After visiting Visit Fredrick, there's no shortage of idea on how to enjoy Frederick. With helpful…read morestaff, the center comes with exhibits, artifacts, an informational video, and plenty of brochures on everything to do in the area from nature to history to food. The center has free parking, restrooms, and drinking fountains too.

Beautiful visitors center with a warm and welcoming staff. Attractive and informative displays and…read moremany wonderful brochures. Be sure to get a map for the downtown Frederick Walking Tour which provides a wonderful overview and introduction to this amazing historic town.

This was our second visit after a few years away. We visited on a Wednesday and it was very…read morepleasant. Minimal wait for the movie and cyclorama. The displays in the museum are very well done and provide a lot of historical information and context for the time period in our history. Next time we plan to do the battlefield bus tour because you can buy tickets at the museum. Wonderful way to spend a few hours on a blue bird sky October day!

Didn't eat at either of these. Posting this, because there is very little information about what is…read moreoffered at the Cafe and Refreshment Saloon. Here's the menus offered at each.

This is a unique section of the Appalachian Trail (AT) in that it's less about hard core hiking and…read moremore about history. Although you might see an occasional through hiker. This part of the AT is connected to the Harpers Ferry National Historical Park (NHP) which has lots of Civil War history attached to it. For more details see https://www.nps.gov/hafe/planyourvisit/hikes.htm The hikes here are very easy with little elevation change. But you will get many beautiful views and like I said there plenty of historical stuff to connect with as well. For more details or volunteer options check out the PATC at https://www.patc.net/

Probably one of the best National Park situated in between the Northern Virginia and West Virginia…read morebordering the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. The Potomac river runs all the way to and is about 61 miles from Washington DC. As we checked in the visitor center we were immediately greeted by a Park Service in full Ranger uniform. We paid the customary $10 per car then he handed us a map of Harpers Ferry. From the visitor center a complimentary bus takes you to the main historic town about 2 miles from the parking lot. Today, there was a special tour with a Park Ranger who enlightened us in great detail of the history including particularly of the armory it once was which equipped the US Capital for its defense all the way from the South. Most of all, the story of John Brown, the abolitionist but could be also be contested as a rebel, depending on one's learning curve. There were a few dwellings and museums and especially the building where John Brown was held up when he was captured during his attempts to raid the armory back in those days, so as to help the cause in freeing the slaves. This building was considered sacred as it triggered the civil war, or so it was thought to have started. The curators at its dwellings were knowledgeable and passionate about their jobs and to me, should serve as the model for how historical places should be curated! Thanks to our lady bus driver who drove us back n forth to the visitor center, Elliot who gave us a history tour of the museum and more importantly, the amazingly enthusiastic Park Ranger David Cox who guided us through a very thoughtful story of its history and told it as if he were speaking of the events as it was happening just then. Great job! Too bad we were pressed for time or we would have lingered longer for a hike on the trails connecting the Appalachian Trail to that area or to cross or kayak the Potomac. It was an awesome day of about 60 degrees in the middle of Winter. It could not have been a better day to visit. I'll definitely come back to either kayak or try out inner tubing in the Summer time. Very well worth a visit!

Even though the incline was closed, we stopped to look since we were going to the adjacent…read morerestaurant for dinner. It was constructed as a "lifesaver" after the Johnstown Flood of May 31, 1889, the Incline has more than lived up to its original lifesaving purpose. I read that flood waters again swept through the Conemaugh and Stonycreek Valleys on March 17, 1936 and July 20, 1977. During both floods, the Incline carried men, women, children and vehicles to safety and help. It is one of the longest and steepest hoists in the world and one of the few transportation systems of its kind still in existence and has its place in the Guinness Book of Records as "The steepest vehicular inclined plane in the world." The incline is closed for refurbishments set to be completed in Spring 2023. We were thrilled to see a large American flag flying above the incline. The flagpole is 125 feet tall and is on the highest point above the valley. I am sure that this flag can be seen for miles.

This was an enjoyable little trip up the mountain over Johnstown. Great views!! Gives you a great…read moreperspective of the city

Stopped by at 9:15am on a Saturday, signage says opens at 9am, "Open" light was turned on, but…read moredoors were locked. Very annoying.

A nice Visitor Center for Winchester and the upper Shenandoah Valley. Brochures on the many…read morehistorical sites nearby are available as well as Winchester lodging and dining information. A film on the Civil War in the vicinity plays continuously and there are rotating special exhibits. Docents at the information desk will answer questions. There is a gift and souvenir display.

Well priced and nice and hot. They seemed pretty busy though, so make sure you get reservations in…read moreadvance.

