A Few Hours in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia

Personally, I find West Virginia one of the most beautiful states that I have ever laid eyes on! Growing up, I would occasionally go on family reunions to Blackwater Falls State Park, West Virginia – a place rated a hidden gem in the United States on MANY pages listing them! – and fell in love with the state simply on our drives through it. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I recently posted about my day trip to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia with my best friend Bryn. Believe it or not, Harpers Ferry, West Virginia is located just an hour-90 minutes west of Washington, DC, making it an easy day trip from the nation’s capital, and it is a beauty!

When coming into the town, it is easiest to drive and simply park there. Harpers Ferry offers parking along its visitors centers and along the streets of the hilly town. The main attractions to visitors in the town are offered at the bottom of the hill, where the town is located. Bryn and I parked at the middle school for free located about 20-30 minutes from the main tourist attractions. Whatever you choose to do – hiking or not, be sure to wear comfortable shoes and clothing and even bring a water bottle for walking as you WILL be walking quite a bit and getting a workout in.

A bit of background about Harpers Ferry, West Virginia: this town is located at the location wherewith the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers meet, also known as The Point, and provides views of both Maryland and Virginia. Harpers Ferry is located just outside of Loudon County, Virginia – a well-known county that is not far from Washington, DC that is legitimately heaven on Earth with its beauty, too. The town even has a train station, which goes into Washington, DC on the daily for commuters. Harpers Ferry is also located along the Appalachian Trail, offering hikes at all levels for visitors, including to the scenic Jefferson Rock which former President Thomas Jefferson found to have such stunning views of the rivers from. This town’s notability comes from being a key site in the 1859 raid of Abolitionist John Brown and a well-known battle during the Civil War. One of the things that I LOVE about Harpers Ferry is the fact that both hiking and sightseeing is offered. So, you can easily come to Harpers Ferry dressed all cute for photos OR dressed all cute for hiking OR a dressed for a little bit of both!

Harpers Ferry has a plethora of small businesses in the town, both for dining and shopping. At the same time, it offers A LOT of historic charm and scenic views at every turn. Bryn and I simply explored many of the shops in town including a candy shop that had candy from decades including the 1920’s, took in the scenic views, and walked across the footbridge over the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers. Everything both Bryn and I did was for free, too – something EASY to do here in Harpers Ferry.

Honestly, my visit to Harpers Ferry was great. The town’s close proximity to Washington, DC and plethora of scenic views make it an easy not even half day trip from the city and allows me to feel as if I am in heaven on Earth. I loved that it was easy to simply spend $0 while here and to just enjoy the moments, history, and gorgeous views while visiting. This was my second time here in Harpers Ferry, as the first time I went with my Mom during lockdown in 2020 to hike. And, if I were to go back again (which I want to!), I would hike a bit, walk through the town, park MUCH MUCH MUCH closer to the town, and go to a vineyard in nearby Loudon County, Virginia. Either way, there is something for everybody in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia!

XOXO – Katie <3

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24 Hours in Charlottesville, Virginia

Charlottesville, Virginia is located in the heart of the Virginia Wine Country, just over 2 hours from Washington, DC. It is home to the University of Virginia, our Founding Fathers Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe, and a plethora of wineries and history. A road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia is perfect, for everyone and all kinds of trips, whether celebratory, family, friends, or solo. I chose the latter and went on a solo road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia last weekend to see family for a work conference. Going to Charlottesville, Virginia on a road trip was nothing short of a blast!

What I Did

To start my road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, I drove through the beautiful Virginia countryside on Route 29. Living in the Washington, DC suburbs of Northern Virginia, I drove through Virginia’s counties of Prince William County, Fauquier County, Culpeper County, Madison County, and Greene County to get to Charlottesville. Each of these counties are located in the heart of the Virginia countryside and Virginia Wine Country, filled with small businesses lining Route 29 and farms at every corner. True and utter beauty – so much that I wanted to stop at each and every single local business along the way as I jammed out to the 80’s channel on SiriusXM the entire way.

My first stop on my road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia: the University of Virginia. I parked my car right by the bookstore in the parking garage (they’re everywhere along the University of Virginia’s campus and parking lots, too) and set out to explore the campus. The University of Virginia was the first-ever public university in the state of Virginia and potentially the United States (I can’t remember – haha!!). This college was founded by former President Thomas Jefferson after his presidency as he was a resident of Charlottesville and wanted others to have an education like his own. I walked around the breathtaking Rotunda – the main draw to the University of Virginia and asked a student to show me where it was (students are SUPER helpful here!) – which had a statue honoring Thomas Jefferson, himself. After admiring the University of Virginia’s gorgeous and huge campus, I set sail for my conference networking event which was on the campus!

