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#ad I thought I knew @visitfairfax... but these pl

#ad I thought I knew @visitfairfax... but these places completely proved me wrong. 🤯

If you’re looking for hidden gems just outside Washington, DC, add these spots to your list:
📍@coxfarmsva (Foamhenge) (open Saturdays 1–2 PM only through 8/16, plus during the Fall Festival)
📍@caboosetavern along the W&OD Trail
📍@meadowlarkbotanicalgardens
📍Hemlock Overlook Regional Park (@novaparks)
📍@petersonsicecream & @cliftoncafeva in Historic Clifton
📍@eldenstreetteashop at Lake Anne Plaza

From scenic hiking trails and beautiful gardens to charming small towns and local restaurants, Fairfax County, Virginia is full of places that are easy to overlook, but absolutely worth exploring.

Want my full list of recommendations? Comment “LIST” below, and I’ll send it your way! 💛 Which spot are you adding to your list first?
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#FXVA #FairfaxCounty #NorthernVirginia #DMVThingsToDo

This is your sign to finally visit the Maryland Re

This is your sign to finally visit the Maryland Renaissance Festival. ✨

It’s back for 2026, and it’s one of the best fall festivals near Washington, DC! I visited two years ago and loved the food, live entertainment, artisan shopping, and medieval atmosphere. Whether you’re coming for the jousts, fairy wings, turkey legs, or handmade treasures, here’s what you need to know before you go:

📅 2026 @mdrennfest Festival Dates:
August 29–30; September 5–7, 12–13, 19–20, 26–27; October 3–4, 10–11, 17–18, & 24–25

📍 1821 Crownsville Road, Annapolis, MD
🕙 10 AM–7 PM
🎟️ Tickets go on sale July 27 at 10 AM and are available online only—they are not sold at the gate, and popular weekends often sell out.
🎭 200+ performers • 140+ artisans • 10 stages
🚗 Free parking

⚔️ This year’s storyline follows King Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves as they visit Revel Grove for the village’s 50th Harvest Festival.
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#MarylandRenaissanceFestival #MarylandEvents #FallFestivals #AnnapolisMD #DMVEvents

#ad Here’s proof you haven’t run out of things to

#ad Here’s proof you haven’t run out of things to do near DC 👀

If you feel like you’ve already checked off all the best spots around the DMV, I’m here to challenge that. Just across the Potomac River, @visitfairfax is packed with places to discover for your next Northern Virginia adventure, from charming small towns and historic sites to scenic trails, gardens, museums, and local favorites.

A few spots to add to your weekend plans: exploring Foamhenge at @coxfarmsva (open Saturdays 1–2 PM only through 8/16, plus during the Fall Festival), strolling historic Clifton, walking the W&OD Trail in Vienna, wandering @meadowlarkbotanicalgardens, and spending the day in Reston or Herndon.

🌿 The best part? You don’t need to plan a big getaway to find somewhere new. Fairfax County is full of outdoor escapes, unique experiences, and hidden gems waiting to be discovered.

Want my full list of recommendations? Comment “LIST” below, and I’ll send it your way! 💛 What @visitfairfax spots are you adding to your late summer plans?
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#FXVA #FairfaxCounty #NorthernVirginia #DMVThingsToDo

🌿 Looking for an affordable botanical garden near

🌿 Looking for an affordable botanical garden near DC? Add @meadowlarkbotanicalgardens in Vienna, Virginia to your DMV bucket list!

This 95-acre garden is an outdoor oasis in Northern Virginia, featuring peaceful walking trails, three lakes, seasonal blooms, native plant collections, and the only Korean Bell Garden in the Western Hemisphere 🇰🇷 The Korean Bell Garden’s Bell of Peace and Harmony symbolizes the friendship between Virginia and South Korea.

💰 Adults (16+) $9 | Children (2–15) $4 | Seniors (55+) $6 📍 9750 Meadowlark Gardens Ct, Vienna, VA 22182 🕒 Open daily (hours vary seasonally)

Whether you’re looking for a peaceful nature walk, picnic spot, or easy Northern Virginia day trip, Meadowlark Botanical Gardens is worth adding to your list 🌿
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#NorthernVirginia #VirginiaDayTrips #WashingtonDCThingsToDo #VirginiaTravel #BotanicalGardens

Looking for a unique DMV day trip? Add this quirky

Looking for a unique DMV day trip? Add this quirky Northern Virginia attraction to your list 👀

📍@coxfarmsva in Centreville, VA is home to Foamhenge — a larger-than-life Stonehenge replica and one of the area’s most unexpected photo spots. But it’s just one of the many things to explore at this family-owned farm.

Beyond Foamhenge, you can visit the farm animals, check out oversized art installations, enjoy seasonal treats, browse the Corner Market, and experience the famous Cox Farms Fall Festival with pumpkins, hayrides, slides, and a corn maze.

🍂 Foamhenge is also included with Fall Festival admission, making autumn a great time to visit.

ℹ️ Foamhenge is available during select seasonal hours. During spring and summer 2026, you can visit Saturdays from 1–2 PM (April 24–August 16) as part of Smokin’ Saturday events.
🌾 To get there, hop on the Corner Market hayride, which runs about every 15 minutes during viewing hours.

Have you been to the real Stonehenge, or is this the next best thing? 😉 Save this for your next Northern Virginia adventure!
. . . #FXVA #VirginiaDayTrips #ThingsToDoInVirginia #DCWeekendTrips #VirginiaHiddenGems

Smiling in a sea of sunflowers 🌻💛📸 . . . #Burnside

Smiling in a sea of sunflowers 🌻💛📸
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#BurnsideFarms #SunflowerSeason #VirginiaTravel #SunflowerField #VisitVirginia

A 13-hour layover sounded like the perfect excuse

A 13-hour layover sounded like the perfect excuse to finally explore Amsterdam. 🇳🇱
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#Amsterdam #AmsterdamTravel #Netherlands #LongLayover #AmsterdamDayTrip

How I spent a 13-hour layover in Amsterdam ⬇️ Drop

How I spent a 13-hour layover in Amsterdam ⬇️ Drop a ✈️ in the comments, and I’ll send you my full itinerary! It also includes two hotels connected to the airport if you’d rather get a good night’s sleep before your next flight.

Instead of booking the fastest flight to Slovenia, I chose a cheaper option with a 13-hour daytime layover in Amsterdam—and it turned into the perfect mini adventure. (I did skip the Red Light District since it’s best experienced at night. Next time!)

One important tip: If visiting the Anne Frank House is on your list, be sure to book your tickets well in advance. They sell out quickly, and I had to set my alarm for 3 AM EST six weeks before my trip to snag mine.

For just €7, I stored my luggage at the airport, grabbed a €12 round-trip train ticket, and spent the day exploring Amsterdam’s canals, Dutch pancakes, stroopwafels (minus the chocolate 😢), a canal cruise, the Anne Frank House, Dam Square, and more before heading back for my evening flight.

If you’ve been nervous about solo female travel, a long layover is such an easy way to try it. You get to experience a new city without committing to a full trip, and baggage storage makes it completely stress-free.

Have you ever left the airport during a layover? If not, what city would you explore first?
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#Amsterdam #SoloFemaleTravel #LayoverTravel #TravelTips #NetherlandsTravel

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