If you long to be “far from the madding crowd,” as Thomas Hardy famously wrote, then Hardy County is the fall and winter destination for you. With just about 15,000 residents in the entire county, you’ll have plenty of room to stretch out and rediscover small-town America. And when you’re ready to mingle, check out these fall festivals.
Hardy County Heritage Weekend Festival
The Hardy County Tour & Craft Association sponsors this countywide festival, which will be held from Sept. 27 to 29. This celebration of the rich history and rural life of Hardy County showcases delectable foods, music and arts, craft shows, car shows, home tours, walking tours and Civil War encampments.
Now in its 71st year, the festival began as a way to raise funds for the public library, and Hardy County has continued that proud tradition. Each year, a historic home is chosen for immortality by placing its image on a decorative tile for display at the library. This year the honored home is the Lost River General Store.
The festival’s Americana-inspired house tour will include historic homes and buildings that represent an event in Hardy County history.
For more information on Hardy County’s Heritage Weekend Festival, visit heritageweekend.com or call 304-530-0280.
Pizza oven at Lost and Found Pizza in Mathias
Wardensville Fall Festival
Tucked away in the northeast corner of Hardy County, just 20 miles from Route 81 near Winchester, lies the charming village of Wardensville. Their fall festival will be held Oct. 11 to 13 and is set to feature more than 100 vendors, a parade, crafting demonstrations, artists painting, a car show, performances, bingo, fire truck rides, a cookout and the crowning of the parade marshalls. All proceeds benefit the Capon Valley Volunteer Fire Company.
For more information, call 304-874-3424.
Check out Visit Hardy’s website, visithardywv.com, throughout the fall for updates on other festivals that weren’t confirmed by press time, like the WV Turkey Festival & Pageant in Mathias.
Moorefield’s Holidays on Ice
In early December, you can enjoy the town of Moorefield’s Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade on Main Street, sponsored by the Moorefield Lions Club. Then, keep the fun going and strap on those ice skates at Moorefield’s Town Park for free ice skating.
Beginning around Thanksgiving, Moorefield’s “Holidays on Ice” highlights their cozy winter wonderland. Each weekend through early February, the town provides a new batch of activities to keep the holiday spirit alive. A concession stand run by a different community organization each week plies visitors with tasty hot dogs, pepperoni rolls, popcorn, desserts, and hot cocoa as patrons while away the hours on the ice.
Some skating sessions are geared toward teens with disc jockeys blasting out popular tunes, while others cater to the younger set with arts and crafts, such as make-your-own snowman or Christmas tree.
The Moorefield Town Park is at 220 Spring Ave. For more information, visit mfldparks@hardynet.com or call 304-530-6142.
It was the beginning of summer here in the “land of pleasant living” in 2022, and the heat was already oppressive. My wife and I wanted to get away to somewhere with bright, 70-degree days and cool, 50-degree nights. In other words, we wanted a Maryland fall but with beaches and ocean.
We’ve tried the Shenandoah Valley and the Poconos. Both are great, of course, but can’t deliver on beaches and ocean. Ocean City has the beaches and ocean but not the weather (or slower pace) that we wanted. Enter our Maine discussion! We decided to spend a week exploring the state.
First, let’s get our bearings. Maine is the northeastern-most U.S. state and the largest (by far) but least populated of the New England states. Maine is well known for many things: its jagged, rocky coastline; sandy beaches like Old Orchard and Ogunquit; colorful maritime history; picturesque lighthouses; fresh, tasty lobsters; enormous moose; seemingly never-ending white pine trees; Mount Katahdin, one end of the Appalachian Trail; and untouched natural areas like Acadia National Park.
We went into this trip wondering why one of Maine’s nicknames is “vacationland,” but after a few days, we wondered no more. Spending a week in Maine was perhaps the most satisfying vacation we’ve taken. Everything was just so perfect: friendly people, charming accents, quirky places with Native American-inspired names, remarkably fresh food, breathtaking scenery and a satisfyingly slow pace of life.
Largest lobster in the world at Taste of Maine
We set off for Maine in our comfy SUV in June 2022, heading up the East Coast on I-95 to make good time. We had already booked two stops at cozy bed and breakfasts in Kennebunk and Bar Harbor. Since our first Maine stop, Kennebunk, is about 9 hours driving time from Frederick, we decided to stay overnight in New York City and take in a Broadway show. The next day, we got up early and headed north into coolers temps.
Driving close to the coast, we passed the heavily industrial Connecticut cities of Stamford, Bridgeport and New Haven, home to Yale University. Cruising into watery Rhode Island, we passed by the picturesque state capital of Providence. We carefully made our way around metropolitan Boston and up the coast of New Hampshire, where we finally started to see traffic and the pace of life slow. We departed I-95, no longer wishing to make time, in favor of Route 1 to take in the sights, sounds and scents of small-town life.
The drive through New Hampshire only takes about an hour before you arrive in Maine, perfectly nicknamed on welcome signs as the Pine Tree State.
In another 30 minutes, we were in Kennebunk. Be advised there’s also a Kennebunkport, right on the ocean, of course, and made famous during two presidencies as the summer home of the Bushes. All told, it was a relatively easy 5-hour drive from New York City to Kennebunk.
In Kennebunk, we stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast called The Tides, located right across from Goose Rocks Beach, which is technically part of Kennebunkport and one of the best sandy beaches you’ll find on the Maine coast. We enjoyed almost three miles of soft, white sandy beach that offered incredible views of the Atlantic and some small offshore islands. The tidal pools that form are also a hit during the summer, making a great place to float along in a natural lazy river. This beach is about as family-friendly as it gets in the state and is a favorite to spend time on during the warmer months.
Our three days in Kennebunk flew by as we enjoyed the beach, strolling the beautiful little village and eating at cozy restaurants. As you might imagine, we didn’t starve. We delighted in delicious lobster rolls, wonderful blueberry pancakes with fresh homemade maple syrup tapped from nearby trees and, surprisingly, Texas-sized steaks and fillets. We rented bikes for a lovely excursion up the beach and through neighboring villages, making sure to get back in time to take in a startlingly red “strawberry” moonrise over the ocean at dusk (we’d wondered why folks were traipsing over to the beach with their flashlights in hand).
In Old Orchard Beach, just up the road from Kennebunk, we spent a day at New England’s largest beachfront amusement park, Palace Playland. It was like taking a step back in time. At this family-owned attraction, we enjoyed the old wooden roller coasters, midway-style rides, water slides, carnival games and Maine’s largest arcade. Exhausted after a day in the bright sun cooled by ocean breezes, we decamped back to our friendly Kennebunk B&B to plan our morning departure to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.
Boat tour along the rocky Maine coast
On our way, we couldn’t help but stop at Taste of Maine restaurant in Woolwich, about an hour from Kennebunk. There, we found two of the world’s largest lobsters waiting for us. An inflatable lobster, measuring 70 feet long and 12 feet tall, greeted us from the roof. And the “world’s largest lobster roll,” at 2-feet long and packed with over a pound and half of lobster meat, greeted us inside. We didn’t partake, but the views from the back deck were so incredible, we lingered longer than we should have. This place is a must-visit when in the area.
Bar Harbor is about 3 hours northeast of Kennebunk and 2 hours from Woolwich. Sunrise in the summer is at about 4:45 a.m., which can take a little getting used to, but the air is so crisp and cool, you might not mind rising early.
Bar Harbor is a resort town of about 5,000 people that swells to many times that in the summer. Think Ocean City without the boardwalk or crowds. Still, it didn’t seem crowded there when we visited.
