Find Out When You Get There: A One-Day Surprise Road Trip

on Nov 23, 2024

By Fyllis Hockman

"So where are we going," I asked my husband. "You'll see," he slyly replied.

So began our surprise road trip adventure, sponsored by Guess Where Trips' Tiny Towns Tours. Heading out from Washington, D.C., I giddily prepared for a day of -- well, I had no idea. What I did know was that there were five envelopes. The "Before You Go" envelope laid out basic trip guidelines and set the mood -- as if my mood needed any more setting.

So emboldened, we headed out to our "First Stop" -- as indicated on the second envelope. An hour's drive through scenic countryside brought us to Boyce, Virginia, and the Aldie Mill Historic Park. And what I learned upon my initial foray into surprise envelopes is that each stop has an option or two to explore -- and a recommended eatery if sustenance is required. The village of Aldie, established in 1810, houses one of the best-preserved historic mills in the United States, and not far away we checked out an even more bucolic spot, complete with a panoramic waterfall.

Time for "Second Stop." The historical markers throughout our journey were harbingers of things to come. These Tiny Towns are historic, which perfectly described our next stop -- Middleburg. This delightful -- albeit upscale -- horse-country venue dates back to the 18th century, and its charming main street is full of shops, restaurants and taverns.

As is true of every stop, there are other options to explore -- in this case, a vineyard, brewery and cider barn. Greenhill Vineyards appealed because, as one of the oldest wineries in northern Virginia, it has been a working farm since 1762. Other historic places abound throughout the town -- more than 160 structures listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The famous Red Fox Inn is the oldest continually operated inn in the United States.

Former residents of Middleburg include Jack and Jackie, Elizabeth Taylor and then-husband John Warner, award-winning actor Robert Duvall and Sheila Jackson, the first African American female billionaire. There are probably a number of equally famous horses around town.

Fourth Envelope -- "Third Stop" -- A Secret Bridge -- and it pretty much remained so. Anyplace not easily recognized by our GPS becomes a challenge, and the Goose Creek Stone Bridge partially fell victim to that disadvantage. The historic span - built in 1810 -- played a pivotal role in the Civil War when Robert E. Lee's forces managed to capture it in a prelude to the Battle of Gettysburg. The nearby town of Upperville (the envelopes all mention surrounding towns) offers glimpses of other historic structures as well as dining alternatives.

"Stop Four" brought us back up-close and personal with nature by way of trails and gardens. A native plant trail, an herb garden, hiking trails galore, an experimental farm devoted to environmental research and education. And this, the State Arboretum of Virginia, is just one of three exploratory options at the end of our journey.

The Sky Meadows State Park offers even more in terms of scenic overlooks and access to early-1800s history in the form of the Mount Bleak House, which showcases the life of a Virginia farm family of that era. A 2-mile loop trail will take those looking for more of a challenge over rolling hills and through woodlands.

Instead, we stopped by the charming town of Millwood on the way home to make our daylong adventure last even longer -- and to quietly revel in all that we saw and did that as of earlier today, we didn't even know existed. Quelle surprise!

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WHEN YOU GO

Guess Where Trips offers one-day self-guided surprise road trips in 19 states and four Canadian provinces: www.guesswheretrips.com.

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Fyllis Hockman is a freelance writer. To read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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