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Need to know before you go👇

Follow Jessica | Mid Atlantic Travel | East Coast Adventures for family travel, East Coast road trips, and unique places to stay

📍 Sun Outdoors Cape May
Cape May, New Jersey

📝 This is one of the best family-friendly resorts we’ve found in Cape May, New Jersey. Affordable and close to the beach, Wildwood, the Cape May Lighthouse, and the historic streets of America’s oldest seaside town, it’s the perfect home base for exploring the area.

🧺 Planning info
🏡 Two-bedroom cottages sleep up to 6 and feature a master bedroom, bunk bedroom, pull-out couch, kitchen, screened-in porch, private grill, and fire pit
⛺ Air-conditioned safari glamping tents sleep up to 4 and include a queen bed, two twin beds, a mini kitchenette and a private half bathroom
🏕️ Tent and RV camping options are available
🐶 Pet-friendly accommodations available
📅 Open seasonally from April through October

🤯 The entire family loved it here. We rented a golf cart, hung out at the pool, and during our stay they had tons of free activities. Chocolate pudding slip and slide, anyone?

🌟 Things to do while you’re there
🏖️ Go to the beach
🎉 Join one of the free resort activities
🚙 Rent a golf cart
🥾 Walk the nature trail
🍦 Get ice cream
🏊 Relax at the pool or hot tub
🗼 Visit the Cape May Lighthouse
🏡 Walk the historic streets of America’s oldest seaside town
🎡 Visit the Wildwood Boardwalk
🎢 Ride the rides at Morey’s Piers

Perfect if you’re looking for family-friendly beach getaways, historic beach towns, or East Coast glamping.

♻️ Send this to someone who loves beaches, history, and family vacations.

💾 Save this for your Cape May bucket list.

Steal our itinerary👇.

🚗 But first, FOLLOW Jessica | Mid Atlantic Travel | East Coast Adventures for Pennsylvania road trips, East Coast travel ideas, and bucket list family vacations.

📍 Erie, Pennsylvania.

We spent 3 days exploring Pennsylvania’s only seashore, riding roller coasters, climbing lighthouses, and sailing on a historic schooner. Here’s exactly what we did:

🗓️ Day 1
🏡 Check into Presque Isle Passage RV Park and Cabin Rentals. We stayed in one of their family-friendly cottages and used it as our base camp for the weekend.
🍴 Early dinner at Flagship City Food Hall. You can get Dominican food, shawarma, and BBQ mac and cheese all under the same roof.
⚾ Catch an Erie SeaWolves baseball game. A Double-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, you might be watching MLB stars in the making.

🗓️ Day 2
🏖️ Spend the morning at Presque Isle State Park beaches, Pennsylvania’s only seashore. Rent a cabana from from Presque Isle Beach Bums. Trust me, it’s worth it.
🗼 Visit Presque Isle Lighthouse and Museum. On a clear day, you can see all the way to Canada.
🌭 Lunch at Sara’s. Don’t leave without trying the foot-long hot dog and the unique milkshake mix-ups.
🚲 Ride bikes around Presque Isle’s 13-mile paved trail.
🌅 Visit the Bicentennial Tower for some of the best views over Lake Erie.
⛵ Take a sunset sail aboard the historic Lettie G. Howard, a National Historic Landmark schooner. Not only will you learn some cool PA history, but they actually let you help sail the boat (the kids loved this).
🎶 End the night at Rum Runners with live music and virgin piña coladas for the kids.

🗓️ Day 3
🍩 Start the day at Mighty Fine Donuts. I recommend the maple bacon donut.
🍫 Stop by Pulakos Chocolates and try Erie’s famous sponge candy.
📸 Grab a photo at the iconic ERIE sign overlooking the bay.
🎢 Spend the afternoon at Waldameer Park and Water World, one of Pennsylvania’s oldest amusement parks.

📌 Save this for your Pennsylvania bucket list.
Perfect if you’re looking for America 250th road trips, Pennsylvania bucket list spots, or the best family-friendly beaches in Pennsylvania.

How to get here👇

🚗 But first! FOLLOW Jessica | Mid Atlantic Travel | East Coast Adventures for the best hikes in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia waterfall hikes, and family road trip ideas

📍 Rose River Falls, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

📝 One of our favorite swimming holes in Virginia happens to be at this 67-foot waterfall. If you’re looking for a summer hike near DC that ends with amazing views, Rose River Falls belongs on your bucket list. It definitely isn’t a secret, but it’s pretty enough that we keep coming back anyway.

🌟 Why it needs to be on your bucket list

💦 67-foot waterfall with a natural pool at the bottom
🥾 About 2.6 miles roundtrip if you hike to the falls and return the same way
🐶 Dog-friendly trail
🌲 Great alternative to the more crowded Dark Hollow Falls
🏕️ Located just minutes from Big Meadows Campground
⛰️ Moderate hike, with the climb coming on the way back

🔎 Important things to know

🅿️ Park at Fishers Gap Overlook (mile 49.4)
🚻 No restrooms at the trailhead (Big Meadows Visitor Center is nearby)
⚠️ The hike back is uphill the entire way
⚠️ We don’t recommend cliff or rock jumping here. We’ve seen people do it, but the pools are shallow and injuries happen. Swimming under the falls is plenty of fun.

🗺️ Approx. drive time

• 2.5 hours from Baltimore
• 2.5 hours from Washington, DC

Perfect if you’re looking for waterfall hikes in Virginia, summer day trips from DC, and Virginia swimming holes.

♻️ Send this to someone who refuses to hike unless there’s a waterfall at the end.

