The Best Day Trips From Washington D.C.

City life got you down? We’ve got plenty of exciting day trips for you that are only a short drive from District limits. Scores of eclectic adventures await outside the DMV area. Whether you’re a thrill-seeker looking for your next adventure, after something a little more sedate, or just hoping for some good old day drinking, there is something here for everyone.

1. Shenandoah National Park

Park

Nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah National Park is the closest large national park to to the DMV area. The 311 square-mile park offers an oasis for nature in developed areas – a healthy black bear population thrives inside the park. There’s a wealth of hiking trails, and camping is permissible with an easy to acquire permit. The trail up Old Rag Mountain leads to the second highest peak in the park and poses a challenging rock scramble, or take the Overall Run Trail to pass plenty of swimming spots as you steeply ascend to reach the park’s largest waterfall. A section of the Appalachian Trail winds through Shenandoah as well.

2. Kings Dominion

Park

Kings Dominion

Fiending for rollercoasters? Located 75 miles south of DC, Kings Dominion Theme Park is the closest place to get your adrenaline fix. Shoot out of a volcano as real fire chases you on Volcano: The Blast Coaster. Afterwards, get abducted by aliens via an indoor rollercoaster where you flip and corkscrew in the pitch black on Flight of Fear. King’s Dominion offers something for the whole family – plenty of intense rollercoasters, but also a sizable kids; park, a wealth of beer stands, and a waterpark. A gaudy 315-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower sits in the center of the park, making it easily identifiable from the highway.

Kings Dominion, 16000 Theme Park Way, Doswell, VA, USA, +1 804 876 5000

Dominator in Kings Dominion | © Daveynin/Flickr

3. Dinosaur Land

Park, Shop

Dinosaur Land

Take a step into the past by visiting woods filled with life-size dinosaur models. Not the prehistoric past, as the park advertises, but the 1960s that these dinosaurs emerged from. CGI and endless special effects marked the 21st century, but the outdated Dinosaur Land allows visitors to see what once was. With over 50 dinosaur replicas and an eclectic gift shop that sells postcards from the exhibit’s opening in 1969, you wouldn’t realize that the sixties are over. The park remains frozen in time, except for the layers of dust that coat the models, and the cobwebs that have overtaken the Plateosaurus’s mouth; Dinosaur Land is a fossil within itself. The entry fee is pretty archaic, too – a mere $6.

Dinosaur Land, 3848 Stonewall Jackson Highway, White Post, VA, USA, +1 540 869 2222

Dinosaur Land | © vige/Flickr

5. Bluemont Vineyard

Winery

Bluemont Vineyard

The state of Virginia is the fifth largest wine-producer in the country; its rural foothills house a multitude of expansive wineries, all within a two hours’ drive of DC. But Bluemont Vineyard is the absolute best – the gorgeous winery allows you to sip wine on the deck with panoramic views of the vineyard and the Virginian countryside. Enjoy scrumptious artisan cheese plates and endless exquisite tastings.

Bluemont Vineyard, 18755 Foggy Bottom Rd, Bluemont, VA, USA, +1 540 554 8439

Bluemont Vineyard | © Kona Gallagher/Flickr

Annapolis, Maryland

Annapolis is a quaint waterfront town with scenic views and colonial architecture. Despite being Maryland’s capital, Annapolis doesn’t have a big-city feel. Check out the Maritime Museum and join a pirate expedition for the kids. Eat the famous Maryland Blue Crabs freshly caught, which were likely harvested mere hours before your arrival.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.