Frederick- new downtown Visitation Hotel. Great bar and restaurant plus you can walk to so many other fabulous galleries, restaurants, distilleries, bakeries, shops. We just spent a wonderful weekend there.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asheville, Charleston, Savannah. Long drives but fairly easy.

Do not drive to Asheville. Rt 81 is terrible.

Then do 95 to 85 to 40.

Anonymous wrote:Asheville, Charleston, Savannah. Long drives but fairly easy.

Do not drive to Asheville. Rt 81 is terrible.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also look into the various historic towns along the Hudson River valley.

NP but would love to hear more about this from seasoned visitors. If I did it on my own, I'd end up disappointed at some Sheetz off the parkway.

This! I’d be like you. Laughed out loud in recognition.

Anonymous wrote:Quebec City is a quick flight and such a charming city for a long weekend.

+1

I've been wanting to go to Bentonville. Idk about the flight.

Toronto is a short flight. Still one of our favorite cities and walkable. We get CityPass and hit some attractions, have great meals, and just walk around a lot.

I know it’s not technically a small city but we love Boston. It feels like a smaller city when compared to other large metro areas. It’s an easy flight and there is so much to do.

Anonymous wrote:Baltimore posters: I used to love going to the Inner Harbor in the early 2000s but at some point it felt like it had gotten rundown and unsafe. How is it in 2026?

Harborplace is being demolished and redeveloped. Baltimore is still great. Fells Point, Federal Hill and Harbor East are other neighborhoods that are close to Inner Harbor.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Asheville, Charleston, Savannah. Long drives but fairly easy.

This might be the winner!

Yes, Savannah, Ga. Beautiful, historic, greatest ice cream in the world.

What does your ice cream comment mean? Headed there soon.

NP but Leopolds!
I also think Savannah is perfect for what OP wants. I liked it more than Charleston We flew to Atlanta and drove there (had other stuff to do in Atlanta)

Leopolds is an ice cream shop like any other…serves industrial-tasting ice cream which is fine, but nothing special.

I’ve literally never had ice cream at an ice cream shop that tastes as good as home made ice cream or that made at a high end restaurant.

I get it…it doesn’t scale at all.

Anonymous wrote:Pittsburgh

Another vote for Pittsburgh- loved it more than Philly. Smaller city, easy to navigate, cute neighborhoods - perfect for fun weekend.

Quebec City is a quick flight and such a charming city for a long weekend.

Lancaster, PA. Stay downtown. See what is current at the Fulton Theater, Prima Theater and The Ware Center.
https://thefulton.org/
https://artsmu.com/ware-center/
https://www.primatheatre.org/events

Visit:
Central Market,
https://centralmarketlancaster.com/
James Buchanan’s Wheatland
https://www.lancasterhistory.org/about-wheatland/
Gallery Row
https://www.discoverlancaster.com/things-to-do/shopping/galleries/

The Marriott at Penn Square has spa facilities, but there are other hotel and AirBNB/VRBO options:
https://www.marriott.com/en-us/hotels/lnsmc-lancaster-marriott-at-penn-square/overview/

If during the spring or summer months, catch a Stormers’ game:
https://www.lancasterstormers.com/

A few dining suggestions:
https://www.belvederelancaster.com/
https://www.josephinesdowntown.com/
https://www.401primelancaster.com/

Just for fun, Decades bowling and video games
https://www.decadeslancaster.com/

My H and I spent a few days in Charlottesville last summer, during the heat wave. We had a great time! (Other than the heat.) We stopped at a winery on the way there. Visited Monticello and the UVA campus. Ate at some amazing restaurants. Stayed right near campus. We would definitely visit again. The only thing I'd say is we were there when school wasn't fully in session so I don't know how much different the vibe is when students are around.

I like Berkeley springs wv. There is nice hiking there and some small spas. Nothing fancy. If choosing between Berkeley springs and savanna, I’d choose Savannah but the drive is much closer to Berkeley springs.