How to get here👇

🚗 But first! FOLLOW Jessica | Mid Atlantic Travel | East Coast Adventures for the best hikes in Shenandoah National Park, Virginia waterfall hikes, and family road trip ideas

📍 Rose River Falls, Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

📝 One of our favorite swimming holes in Virginia happens to be at this 67-foot waterfall. If you’re looking for a summer hike near DC that ends with amazing views, Rose River Falls belongs on your bucket list. It definitely isn’t a secret, but it’s pretty enough that we keep coming back anyway.

🌟 Why it needs to be on your bucket list

💦 67-foot waterfall with a natural pool at the bottom
🥾 About 2.6 miles roundtrip if you hike to the falls and return the same way
🐶 Dog-friendly trail
🌲 Great alternative to the more crowded Dark Hollow Falls
🏕️ Located just minutes from Big Meadows Campground
⛰️ Moderate hike, with the climb coming on the way back

🔎 Important things to know

🅿️ Park at Fishers Gap Overlook (mile 49.4)
🚻 No restrooms at the trailhead (Big Meadows Visitor Center is nearby)
⚠️ The hike back is uphill the entire way
⚠️ We don’t recommend cliff or rock jumping here. We’ve seen people do it, but the pools are shallow and injuries happen. Swimming under the falls is plenty of fun.

🗺️ Approx. drive time

• 2.5 hours from Baltimore
• 2.5 hours from Washington, DC

Perfect if you’re looking for waterfall hikes in Virginia, summer day trips from DC, and Virginia swimming holes.

♻️ Send this to someone who refuses to hike unless there’s a waterfall at the end.

💬 Would you hike just to swim here?

10 must-do experiences while you’re there👇

🚗 But first! Follow Jessica | Mid Atlantic Travel | East Coast Adventures for things to do in the Outer Banks, East Coast road trips, and the best family friendly beaches

📍 Ocracoke Island, North Carolina
Cape Hatteras National Seashore

📝 Ocracoke is one of the most remote and peaceful beach towns on the East Coast. You can only get here by ferry or private boat, so it feels like its own little world. There are no chain stores and miles of wild beaches and locally owned businesses.

🤯 Ocracoke Beach was named America’s #1 Beach in 2022 and the Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina.

🌊 10 things not to miss:
🌴 Walk the beaches at South Point
🚲 Bike through Ocracoke Village
🐚 Swim or shell-hunt at Ocracoke Beach
🕯️ Visit the Ocracoke Lighthouse
🛶 Kayak the salt marshes around Silver Lake
⛺ Camp at Ocracoke Campground and fall asleep to the sound of the waves
🐴 See the wild Banker ponies
🥙 Grab a meal at one of the island’s mom-and-pop restaurants
🛍️ Shop local—there are no chain stores here
🌿 Hike through Springer’s Point Preserve

✨ Perfect if you’re looking for a peaceful beach vacation, small beach towns on the East Coast, or an Outer Banks bucket list trip.

♻️ Send this to someone who says there aren’t any small beach towns left.

📌 Save this for your next Outer Banks adventure.

Special events at Mount Vernon 👇

📍 George Washington’s Mount Vernon | Virginia

Celebrating America’s 250th anniversary? Plan your trip around one of these events.

⭐ Summer events:
• Whiskey Tastings (Saturdays in June & September, 2–5 PM)
• Freedom Family Day for Juneteenth (June 19–20)
• An American Celebration (July 4, 9 AM–5 PM)
• Book Talks (June 16, July 9, August 6)
• Lunch at the Library (June 30, 12–1 PM)

🌟 Why visit?
From whiskey tastings made using George Washington’s original recipe to fireworks over the Potomac and special America 250 events, this is one of the most exciting summers to visit Mount Vernon.

📝 Plan your visit:
• Many events require separate tickets
• Purchase tickets at mountvernon.org
• Free on-site parking
• Located just outside Washington, DC
• Open 365 days a year
• Kids 5 and under are free

👣 Follow Jessica | Mid Atlantic Travel | East Coast Adventures for East Coast road trips, America 250th events, and historic day trips.

Steal our weekend itinerary👇

Looking for epic adventures this summer?

🤯 Did you know? Canaan Valley is one of the highest mountain valleys east of the Mississippi River. You’ll find waterfalls, scenic chairlifts, mountain overlooks, family-friendly hikes, paragliding launches, unique landscapes, mountain biking, golf, and some of the coolest summer temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic.

📍 Canaan Valley, West Virginia
🗺️ Davis, West Virginia

🗓️ Weekend Itinerary

🏨 Day 1
🍽️ Dinner at the Hickory Dining Room
🛏️ Check in at Canaan Valley Resort

🥾 Day 2
🥞 Breakfast buffet at the Hickory Dining Room
🚠 Scenic Chairlift
🪂 Paragliders Overlook
🥾 Bald K**b Hike
🥗 Lunch at Seasons Cafe
🌲 Blackwater River Trail
💦 Elakala Falls
🌊 Blackwater Falls
🏞️ Pendleton Point
🍖 Dinner at the Smokehouse
🌅 Sunset at Lindy Point

🪨 Day 3
🥞 Breakfast buffet at the Hickory Dining Room
🪨 Explore Bear Rocks in Dolly Sods

🗺️ Drive Time
• Baltimore: ~3 hours
• Washington, DC: ~3 hours

Perfect if you’re looking for a family mountain road trip, a summer getaway, or outdoor adventures near DC and Baltimore. One of the best mountain resorts on the East Coast, known for waterfalls, family-friendly hikes, and summer adventures.

♻️ Send this to someone who needs a mountain getaway on their calendar.

💾 Save this for your West Virginia bucket list.

🌿 Leave No Trace on your outdoor adventures and help keep our wild spaces wild and beautiful.

👣 Follow Jessica | Mid Atlantic Travel | East Coast Adventures for family road trips, things to do this summer, and mountain getaways from Baltimore and DC.

West Virginia Tourism