Ah, summer! With the season's long days and warm nights comes ample opportunities for fun in the sun throughout the whole mid-Atlantic region. Whether you're aching to paddle down a river, hike to a waterfall, sit on a beach, roast s'mores over a campfire, chase lightening bugs, hit up a historical
When I was a kid, I absolutely loved reading Choose Your Own Adventure books. I always thought they were so whimsical and creative, and got a kick out of getting to choose each decision step by step to see where the story would take me. A few weeks ago, when it came time
It's been just two days since our epic Memorial Day road trip down to Asheville, North Carolina. I had the highest hopes for this city, and I'm so pleased to say that Asheville exceeded my highest expectations. We packed a lot in during the 4-day getaway, and I wanted to share some of my
Trip Overview: To say that a weekend in Hershey is a sweet escape is quite the understatement. There's literally chocolate everywhere. The streetlights are topped with jumbo Hershey's kisses, the coffee's roasted with cocoa beans, the people are all as nice as can be and -- heck -- in certain places even the air
“While you weren’t looking, Richmond got cool.” This statement from Frommers as it named Richmond one of its top places to visit to 2014 has recently kicked off a flurry of national recognition for Virginia’s capitol city that to many is long overdue. Indeed, Richmond offers visitors much more than just
I feel like I'm always out eating at some of the region's most buzz-worthy restaurants. Often, I'm that person who lets my food get cold while I'm busy photographing my dishes from every angle, and I figured it was time to put all of those food photos to use! So today, I'm pleased
Richmond, Virginia is in the midst of a serious foodie revolution. Craft breweries, artisan bakeries, mixology hotspots, independent coffee houses and inspired farm-to-fork eateries are popping up all over Virginia's capital city, giving this southern gem a surprisingly hipper, Pacific Northwest vibe. In recent months, publications like Frommer's and the New York Magazine have
This past weekend, I drove to Frederick, Maryland for a blogger preview of it's upcoming 2014 Restaurant Week (March 3-9, 2014). Frederick is my hometown, and I was particularly excited to participate in the event to see what's changed with the culinary scene in the years since I've left. I've named Frederick
This past November, I hit the road for an Old School Virginia Road Trip. My first stop was Roanoke, a city about 3 1/2 hours away from D.C. that I had heard about, but never visited before. With my limited knowledge, Roanoke was faceless with ambiguous features. But after my day
The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.” – G. K. Chesterton Are you thinking ahead towards next year's travels and looking for some inspiration a little closer to home? I've compiled
Another year has come and gone, which means it’s time to reflect on some of my favorite travels from the past 365 days! 2013 marked an important shift here at Packed Suitcase. While I had started #TravelLocal adventuring in October 2012, this year I focused on it nearly exclusively. I’m determined
The first weekend of November, I packed up my car and headed out to discover the "Old School" side of Virginia. Found all over the state -- from the largest city to the smallest town-- Old School Virginia shares glimpses of a simpler time. A nostalgic blast from the past where
