Drive a little longer and do Niagara Falls and Toronto or Great Smokey Mountains.

Anonymous wrote:We do a lot of driving trips so + 1 to most of what's been mentioned.

Adding, especially if you have little kids, Deer Valley YMCA family camp in PA.

Omg my childhood unlocked. Every year we went. Amazing.

Isn't there a waitlist?

We do a lot of driving trips so + 1 to most of what's been mentioned.

Adding, especially if you have little kids, Deer Valley YMCA family camp in PA.

Anonymous wrote:There is so much in this area within 5 hours!

Beaches - DE, NJ, VA
Mountains - WV, VA, MD, PA
Specific towns not already mentioned:
Slippery Rock, PA
Colonial Beach, VA
Harpers Ferry / Charles Town / Sheppardstown
Staunton VA
Blacksburg VA
Lurray VA
Irvington VA
St Michael's MD
Calverton Cliffs MD

Glad someone else here is adventurous! I’d add:

NYC
Shenandoah National Park
Assateague/Chincoteague
Cape Charles/Kiptopeke state park
Lake Anna
Deep Creek
Roanoke
Charlottesville
Cape May
Atlantic City
Davis/Thomas West Va/Blackwater Falls
Poconos
Raleigh
Hot Springs VA
Berkeley springs
Natural Bridge
Ohiopyle
Gettysburg
Lancaster
Hershey
Philly
Pittsburgh
Massanutten
Homestead
Greenbrier
Nemacolin
Legoland NY

Further but still drivable and worth it:
Finger lakes
Niagara Falls
Asheville area
Great Smokies

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg I guess. Camping maybe in the national forests? I mean, NYC? That’s it.

Williamsburg is ok. You can stay at Kings Mill resort and they have a free shuttle to Busch Gardens. But it's mostly retired people.

Anonymous wrote:Of the DC metro.

No other parameters - just curious what others have found. I’m getting more and more tired of flying and want to explore the mid Atlantic more.

I definitely get not liking to fly. If time allows, and it sometimes does, since I’m a teacher and spouse is semi-retired, we are driving for more of our domestic trips. Last year we drove to Colorado. We have been there many times and always flew. Driving wasn’t that bad and way better than flying and renting a car.

Locally, for the beach I like Fenwick Island. Canaan Valley is also really nice and has enough to do if your family likes being outdoors. I keep hearing good things about New River Gorge, WV, but have never been. For cities, Pittsburgh, Philly and NYC are great. NYC is where I make an exception that driving is better. The train is the cheapest and easiest way to get there.

I love Philly. So much to do. They have a great zoo, museum's, fantastic food choices, great boutiques, funky thrift stores, great hotels and it's safe if you stay away from the sketchy areas. You must get a Philly cheesesteak. I like Geno's steaks.
Spruse Street Harbor Park is very nice in the summer. It has live concerts with food trucks with games with a board walk.

Anonymous wrote:Williamsburg I guess. Camping maybe in the national forests? I mean, NYC? That’s it.

You need to get out more. There are tons of places to go within 5-6 hours.

Pittsburgh and Philly are both great trips with kids. There are tons of things to do for kids of varying ages. Richmond and Baltimore too but those could be day trips.

Seconding new river gorge. Rafting, hiking, zip lines. Fayetteville is cute.

Skiing in WV is an option too. Various options.

Cape May, NJ for a beach town. Drive to lewes and take the ferry across.

Williamsburg I guess. Camping maybe in the national forests? I mean, NYC? That’s it.

There is so much in this area within 5 hours!

Beaches - DE, NJ, VA
Mountains - WV, VA, MD, PA
Specific towns not already mentioned:
Slippery Rock, PA
Colonial Beach, VA
Harpers Ferry / Charles Town / Sheppardstown
Staunton VA
Blacksburg VA
Lurray VA
Irvington VA
St Michael's MD
Calverton Cliffs MD

Slightly longer (6 hours) is Ithaca/Finger Lakes.

New York City (though I'd take the train)

We like Sandbridge (VA Beach) though some find it to plebeian. That's just a relaxing at the beach trip though, there's not a whole lot there.

Pittsburgh if you like cities and museums. There's a children's museum, the National Aviary, incline railroads, lots of other stuff.

I haven't taken my kids to Philly or Lancaster but went to those as a kid and adult and there's tons to do. The Brandywine Valley (PA, DE) is also nice.

Williamsburg of course, but I also take my kids to Richmond and Newport News a lot. Newport News has nice parks, the Virgina Living Museum, Mariners' Museum, Bluebird Gap farm is nearby in Hampton and there's plenty more around there.

My kids also loved Staunton for 2 nights.

New River Gorge. We took our teens ziplining, rock climbing, white water rafting, and more. Everyone loved it.

Of the DC metro.

No other parameters - just curious what others have found. I’m getting more and more tired of flying and want to explore the mid Atlantic more.