Bar Harbor is synonymous with great wealth. Many summer mansions dot the town, and numerous Rockefellers were born here.
Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunk
We enjoyed strolling the quaint but hilly town while window shopping and reading menu boards, gazing out toward the Atlantic at the many little islands that seem to stand sentinel to the mainland, and walking across the bay. That’s right! Bar Harbor gets its name from a sand and gravel bar that is only visible at low tide, allowing tourists, day trippers, picnickers and hikers to wander about a mile across the bay to lovely Bar Island. It’s not often you get to explore the sea bottom, so we made that trip a few times.
Bar Harbor is also home to a large portion of Acadia National Park, which includes Cadillac Mountain, the highest point in Hancock County. It’s Maine’s only national park and, naturally, the easternmost in the U.S. We took a pleasant one-day excursion up Cadillac Mountain and enjoyed breathtaking views of the Atlantic, numerous tidal pools carved out among the granite rocks and impossibly green forests. A network of carriage roads — a gift from John D. Rockefeller — meanders throughout Acadia, making it easy to get around.
Don’t forget to try the Winter Harbor/Bar Harbor Ferry, one of the best boat tours in Maine. While technically a ferry that shuttles folks back and forth between Winter Harbor to the north and Bar Harbor, this ride on a converted lobster boat is also a scenic tour. For 45 minutes, you get a guided tour of Frenchman’s Bay and several of the islands and landmarks that occupy it between the two towns. Along the way, you’ll get an up-close look at the awesome cliffs of Ironbound Island, the Porcupine Islands, Winter Harbor Lighthouse and usually some wildlife — ocean sunfish, seals, porpoises, waterfowl and even the occasional whale.
There is so much we didn’t see during our weeklong visit to Maine that we can’t wait to go back. After all, Maine is a relatively large state and we stayed mostly “down east,” as the locals say.
Prepare to be spellbound if you take our suggestion and make Maine your next summer vacation destination.
Ellen Bennett arriving in Kennebunkport
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.
There’s something so nostalgically American about drive-in theaters.
Where else can you enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of your own car, balance the fun of socializing with the expectation of privacy, take the kids and go in your pajamas (if you want), and enjoy a good movie and the smell of popcorn and fries wafting through the air, too?
Then, too, there’s something magical about dusk in the summer. It is the perfect confluence of night and day and transition from hot to warm and work to play.
Who wants to come inside on a beautiful summer evening at dusk when the heat of the day is finally over? If you need a reason to stay outside at night, drive-in theaters are it!
At the drive-in at dusk, folks may be outside their cars, talking with friends or neighbors (or making new friends), getting food maybe playing with kids. Anticipation and wonderful aromas are in the air. Music is playing over loud speakers. A huge screen is standing sentinel over all the proceedings. A feeling of community and shared experience is evident.
Of course, we all know drive-in theaters have seen better days. According to the United Drive-In Theater Owners Association, only about 300 drive-in theaters still exist in the U.S. In their heyday in the late ‘50s, over 4,000 populated America, mostly in rural areas where land is cheaper.
The reasons for their decline are many, but chief among them is the sheer cost of land, which has skyrocketed in the U.S. It takes about 15 acres of land to park enough cars for economies of scale to kick in at a drive-in theater. Drive-in owners must own or lease all that land to comfortably park their patrons. Indoor multiplex owners don’t have to worry about their parking situation.
There is no doubt the land is typically more valuable than the theater business itself, making it ripe for selling off for housing, retail strips or office complexes. As car culture began to wane in the late ‘70s and ‘80s and as the middle-class decamped for a more suburban lifestyle of box stores and multiplexes, drive-in theaters became nearly extinct.
Bengie’s Drive-In Theater in Middle River, just east of Baltimore.
Drive-ins, too, tend to be owned by individuals as small businesses. When they want to retire, owners often find it difficult to find a buyer who wishes to continue in the theater business. It doesn’t help that indoor multiplexes are dominated by a few large, well-funded companies. Finally, movie watching tastes have changed, too, to more in-home viewing.
By the ‘90s when a nostalgia craze kicked in, new drive-in theaters began to be built. Today, the industry has stabilized and fewer are closing. Nevertheless, drive-ins must follow a difficult business model.
Drive-in theaters are like gas stations but without the support of a big parent company. Most of the price consumers pay for the main product (gas or a movie) goes back to the oil company — or movie studio. Owners are left to make most of their money through extras, like food. That is why outside food is either prohibited or severely limited at drive-in theaters today. “Car-load” prices are typically a thing of the past, too.
One would think that Southern states, with their warmer weather, would dominate the drive-in theater business since they can show movies year-round without the need for car owners to run their engines for heat. But that would be wrong. Large states with mostly pleasant year-round weather like California and Texas have only 13 drive-in theaters each. Florida only has four. It is New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio that have the most, with 28, 27 and 23 respectively.
Most experts credit this anomaly to cultural differences that encourage the handing down of businesses from generation to generation in “the rust belt.” The northern drive-in theater owners have also been creative in finding other uses for their theaters in the “off season,” such as holding car rallies, auctions or flea markets. Or, they run their movies year-round and promote the cozy feeling of drive-ins in the winter.
In Maryland, we only have one drive-in theater left to call our own: Bengie’s in Middle River, just east of Baltimore. It takes a little over an hour to get there. They bill themselves as having the largest outdoor screen in the U.S. They show first-run movies. Ticket prices are per-person and are similar to ticket prices at our local multiplexes. Outside food is limited.
Frederick’s last drive-in theater, The Family Drive-in (later named the Frederick Drive-in) on Jefferson Pike between Frederick and Jefferson, closed in 1982. Before that, we had the Braddock Drive-in, which was owned by the same person.
Haar’s Drive-in in Dillsburg, Pa.
Frederick’s closest drive-in theater now is in Pennsylvania. Haar’s Drive-in Theater on Route 15 in Dillsburg (just north of Gettysburg) is a pleasant one-hour car ride from Frederick. They show first-run movies. Ticket prices are $10 per person with children under 5 admitted free. Outside food is prohibited.
In Virginia, the Family Drive-In Theater in Stephens City is about an hour and 15 minutes away. It is the closest of Virginia’s six drive-ins. Stephens City is just south of Winchester. They show first-run movies. Adult tickets are $12 and tickets for children ages 3 to 12 are $7.
COMING OF AGE AT THE DRIVE-IN
I didn’t know it at the time, but I had the good fortune to grow up right beside a drive-in theater in extremely rural Western Maryland. Later, it became my first employer. Unfortunately, the screen angled away from our house and toward the house on the other side of the drive-in.
Growing up, I knew the Hi-Rock Drive-in Theater near McCoole more as a daytime playground than a movie theater. Settling into bed at night, it was somehow soothing to hear the bustle of humanity as evidenced by the car horns honking for the next movie to start after intermission. Pleasant food aromas wafted into my bedroom window, too.
It was our closest “restaurant” — and one within easy walking distance. I vividly remember my dad sending me over to get tasty hot dogs just about every Saturday evening as we got ready to watch “Gunsmoke.” It was one of those strange family traditions that no one knew how began, but one we could never abandon. The kindly box office attendant always let me pass by with a promise that I would be right back with my family’s food order. Naturally, I got to sneak many peeks at the movies playing as I wandered over to the snack bar.