There is no online form to fill out or input to get a reservation here. The only way is to call…read morethem and their lines are unresponsive. I tried 3x for the old Roman bathhouse and had to resort to calling the main bathhouse to reserve. The lady on the line was very knowledgeable and warm. Five people reserving and 1 person reserving all get the same one room. There were 4 of us in our group and we got this room for 30 min. It is pretty small but would be fine for 2 people, I feel. The water was very hot and we did have to add cold water at intervals. It's our fault for doing this in the first week of June (weather was about 85 and sunny outside!) I can see this being a spot of refuge in the colder months! There was a tank of cold spring water for drinking. This bathhouse just had 1 bathroom that was roomy enough to change in but no other changing rooms. The receptionist and staff were very nice. I appreciated the printout with all the minerals in the water listed. That was informative and so interesting. We also additionally bought a jug to load up their mineral spring water! This was not a cheap activity but we loved the park and the attraction and history behind everything. First person is $32 and then additionally $22. There are age discounts.

I wish I had more time to explore the park as a whole, but I had an aggressive agenda where I had…read morepreset times to tour two Frank Lloyd Wright residential masterpieces, Kentuck Knob (review: https://yelp.to/_zBjRXaWxl) and the legendary Fallingwater (review: https://yelp.to/hQ179hIMk_). Motoring in my rented SUV through the gorgeous Laurel Highlands region, I had roughly an hour to drive the seven miles between the two homes right through this park. Right in the heart is a most worthwhile stop, Ohiopyle Falls, a twenty-foot waterfall that spans the wide Youghiogheny River over a couple of dramatic levels. The parking lot was huge and pretty empty, and it was a quick stroll to the broad observation decks that jut out over the river. There was a group of kayakers huddled together as they were preparing to navigate the whitewater torrents. The hamlet of Ohiopyle provides a welcome coffee break. RELATED - Exploring the greater Pittsburgh area? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/JIi0cQGNmO

Easy to navigate to. Free parking. Plenty of parking…read more Excellent clear trails and walking spaces. Clean atmosphere.

This is one of two places along the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal National Historic Park which I…read morevisited to get a better understanding of the canal. All within reach are the Bollman Iron Truss Bridge, a railroad lift bridge, the Conocheague Creek aqueduct (dry), turning basin and Lock 44. The visitor center sells a few C&O canal related items and holds a few displays. In addition, the property holds a few other structures which are not open to the public. The center is very popular with the locals who are out to get some exercise in such a scenic and peaceful site.

In my effort to see more of the C&O Canal, a friend and I drove out to Williamsport on a late…read morespring Sunday. There was a geocaching event going on in the area, and the towpath is always popular with bicyclists, so it seemed that we got the last parking spot in the lot. The visitor's center is small, but as is the case for most such NP centers - informative. Lots of free brochures to be had, plus a number of items for purchase. We then walked to mile marker 98, and back toward mile marker 100. Even with the amount of cars in we'd seen in the lot, the towpath was mostly quiet and we spotted a fair amount of wildlife.

Having lived in Virginia for over three decades, before making the Valley of the Sun home, gave me…read morethe opportunity of visiting incredibly beautiful, vast, extraordinary and historical areas of Virginia, Maryland, DC and West Virginia - some of the most beautiful country America has to offer. West Virginia is by far an underrated state having so many natural and manmade wonders. As well as one of our most adventurous terrains. Harpers Ferry offers something for nearly everyone, from outdoor recreation and history to really quiet riverside walks and ranger-led programs. In historic Downtown, museums and exhibits tell many sides of and dark memories around Harpers Ferry, including the John Brown Museum and John Brown's Fort, Black Voices: African American History, the Industry Museum, and period sites such as the Boarding House, Dry Goods Store, White Hall Tavern, and the Confectionery. Other featured sites include Harper House, the Master Armorer's Quarters, the Civil War Museum, and the Provost Marshal Office. One can stroll the rivers Shenandoah and Potomac converge there and admire the train crossing and the tunnel across the way. Picnicking by the riverside is a wonderful afternoon pastime. Nice and cool streaming waters, especially of a hot and muggy summer's day. Although usually a bustling tourist location, it offers a unique solitude because of its surrounding hills, mountains, trees and overall nature. I have never tired of visiting Harpers Ferry, despite its cruel and violent history, it remains tranquil, beautiful and serene. If you're ever in West Virginia, this is a must visit!

LOVE Harper's Ferry. I'm a huge history buff. I used to come here as a child my dad would take us…read more So many memories . Parking is very busy mid day so come early, they also have a parking area then you can shuttle to the town, so check that out before coming. If you love the story of John Brown then this will bring everything to life. When we came the govt was shut down so I couldn't go to the wax museum :'(. I recommend bringing a picnic basket and eating on the grassy area near the river. You can also make a hike day out of everything and hike up the town past the beautiful Catholic Church at the top, hike back down, go over the bridge, and explore over there. Best place ever.