Day trip for my bday -DMV location

[Anonymous]

I love hikes, museums, facials, theatre, haircut, while kids and DH are at school I am thinking I do something for ME for my bday. Any ideas as I have 8am-6pm without tweens and plan to step away from
Work. I could even go away the night before! I am so sick of people though that I don’t want to rely on someone else and their drama so I am down to do something with just myself and be very happy with this. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

Balian Springs in Alexandria - its one of those wellness spas that has lounges, hydrotherapy pools, saunas, steam rooms, cryo, salt rooms cafes, and a nap area that you pay a daily rate for... but also has its own day spa (facials, massages, more) that you pay a la carte.

[Anonymous]

Museum of the Shenandoah Valley-- all of their exhibits are excellent and if you like Frida Kahlo, https://www.themsv.org/events/frida-kahlo-through-the-lens-of-nickolas-muray/ . They also have gardens and walking trails and a bamboo garden. You could go to the State Arboretum on the way.

Or Washington County, MD, has a very nice Fine Arts museum, which you could pair with Antietam. That's a very beautiful area especially if your birthday is when leaves are changing. I'm sure there are good hikes too.

[Anonymous]

Go get a haircut and mani/pedi then do a little shopping to pick up some new clothes, purse, shoes, etc.

Go check into the Four Seasons (best beds!) and have a relaxing night. Order room service, relax, etc. before a haircut/mani-pedi, etc.

[Anonymous]

Harper's Ferry

[Anonymous]

Balian Springs sounds promising. I’m not the OP but could use a “me day”.

[Anonymous]

Wow l just googled Balian and using the pools and other facilities is a day pass $130 - $165 per day. Treatments are not included. The most economical message is $155 and a 20% service charge will be added. Add in tax and a beverage you’re looking at $350. I can see doing that for a birthday, maybe, but that’s a huge splurge for most people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Harper's Ferry

Shepherdstown is less touristy, is really pretty and offers all of those things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow l just googled Balian and using the pools and other facilities is a day pass $130 - $165 per day. Treatments are not included. The most economical message is $155 and a 20% service charge will be added. Add in tax and a beverage you’re looking at $350. I can see doing that for a birthday, maybe, but that’s a huge splurge for most people.

I was initially intrigued as well, but the online reviews don’t look that great either. Would love to hear feedback from those that have been or suggestions of alternatives.

[Anonymous]

Leesburg, VA- park in historic downtown and you can hit up a coffee shop or breakfast spot, then get a facial/massage (La Sheida is great). If you go on a Friday, the Loudoun Museum will be open. Otherwise head to Morven Park to walk the grounds and tour the mansion, or stay downtown and check out the shops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Wow l just googled Balian and using the pools and other facilities is a day pass $130 - $165 per day. Treatments are not included. The most economical message is $155 and a 20% service charge will be added. Add in tax and a beverage you’re looking at $350. I can see doing that for a birthday, maybe, but that’s a huge splurge for most people.

I was initially intrigued as well, but the online reviews don’t look that great either. Would love to hear feedback from those that have been or suggestions of alternatives.

So I went to Balian Springs for my birthday last year and it was a total disappointment. Overpriced for what it is. The setting is nice, but there was a long line to check in (on a weekday, non-holiday morning) with only one person checking people in. After waiting in line to check in, I was told to arrive at the spa area for my massage a half hour before the appointment to “check in” again. This left me only about a half hour to enjoy the pool area, which I’d paid the steep entrance fee to use. My massage was just meh. I was able to return to the pool area after my treatment, and hoped to get a beverage to enjoy while I soaked, but there was no one to be found staffing the poolside bar, which only served “adaptogen” mocktails for $22 😳. The main pool was a little too chilly to be enjoyable, so I only really soaked in the hot tubs for a bit. Overall, not worth the price of admission!

[Anonymous]

No hiking but you could do a night at the Four Seasons in Baltimore - spa and some time at the Walters Art Museum. Lots of shops and restaurants right near the hotel and you can walk along the harbor promenade.

[Anonymous]

Stay at the Salamander Resort. They have a beautiful spa and Middleburg is fun.

[Anonymous]

Do you like kayaking also?
There is a Reservoir Park in Ashburn VA that has a beautiful park / reservoir/ kayaking.

A pp mentioned Morven Park, that is gorgeous, you could pair this park with lunch at Lightfoot and tea/coffee at Mocatinas both
in Leesburg.

You could do Alexandria and stay at a hotel nearby.

Or the museums at the Mall in DC and stay in Georgetown.

My birthday is also coming up - your idea made me think of doing something fun for myself too!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Balian Springs sounds promising. I’m not the OP but could use a “me day”.

It's not that great. I've been a few times and had spa services there and have been underwhelmed. I guess if you've never been to a proper thermal spa you'll think it is amazing, but I've been to far better ones in Europe.