marker…read moresign denoting the Taoping Castle (circa 1750). It is on Walker Road. It reads: On this site, Isaac Charles and Nathan Walker erected a large white oak log house named for their ancestral stronghold in Scotland which the three brothers had fled after the failure of attempts to unseat George I, King of England, as ruler of Scotland. Isaac permanently settled here and obtained land grants for 188 acres. He and his three sons served in the Revolutionary War. The graves of Isaac and his son Nathan are north of here. Taoping Castle was the birthplace of Samuel Hamilton Walker (February 24, 1817 - October 9, 1847). Lt. Colonel of the Texas Rangers and Captain of the US Cavalry, he left home at age 19 to fight Indians and later became a leader and hero of the Rangers. His suggested changes to Samuel Colt's revolver resulted in Colt's success as an arms manufacturer. 1000 Colt-Walker pistols - the first, heaviest and longest revolvers ever issued to American forces - were purchased for the Texas Rangers during the Mexican war. Walker was killed in that war at the Battle of Hua Mantla, Mexico. The family cemetery is all that remains of the Taoping Castle estate.

The first covered bridge that I've been to which is actually open to vehicular traffic. I drove…read moreback and forth on it safely! Constructed in 1892-1893, it was originally just used to provide access to a local farmer's apple orchards. Rumor has it that this bridge was a replacement for one that was burned by Union troops during the Civil War. Handed over to the Virginia Highway Department in the 1930's, they took over maintenance and inspections. It did a great job until Halloween 1976 when it was damaged by vandals. Much of the bridge materials were recovered and incorporated into the replacement, though it is undergirded by modern steel beams and concrete piers before it was reopened to traffic in 1979. There is a picnic area on the east side (close to US-11) and an unofficial walking trail if you want to get some pictures. When I stopped by today, it was being used by parents and children as a watering hole. If you're traveling on Interstate 81, it's a very quick detour to see this piece of history. [Review 15111 overall, 613 of 2021, number 1324 in Virginia.]

Covered bridges thrill me! I love planning trips and seeking out these architectural "dinosaurs"…read moreof the past. This one is still operational to vehicular traffic and it's the longest covered bridge in Virginia spanning 204 feet! With its stone foundation entrance and the gorgeous arched trusses, this fascinating bridge over the Shenandoah River is a sight to be seen! I loved walking thru it (watch for cars) and having my imagination take a journey to the past. This deep red wooden bridge has a rich history connecting to the Civil War, and has had its ups and downs. It has been destroyed by floods and fire on various occasions but has been rebuilt several times, rising above its adversity and has truly stood the test of time. Now standing proudly as a monument to its heritage and as a landmark to Virginia's history. If you are in the Shenandoah area, or traveling thru, a trip to this glorious bridge is worth the stop! I'm definitely planning another visit here soon!