DCist Road Trip: Shenandoah Weekend
Looking for one last relaxing weekend in the great outdoors before winter really sets in? DCist took to the road this past weekend and headed to Shenandoah National Park. If you're still considering a fall weekend nature trip, here's our tips to make the most of it.
Make sure you get the cabin that best fits your group/caravan/drunken posse.
There’s plenty of cabins available, especially now during the low season. We used Home Away From Home, which offers rental properties all over the country. In Shenandoah, HAFH has plenty of properties to rent; and the best part is that you contact the owners of the house directly, which cuts down on the possibility of misunderstandings. Of course, be sure to research your locations appropriately before committing. If possible, try to get a cabin with a fireplace. There’s absolutely nothing better for those of us who live in cramped apartments.
If you're concerned about blowing your entire checking account on one weekend in the boonies, don't worry. Many of the cabins we perused could easily fit six to eight people, and will run you somewhere between $400 to $500 for a three-day, two-night stay, with plenty of thoughtful amenities. Of course, remember that more splits in the rental cost are inversely related to the amount of food and drink you'll need to purchase. Or you could just bring four or five of your straight-edge and vegan friends. Either way, budget appropriately.
Bring your own liquor, but wait on the beer.
Even in as rural as it gets northwestern Virginia, the liquor stores are ABC controlled. As anyone reading this in Montgomery County can tell you, this means two things: a) the liquor is only available through hole in the wall, idiotically-run shops that are only open at choice hours, and b) it is taxed. A lot. Most liquor bottles will run you about 15% extra, give or take, from District prices. On the other hand, beer is not controlled (read: much cheaper), and can be purchased anywhere and everywhere. So pick up your Maker’s Mark at home, and consider the beer your contribution to the local economy.
On a similar note, bring your own food.
There are no gourmet groceries in Front Royal – shocking, no? We stopped at a Whole Foods the day before the trip, and instead of eating PB&J all weekend, we ate Grilled Mahi-Mahi with Cajun Remoulade and inch-thick Ribeye steaks with baked potatoes and shish kabobs. Just remember to prepare some of the more complex parts (the seasonings, for instance) at home, so you don’t have to pick up ingredients on the trip.
Embrace cabin fever. And don’t forget the movies.
Play a game of drunken Monopoly (just don’t do this with an MBA student – we learned the hard way). Make s’mores in the fireplace. Have a make-out party. Dress up in the life vests from the basement and act out scenes from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Whatever you do, don’t fight cabin fever. It will come, and you will be caught unawares. Fortunately, the cabins in the area are mandated by state law probably contain at least eight packs of cards and some paper each. What you do with them, of course, is nobody’s business but the NSA.
Also, DCist’s cabin had an extensive collection of Jack Benny and Groucho Marx DVDs; but if veiled racism and one-liners aren’t your favorites, you may want to pack a couple of movies of your own.
The water pressure is too low, there’s no cable, and the internet is non-existent.
Yup. Deal with it. But if you absolutely must check that vital email about the conference six weeks from now, you can usually find a wireless internet outpost somewhere. In Front Royal, it’s the Citgo in town; so, you know, you can pick up some propane while checking your MySpace.
Something will break, so prepare your DIY sensibilities.
On our most recent venture, we found ourselves with a non-flushing toilet. Something like this will probably happen to you. Create a makeshift solution if you can, and be sure to tell the owners of the cabin what happened. Chances are you’ll get some money back. Plus, you’ll be able to flush the toilet again. Hopefully.
Go hiking, even when it’s cold.
If you were at a beach house, you’d swim in the water if it was cold – so get outdoors. You’ll be either enthralled or disgusted to see the snow on the rocks as you climb Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park – but hey, who doesn’t like making mini-snowmen at 3,000 feet? A $15 ticket – cheaper than a couple of drinks on your usual weekend - will get your car in to enjoy the park for up to one week. If you’re looking for a simple stroll through red and yellow-leaved oaks, there are plenty of easy trails at most every stop in the park – but if you want a real challenge, try motoring up the steep grades of the Appalachian Trail.
But our best piece of advice? Just relax. Because soon, it’ll be Amtrak, last-minute shopping, and awkward New Year’s parties. Enjoy!