A Lucky Break: The Homestead

As the fortunate recipients of a gift certificate, we recently enjoyed a marvelously relaxing weekend at the Homestead Resort in Bath County, Virginia.  Halterman weekends aren't usually about calm, but it was lovely to spend a few days in such a grand yet welcoming setting.  It's true what friends have told me:  the Homestead is a unique combination of upscale and low key, luxurious and laid back.  Best of all, we had a true vacation feeling while we were there; just like going on "island time," we went on "mountain time."  Justin and Kim were very happy, and four-month-old Gwen was very welcome.  Four-year-old Elijah enjoyed a weekend at Nana's.

Located on a mountainside in a very rural area, the Homestead is a place to "get away" that's still within driving distance of several East Coast metro areas.  The resort offers a large variety of adventurous and outdoor activities in a gorgeous setting:  guided hikes, off-road driving courses, segway riding, year-round outdoor swimming, falconry, skeet shooting, you name it.  Feeling more laid back, we walked the grounds frequently, and even this simple activity was a delight.  We enjoyed the resort history tour in particular, and Kim "took the waters" in the Jefferson Pools--a fabulously relaxing, inexpensive, and one-of-a-kind type of spa treatment.  The resort is a Canyon Ranch Spa Club site now as well, and there are numerous splurges available. 

If you go, make activity and dinner reservations in advance, even if you are not visiting on a holiday or convention weekend.  We recommend having at least one of the famous buffet breakfasts--they are more expensive than the typical breakfast, but they include just about everything one could ever want for a morning meal.  On the days we attended, there were traditional breakfast bar staples as well as an omlet station, sauteed veggies, fish, and a full complement of bagel toppings including Nutella, honey, and other goodies.   Dinner at Sam Snead's Tavern is casual and cozy, and there's a small coffee shop on grounds, too.  Don't miss afternoon tea in the lobby--a great opportunity to eat dainty chocolates and get to know your fellow guests.  We also recommend visiting during the holiday lights, and note it is possible to stay in nearby Covington and visit the resort for a special meal or activity. 

The Tiniest Train Museum: The Augusta County Railroad Museum

Let us introduce you to the Augusta County Railroad Museum, a wonderful storefront museum full of intricate model railroad layouts.  Staffed by welcoming railroad club members, the large displays on view are well-loved and detailed.  There's even a scavenger hunt all ages can enjoy that will help you focus on those details, including a funeral procession, a ski lift, and a subway station.  The museum was a real treat for our 4-year-old railfan:  he very much enjoyed wandering among the trains, working the controls on the young engineers model, and picking up a free back issue of Model Railroader magazine.  We're sure Elijah will mention it all when he sees club members at Virginia Museum of Transportation events in Roanoke. 

If you go, check the museum schedule:  they are only open on particular weekends.  Plan to spend at least a half hour enjoying the displays and the company of club members.  From the museum, you are within easy driving distance of the Green Valley Book Fair, the giant Factory Antique Mall, and other Halterman adventures tagged Up I-81.

Farm Day: Homestead Creamery Affords Families a Day on a Working Farm

We just enjoyed our first Farm Day at Homestead Creamery, an annual fall event full of farm fun and yummy dairy product tastings.  At Farm Day, kids can pet farm animals, ride a "trackless train" made of 50-gallon drums, climb up on tractors, and play on a mountain of sawdust.  There's a hayride, a blacksmithing demonstration, and a few local crafters, too.  It's a great way for this local, responsible business to "give back," and visitors partake in a really inexpensive day of adventure.  We spent $6 to buy ice cream--and that was it.  Unlike many of the local fall pumpkin farms, attraction-type activities are free.  We were impressed with the staffing, too:  golf cart shuttles from parking, local law enforcement helping direct traffic, and unharried employees explaining cow milking to kids over and over again.  The downside?  It's just one day.

If you go, plan to be outside in crowded situations, and bring a vehicle you are comfortable parking in a field.  We recommend arriving early.  The farm is stroller-navigable if you work at it; we toted our 5-month-old in her car seat carrier and found this convenient, as we could "sit" her down while our 4-year-old enjoyed attractions.  Bring hunger and cash for really good ice cream and fair food...or plan to drive to nearby Rocky Mount for fast food and other conveniences.  For the best online information on Homestead Creamery, search for them on Facebook.  If you are looking for something else to do in the area, try the Booker T. Washington National Monument, blogged here in a Halterman Weekend from a few years back. 

A Little Alleghany Adventure: Gathright Dam and Lake Moomaw

Sometimes, Kim gets nostalgic for childhood picnics with her Mom and Dad.  Back in the early 1990s, we'd take Sunday afternoons and head to outdoorsy places near Alleghany County with snack food and a little Hercules film as a tablecloth.  Kim distinctly remembers Gathright Dam and Lake Moomaw as a favorite spot, having been pretty fascinated by a dam we could drive across.  It wasn't the Hoover Dam, but it was impressive and close to home.  A childhood friend's father worked there, and it was just plain interesting to think about the dam's construction and its role in controlling local flooding.  On our last trip "over home," Kim decided it was time Justin, Elijah, and Gwen enjoyed an afternoon there.

On the day of our visit, the recreation areas were hardly crowded, giving the whole place a nice "lost in the woods" feel.  We simply "hiked" a very short, kid-friendly trail to the dam overlook and drove across the dam to show Elijah.  You can also boat, camp, and play--there's a beach on the lake.  A small visitors' center is placed near the dam, but they are serious about closing it at 3 PM.  The best part of our trip?  We learned Elijah enjoys going for a walk in the forest.