As I grew into my teen years, the drive-in became my place of employment. Good thing, too, because there wasn’t much else available in rural Allegany County, especially for teens. The county had three drive-ins up until about 1980: the Potomac in LaVale, the Super 51 just outside of Cumberland on Route 51, and “my drive-in,” as I like to call it, the Hi-Rock in McCoole, just over the state line from Keyser, West Virginia.
At the Hi-Rock, I sold tickets, worked in the concession stand and was even a “ramp boy,” the person who assisted any cars who had any problems, re-attached speakers that nearly left with patrons and chased down scofflaws who tried to enter the drive-in for free through the exit. I even picked up trash left on the ground after the movie.
I have many wonderful and funny drive-in stories that involve streaking; food fights; beer runs; naughty, cryptic messages broadcast over the PA system; cars with steamed-up windows that wouldn’t leave; and the requisite piling out of humanity from trunks.
It was clear, too, that my friends thought I had the very best high school job of anyone. I would have to agree. I even parlayed the part-time job into a full-time job managing an indoor movie theater during college.
A few drive-in movie theaters remain in the area and continue to bring a nostalgic feeling to movie-goers.
ENJOY A (RELATIVELY) NEARBY DRIVE-IN THEATER
Bengie’s Drive-In Theater 3417 Eastern Blvd., Middle River Located in a suburb of Baltimore, Bengie’s has the largest movie screen remaining in the U.S. 410-687-5627 bengies.com Opened: 1956
Family Drive-In Theatre 5890 Valley Pike, Stephens City, Va. This family-owned business is one of the state’s few remaining drive-in theaters. 540-665-6982 thefamilydi.com Opened: 1956
Haar’s Drive-In Theater 185 Logan Road, Dillsburg, Pa. Haar’s has been in continuous operation for more than 70 years. It hosts auctions and concerts, too. 717-432-8246 haars.com Opened: 1952
Cumberland Drive-In Theatre 3290 Ritner Hwy., Newville, Pa. Located about an hour and a half from Frederick, it has been operated by the same family for more than 60 years. 717-776-5212 Opened: 1952
Starlight Cinema 5875 Trinity Pkwy, Centreville, Va. This modern facility is about an hour and a half from Frederick and features family-friendly films, food and activities for kids. 703-324-8700 Opened: 2012
I’ve been to the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, on several occasions, for business and pleasure, and have been impressed each time.
For pleasure, it was summer baseball and an Eagles/Jimmy Buffet concert that landed me twice in the beautiful Target Field in Minneapolis. For business, it was the rare wintertime business conference that spanned locations in both cities.
You might be wondering why these cities have the nickname they do.
“Twin Cities” refers to the region’s two core cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which are about the same size and border each other on either side of the Mississippi River. They share many of the same political, educational and cultural institutions. St. Paul is the state capitol, as well as the political and architectural center, while Minneapolis is the cultural and business center.
The two cities revel in the fact that they share the headwaters of the Mississippi River. If you’ve ever been to New Orleans and seen the wide expanse of the mighty river as it meanders to the Gulf of Mexico, you’ll be amazed at its relatively modest and approachable size as it begins its southward journey near Minneapolis.
Indeed, the river not only serves as a natural boundary between the two cities but also as an unusual calling card. I highly recommend taking a walk along the shore and then across the historic Stone Arch Bridge for a spectacular scenic view of the river. Historic Rice Park in St. Paul snuggles up against the river. You can even book kayaks and canoes for an easy paddle down the river — or the Minneapolis Queen paddle wheeler, for a scenic, narrated cruise.
Minneapolis downtown skyline at sunset
Having traveled to the Twin Cities in the summer and winter months, I wouldn’t recommend visiting in winter or early spring (unless you can’t get enough of cold weather and huge snow totals).
I must admit, however, there is a palpable charm and coziness to the Twin Cities in the cold months. Locals and visitors alike enjoy winter sports like ice fishing, cross-country skiing and ice skating. Their famous winter carnival arrives in St. Paul in January, featuring amazing ice sculptures, hot air balloon rides and a jazz festival.
A curious but vital manmade phenomenon in Minneapolis allows reasonably comfortable winter living. The climate-controlled “Skyway” hovers one floor above street level and connects miles and miles of residences, businesses, hotels, shops and restaurants in the downtown area. You do not need to go outside in the winter in the downtown area unless you really want to. It’s wonderful! I’ve not seen anything like it in any other American city.
From about May through October, the Twin Cities are delightful. They are well known for their remarkably clean air, tidy downtown streets, miles of bike paths and thousands of lakes and green spaces. Minnesota is known as the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” after all.
On the grounds of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, you’ll find the spoon and cherry fountain
Even without the Skyway, the Twin Cities, with their perfectly flat terrain, are very walkable most of the year. It is easy to crisscross the area on foot to Target Field to catch a Twins baseball game, to U.S. Bank Stadium (previously The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome) for a Vikings football game or to dozens of fine restaurants known for their Scandinavian-tinged culinary prowess. There’s even an F. Scott Fitzgerald walking tour and the wildly popular Victorian ghost tours. If walking is not your thing, the Twin Cities provide lots of bike, Segway, motor coach or paddle-board tour options.
For the shoppers or curious among you, I recommend a road trip to Bloomington to the world-famous Mall of America. Once billed as the largest shopping mall in the world, MOA features more than 600 stores (with tax-free shopping on shoes and apparel!), 75 restaurants, 40 theater screens and even a 7-acre theme park known as the Nickelodeon Universe Experience. It comes complete with rollercoasters, a Ferris wheel, ropes and adventure courses, and bumper cars.
“Overwhelming” is not quite the word for spending an afternoon there, but it comes close. People-watching turns into a contact sport. But it’s one of those things you should do once in your life. MOA is about 12 miles south of the Twin Cities. I drove there, but it is serviced by light-rail that will pick you up at or near your downtown hotel and deposit you steps from MOA and back.
Of course, there are many fine theaters, zoos, aquariums, amusement parks, and museums to spend your time. Among the best are the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, American Swedish Institute, Minnesota History Center, the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul, and, just outside of Minneapolis, Valleyfair Amusement Park with its Peanuts theme (creator Charles Schulz was a proud Minnesotan).
Mall of America in nearby Bloomington, MN.
The Twin Cities also feature a few eclectic sculptures that are just right for that perfect selfie. In downtown Minneapolis, catch the Mary Tyler Moore sculpture with her iconic “throwing her tam in the air” pose. On the grounds of the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, you’ll find the spoon and cherry fountain: a humungous spoon balancing an equally large red, ripe cherry. It is a must-see. And, if you’re a Peanuts fan like me, you’ll have to search out the bronze sculptures at Rice Park that portray the carefree happiness of Schulz’s beloved characters.
It’s not particularly easy to get to the Twin Cities. I have driven and flown. If you drive, it’s roughly a two-day drive of eight hours each along routes I-70, I-80 and I-90 (pretty easy to remember!). The midpoint is somewhere between Indianapolis and Chicago for your stopover.
Frontier has many affordable flights out of BWI to Minneapolis International Airport for under $150 each way. Southwest starts at about $300 each way.
There is a well-earned toughness about Twin City residents who point out how happy and healthy they are. Indeed, Forbes consistently ranks Minnesota as one of the top healthiest states in the U.S. There must be something to breathing all that cold air!
Beautiful Target Field in Minneapolis
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.
Spring is in the air at Longwood Gardens, making it a great time to plan a getaway to this exquisite destination. Longwood Gardens is perhaps the best example of humans and nature working together — and the beauty that is possible if we can do that.
