Consider a Car Trip

Here are three trips that take less than a tank of gas. Head south to Maryland or west to the Lebanon Valley in Pennsylvania.

Cecil County, MD

For a short trip offering the delights of the northern Chesapeake Bay, plus a chance to drive on the Chesapeake Country National Scenic Byway, head for Cecil County. North of Baltimore on I-95, this travel destination offers walkable small towns — Chesapeake City, North East — plus hundreds of miles of waterfront providing the best of bay cuisine and plenty of family fun.

Add in scenic countryside and outstanding parks, including 2,370-acre Elk Neck State Park, with sandy beaches, hiking trails and the historic Turkey Point Lighthouse with panoramic bay views. For history, visit Gilpin’s Falls 1859 Covered Bridge and nearby Gilpin’s Falls.

Visit July 18–27 for the Cecil County Fair, complete with carnival midway, demolition derby, rodeo, pie-eating contest and more. Or come any time to hike, bike, camp, bird watch, horseback ride, or drop a fishing line or catch the action at a casino. DiscoverCecil.com

Harford County, MD

On the Chesapeake Bay with the Susquehanna River and Cecil County to its north, Harford County in another fun destination. Sample the eclectic charms of the Ladew Topiary Gardens (top 5 in North America), Havre de Grace Decoy Museum and Conowingo Dam where eagles fly (see our November 2022 article online).

Sports fans can watch the Aberdeen IronBirds (owned by Cal Ripken Jr.) or take a “Round-Tripper” journey along the Susquehanna River to Cooperstown, NY, with a stop at the Little League Museum in South Williamsport, PA.

Experience junkies can follow other specialty trails — Snowball Trail, Libation Trail, Mural Trail, Barn Quilt Trail, Chocolate & Cheese Trail or others.

Or if your idea of a perfect meal is whacking hard shells with a mallet or enjoying a plate of steamed crabs, crab cakes and oysters, then head for a bayfront restaurant in Harford County. HelloHarford.com

Lebanon Valley, PA

Located between Hershey and Lancaster, the Lebanon Valley is a convenient getaway offering plenty of outdoor activities, mixed with history, the arts and tasty treats.

Special things to do: bike the 20-mile Rail Trail, climb the Governor Dick Observation Tower, pose atop Dinosaur Rock, kayak the Union Canal Tunnel (guided tours only), and trout fish at Swatara State Park.

Catch a show at one of the oldest summer theaters in the country. The open-air Mount Gretna Playhouse performs “Million Dollar Quartet,” “Pete the Cat,” “Hadestown: Teen Edition” and more to appeal to all ages.

No trip is complete without sampling specialty treats — Opera Fudge (chocolate-coated vanilla centers), Jigger Shop sundaes, Shuey’s pretzels (handcrafted since 1927) and, of course, Lebanon bologna. VisitLebanonValley.com