Fodor's Virginia & Maryland, 5th Edition: The Complete Guide with Colonial Villages, Battlefields and the Shore

"Fodor's can't be beat." -- Gannett News Service "Packed with dependable information." -- Atlanta Journal-Constitution "An admirable blend of the cultural and the practical." -- The Washington Post Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over.  Completely up-to-date, Fodor's Gold Guides are essential tools for any kind of traveler.  If you only have room for one guide, this is the guide for you. The best guide to the area, packed with essentials Scenic drives through the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge, Tidewater Virginia, and Maryland's eastern shore Walking tours: Williamsburg, Alexandria, Arlington, Richmond, Fredericksburg, Baltimore, Frederick, Annapolis Civil War battlefields, historic plantations, and museums National parks, beaches, and sports from biking to rafting Vineyard tours and wine tastings throughout Virginia Where to stay and eat, no matter what your budget Grand city hotels, modern motels, historic inns and B&Bs Sophisticated restaurants, country cafés, crab houses Fresh, thorough, practical -- off and on the beaten path Costs, hours, descriptions, and tips by the thousands All reviews based on visits by savvy writer-residents 26 pages of maps, 7 vacation itineraries, and more Important contacts, smart travel tips - Fodor's Choice - What's Where - Pleasures and Pastimes - Festivals - Background essays, further reading - Complete index

Destination: Virginia & Maryland
What's Where

Northern Virginia

Much more than a satellite of the nation's capital, northern Virginia is a virtual repository of colonial and Civil War history. Alexandria's Old Town has an impressively substantial number of historic buildings, churches, and museums; and Arlington, Fairfax, and Loudoun counties are sprinkled with historic sites and monuments such as Mount Vernon, Arlington Cemetery, and the Manassas battlefield. Loudoun County is also Virginia's horse country, with handsome towns that include Middleburg and Leesburg.


Charlottesville, the Blue Ridge, the Shenandoah, and the Highlands

Lovers of the outdoors, take note: Here lie Shenandoah National Park, the scenic Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway, and the isolated, rugged Highlands -- site of seven state parks, three national parks, and six national forests. Purple-tinted mountain ranges, vast stands of multicolor hardwood trees, and stunning vistas characterize the valley; to the southwest, the Highlands are studded with gorges such as the Cumberland Gap. The vibrant cultural center of Charlottesville is home to the University of Virginia and Monticello, part of the legacy of Thomas Jefferson. Also within the region are historic Lexington and quiet Roanoke and Abingdon -- both cultural magnets on a small scale.


Richmond and Fredericksburg

Richmond, capital of the commonwealth and former capital of the Confederacy, is not only full of historic sites but is also one of the South's preeminent art cities and a major industrial center. Among its appealing restored neighborhoods is the turn-of-the-century Fan District. At Petersburg, south of Richmond, the Confederacy made its last stand. In Fredericksburg, midway between Richmond and Washington, D.C., are historic 18th- and 19th-century homes, antiques shops, and Civil War battlefields.


Williamsburg and Hampton Roads

Colonial Williamsburg, a re-created 18th-century American city complete with historic buildings, working shops, and costumed interpreters, is Virginia's most-visited -- and most unusual -- attraction. Nearby are two other historical treasures: Jamestown Island, where the first permanent English settlers made their home; and Yorktown, site of the final major battle in the American War of Independence. For anyone with limited time in Virginia, these are must-sees. Hampton Roads -- the channel where the James, Elizabeth, and Nansemond rivers meet -- is surrounded by small towns such as the historic settlements of Hampton and Portsmouth; Newport News, builder of the navy's biggest nuclear ships; the port town of Norfolk; and the busy resort town of Virginia Beach.


Baltimore

Known as the jewel of the Patapsco River, Baltimore is a busy port city with newly revitalized appeal for visitors. Lively Inner Harbor, with its constellation of attractions such as the National Aquarium and the American Visionary Art Museum, is in many ways the heart of the city, though historic Charles Street is the more established part of town. Fell's Point, the center of shipbuilding in the 18th and 19th centuries, and Federal Hill are among the restored neighborhoods worth exploring.


Frederick and Western Maryland

Rugged, scenic mountains dominate the landscape of western Maryland, framing cities such as Frederick and Cumberland; walling pastoral valleys, state forests, and parks; and even setting the stage for a popular train excursion, the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad. Once crossed by the nation's first pioneers on their westward journey, these mountains are rich with remnants of an earlier time; today you can still hike along a towpath that remains from the Chesapeake and Ohio (C&O) Canal -- the region's main trade route in the mid-19th century.


Annapolis and Southern Maryland

Maryland traces its origins to the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay, where English colonists arrived in the 1600s. Today, Annapolis, the state capital, is rich with colonial architecture and history. Tobacco fields, once the livelihood of early colonists, still blanket the gentle landscape of the southern part of the state.


The Eastern Shore

Separated from mainland Maryland by the Chesapeake Bay and bounded on the east by the Atlantic Ocean, this peninsula is a land apart. Here, marshy wildlife refuges, isolated islands, and rivers busy with fishermen and sailors set the stage for a quieter way of life. Here, too, is the thriving resort town of Ocean City, on the Atlantic. Virginia's Eastern Shore, which extends south from Maryland and is also accessible from Virginia Beach, is a largely undisturbed area of tiny towns and abundant wildlife, including wild ponies on Assategue Island.