My wife and I recently enjoyed an early March trip, but we’ve visited Longwood Gardens at various times throughout the year, and it has much to offer in any season.
Longwood Gardens is only about three hours from Frederick (125 miles on I-70 and I-95) in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, part of the state’s Brandywine Valley near Philadelphia. It is a robust 1,000-plus-acre botanical garden, woodlands and meadows, all rolled into one, and one of the largest horticultural display gardens in the U.S. Over 1 million guests visit Longwood Gardens each year.
It is open year-round and provides a fascinating glimpse into plant life at all stages and at any time of year. Longwood Gardens employs numerous horticulturalists, scientists and researchers who focus on preservation, education and conservation. There are numerous events and performances to enjoy nearly every day, as well as educational lectures and hands-on workshops. But the star of the show is the more than 1,000 species of magnificently blooming flowers. We go for this unparalleled beauty.
SEASONAL DELIGHTS
There is something wonderful to see and smell any time of year at the Gardens. New life seemingly arises from every corner.
From January to March, your visit will be mostly indoors, under glass and warmly heated. You can wander from greenhouse to greenhouse and enjoy all the creations the master horticulturalists have put on display. Many are standing by to explain what you are seeing and to advise you on your own houseplant exploits.
Spring is prime time there. From March through May, you can enjoy a peaceful walk through unending blankets of color, as flowering trees put on a show along with dazzling tulips, fragrant wisteria and our favorites, the delightfully graceful lilies swaying in the breeze.
Currently in bloom are gorgeous, rare blue poppies and blue and lavender hydrangeas, wisteria and orchids. The horticulturalists explain these temporary beauties only last a week or two, but don’t despair if you miss them; nearly every flowering species is in full bloom this time of year.
From May through September, the Garden’s Festival of Fountains will delight you. The gardens are at their summer best, and towering, colorful, musically-timed fountain jets will enhance your experience.
We also enjoy exploring shady Pierce’s Woods to cool off and enjoy the wildflowers around the Grand Lake and the stunning countryside vistas from the Conservatory Overlook.
If you bring the kids, you won’t want to miss the award-winning and whimsically-themed Children’s Garden and fireworks displays. A summer performance series rounds out the activities. This season’s lineup can be viewed at longwoodgardens.org/events-performances.
In October and November, the aptly-named Chrysanthemum Festival steals the show. I’ve never seen so many breathtaking and creative displays of this old fall favorite. There are three treehouses to explore that provide a bird’s-eye view of the fall color below. There’s even an entire multi-acre meadow filled to capacity with golden mums that provides oohs and ahhs from visitors.
From November through January, A Longwood Christmas will take you back to a simpler time. You can wander the outside paths through hundreds of thousands of twinkling lights. Be sure to visit the historic main conservatory where you can warm up among magnificently decorated live trees, thousands of ruby red poinsettias and fragrant greenhouse-grown flowers of all types.
If you’d like to put off your trip until later this year, Longwood Gardens is working on a major expansion and preservation strategy called Longwood Reimagined that is scheduled to open Nov. 22. They promise “stunning new buildings, wondrous new indoor and outdoor gardens and fantastic new guest experiences.” I think we’ll check that out.
LOGISTICS AND DETAILS
Tickets are priced according to season but are still a good bargain, in my opinion. From roughly Thanksgiving to early May, adult tickets are $25. Seniors 62 and over pay $22. Children 5 to 18 are charged $13, and children under 5 are admitted free.
From mid-May to Thanksgiving, tickets are a few dollars more across the board. Tickets are timed at half-hour intervals to allow a limited number of guests to enter at a time, thereby cutting down on lines. You can stay as long as long as you like, however. I recommend allocating four to five hours to see most of the gardens, catch your breath and get a really good feel for it.
Hours vary, but in the spring (March through May), Longwood Gardens is open from roughly 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Mid-May through September, it is open until 10 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 9 p.m. on other days. It is closed on Tuesdays.
Tickets should be purchased in advance and are “rain or shine.” Refunds are not provided. Parking is free, but it can be a bit of a hike from the parking areas to the gardens. I’d leave about 15 minutes to accomplish this task. There is no tram service, but wheelchairs, scooters and strollers are allowed and available for rent.
Bringing food and drink into the gardens is not allowed, but there’s a picnic area just outside the park for visitors who wish to bring their own food. Pets and smoking/vaping are not permitted.
The Terrace restaurant within the gardens is a leisurely 10-minute walk from the Visitor Center. A self-service cafe and full-service dining room are both available there. Guests can also enjoy the outdoor beer garden at The Terrace, available seasonally and during select special events.
There is also a delightful full-service restaurant called 1906, named in honor of the year Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954) purchased the grounds that were developed into Longwood Gardens. Reservations are recommended. 1906 offers fresh, American, seasonal cuisine, with a focus on locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. We had a wonderful dining experience there.
Outside the gates, many local restaurants offer discounted pricing for Longwood Gardens guests. I recommend that strategy if you go in the winter, as the restaurants within the gates are sometimes closed for renovation. We have enjoyed Floga Bistro, Sweet Amelias and Hangry Bear Creamery in Kennett Square.
Longwood Gardens is a pleasant day trip — about six hours roundtrip — but if you would prefer to stay over, there is no shortage of accommodations available in Brandywine Valley.
Many hotels, inns and B&Bs offer packages that include tickets to Longwood Gardens. There are close-by budget chains like Best Western, Comfort Inn, Fairfield Inn and Courtyard by Marriott.
But for a more individualistic, adventurous stay, I recommend The Bookhouse Hotel in downtown Kennett Square. It contains more than 5,000 books for your reading pleasure. Or try the historic Brandywine River Hotel in nearby Chadds Ford.
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.
Another April Fools’ Day is upon us, and it couldn’t have come at a better time! What? Have you not watched the news lately?
This great American un-holiday features trickery, monkeyshines, hoaxes, shenanigans and hijinks. Why April Fools’ Day is not a federal holiday, I’ll never understand.
April Fools’ Day comes on April 1 each year. No one quite knows why.
Some think it is connected to the vernal equinox, where Mother Nature fools us by changing weather from hot to cold every other day. One thing is for certain, however: Perpetrators must holler “April Fools!” at the end of the joke to clue in the unsuspecting party.
Though the day has purportedly been celebrated for centuries by different cultures, its exact origin remains a mystery. Some historians trace it back to ancient Rome and the appropriately-named festival of Hilaria. Others peg it to medieval France, when some fools couldn’t get the days straight on the newly created Gregorian calendar. (That’s actually pretty harsh. Can you imagine changing calendars today? We get grumpy just turning our clocks back one hour.)
The Brits ran with the concept in the 1700s, often sending people on phony cuckoo bird hunts. Later came “Tailie Day,” which involved pranks such as pinning fake tails or “kick me” signs on unsuspecting back ends.
My family must have lots of English blood. I can vividly remember my unsuspecting mother, who worked overnight at a Celanese plant in the 1970s, coming home with a fibery tail pinned to her derriere seemingly every morning.
My own grandchildren got in on the fun, too, by taping a “kick me” sign to my backside before a trip to the mall. Of course, I knew about it, but that didn’t stop me from playing along and listening to the heartwarming giggles as we strolled along.
The classic April Fools’ jokes of covering the toilet with plastic wrap or swapping the contents of sugar and salt containers are all well and good, but I would like you to think bigger.
To motivate you, here are some of the large-scale, classic April Fools’ jokes executed in recent history. They deserve our solemn respect.
