Bordered by Quantico Marine Base, Prince William Forest Park is a national park located 35 miles south of Washington D.C. near Triangle, Virginia. Most people zoom by and never notice the 15,000+ acres of eastern Piedmont forest, 37 miles of hiking trails, and 21 miles of bicycling roads. I’d feel sorry for them if I wasn’t busy enjoying the solitude. So let’s not tell them.

Located near many historical and local attractions Prince William Forest Park offers rustic cabins, RV hookups, and both front and backcountry campground locations. With a $5 park entrance fee and a $15 fee for frontcountry, cabin and RV sites, this is an option for inexpensive lodging. If you’re roughing it, a backcountry camping permit must be obtained free of charge from the visitors center. All sites and permits are available on a first come first serve basis.

The trails at the park are well maintained and easy to navigate. This is a good starter location for young children and new hikers. The rangers at the visitors center can help you find a circuit that right for your group. Leashed pets are also allowed on the trails.

The majority of the South Valley trails will take you along Quantico creek and it is one of our favorites. It has interesting locations to sit and rest or have a picnic. The smallest hikers will appreciate using the many foot bridges for a game of pooh sticks or entertaining Daddy while enjoying some juice. There are plenty of opportunities for “rock climbing” as well.

If you’d like to make your walk in the woods educational be sure to stop at the visitor center to look at the displays and pick up a few brochures. You can also get information about letterboxing and the Junior Rangers. A great stop for adults and children alike is the reclaimed pyrite mine. There are dramatic before and after pictures at the site. It’s also fun to walk along Quantico Creek and see the fairy dust (pyrite compounds) sparkling in the sand.

Food is not sold at the park so you will need to bring your own snacks and drinks. It is also a trash free park so you must leave with everything you came in with. Don’t forget extra trash bags for the leftover drink containers or the little extras left by the family dog.

All Photos by Sherry Roberts

Any guesses as to what knocked it over? Hope no one was in it!

Sacred Valley (near Machu Picchu), Peru

Girl’s Getaway and Camping don’t usually go together in the same sentence, except when you are talking about my girlfriends and Costanoa, the something-for-everyone camp experience located half way between Half Moon Bay and Santa Cruz. Last month, I dragged my two intrepid girlfriends, Kim and Marie, with me for a weekend away from the boys and kids. Wow, what a great girl’s getaway!

We arrived on Friday afternoon to find our Pine Village Tent Bungalow all ready for us. A bit of a tight squeeze for three friends, it nevertheless offered us the opportunity to channel our inner 12-year old and pretend we were on a sleepover! That, and conveniently located comfort stations, allowed us to relax while still communing with nature.

As much as I enjoy lugging out my Dutch oven to cook dinner when we family camp at Big Basin, I was thrilled to visit the Cascade Bar & Grill for our meals. Wonderful local cuisine and wines ensured the three of us were well fed. After dinner, while my friends went back to our bungalow, I stayed at the lodge to meet up with a group of other travelers for a little Naked Eye Stargazing.

Saturday morning, we had our choice of many activities, including horseback riding, surfing lessons and yoga – in the end, we decided to join a hike to Franklin Point with a local tour guide. On the way, my friend Kim ooh’d and aah’d over the coastal flora and we took in the gorgeous views of the Northern California coast. We had to hurry back, as we had reservations for massages at the spa – well worth it, as the masseuses erased all of the week’s tension.

On Sunday, after check out, we headed out to Harley Farms Goat and Dairy Ranch for a “behind-the-scenes” tour of the operation, plus a special cheese tasting at the end. I also insisted we stop at the Pie Ranch Farm Stand to pick up pie, claiming this was much easier than actually picking our own berries at Swanton Berry Farms!

Driving back home over the hill, I reveled in the time spent with my good friends and the chance to get away from my everyday life in such a beautiful retreat. Already looking forward to our next girl’s getaway. Paris, anyone?

Photo courtesy of Henryk Kotoviski 

I have a fear of small confined spaces. When in this kind of situation my heart starts to race and I am filled with a deep primal panic that dismisses all rational thought. So, why I ever decided to go caving in Yosemite recently is a mystery. I often commit to daring or unique adventures before considering what it is I am actually involving myself in. I owe this tendency to the fact that I am an “experience junky”. I love to try new things, to see the world from a new perspective, to get outside my comfort zone. It makes life interesting…and usually makes for a great story too!

So, last weekend my husband and I accompanied a co-worker (and avid caver) to the Stanislaus National Forest located on Yosemite’s doorstep. The objective of the weekend was to find remote areas with promising topography (in which caves were likely to be found) and bush-wack off trail in search of these “said” caves. Then, upon discovery, crawl inside and explore or start digging if the opening is too small. I came prepared with my headlamp, bug repellent, some old clothes, and tons of enthusiasm.

It was a lot of fun. But, I did learn a thing or two that I feel I should pass on to all you adventurous travelers out there. If you are thinking of going on a wild caving expedition in the near future, here are some tips: Read More »