Thinking of staying in D.C. for spring break this year? It doesn’t mean you have to spend the week sitting around your dorm or apartment. Take a spin and visit some local destinations. Note: a Zipcar membership would be helpful for most of these trips.
Colonial Williamsburg
How to get there: Car (about 2.5 hours) or train (3.5 hours, $37 round trip on Amtrak)
Suggestion: Explore the town during the day on foot to experience the historical attractions. March is Women’s History Month, which means there will be additional shows and exhibits. There are also evening activities every night if you do decide to spend more than one day.
Cost: Passes are $21.95 for one day or $29.95 if you want to make it two-day trip. Both tickets include access to all the historical buildings and exhibits. Entry to the museum is another $9.95 and many of the shows have additional costs as well.
www.history.org
Atlantic City
How to get there: Car (3.5 hours) or Greyhound bus (4.5 hours, $42 round trip)
Suggestion: For those of legal age, Atlantic City offers a getaway for a few days at prices much cheaper than Las Vegas. Tons of casinos, a boardwalk and lots of other attractions. For fans of the GW men’s basketball team, the Atlantic 10 Conference Championship is being held on the strip from March 11-14, which is the first weekend of spring beak.
Cost: Varies, depending on accommodations and activities. A reasonable expectation, excluding casino costs, is at least a few hundred dollars.
www.atlanticcitynj.com
Old Town Alexandria
How to get there: Car (less than 30 minutes) or Metro (King Street station on the Blue Line)
Suggestion: Because it’s so close, visitors can fit a lot into a day or go back for more excitement. The King Street trolley begins at the Metro station and runs through Old Town from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. This free service allows visitors to hop on and off along the town’s main strip, which is lined with a multitude of shops and restaurants.
Some of the area’s special activities during spring break include a kite festival and a “swordsmen’s rendezvous,” in which participants learn how 18th-century men handled swords, both on March 21.
Cost: The kite festival is free and the swordsmen’s exhibition is $5. Prices for other events may vary.
www.visitalexandriava.com
West Virginia
How to get there: Car (about two hours to the border, four hours to the center of the state).
Suggestion: Hatfield-McCoy Trails. Composed of six different trail routes, visitors can navigate the terrain on ATVs, dirt or mountain bikes or by foot. The trails vary in level of difficulty and weave through most of southern West Virginia. All users must purchase a permit ahead of time, which can be done on the Web site.
Cost: $50 for non-West Virginia residents.
www.trailsheaven.com
Amusement Parks
There are several amusement parks near the city that are open in March.
Busch Gardens
Where: Williamsburg, Va., about 2.5 hours, not far from Colonial Williamsburg.
Cost: $59.95 for a day pass.
An amusement park on a grand scale. Roller coasters, arcades and other rides.
Adventure Park USA
Where: New Market, Md., about 1 hour north of D.C.
Cost: Free to enter. Visitors pay for each attraction separately.
This Western-themed park includes roller coasters, go karts, mini golf, laser tag and other attractions.
