Fort McHenry via Cape May, Roanoke and more

The last time I was on the road, I had so much fun (and hopefully you did too) that I decided to re-pack the car, fill up the tank and hit the road one more time. The first stop being our neighbor to the north, Delaware, specifically the Cape May-Lewes Ferry.

How many of you have actually been across? Okay, not many.  It is basically the best way to get from Lewes, Delaware to Cape May, New Jersey. The best way regarding time and sites with great water views.  Plus, it’s much more relaxing than driving that distance.

The terminal itself is a nice place. There’s a food court, video games, souvenir shop, a bar and grill and entertainment on the deck during the summer. And you’ll find plenty of free parking.

Even if you have no real reason to go to Cape May, the ride makes for a great daytrip. The ferries operate year round but obviously with more crossings in summer.

There are five ships — don’t call them boats.  The crossing is about 90 minutes with smooth waters, something that is never guaranteed. Not long ago I took this journey on one of those lazy days of summer — and loved it despite not being the best person on water.

Prices vary with the season. Oh by the way, the terminal is said to be haunted.  (cmlf.com)

Let’s turn the car back to the south, hop on 81 and head to Roanoke, Virginia.  The city lies between the Blue Ridge Mountains to the west and the Alleghenies to the east. The 10th largest city in Virginia, it was originally known as the Big Lick, named for the salt deposits.  At one time it was a very important link to the railroad industry when the Norfolk & Western had its headquarters here.

Some of the interesting museums I found include the Eleanor Wilson Museum at Hollins University, the Harrison Museum of African-American Culture, the History Museum of Western Virginia, the O. Winston Link Museum, the Taubman Museum of Art, the Science Museum and the Virginia Museum of Transportation.

There’s also a zoo, albeit a small one and the City Market. The Salem Red Sox, a minor league team of the Boston Red Sox, plays nearby and visitors can go shopping in very quaint stores on streets like Campbell and Market Square. On occasion one can enjoy the symphony, ballet, theatre and opera. Big attractions, like the circus, play at the Civic Center.

For lodging, I like the Hotel Roanoke, a Double Tree by Hilton Hotel. In my opinion it’s the best property in the city.

Originally built in 1881 as a railroad property of the Norfolk & Western, the Hotel Roanoke was at that time a centerpiece of the railroad’s development of the city. It has 331 rooms, an outdoor pool with hot tub and jacuzzi, fitness center and a pedestrian bridge connecting it to Downtown Roanoke. It is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places as well as Virginia’s Landmarks Register. (visitvablueridge.com)

Roanoke is known as the Star City and theres a good reason for that — on Mill Mountain stands a giant star, 1,000 feet above the city, that is lit every night, a symbol of the city’s progressive spirit.

We’re now making a right turn and heading east. We’ll remain along the Allegheny range but moving to Bath County.  Here we’ll be stopping at The Homestead in Hot Springs Virginia, a Four Star hotel covering about 3,000 acres with 483 rooms.  The first building was a wooden structure built in 1766. A fire destroyed the main building in 1901. With the new construction, a tower was added in 1928 and has become the logo of the resort.

The Homestead has known its share of history.  It has been visited by 22 presidents, heads of state, show business folks and little ole’ me. The name comes from the word “homesteaders,” basically the people who established and developed the resort.

Today The Homestead is owned by the KSL Corporation of San Diego, CA.

If you like golf, it’s a very good idea is to get one of the golf packages. Eight USA Championships have been held here.  The “Old Course” at the Omni Homestead has the oldest first tee in continuous use in the country.

Golf, however, is just one of many activities. There is archery, indoor/outdoor swimming, a gun club, horseback riding, kayaking, canoeing, a kids club, walking trails, skiing and a spa.  The hotel concierge can make all the sports and dinner reservations.  There are also daily hotel tours at 10 am. For retail, there are nine outlets off the Great Hall.

There are eight locations for dining, but most guests opt for the more formal main dining room for breakfast and dinner, or Sam Snead’s across the street, which is described as a “gastro pub.”

Rates vary with the season and location of room. You can select from the European Plan or the Modified American Plan. The Homestead is indeed one of America’s finest resorts. (thehomestead.com)

We’ll be making one more stop on this trip, and this one is in our backyard. We’re now arriving at Fort McHenry, right here in Baltimore, to hop aboard a new boat ride (new this summer), cleverly known as the “New Fort McHenry Boat Ride, a Star Spangled Experience.”

This is a 45-minute narrated tour on a special water taxi vehicle that leaves dockside every Saturday and Sunday from along the outer perimeter of the fort. The hours are 10 am to 4 pm. You’ll learn some history about what happened there in September of 1814, a little about the battle for independence and the fort itself. The cost is $10.00 for adults and $5.00 for children ages 3-10.

At the conclusion of the tour you’ll find yourself at the fort so you might as well walk in and take a tour of Fort McHenry. The experience was created in partnership with the Friends of Fort McHenry, Baltimore Water Taxi, Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine and supported by a grant from the Maryland War of 1812 Commission’s Star Spangled 200 Grant Fund. (friendsoffortmchenry.org)

Time to rest until the next adventure. See you then and don’t be late.