Here is the write up of our trip.
For the spring break coming up we're thinking of checking out what Virginia state parks have to offer, so here are the information & planning for the trip
For most parks, minimum of 2-night stay is required, and I think that's good; because you can't get into the mood to appreciate the nature, notice sky full of stars, and enjoy canoeing or kayaking if you're in rush. So, I am looking forward to a trip which has one night to settle in and minimum of one more night to have your mind melt with the nature. Here are a list of parks, which has cabins/family lodge and canoe/kayak rental
Alright, we've selected the Twin Lakes State Park, which has a lodge & boat rental. Other places do not rent out canoe/kayak until April/May time frame.
Here are links & activities planning
For the spring break coming up we're thinking of checking out what Virginia state parks have to offer, so here are the information & planning for the trip
For most parks, minimum of 2-night stay is required, and I think that's good; because you can't get into the mood to appreciate the nature, notice sky full of stars, and enjoy canoeing or kayaking if you're in rush. So, I am looking forward to a trip which has one night to settle in and minimum of one more night to have your mind melt with the nature. Here are a list of parks, which has cabins/family lodge and canoe/kayak rental
Alright, we've selected the Twin Lakes State Park, which has a lodge & boat rental. Other places do not rent out canoe/kayak until April/May time frame.
Here are links & activities planning
- Park map & direction from Arlington. Google map of the area. Here is a brochure map of Prince Edward County
- Activities:
- Hiking
- The easy trails & accessible are on the Goodwin lake, since the Prince Edward lake are more difficult and cannot access by road.
- Canoeing
- Drive to the Goodwin lake, after going through the ranger office, it's the 2nd path to the right. Behind the shopping area.
- Taking photos
- Assignments: Sunset, sunrise, still water, reflection
- Playing Scrabbles, Monopoly, Poker
- Playing Hide & seek in the evening (?)
- Sightseeing
- High Bridge Trail State Park (2 hr 30min)
- The closest entrance is right at the mile post 146.4, on River Road (Address: 390 River Rd, Farmville, VA). It's a small parking lot. From there walking to the High Bridge is only 1.4 mile, ~25 min. Bring water, no water or services on trail.
- Direction from from Twin Lakes. Around 35min. Or set the GPS to 390 River Rd, Farmville, VA.
- Sailor's Creek Battlefield State Park
- A 35 min drive from Twin Lakes.
- Foods
- Steak au Poivre
- Potstickers
- Cơm Nắm + Muối Vừng/Ruốc
- Eat-Out
- Here is the list of all restaurants in town
- From the list of restaurants, Country Cookin' looks good, here is the menu
The Plan
Things to bring:- Coffee
- Foods
- Drinks
- Clothes
- Games
- Camera/Camcorder
- Reading materials
Saturday
- After Bảo is done with the Rutgers' open house, we start driving to Twin Lakes State Park.
- It will take 3hrs 25min to get there; that means we need to call them ahead of time, and let them know that we will arrive late. Need to know how/where to pick up the keys, maps.
- 4PM. Get to the lodge, un-pack. Drive to the ranger office to check out the trails & place.
- 4:30PM the office close, so use the last 4-digit of reservation number to open the lock-box (8507)
- 5PM. Get back to the lodge, prepare dinner (Ly chef + Bảo/Thuy sous chefs).
- Appetizer:
- Garlic breads with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkles with parsley.
- Potsticker with soy-sauce
- Main course:
- Steak au Poivre, served with baby carrots, yellow squash, zuchini; steam rice by request
- Deserts:
- Cheese cake with strawberry sauce.
- Vanilla ice cream.
- 7PM. After dinner, may want to walk to the Cedar Crest, stroll around, check out the Gazebo
- 8PM. Back to the lodge, play games, talk
- Scrabbles night. Three rounds, quarter-final. Best teams move up to quarter-final
- Poker night. $5 buys in.
Sunday
- 5AM Sunday morning, wake up, walk to Cedar Crest, take some pictures
- 7AM Get back to the lodge, cook & have breakfast. Make some lunch & bring along. There are plenty of picnic table along the trails, make some sandwiches to bring along. Each should have a small backpack, and optionally a hiking stick. If you have boots, wear them.
- 10AM. Drive to Goodwin Lake. Start to hike the trail Goodwin Lake trail.
- Rent canoes and canoeing for about 1hr
- Have lunch on the canoe or back into the restaurant near by
- After lunch, start the trail Between the Lakes, continue on to the lower part of the Otter Trail, on to Beaver Point Trail.
- 3PM. Rent another session of canoeing 1-2hrs.
- 5PM. Get back to the lodge, rest. Cook & dinner.