• Swiss TV covered farm workers’ record spaghetti crop, complete with video of people harvesting the noodles from trees.
• George Plimpton reported on a rookie pitcher named Sidd Finch who could throw a ball 168 miles per hour
• An actor portraying Richard Nixon near the end of his life in 1992 announced he was running for president again, to the horror of everyone.
• Taco Bell announced they were purchasing the Liberty Bell and renaming it the Taco Liberty Bell.
• MIT engineering students dismantled the dean’s car and reassembled it on the administration building roof.
•••
Gary as a cool, hippie-type dude.
Not to be outdone, I am happy to relate my own efforts.
Before I do, please note that I am always happy to be the butt of the joke if it embarrasses someone else, preferably my good-natured but long-suffering wife. Also note that shenanigans don’t have to occur on Aprils Fools’ Day, but it helps!
For years, we have vacationed with very good friends in Florida. My buddy and I like to drive, while my wife and his wife prefer to fly. As good and faithful husbands, we always promise to pick them up at the airport, and we do.
For some odd reason that probably dates to my childhood, I delight in dressing up in outrageous costumes to meet my wife and her friend at the airport. I typically have a sign welcoming them to Florida and meet them with exuberant jolliness, much to their chagrin.
The looks on their faces are priceless as I stand in the welcoming line when they emerge from airport security. There is nowhere to hide. Pretending to not know me doesn’t work either. They are putty in my hands.
I have shown up at airports as the following:
• an Italian playboy in short shorts and a jaunty hat
• a cool hippie dude
• an extremely overweight and uncool tourist
• an unemployed biker.
Pro tip, if you are thinking of trying this yourself: Notify airport security before you change into your getup in the men’s restroom. They’re usually not amused, but it’s the right thing to do.
If you’re wondering about my buddy, no, he won’t dress up. But to his credit, he doesn’t try to talk me out of it.
Unfortunately, the cat’s out of the bag for me now, and I’m forced to be more creative. After years of happily flying without me, my wife now begs me to fly with her. If that fails, she has taken to searching the car for suspicious clothing before I depart.
Little does she know, I have costumers up and down the East Coast who are awaiting my call.
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.
Gary as the woefully out-of-place, jaunty European tourist, Armando.
New stadium, minor league team coming to Hagerstown this spring
By Gary Bennett
Rendering of Meritus Park in Hagerstown
This article appears in DayTripper Magazine, Spring 2024.
Meritus Park, the nearly $70 million, 4,000-seat stadium, financed by the State of Mayland, promises to be a game changer for Hagerstown, which has hosted minor league baseball for over 100 years. Construction began in the fall 2022 and is scheduled to wrap up in time for the opening game on May 3.
“It’s going to be an incredible facility not just for baseball, but for other events like festivals and concerts and will really provide a huge boost to Hagerstown’s downtown economy,” said David Blenckstone, general manager of Hagerstown’s new minor league baseball team and the stadium’s first tenant.
“The stadium will reflect the city of Hagerstown with an emphasis on railroads and bricks, two industries the city was really known for historically. We are proud of all the art that will adorn the concourses, too,” said Blenckstone.
Minor League Baseball’s newest team, the Hagerstown Flying Boxcars, will call the stadium home and compete in the Atlantic League. They are one of 10 teams in the Atlantic League this year. The players’ skill level will be tantamount to AA or AAA players.
Hagerstown Flying Boxcars logo including mascot Stryker and a C-119 “flying boxcar”
So, what’s a flying boxcar?
A team naming contest held last year garnered 1,700 responses. The clear winner was a nod to Hagerstown’s proud aviation past. The sprawling local Fairchild plant was a key builder of the C-119 Flying Boxcar for both the Navy and Marine Corps in the 1940s. The nickname aptly represents the giant military transport aircraft developed to carry both cargo and personnel into battle in Europe.
As for the stadium, Meritus Park will boast all the amenities you would expect from a minor league ballpark plus many you might not. Construction of the stadium is in the hands of the Maryland Stadium Authority, famous for their creative stewardship of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
“The stadium is designed not just for the hard-core baseball fan but also for the casual one who is looking for an enjoyable, social evening out,” said Blenckstone.
One notable feature will be the 360-degree concourse that allows fans to walk completely around the inside of the stadium. That’s not something you find at Harry Grove Stadium or other typical minor league parks.
The stadium will have a full-service bar in the left field area and a beer garden in right. A picnic area greets you near the main gate and a family-friendly zone is right behind first base. The video board, lighting system and sound system are promised to be of major-league quality and state of the art.
Stryker getting ready for opening day
Attendees at an evening game can easily make a day of it because of the downtown location. A pleasant mile-long walkway called the Hagerstown Cultural Trail runs along the ballpark for about a half mile, connecting visitors to the arts and entertainment district, Hagerstown City Park and Fine Arts Museum.
Highly rated local restaurants within easy walking distance of the stadium include: Broad Axe, Bulls and Bears, 28 South and Schmankerl Stube—a quintessentially German-themed restaurant serving hearty Bavarian fare.
Fans will certainly have no trouble finding the stadium. It sits near the corner of West Baltimore Street and Summit Avenue in downtown Hagerstown right next to the old Hearld-Mail newspaper building. The stadium’s tall and imposing façade and light stanchions will dominate Hagerstown’s skyline.
Parking should be no problem either. The City of Hagerstown is contributing a 400-car parking deck right next to the stadium. Plus, two more existing parking decks are within 3 blocks of the stadium.
The season begins in early May. Get tickets at FlyingBoxcars.com.
Themed nights will include Silver Sluggers Tuesdays—special ticket prices and giveaways for those 55 and older—and Double Dog Days Wednesdays—bring your pooch and enjoy discounts on hot dogs. See a complete list is at FlyingBoxcars.com.
In Frederick, we think we know old. After all, we were part of one of the original 13 colonies and have a rich pre-American Independence history.
But we don’t know old like St. Augustine, Florida knows old.
It was founded in 1565 by Pedro de Aviles, Juan Ponce de Leon and other Spanish explorers. It is the oldest continually occupied European settlement in the United States. In 2025 it will celebrate its 460th anniversary. By comparison, Frederick County just celebrated its 275th anniversary.
For further context, St. Augustine had already been a thriving community for about 50 years at the time English settlers first set foot at Jamestown, Virgina, and a little later, at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts.
St. Augustine sits in the northeast coast of Florida, just 15 miles south of Jacksonville on what is known as Florida’s Historic Coast. It is served by Jacksonville International Airport and is just off I-95 and Route 1. It is about a 12-hour drive from Frederick on a good traffic day.
St. Augustine attracts people from around the globe. About six million visit each year. I was pleased to hear a mix of languages and dialects as we strolled the streets.
Oldest wooden schoolhouse in America
It makes a lot of favorites lists, too. USA Today’s Reader’s Choice 2020 ranks it as “best historic small town.” Conde Naste Traveler ranks it No. 1 on its list of U.S. cities that are full of European charm.
My wife and I just returned from a short visit between Christmas and New Year’s Day. It had been on our bucket list for quite some time. We’ve been all over Florida from Jacksonville to Key West but never made time to visit St. Augustine.
I’m glad we did.
Along with its “old world” charm, St. Augustine is well known for its brick-lined streets, Spanish colonial architecture, legendary Fountain of Youth and warmth of its people. All were in ample supply during our visit.
