Do you have a rough budget?

10 days off, I'd be willing to spend 1 day each travelling to and from. That means about 600 miles of driving each way or a flight to almost anywhere in the CONUS.

Not sure if there is anything you'd consider w/in 600 miles of driving distance.

Cheap flight, car and motel and you could consume 7 days easily in some of the national park areas in UT / AZ (or Wyoming/Montana). Hiking, biking, kayaking.

Is it just you, or would you be taking family? If it was just me, I'd buy a kayak, head to the Eastern shore of VA (Kiptopeke state park is a good spot) and do some fishing and lounging on the beach. Maybe head down to Norfolk and check out the USS Wisconsin for a day.

I would definitely get out of the DC area. I just got back from visiting my brother in Leesburg last weekend, and I can't see how people stand to live there all the time.

Growing up, we didn't have deep pockets so camping was our vacation: Nat'l Parks, State Parks Wilderness Areas.
I'm sure around your area there's some historic trails you can follow, both hike and by car: Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War. Perhaps some little-known or, secondary museums and parks that you can visit.

The Appalachian Trail has been mentioned...
That's one that's on my short-list too...

Ever been to Gettysburg?

https://www.nps.gov/gett/plany...ttle-anniversary.htm

You’re in D.C., isn’t that a tourist place? You can do all the tourist stuff while not having to spend money for hotels and air flight.

I was raised in San Francisco and moved to a suburb. One time, we went to the city and did tourist stuff. Even took a city bus tour. My personal tour is better though but I learned it was.

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Originally posted by fpuhan:

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Originally posted by comet24:
What do you enjoy doing?

I would take a few days and disappear into parts of Dolly Sods/Roaring Plans in WV. Of course, you need to enjoy backpacking and sleeping under the stars in a tent. Temps average about 10-15 degrees cooler than DC which is nice for summer camping.

I like this idea! A quick check into hotel in and around Davis, WV. show availability and good prices. And easy access to Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, Dolly Sods, Seneca Rocks and more. Hmmm.

Thanks.

I've hiked all of those areas. Blackwater is nice but not a lot of trails. Definitely worth it if you're in the area. Dolly Sods really wins in views and solitude.

If you don't mind heights and want a little adventure. No climbing experience needed. https://www.nrocks.com/activities/via-ferrata/

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Originally posted by cparktd:

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Originally posted by jhe888:
Do you like to camp or hike? You could go to Shenandoah or Great Smokey Mountains National Parks for a few days. Cheap. Beautiful.

^^^^^
Take a hike!

http://www.onlyinyourstate.com...19-waterfalls-in-va/

Cade's Cove is worth a visit. Drive and walk around it.

I have always thought it would be fun to take a motorcycle trip. Go as far west as I can before having to turn around to be back by the end of my allotted time. Having 10 days gives you a lot of options and you'd only be on the hook for gas, assuming you have a bike.

Para recently posted seeking suggestions for a trip by train. That sounded like something that would be interesting. Of course if you are a commuter, a train ride might be more of a hassle than a way to relax.

quote:

Originally posted by fpuhan:
I like this idea! A quick check into hotel in and around Davis, WV. show availability and good prices. And easy access to Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, Dolly Sods, Seneca Rocks and more. Hmmm.

Thanks.

Keep 'em coming folks.

Oh, as far as the D.C. sights are concerned, I've seen them all. Many times. Great museums, parks, architecture and landmarks. But not this time.

fpuhan--
We spent last weekend in Canaan Valley (at Black Bear resort -- you can rent a small house/chalet there). I think it's the best outdoors destination for anybody within 3-4 hours' drive. Of which you (and I) both are.

Other than the cost of the rental (which you could negate if you like camping), the area is pretty darn affordable. You could also go the AirBnB route for a place to stay.

We spent 1/2 day exploring and fishing the wildlife refuge area (off Cortland Rd.), and another 3/4 day hiking and fishing the lower end of Dolly Sods (Laneville Rd.). Meander up Camp 70 Road and explore that end of the wildlife refuge and Blackwater River. Hike some of the excellent trails within the state park resort property (they go from short and easy to long and difficult).

Canaan Valley always gets my vote. Good luck with wherever you choose!

Take a day trip or two down to Richmond. Lots of fun stuff to do around town. Several museums, plenty of Civil War activities. You could also do Williamsburg or VA Beach.

Going to Taos, NM next month and hike my ass off in the Carson National Forest.

Check out the greenbrier valley area. Obviously the Greenbrier Resort is expensive but there are several other affordable options in that area and it's gorgeous with lots of outdoor activities and in the summer it's always about 10 degrees cooler there. There's the upcoming WV State Fair as well.
If you like golf you can sign up to be a volunteer at the Greenbrier Classic. It's cheap and gets you free entry with more access than a regular patron and depending upon how much you "work" (ie sit in a folding chair and hold a quiet please sign etc) they offer rewards like free nights at the resort and rounds of golf/spa treatments. I did it several years ago and had a blast. Several people volunteered that didn't care about golf but enjoyed the event otherwise due to the beauty of the area and the novelty.
Good luck and enjoy your time off!

Sounds like 4 day work weeks all Summer long to me

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Originally posted by tatortodd:

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If you were going to take a week to 10 days off with a limited budget in mind, what would you do?

In the past, I've done a combination of projects around the house and:

range day

fishing w/o guide

lunch with a friend and a movie

go on a hike

spend a day reading a book

Example 1 - you could unwind on day 1 with a day of reading a book, day 2 do projects around the house, day 3 (one of the bullets above), and then keep alternating between project days and one of the bullets above.

Example 2 - you could unwind on day 1 with a day of reading a book, and the rest of the days do projects in the morning and one of the bullets above in the afternoon/evening.

when I was in another business, I had 4 weeks,

at least 2 were spent like the above,

in the DC area,, easy day trips or overnighters to a lot of historical places,

Fredricksburg, Rev war as well as WoNA,
RVA,,
pop over to the valley,
take a couple and drive down the eastern shore then venture back up to NOVA,

if you drink, there are a metric shitton of wineries in VA,
I would recommend a handful in the Charlottesville area (Barboursville, Delfosse, Pollack, Jefferson to start) and there are some good B&B's in the area as well,

Get house projects done. Clean. Knock things off of the to-do list.

I really appreciate all the replies and suggestions! Here's an update on my particulars: I'm 66, hate fishing, have no camping supplies, sunburn way too easily, and have traveled extensively in and around the D.C. area (you get to be the "tour guide" when out-of-towners show up).

I was doing some researching into the West Virginia environs, per earlier messages in this thread. I found hotels with high ratings (but rather Spartan accommodations) running around $70/night. Wow!

A three-hour drive, about $350-$400 for lodging and maybe $150 for meals, another $50 for gas, and I'm well within my means (I haven't set a budget, but this is certainly do-able). I guess if I keep it to under $1K, I'm good.

I do staycation most of the time. Like the dude said in Office Space....I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it would be. Find local things to do, stay away from rush hours. Films, museums, restaurants, etc, that you never have time for. I will hit the zoo, acquarium, maybe an musement park.

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I live in the D.C. suburbs, and I've thought of taking a "staycation"

There are so many historical sights within a two hour drive of us... and you wouldn't even need to stay overnight anywhere.

Rent a houseboat at Smith Mountain Lake.