- Appetizer (Ly)
- Bacon Wrapped Shrimps, dipping with soy-sauce
- Saute mushroom in garlic/butter sauce
- Main course:
- Desert
- Vanilla ice cream
- 7PM. After dinner, walk to the other cabins, lake front, check them out
- 8PM. Get back to the lodge, play game. Sleep.
- Scrabbles night. Quarter-final. Three rounds. Best team wins.
Monday
- 5AM Get up early, walk to the Cedar Crest Conf Center, taking pictures
- 7AM Get back to the lodge, make breakfast, pack & ready to check out
- 10AM. Drive to the High Bridge Trail, walk to the High Bridge.
- Check out Country Cookin', have lunch there.
- Drive home, should be home around 5pm.
Cabins & boat rentalBlue RidgeClaytor Lake State Park6620 Ben H. Bolen Drive Dublin, VA 24084-5643 Phone: (540) 643-2501 Email: ClaytorLake@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Cabins 1-12: Two-bedroom, one bathroom, water-view. For boat rental call (540) 731-8683 or visit www.claytorlakewatersports.com Hungry Mother State Park 2854 Park Boulevard Marion, VA 24354-6366 Phone: (276) 781-7400 Email: HungryMother@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Boat rental available, call John Stone, (276) 781-7425 Office, (276) 780-3685 Cell. Central Virginia
Smith Mountain Lake State Park
Twin Lakes State Park1235 State Park Road Huddleston, VA 24104-9547 Phone: (540) 297-2377 Email: SMLake@dcr.virginia.gov 788 Twin Lakes Road Green Bay, VA 23942-2525 Phone: (434) 392-9027 Email: TwinLakes@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Cabins 2, 4 and 6 are water-view cabins, $83/night. Rowboats and canoes are available for rent year-round Chesapeake BayBelle Isle State Park1632 Belle Isle Road Lancaster, VA 22503-9425 Phone: (804) 462-5030 Email: BelleIsle@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Beautiful guest house, Chesapeake view
PO Box 100 Breaks, VA 24607 Phone: (276) 865-4413 A bit more expensive, but new cabins & over looking the river. Call for canoe/boat rental. Southern VirginiaFairy Stone State Park967 Fairystone Lake Drive Stuart, VA 24171-9588 Phone: (276) 930-3927 Email: FairyStone@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Only #2, 8, 17, 21 are lakefront. Actually, #8 is more desirable. No boat rental until first weekend of April. Occoneechee State Park 1192 Occoneechee park Road Clarksville, VA 23927-9449 Phone: (434) 374-2210 Email: Occoneechee@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Cabins 4, 8, 11 and 13 are water-view. Only pontoon & fishing boats, no canoe/kayak. Call (434) 374-2525 or (434) 374-2755 to make reservations. We do not rent ourselves but we have a concessionaire here in the park that does. The phone number to them is 434-374-2755.
Staunton River State Park 1170 Staunton Trail Scottsburg, VA 24589-9636 Phone: (434) 572-3694 Email: StauntonRiver@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Does not rent boat, but have boat rental store right outside of park | Cabins onlyCentral VirginiaJames River State ParkRoute 1, Box 787 Gladstone, VA 24553 Phone: (434) 933-4355 Email: JamesRiver@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Looks like this has canoe/kayak rental. Nope! not until April 17th. Bear Creek Lake State Park 929 Oak Hill Road Cumberland, VA 23040-9518 Phone: (804) 492-4410 Email: BearCreek@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Cabins 2, 4, 5, 11 and 12 are water-view. No boat rental until May. Chesapeake BayWestmoreland State Park1650 State Park Road Montross, VA 22520-9717 Phone: (804) 493-8821 Email: Westmoreland@dcr.virginia.gov Map. The Potomac River Retreat, sleep 16, has river view. No boat rental until April 17th. Hampton Roads Chippokes Plantation State Park695 Chippokes Park Road Surry, VA 23883 Phone: (757) 294-3728 Email: Chippokes@dcr.virginia.gov Map. No boat rental First Landing State Park 2500 Shore Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23451-1415 Phone: (757) 412-2320 Email: FirstLanding@dcr.virginia.gov Map. No boat rental, but available outside of park.
Northern Virginia
Lake Anna State Park6800 Lawyers Road Spotsylvania, VA 22553-9645 Phone: (540) 854-5503 Email: LakeAnna@dcr.virginia.gov Map. No boat rental. Shenandoah ValleyDouthat State Park14239 Douthat State Park Road Millboro, VA 24460 Phone: (540) 862-8100 Email: Douthat@dcr.virginia.gov Map. Construction of new cabins in progress. No boat rental until first Sat of April |