From the moment you arrive, you’ll likely want nothing more than to walk around and take in the breathtaking Spanish architecture. Try to resist that! As cheesy as this may sound, we wholeheartedly recommend taking the on-and-off-again sightseeing trolley as soon as you can. It can’t be beat for getting the lay of the land and figuring out where you want to spend time.
In St. Augustine, the trolley costs about $40 per person, lasted for about an hour and half (if you don’t get off) and made about 20 stops all around the historic area. The trolley runs all day and you are free to get on and off at will.
History
If history is your thing, this is the place to be. The numerous American “firsts” are lovingly preserved and welcoming to locals and tourists alike.
Over 60 historic sites dot the downtown landscape including the oldest schoolhouse in America, oldest store, oldest jail and oldest public street, Aviles Street, which was also home to the first military hospital. Today, the Spanish Military Hospital Museum sits at the end of the street. The first Holy Mass in America was held in St. Augustine at the Mission Nombre de Dios—also the first Catholic mission.
You won’t want to miss a tour of Castillo de San Marcos, the large historic fort sitting on the bayfront that at one time protected St. Augustine from marauding invaders. It still stands like a sentinel dominating the skyline of St. Augustine. There’s even a moat (now dry) and a working drawbridge.
Castillo de San Marcos fort stands sentinel over St. Augustine
Not much is made of the reaction from and treatment of Native Americans when the Spanish arrived, and that is too bad. I would love to have learned more about that. There are some indications that many of the natives converted to Catholicism because of the way they were buried.
On the bright side, the Spanish rulers of St. Augustine did not allow slavery unlike their British counterparts to the north. Slaves from the British colonies ran away to St. Augustine every chance they got. There, they were free and welcomed into society. The nation’s oldest free Black community was established at Fort Mose in St. Augustine. The proud story is told at the Lincolnville Museum and Cultural Center.
Fountain of Youth
No visit to St. Augustine is complete without visiting the legendary Fountain of Youth. I’m happy to report this is not the tourist trap you may think it is. The grounds of the Fountain of Youth mark the location of the Native American Timucua village of Seloy and the first settlement of St. Augustine. Extensive archeological work in the 20th century proved this.
The Fountain grounds are now a national park with several acres of exhibits and demonstrations to enjoy. The best features, however, are the impeccably recreated village structures that shed light on Native American life at the time of Spanish settlement.
The Spanish Watchtower, mission church, Ponce de Leon Landing Memorial and canon firing demonstrations are all highlights of the park. The Fountain itself is underwhelming but a good spot for photos. We drank from the Fountain, but I can attest it did not work.
Grounds of the Fountain of Youth
Nights of Lights
If you visit St. Augustine any time between mid-November and late January, you’ll enjoy Nights of Lights. At this annual event, three million twinkling lights adorn every corner of the downtown historic area. A 30- to 40-minute walk will allow you to take in all the splendor. Nights of Lights was named one of the ten best holiday lighting displays in the world by National Geographic Traveler. I highly recommend it.
St George Street Pedestrian Mall
Begin at the Old City Gate and stroll along narrow but charming St. George Street for several blocks to find unique gifts and antiques at boutiques and vintage shops along the way. Numerous cafes and restaurants beckon you inside with their pungent, sweet, salty and savory scents. We recommend Harry’s or Meehan’s to quell your munchies.
At the end of the street, you’ll be treated with the Plaza de la Constitucion, the striking town square established in 1573. Now, it pays homage to the Spanish constitution of 1812 with a monument that is believed to be the only one to a constitution remaining in the world.
Henry Flagler
If you spend any time at all in St. Augustine, you’ll hear the name Henry Flagler over and over again. Flagler was a wealthy New York oil baron who saw the possibilities of St. Augustine before anyone else. In the late 1800s, he helped build a railroad from New York to Florida, ushering in its thriving tourism industry. His name adorns the city’s college, several beautiful hotels and the Lightner Museum, which holds an extensive array of Gilded Age artifacts.
Beaches
St. Augustine lies inland across the impressive Bridge of Lions from Anastasia Island and the Atlantic Ocean. Ocean beaches like sandy St. Augustine Beach and tranquil Crescent Beach await you. Farther south, Anastasia State Park is a protected wildlife sanctuary and includes the gorgeous St. Augustine Lighthouse and Maritime Museum. Both are worthy of a few hours of your time. Accommodations
St. Augustine sports a wide range of accommodations for every taste and budget. From hotels with suites to condos for large families, bed and breakfasts, camp grounds and budget motels, you will have no trouble finding exactly what you need. My wife and I opted for a budget motel within walking distance of the beach so we could watch the sun rise over Florida’s Historic Coast and then shuttle over to St. Augustine. It doesn’t get much better than that.
Ask a Marylander where they’re going this summer, and chances are you’ll hear the typical “Merlin” response, “downee ocean, hon!” (Translation: Down to the ocean, my friend.)
Of course, when you go to the ocean in Maryland, you’re going to just one place: Maryland’s iconic beach resort, Ocean City.
But let’s face it, Ocean City in the summer is not for everyone. It can be loud and obnoxious. I know it can be an acquired taste for many, including myself. But, as with, say, a stern mother-in-law, if you can give yourself a chance to know and love her, you’ll be repaid many times over.
There’s good news for people like us: We can fall in love with Ocean City all over again in the winter. It’s really the perfect antidote to the winter blues. So, if you haven’t tried Ocean City with a chill in the air, you’re in for a treat. A calm, quiet treat.
CITY SIZE
In the off-season, Ocean City returns to being a small village of about 7,000 residents, down from about 320,000 in the summer. This is about the size of Walkersville! With so few people and so much land and infrastructure, you’ll have plenty of room to spread out and relax.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Be advised: Ocean City is open in the winter. Not everything, of course, but everything that matters.
You’ll still have the iconic boardwalk paralleling the Atlantic Ocean from First to 27th Street. You’ll still have about 10 miles of sandy beaches to explore. You’ll still have beautiful sunrises over the ocean and sunsets over the bay.
When you bundle up for a brisk walk on the smooth, wooden-planked boardwalk in the winter, you’ll have plenty of room to watch the crashing waves without crashing into fellow tourists. Believe it or not, fires are also allowed on the beach, with a permit.
Most of the familiar boardwalk haunts will be open at least for limited hours in the winter. I’ve frequented all these in the winter myself: Thrasher’s French Fries, Wockenfuss Candy, Fisher’s Popcorn, The Dough Roller, M.R. Ducks and Purple Moose Saloon, to name a few.
HOTELS
Not all hotels are open in the winter, but you should have no trouble finding perfectly acceptable oceanfront properties to unwind and gaze upon the waves. Most will have indoor pools, too. The name-brand hotels are your best bet in the winter. Also, be sure to search out local favorites Carousel and Princess Royale. They and others will feature specials for Valentine’s Day and the long President’s Day weekend.
RESTAURANTS
Many of the smaller restaurants on the boardwalk are closed in the winter, but don’t despair. Food options are plentiful year-round for locals and brave tourists. I recommend Harborside Bar and Grill, which reopens Dec. 15, for burgers and comfort food, in West Ocean City. Fager’s Island is a fine upscale restaurant worth visiting in North Ocean City. Other local favorites are Marlin Moon, Palm, Coral Reef, Captain’s Table and The Restaurant at Lighthouse Sound.
DOGS AND BIKES
If you have dogs and want to bring them along, the offseason (Oct. 1 to April 30) is for you. Dogs are allowed on the beach anytime. You’ll have ample room to throw that frisbee or play ball. For a little green space, head up to 94th Street for the Dog Playground. It comes complete with a doggie pool, a small dog area and covered seating with plenty of benches. You’ll need to register your dogs in person at Northside Park on 125th Street or online at oceancitymd.gov/rec. Passes are $10 for one day and $20 for three days.
