Romantic Day Trips from Virginia

1. Charlottesville

Charlottesville is a lovely city in central Virginia, known as one of the Blue Ridge Mountains' most popular tourist destinations. The city was the birthplace of two of America's first presidents, James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson, the latter of whom played a large part in designing its gorgeous University of Virginia campus. Living history attractions abound for history buffs, including Highland and Monticello, the preserved estates of both presidents. Despite its comparatively small size to other area metropolises, the city is known as one of the top cultural centers in the southern United States, home to a renowned independent music scene and many lovely wineries and breweries. Nearby, Shenandoah National Park offers a plethora of outdoor recreational opportunities throughout the year.

2. Richmond

Richmond is Virginia's lovely capital city, known as one of the oldest of the United States' major cities, originally founded in 1747. The city is home to famed sites such as the St. John's Church, known as the site of Founding Father Patrick Henry's famed "give me liberty or give me death" speech in 1775, which spurred the Revolutionary War.

Visitors can learn about American history at the preserved White House of the Confederacy, which once served as the home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and is now preserved as a museum within the city's Court End neighborhood.

The city's revitalized downtown district is home to the picturesque Canal Walk, along with the gorgeous Richmond CenterStage performing arts center.

Arts institutions include the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, while trendy food destinations include Metzger Bar and Butchery.

3. Williamsburg

Williamsburg was originally established in 1699 as the capital of Virginia Colony and is known today for its significant role throughout the American Revolution.

The city, which is part of northern Virginia's famed "Historic Triangle" along with Yorktown and Jamestown, is anchored around the Colonial Williamsburg restored Historic Area, which attracts more than four million annual visitors.

Period-costumed actors depict daily life within the region during its colonial era as part of living history demonstrations and workshops throughout the year.

The city is also home to the Busch Gardens Williamsburg theme park, which showcases major thrill rides and roller coasters like the Golden Ticket Award-winning hypercoaster Apollo's Chariot.

Water Country USA is home to seasonal water thrill rides, while the Williamsburg Winery is renowned as Virginia's largest winery facility.

4. The American Visionary Art Museum

The American Visionary Art Museum is an eclectic art museum located within Baltimore's Federal Hill neighborhood, known for its unique displays of outsider art, intuitive art, and art brut works. The 1.1-acre museum campus is home to 67,000 square feet of exhibition space, which showcases a permanent collection of more than 4,000 unique works of art. Artists on display include luminaries and visionaries such as Vanessa German, Howard Finster, Mr. Imagination, Nek Chand, and Ho Baron, along with artists from the Cabaret Mechanical Theater of London.

As the Congress-declared national museum of self-taught art, the museum also emphasizes unique works by ordinary citizen artists, with an emphasis on those with marginalized positions in society. Annual special events include the acclaimed Flicks From the Hill outdoor film series.

800 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230, Phone: 410-244-1900

5. Brookside Gardens

Brookside Gardens is an award-winning 50-acre public display garden in Montgomery County's Wheaton Regional Park, opened to the public in 1969 and designed by Carl Schoening and Hans Hanses.

The lovely gardens are intricately designed to showcase combinations of texture, scent, color, and scale that are all meant to work together to delight and overwhelm the senses from its peaceful walking trails.

Gardens showcased throughout the facility include the facility's Rose Garden, Japanese Garden, Azalea Garden, Children's Garden, and Woodland Walk.

Formal gardens also showcase perennials, maples, yews, and fragrant flowers. Two conservatories are open to the public for free year-round, along with an extensive horticultural reference library.

1800, Visitors Center, Glenallan Ave, Wheaton, MD 20902, Phone: 301-962-1400

6. Chincoteague and Assateague Islands

Chincoteague and Assateague Islands are two of Virginia's most serene getaway island destinations, located along the state's eastern shores within easy driving distance of all major mid-Atlantic cities.

Chincoteague Island, which gained national fame following the 1961 feature film Misty of Chincoteague, is home to a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and bed and breakfast facilities along its historic downtown Main Street district.

Visitors can drive over to Assateague Island via Maddox Boulevard and explore the lovely Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore, which was developed in 1965 to protect significant populations of feral horses.

More than 41,000 acres of coastline are protected within the seashore, making it one of the mid-Atlantic's most popular spots for swimming, surfing, and kayaking.

7. Clifton

Clifton is a charming small town in Northern Virginia, located in southwestern Fairfax County.

The city is known for its classic all-American Main Street, which is lined with quaint shops, restaurants, and the historic attractions of the Clifton VA National Historic District, which protected the city's Victorian-era buildings after its influx by suburban Virginia homebuyers in the 1970s.

Historic homes include the lovely Buckley House, where the screenplay for the 1980s film Sleepless in Seattle was written by author Jeff Arch.

Fairfax County's first production winery, Paradise Springs, is located just outside the city's downtown district, offering tastings and tours throughout the week.

Outside the city, the scenic Bull Run-Occoquan Trail spans the banks of the picturesque Occoquan River. Annual special events include the city's Labor Day Car Show and Clifton Candlelight Homes Tour.

8. Fort Washington

Fort Washington preserves the historic military fortress of the same name, abutting Washington, D.C.'s downtown district on its southern border in Prince George's County, Maryland.

The unincorporated community is named in honor of its fortress of the same name, which was Washington, D.C's primary defensive fort upon its completion in 1809 and served as a major defense during the War of 1812 and the American Civil War.

Today, the site of the fortress has been transformed into a beautiful public park, which showcases stunning views of the Potomac River and offers a variety of hiking paths for visitors.

Though it is overseen by the National Park Service as a national park facility, it offers free park admission before sunset and after daily business hours.

9. Gaithersburg

Gaithersburg is one of Montgomery County's most charming cities, home to major companies such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Lockheed Martin Information Systems, and IBM.

Its unique eastern central business district, known as Olde Towne, is home to lovely historic buildings, while its western sections are home to wealthy neighborhoods designed according to New Urbanism principles.

Visitors can splash and play at the Water Park at Bohrer Park throughout the summer months, or taste delicious farm brews at the Elder Pine Brewing and Blending Company's public taphouse.

The Washingtonian Center, commonly known as Rio, is one of Maryland's top shopping districts, known as a popular Black Friday shopping destination.

Nearby in Germantown, visitors can pick their own strawberries at Butler's Orchard, shop at the Lancaster County Dutch Market, or enjoy indoor and outdoor recreational opportunities at the Maryland SoccerPlex and Discovery Sports Center.

10. Georgetown

Georgetown is one of Washington, D.C.'s most historic neighborhoods, brimming with Federal-style architecture, cobblestone streets, and some of the city's top upscale shopping destinations.

Hip M Street and Wisconsin Avenue are home to internationally-renowned retailers like Kate Spade, Tiffany, Burberry, Modcloth, and Anthropologie, along with exclusive high-end designers like Rag and Bone and Billy Reid.

Visitors can view the former homes of John F. Kennedy and Julia Child or peruse the buildings of the historic Georgetown University campus.

Foodies will love sites such as the popular Georgetown Cupcakes or the acclaimed Fiola Mare, consistently ranked as one of D.C.'s top restaurants.

Georgetown Waterfront Park is home to a riverside promenade and gardens, while the historic C&O Canal is traversed by a bike path.