Quote:
Originally Posted by ms355
I will spend the second half of July near Leesburg. I have been there before, so I know a bit of the area, in particular I have an idea of what to see (again) in DC. Since wife and kid will join me, this time the focus should be more on beaches, hiking, and visiting the smaller cities.
We will have a rental car, of course, so the radius would be up to 500 miles, which I believe would be good for Virginia and North Carolina.
Now my question is: are there any must-see places in that range? Monticello is on the list, and also Virginia Beach, but where would you recommend to stay?
Plus: are there any Lotus - or at least - car-related events in the area?
Any advice is welcome. Thank you.
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I have not checked distances for these so they may be out of your driving range.
Near Monticello - Boar's Head Inn in Charlottesville is a nice place to stay.
Charlottesville Hotels: Boar’s Head Charlottesville Virginia We used to house the attendees to the medical conferences there. Never heard a complaint.
Also about 5 mins from Monticello is Carter's Mountain orchard. It would be peach season and you can pick your own for extremely cheap and they are extremely delicious fresh off of the tree.
http://www.cartermountainorchard.com/. We used to make an entire day of the orchard, having lunch, picking peaches in the summer, apples in the fall. Beautiful views.
VA Beach - I just asked the same question
Where to stay at VA Beach?.
VIR (Virginia International Raceway) near Danville
Welcome to VIRginia International Raceway would have car-related events. Check their schedule. As well, Richmond International Raceway may be worth looking into
Home - Richmond International Raceway
Shenandoah National Park
NPS - Page Not Found will have hiking and outdoor activities as well as the Skyline drive
Shenandoah National Park - Driving Skyline Drive (U.S. National Park Service).
The Biltmore Estate near Asheville, NC may be interesting.
BILTMORE in Asheville, North Carolina, Americas Largest Home and More!
The NC Zoo in Asheboro is very good even compared to the National Zoo in D.C.
NC Zoo Society
In Southwestern VA there is a very nice Inn/Restaurant
Welcome | Martha Washington Inn.
Near VA Beach -- Colonial Williamsburg
Colonial Williamsburg Official Site or
The official site of Colonial Williamsburg - Deism and Busch Gardens
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Homepage come to mind.
Saluda, NC (Near Asheville/Biltmore) has a few very cozy B&Bs but The Orchard Inn is my wife's favorite.
The Orchard Inn : A unique Bed and Breakfast near Asheville, NC. There is quite a bit of hiking available there.
King's Dominion near Richmond, VA is another amusement park
Kings Dominion | Virginia's Premier Themed Amusement Park (Richmond)
EDIT: It looks like the National Park Service website for Shenandoah National Park isn't working
. Here's another
Lodging, Cabins, Activities & Dining: Shenandoah National Park, Luray, Virginia