On those relatively warm winter days that are become increasingly normal, head out by boat to the sandbar just north of Hooper’s Crab House where you’ll likely see plenty of dogs frolicking in the shallow water.
Bring your bike, too. Bikes are also allowed on the boardwalk at any time in the winter. The same goes for rollerblades, scooters and other self-propelled and small engine apparatuses. Rentals will be hard to find, so bring your own. Up and down the boardwalk from start to finish is a perfect 5-mile circuit.
Dogs frolic in the cold, shallow Ocean City surf.
FISHING
The typical fishing season in Ocean City is May through October, so you may not be able to charter an excursion during the off-season, but you can do some ocean, bay, surf or pier fishing on your own any time of year. A valid fishing license for the Atlantic Ocean and coastal bays is required.
Ocean City bills itself as the “white marlin capital of the world,” but several other species are plentiful and in season at any time of year, including American eel, black drum, black sea bass, bluefish, croaker, grouper, mahi-mahi, red drum, Spanish mackerel, spotted seatrout, flounder, wahoo, and weakfish.
INDOOR MINI GOLF AND ICE SKATING
Old Pro Golf has an under-cover course at 68th Street called, appropriately, Undersea Adventure. There’s no better way to while away a couple hours putt-putting your way in total warmth through whales’ mouths and windmills and up and down long hills and curves.
The beautiful oceanfront Carousel Hotel at 118th Street has an indoor ice-skating rink open to the public. Between October and May, you can reserve the rink for two-hour time slots for $125 — perfect for a getaway birthday party.
WINTERFEST OF LIGHTS
If you go between Nov. 17 and Dec. 31, you can enjoy Winterfest of Lights, a mammoth display of holiday lights you can stroll or ride through on a handy tram in 58-acre Northside Park. The animated light displays include a 50-foot tree, flying reindeer and hot chocolate and photos with Santa. This is a much larger display than anything available in Frederick. It’s on par, scale-wise, with the large Christmas lights display in Olney but at a fraction of the cost. The price per person to go through the Olney display: $39. Ocean City’s Winterfest: $6.
ASSATEAGUE ISLAND
You can head a little south of Ocean City for a beautiful escape to Assateague Island. The island itself is 37 miles long and spans Maryland and Virginia. You’ll want to stop at Assateague Island State Park, which has two miles of pristine beach. The nearby marshes are the homes for hundreds of species of wildlife you can spot in the off season, including the famous wild horses. The 100 or so horses roam free and make for great photos. But keep your distance. They are wild animals, after all. The Assateague Island National Seashore Visitor Center offers interesting exhibits including marine aquariums, touch tanks and a film about the wild horses.
View from our winter time, ocean front, reasonably-priced hotel.
PUBLIC PARKS
Ocean City is home to several public parks and recreational areas. Some of my favorites include Inlet Park, which is at the southernmost tip of the boardwalk and features great views of the Atlantic and Ocean City’s official time capsule. Northside Park at 125th Street offers 58 acres of hiking trails, a playground, fishing lagoon, picnic areas and an indoor gymnasium. Sunset Park has a bayside promenade with fantastic views of the bay and Assateague. The Downtown Recreation Complex has basketball courts, a skate park, two tennis courts, a playground and an area for bay fishing.
OUTLET MALL IN WEST OCEAN CITY
You can easily spend an entire day at the Outlet Mall in “West O,” as the locals call it. Over 30 outlet shops feature discounts on apparel, footwear, jewelry, handbags, kid’s clothing and eats.
FOX GOLD COAST THEATER
You can kick back and relax in heated recliners and catch the latest movie you can’t seem to find the time to enjoy in Frederick. The theater is on Coastal Highway at 113th Street behind the Goad Coast Mall.
BAR SCENE
If hitting the bars is more your style, Ocean City naps a bit in the winter but certainly doesn’t hibernate. Local favorites like Brass Balls Saloon, Seacrets, Fager’s Island and Pier 23 are open and inviting places to sample local beers and cocktails.
And speaking of local cocktails, don’t forget to sample Ocean City’s own original Orange Crush at just about any bar in town. I heartily recommend you go to the source of this concoction at Harborside Bar and Grill in West Ocean City, where you can also have the best burger in town. Be forewarned, it is the quintessential biker and dive bar.
OCEAN CITY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER
For a more genteel evening, head over to the Ocean City Performing Arts Center. Located inside the Roland E. Powell Convention Center at 4001 Coastal Highway, the center provides local, regional and national musical acts, plays and a variety of off-Broadway shows.
The venue is similar to our Weinberg Center, with a 1,200-seat auditorium, two tiers of fixed seating and a concession area. During the off-season, they specialize in orchestral shows, stand-up comedians and tribute shows.
OCEAN CITY LIFE-SAVING MUSEUM
Near the end of the boardwalk at the inlet is the Ocean City Life-Saving Museum. There, you’ll find exhibits of the great storms that have battered Ocean City over the years, sea life, shipwreck finds, mermaids and how life-saving is performed in Ocean City.
BERLIN
The historic town of Berlin is only 8 miles west of Ocean City and well worth a visit. Like Frederick, it has been designated an arts and entertainment district. Its downtown has over 60 retail shops, restaurants, art galleries and music venues. You can explore Berlin’s rich history at Taylor House Museum.
SALISBURY
Salisbury is an easy 30-minute car ride to the west. You won’t want to miss The Country House, “the largest country store in the East,” as it is billed. It’s located at 805 E. Main St. and is quite impressive, with 16,000 square feet of gifts, antiques, home décor, linens, florals, baskets, jewelry, food items and seasonal items.
Gary Bennett is a longtime Frederick resident who spends his time hiking, biking, volunteering and providing childcare for grandchildren. He is married and retired from his career as a nonprofit marketing executive.
The goal-oriented author enjoying a crisp day on the boardwalk.
Every time I make my way to Siesta Key, Florida, the terrific steel-drum-infused Beach Boys song “Kokomo” comes to mind. “Everybody knows, a little place like Kokomo … that’s where you wanna go, to get away from it all.”
I’ve been getting away from it all for close to 40 years now, and it’s the same place almost every year — beautiful Siesta Key. It’s a delightful barrier island that juts into the Gulf of Mexico in Western Florida about 70 miles south of Tampa.
The island itself is only eight miles long and crescent-shaped. It’s bordered by the Gulf of Mexico on the west and the Intercoastal Waterway on the east. The vibrant, handsome city of Sarasota is close by, too. That’s where the Orioles train each spring. Two charming drawbridges connect Siesta Key to the mainland.
Florida, of course, sports hundreds of miles of beaches on the Atlantic Ocean and the gulf. It’s hard to go wrong with almost any of them. But if you want calm, warm water almost any time of year; gentle surf; pristine, white powdery sand; and quiet, minimally invasive nightlife, Siesta Key is the destination for you, too.
STAR ATTRACTIONS
Of its many qualities, the real star of the show in Siesta Key is the white, cool-to-the-touch sand, rated as some of the world’s finest. It’s clean, dazzling white, and feels like confectioner’s sugar. Scientists say this is because it’s made up of nearly 99% quartz crystals, with little to no chipped shells mixed in. You’ll find nothing like it in the beaches along the Atlantic Ocean. There is no such thing as burned feet due to sand in Siesta Key.