If you go, know you won't find many directions on the web, so don't be overly reliant on your GPS or smart phone for navigation and other information.  While that fact was initially frustrating, it's kind of novel these days to go somewhere without a strong digital presence.  Be ready to drive on roads that are paved but unlined and mountainous.  The closest place for a meal out is Covington, VA, where Kim recommends Cucci's for Italian and James Burke House Eatery for "upscale" sandwiches. 

Justin's Happiest Place on Earth: Gettysburg, PA

No trip to Gettysburg is complete without seeing some of the monuments.  We say some because there are literally over 800 on the battlefield honoring brigades, veterans from certain states, clergy, and others.  If you are Justin, they represent historic events and figures.  If you are Kim, they represent an interesting period in American tourism and means of creating memory that are both sacred and profane (read a little Durkheim).  Our beloved nerdiness aside, the monuments are attractions in themselves, especially for kids.  You can climb the New York and Pennsylvania monuments, two of the largest on the battlefield, and Elijah enjoys "climbing" the elevated Peace Monument, fascinated by the concept of the eternal flame.  You can also go up the Longstreet Observation Tower on Confederate Avenue and get a great view of the overall site, associated monuments, and the Eisenhower Farm.  Elijah surmounted it for the first time this year.  We recommend visiting quieter sections of the battlefield as well--Barlow's Knoll is a particuarly peaceful site with many monumental cannons--as well as the monuments to well-known figures (the humble Longstreet, the Lincoln Speech Memorial, and Father Corby statue in particular).  Tour in your car, on your motorcycle, on a rented Segway, or on horseback. 

If you go, visit the National Park Service Visitor's Center, getting your picture taken with the Lincoln statue and taking in the Cyclorama and/or museum.  The new visitors center is spacious, but the bookstore is no longer fully controlled by the National Park Service, meaning some of the "academic" books and resources available are, well, less than academic.  There are still good finds in the store for history buffs--you just have to have a willingness to evaluate them.  Don't bother with the DVD Gettysburg Monuments and Statues and Their Stories, a showcase of 75 select monuments on the battlefield--Justin can teach you more.  Serious book buyers should still join Friends of Gettysburg for a valuable discount.

Relevant Twitter Handle:
@visitgettysburg

More Off-the-Beaten Path Museums: Gettysburg, PA

Justin has taught Kim, a former self-professed "museum snob," the true joy of smaller, roadside collections.  What some museums lack in curatorial credentials they make up for amply in charm.  Now, we both seek out all types of museums:  the "fancy," the classic, the strange.  Recently, we visited two truly American museums in Gettysburg, PA. 

The National Civil War Wax Museum is home to a variety of wax tableaux.  If you are a student of wax museums, Justin can explain to you how the museum has changed over the years.  When visiting, we review the fire escape plan and note changes--really.  Several of the more innovative displays endure each year, including one honoring the Underground Railroad that allows viewers to "see" a basement hiding place (pictured).  This year, the 51-year-old site changes hands for the first time--but we were thrilled to find it plans to reopen in 2014.   On this visit, it was disappointing to learn the animatronic President Lincolns before the "battle room" finale and in the finale itself are broken beyond repair, but this does allow local Lincoln impersonator James Getty some more work (he's filmed for the battle room Gettysburg Address).  Gettysburg is full of places to buy souvenirs, but the National Civil War Wax Museum hosts one of the largest shops.  Want to see more images from the museum?  Start your search at the awesome wax museum blog Houses of Wax.

We also visited the Lincoln Train Museum again, taking it is renovations since our first trip in 2010.  The collection still features model trains visitors can control by push buttons and a train "ride" profiled in great fanfare in The Washington Post a few decades ago.  They've given the train ride a more patriotic spin, and Lincoln impersonator James Getty again has more work:  he's featured in the museum opening and in the "new" train ride.   The collection is interesting, and while the renovations take a stab at focusing more on Lincoln's funeral train, it's basically a site to take in train models.  Take time to engage the friendly staff and have them tell you about the museum owner, a longtime sherrif in a nearby community who owns several Gettysburg attractions and his own interesting collection of Presidential memorabilia.

If you go, we recommend staying in town, preferably on or near Steinwehr Avenue, so that you can walk to the museums--and lots of cute casual restaurants and the town square to boot. 

Tabernacle Time: The Biblical Tabernacle Reproduction in Lancaster, PA

Inspired by a postcard show find, we had to see Biblical Tabernacle Reproduction at the Mennonite Information Center in Lancaster, PA.  Once there, we enjoyed an informative lecture on the tabernacle itself and were treated to a detailed presentation of the replica from a knowledgeable guide.  While not a "hands on" museum, the replica is built to Biblical size and includes all the Biblical details.  We found our guide, Roy, was able to explain what parts of the tabernacle story are Biblical and which ones have grown from extra-Biblical traditions.  It's a recommended stop for anyone with interest in Christianity or Judaism.

When we found the postcards that inspired our visit for all of 10 cents each, our Sunday School class was studying the tabernacle, in part using a small model you can buy at the center's impressive gift shop.  They sell tabernacle-related religious items, books, and local interest finds like Amish Country postcards and Sight and Sound Theater DVDs--and host a Ten Thousand Villages fair trade shop.  And yes, they have site-specific postcards of the tabernacle replica--a good thing, because in the main section of the reproduction, there's a no photos rule (forgive the lack of photos here).  You can even shop their online store. 

If you go, expect a very friendly, accommodating staff.  They genuinely wanted to meet our needs and were quite pleased we were traveling with children.  The staff can point you towards many local activity options, including guided farm tours.  The center is directly across from Tanger Outlets--yes, you could walk between the sites.  If you are on the road with small children, see our previous blog about nearby Dutch Wonderland.  If you are traveling with a history buff, know you are about an hour from Gettysburg!