Weekend Day Trip - Mid Atlantic Area

[Seth]

I'm planning a day trip for Sunday (that may be pushed off or cancelled due to weather - reminants of the hurricane may put a kabosh on the daytrip) and did not have a lot of warning that I would be asked to put a trip together using my Mooney (which is a great probelm to have!).

So . . . I know quite a few of the nearby destinations but figured I'd open this up and see if my own ideas get reposted or if a few new to me ideas are stated.  My passenger for this trip has been up in an airplane once (mine) for a short local flight.

I am based at KGAI - Gaithersburg, MD, within the DC SFRA just North of DC.  I'd like a destination that is:  A distance of not too far (300ish miles or less at 180kts, so less than two hours one way) and that would be fun for a fly in fly out trip after a few hours.  I also realize it is Labor Day weekend and there will be a lot of people out a many popular locations:

Some ideas I have: 

FFA - First Flight Airport (though it may be slammed this weekend)

OXB - Ocean City, MD (Beach daytrip)

WWD - Cape May, NJ

26N - Ocean City, NJ (Beach daytrip)

JGG - Williamsburg (Check out Old Town Williamsburg)

CGE - Cambridge, MD (just for lunch)

GED - Georgtown, DE (just for lunch)

TGI - Tangier Island (never been)

LWB - Greenbrier Valley, Lewisburg, WV (Visit the ground of the Greenbrier resort)

W05 - Gettysburg, PA

LUA - Luray Caverns , VA

 

Please suggest some new fresh ideas as well as seconding my ideas here.

 

Future trips I want to to take that are ouside this time envelope are:

HXD - Hilton Head, SC (back to Hilton Head for a one or two night short vacation)

SAV - Savannah, GA (the Eight Air Force Musuem is there and I want to go)

BID - Block Island

MVY - Martha's Vinyard

ACK - Nantucket

Low Level Flight around NYC

 

Thanks!

-Seth

[DrBill]

Having been to these airports, I'll have to 2nd all these trips:

FFA- Can't get closer to the museum.  Had a ball there.

JGG- Spent a night there organizing a Beech Musketeer Fly-In.  Good time, friendly folks. Watch the X-wind.

LUA- Stop there frequently for fuel but drove the time I went to the Caverns.. A worthwhile trip.

HXD-  Used to spend EVERY Labor Day there when the kids were still home.  Now THAT'S a vacation.

SAV- Never been to the museum (yet) but downtown is worth the trip.  Worth taking the local tour and see the fountains including the identical one in Poughkeepsie NY (Liberty Fountain).

W05- Never flew there but it takes a car to see the battlefield the way it should if you are interested in that.

ME, I'm going to AVL but since the better half is coming, we are driving (she will not fly). Lot's going on in that area.. Apple festival in Hendersonville and more... Check out the activitiies at visitnc.com

BILL

 

[aviatoreb]

Quote: Seth

I'm planning a day trip for Sunday (that may be pushed off or cancelled due to weather - reminants of the hurricane may put a kabosh on the daytrip) and did not have a lot of warning that I would be asked to put a trip together using my Mooney (which is a great probelm to have!).

So . . . I know quite a few of the nearby destinations but figured I'd open this up and see if my own ideas get reposted or if a few new to me ideas are stated.  My passenger for this trip has been up in an airplane once (mine) for a short local flight.

I am based at KGAI - Gaithersburg, MD, within the DC SFRA just North of DC.  I'd like a destination that is:  A distance of not too far (300ish miles or less at 180kts, so less than two hours one way) and that would be fun for a fly in fly out trip after a few hours.  I also realize it is Labor Day weekend and there will be a lot of people out a many popular locations:

Some ideas I have: 

FFA - First Flight Airport (though it may be slammed this weekend)

OXB - Ocean City, MD (Beach daytrip)

WWD - Cape May, NJ

26N - Ocean City, NJ (Beach daytrip)

JGG - Williamsburg (Check out Old Town Williamsburg)

CGE - Cambridge, MD (just for lunch)

GED - Georgtown, DE (just for lunch)

TGI - Tangier Island (never been)

LWB - Greenbrier Valley, Lewisburg, WV (Visit the ground of the Greenbrier resort)

W05 - Gettysburg, PA

LUA - Luray Caverns , VA

 

Please suggest some new fresh ideas as well as seconding my ideas here.

 

Future trips I want to to take that are ouside this time envelope are:

HXD - Hilton Head, SC (back to Hilton Head for a one or two night short vacation)

SAV - Savannah, GA (the Eight Air Force Musuem is there and I want to go)

BID - Block Island

MVY - Martha's Vinyard

ACK - Nantucket

Low Level Flight around NYC

 

Thanks!

-Seth

[bnicolette]

I've heard great things about TGI (Tangier Island).  This is heresay but the restaurants are great, local folks are eager to have visitors, easy to walk where you want to go and the airport is very accomodating for large fly-in groups.

Right on the edge of your 2 hour window is 3W2 (Put In Bay).  I just took my boys up there today for a "daycation" and it was phenomenal!!  We had a blast touring around the island on our rented golf cart.  Lots to see and do for folks of all ages!

[AmigOne]

Perhaps TGI is a must see place but to me is kind of depressing, maybe because the last time I flew there it was in winter.  They have recently repaved the runway and I believe that now the have a landing fee.  As to great restaurants it depends of your idea of "great".  People are nice.

Luray is interesting, you have the caves and a nice automobile museum on the same admission ticket.  The fuel is cheaper than most every other nearby airport and they will take you from the airport to the caves and will pick you up when you are ready to return fro free but tips are welcome.  And the flight down the valley is always nice.    

[Hank]

JGG is a nice field, good restaurant, and pretty close to the Historic District.

SAV is a fun town, especially the old Waterfront. But the airport isn't close to town.

HXD is a great place to visit!

W05 is on my list--Gettysburg for me, Hershey for my wife.

FFA is nice, be prepared for heat & humidity. It's a short hop [~6½ nm] over to Dare County for fuel. Watch out for other sightseers, and the big red Waco giving tours. I came up from the south, flew along the beach at 1000-1500 agl. Nice views circling lighthouses, detouring out to the end of the capes, etc.

Haven't been to Luray since I was a kid, but it was lots of fun. Forgot about the Auto Museum, but it's pretty neat, too.

I've heard a lot of good things about Put-in-Bay over on Lake Erie, too.

Wherever you go, have fun! Your 2-hour range is a lot further than mine . . . . .

[stevesm20b]

Cape May is an old Navy base and has a airplane museum that is worth seeing. The flight down the Hudson river in NYC and around the Statue of Liberty is also a nice flight.

[Alan Fox]

[GaryP1007]

In addition to what Erik said add Saratoga NY and Lake George NY to the list.