New England may try to lay claim to fall foliage drives, and Renaissance festivals may happen nationwide, but when it comes to autumnal living, Washington, D.C. is doing it right.
1. The Maryland Renaissance Festival, now in its 39th year, is one of the biggest and most freewheeling festivals of its kind in the country. Held on weekends from late August through October 25th, Renn Fest sprawls out across 27 acres in Crownsville, Maryland, and depicts life in a fictional English village called Revel Grove.
Things to look forward to: There’s the 140-odd artisans selling their crafts, taverns full of beer, and food stands peddling turkey legs, “steak on a stake,” fresh seafood, and sandwiches. The village also abounds with performers ranging from a Shakespeare troupe and bawdy balladeers to jugglers, magicians, and even a sword swallower.
2. It’s not New England, but the Mid-Atlantic sure has its own fall foliage beauty. Visit the U.S. National Arboretum to see its collection of bonsai trees in full seasonal splendor in the Autumn Bonsai: The Colors of Nature exhibit at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, or wander through some of the city’s other natural spaces such as Rock Creek Park and the National Mall.
3. If you’ve got a car and a little bit of time to kill, consider the 75-mile trek out to Shenandoah National Park, known for its amazing vistas of Skyline Drive.
4. Fall weekends are a great time to take a short trek out of the city and into the nearby farms of Maryland and Virginia. At Butler’s Orchard, you can jump on hayrides, navigate corn mazes, and pick pumpkins as part of their annual Potato Festival, or pick apples on their pick-your-own farm.
5. Meanwhile, George Washington’s former home hosts its own Mount Vernon Fall Harvest Family Days (October 24-October 25), offering wagon rides, a straw bale maze, apple roasting,18th-century dancing demos, and wheat treading in its barn.
Longwood Bed & Breakfast
608 High Street,
Farmville, VA 23901
(434) 395-2617
http://www.longwood.edu/bedandbreakfast/
608 High Street,
Farmville, VA 23901
(434) 395-2617
http://www.longwood.edu/bedandbreakfast/