Gentle, shallow, azure waves lap continuously at your ankles.
For nine months of the year, the co-star to the beautiful white sand is the gentle, warm water. You rarely need to worry about waves knocking you over or shocking yourself with cold or even cool water as you enter the surf for the first time. Mostly, the water temperature hovers in the high 80s, which approximates the air temperature. You can literally take your noodle out into the gentle surf and bob for hours while chatting with friends or enjoying an adult beverage. There has been no scientific research to my knowledge to prove this, but I am convinced of the healing powers of the gulf waters. I certainly feel rejuvenated after a few hours in it.
BEACHES
Siesta Key is actually made up of three beaches. Each seems to have its own personality.
Siesta Beach to the north is a busy public beach, complete with tennis and volleyball courts, shaded playgrounds and a bustling concession stand. It has year-round lifeguard protection. There is a fun drum circle one or two hours before sunset each Sunday. Teenagers, 20-somethings and day-tripping families flock here.
Crescent Beach, in the middle of the island, is more secluded and private, with only one public access trail. It is perfect for, shall we say, the more mature crowd. It is dotted with pools, palm trees and lovely condos to rent for as little as three days or as much as a year. Loggerhead sea turtles use this beach to lay eggs and nest for up to six months. The beach is kept dark at night so as not to disorient them. There have been nearly 400 total nests established so far in 2023. Chances are, you’ll see some nests on this beach that have been staked off by biologists.
Lovely, fluttering seagrass on the Siesta Key beach.
Turtle Beach to the south is a sportier, family play beach. It’s a great location for paddle boarding and snorkeling. An abundance of seashells makes it beachcomber’s paradise. There are lots of shark’s teeth, too, to impress the kids.
All three beaches feature breathtaking sunsets; gentle, easy-going waves; and beautiful, shallow, azure water. Young parents can feel secure allowing their pre-school kids to play unattended at the water’s edge. Each beach has been recognized for cleanliness, water quality and safety.
The Travel Channel ranks Siesta Beach as one of the nation’s top 10 beaches. It has also been recognized as the No. 1 beach in the U.S. by Stephen D. Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach), director of the highly respected Laboratory for Coastal Research. It continues to receive recognition across the country and world as one of the top coastal destinations. International visitors abound. There is a cacophony of languages to be heard up and down the island.
GETTING THERE
If you’ve seen any of my contributions to 72 Hours, you may know I love road trips. My best friend and I have made this trip by car many times, picking up our less adventurous (OK, saner) wives at the airport. The 1,200 miles from Frederick to Siesta Key may seem daunting, but it’s really not too bad. You can depart from Frederick at 8 a.m. (preferably on a weekend) and be in Daytona Beach or Ocala (depending on which way you go) by 8 p.m. After a good night’s rest, you’ll be in Siesta Key by lunch time. If you really want to push it, you can make it all the way to Siesta Key in about 16 hours, mostly down I-95.
Siesta Key has breathtaking sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico nearly every night.
Of course, you can easily fly into Tampa, St. Petersburg/Clearwater, or Sarasota International Airports from BWI or Dulles in just about two and a half hours and rent a car to complete your trip. A round-trip plane ticket to Tampa and back to BWI on Southwest recently ran us about $450 each. We then rented a mid-size car for 10 days for about $600 at Enterprise.
While on the island, take advantage of handy and free shuttle services when you can. Siesta Trolley, Jonny’s Original Free Rides, Froghopper and Key Life Shuttle will all deliver you to the commercial parts of the island in a relaxed, fun atmosphere.
WHERE TO STAY
One thing you should know about Siesta Key is that there are no hotels. This has been a controversial subject among locals for years. They have, time and again, prevented the big hotel chains from encroaching on the island. For tourists like us, there are plusses and minuses to this stance. There is no denying the lack of hotels keeps a certain charm about the island intact. On the other hand, this means condo owners rule, and rentals can be pricey.
There are plenty of condos, big and small, up and down the island to suit every taste. Three of our favorites include Sea Shell, Midnight Cove and Palm Bay Club. There are even campgrounds at Turtle Beach for the campers among us.
We and another couple just finished up 10 days at a typical five-story condo in the middle of Siesta Key in the front unit with a panoramic view of the Gulf for about $4,500 or about $450 per night. Nearly a quarter of this price is made up of various state and local taxes placed on tourists. We have been loyal to our condo over the years, staying at Sarasota Surf and Raquet Club almost every trip. But, if you decide to go, it would be wise to consult with a real estate agent who can do all the legwork to find the best value for you. They are paid by the condo owners to find renters.
Prices vary by season, of course. In-season in Florida is generally winter and spring. Prices will be higher then. Our annual trip in September is off-season and a bit cheaper. It also has the added benefit of less tourists due to schools being in session all over the country. Many owners do not rent their condos off-season.
WHAT TO DO
Many people, including us, are more than happy to just chill — spend all day reading, chatting and snoozing under big umbrellas and floating in the warm gulf waters. But if you are more energetic, there is no lack of things to do. I heartily recommend visits to at least four local institutions we have enjoyed.
Ringling Museum of Art, named after circus magnate John Ringling, sports 66 lush acres and one of the largest art collections in the country. Ringling’s mansion is a stunning Gothic style palazzo with sweeping views of Sarasota Bay.
Marie Selby Botanical Gardens is a tropical oasis on the shores of Sarasota Bay. It is an open-air museum with more than 20,000 colorful plants, a butterfly garden, Koi Pond, orchid display and art exhibits.
Mote Aquarium has a variety of sea life from the smallest creatures to the largest predators. A shark habitat and hands-on exhibits round out the offerings.
The Legacy Trail is a 20-mile hardwood biking trail from nearby Sarasota to Venice, Florida, through a thick, lush canopy of vegetation. Be sure to watch out for the frequent “alligator crossing” signs as you roll along at a comfortable 10 miles per hour on the flat terrain. There are frequent rest stops along the way.
The beautiful seaside pool at Sarasota Surf & Racquet Club.
Of course, there are the requisite boat rentals, golf courses, fishing charters, parasailing excursions, jet skis rentals and beach cars to tool up and down the island. Most of these commercial offerings happen at the far northern or southern tips of the island, leaving the large middle section blissfully noncommercial.
There is terrific shopping in Siesta Key Village that includes a farmers market every Sunday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. “The Village,” as it is known to the locals, is a quaint, mile-long shopping and eating district at the northern end of the island. You’ll likely find yourself drawn here many evenings during your visit. Doors are wide open and inviting. The aroma from the restaurants are exquisite. Most of them sport live acoustic music that gives the area a laid-back, beachy feel. Young people are drawn here, including the cast of the MTV series “Siesta Key.”
WHERE TO EAT
If you venture into Sarasota or Venice, you can enjoy upscale, 4- and 5-star restaurants, like Fins at Sharky’s, Marina Jacks, Antoines, Michael’s on East and Flemings. However, I recommend you mostly stay on the island and eat where the locals eat.
Blasé Café, Gilligan’s Island Bar & Restaurant, Crescent Club, Island House Tap & Grill, Siesta Key Oyster Bar, Sniki Tiki and Captain Curt’s are some of our favorites. You won’t want to miss Broken Egg or Toasted Mango for breakfast at least once during your trip. Other top restaurants on the island include Walt’s, Turtle’s, Ophelia’s on the Bay, Flavios, Café Gabbiano, Siesta Key Oyster Bar and The Old Salty Dog.
The Gulf of Mexico has 87 degree water in September.