My second stop on my road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia was to see my Aunt Lisa, Uncle John, and cousins Mary, Joey, and Matthew who live in Charlottesville. We enjoyed some much-needed and enjoyable family time that we hadn’t had for years, especially due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

My third stop on my road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia was to check out Grace Estate Winery with my Aunt Lisa and cousin Mary – a vineyard located along the Monticello Wine Trail in Crozet, Virginia which is a nearby-to-Charlottesville town located in the foothills of the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains. Grace Estate Winery is also a participating Virginia Wine Pass vineyard. The Virginia Wine Pass – which I am a pass holder of – allows for its pass holders to get discounts at its participating vineyards. This excursion to Grace Estate Winery was my first-EVER usage of my Virginia Wine Pass and it was great to treat my Aunt Lisa and cousin Mary to some discounted wine flights, too! Grace Estate Winery was a super duper adorable winery with gorgeous scenic views. It has a precious little selection of merchandise, including wine barrel planters. While I wasn’t the biggest fan of the wine there, the owner was the sweetest and the views were even more beautiful!

My fourth and final stop on my road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia was to nothing short of the Belk – yes, Belk!!! – in Charlottesville on Route 29! They do not have Belk’s in my home base of the Washington, DC area.

What To Do

There is A TON to do on a road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia! This past Fall, I visited Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello – his former homestead for the day and LOVED it. On the same token, there is SO MUCH that I want to do just in and around Charlottesville, Virginia!!

  • Tour James Madison’s Montpelier
  • Walk around the University of Virginia *yet again*
  • Explore downtown Charlottesville
  • Go on a Monticello Wine Trail crawl and visit 3-4 wineries in a day! (some of the wineries/vineyards include: Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, King Family Vineyards, Afton Mountain Vineyards, and Veritas Vineyards and Winery)
  • Visit and enjoy local goods at Carter Mountain Orchard
  • Tour James Monroe’s Highland
  • Re-visit and tour Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello

All in all, I had an amazing time on my road trip to Charlottesville, Virginia and cannot wait to go again!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A Day in Washington, DC?! Here’s Some Ideas!

So much to do, yet so little time! A city as big as Washington, DC has so many things to do that it can be hard to decide what to do when visiting, especially for a few days. The same concept goes for only having a day to spend somewhere too. Living in the Washington, DC area has its perks when it comes to sightseeing at my leisure as much or as little as I want to and when, but I also experience the challenges of choosing what to do and when. Whether it be on the weekend or for a weekday, Washington, DC has so so much to offer and here I will be sharing with y’all some ideas for what to do if you only have one day to spend in the nation’s capital!

Things To Do for a Day in Washington, DC

  1. A picnic and stroll along the National Mall – the National Mall offers a vast variety of major sights to see in Washington, DC. From the Lincoln Memorial to the to the United States Capitol to the Washington National Monument to the Smithsonian Museums, there is A TON to see along the National Mall. I would highly recommend spending a few hours here and enjoying a picnic on the mall if the weather permits. Otherwise, I would suggest going to a restaurant or cafe nearby or even a food truck along the mall streets. There are so many opportunities for photos and simply taking in so many sights in an easily accessible and walkable area from one sight to the next. Rain or shine though, do not miss out on the opportunity to walk alongside some fundamental sites that this city has to offer!
  2. Visit a Smithsonian Museum – a ton of Smithsonian Museums are along the National Mall and offer several extraordinary artifacts, pieces of artwork, and much more! Museums include: The Smithsonian American Art Museum, The National Gallery of Art, The Museum of Natural History, The Air & Space Museum, The Renwick Gallery, The National Archives, and The Museum of American History. The National Archives, for instance, is the home of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution. Meanwhile, the Museum of American History can also be considered Kansas in its own unique way, since it is home to Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz‘s iconic red slippers. When walking along the National Mall, visiting one or two or even three of the Smithsonian Museums is an excellent way to spend a half a day or more. The best part?! ALL of the Smithsonian Museums are FREE!
  3. Lunch/dinner, dessert, & shopping in Georgetown – the notable Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC is home to Georgetown University along with a plethora of shops, restaurants, cafes, and dessert shops. Not to mention, there are oh so adorable streets – cobblestone, colorful, and all! You can easily spend either an afternoon or an evening in Georgetown. There are several notable chain shops and bakeries and *of course* Georgetown Cupcake. You can also walk along the waterfront and hang out there, especially in the warmer months. Whether it be shopping, strolling, eating, or all of the above, Georgetown is an easy way to spend a few hours or more.
  4. Enjoy dinner at The Wharf – personally, I have been really wanting to go enjoy an outing at The Wharf! However, I have yet to do so. The Wharf is right by the shipyard in Washington, DC and it is home to several restaurants, bars, shops, cafes, and much more. All in all, it is a super fun place to enjoy the local Washington, DC environment and social life here.
  5. Visit a non-Smithsonian Museum – although several of the museums here in Washington, DC are Smithsonian Museums, there are quite a few that are not. The National Museum of Women in the Arts, the Madame Tussands Wax Museum, the Holocaust Museum, and the International Spy Museum. You can also visit a historical building like the Washington National Cathedral, Tudor Place, and the Dumbarton House. While you do have to pay for admission for the majority of these museums, they are still very much worth the experience. More specifically, if you really want to go make a visit to them.

You can easily combine two or more of these ideas into one full day in Washington, DC. Fortunately, Washington, DC’s Metro transit system is easy to navigate and allow oneself to easily get around the city as well. Here’s to many adventures in this great city!

XOXO – Katie <3

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