Except we would be based out of Richmond in Virginia because we'd already been to many of the NPS units around Baltimore. And "RICHMOOOOND" just doesn't sound as fun as "BALTIMOOOORE".

Day 1

We flew into D.C. on a red-eye. Why do I keep doing this to myself and the ones I love? I might have slept a bit. Lilly might have slept a bit. Neither of us slept well though we were lucky enough to have a row to ourselves.

Get the car and head across town to visit Fort Washington Park. I had hoped to visit when I was at a conference just a few miles away back in 2022, but it was closed when I had the time.

It was cool while also being hot. And sticky. This would be the theme for the entire trip. Really neat historical site. The heat and humidity drained our will to explore. Blech.

Next up was Manassas National Battlefield Park. As far as Civil War battlefields go, this one left me kind of meh. The visitor center was fine. The views were fine. But the battle didn't feel like it was as important as some of the other sites we've visited in the past. Plus there was a statue of Stonewall Jackson that reminded me way too much of the kind of exaggerated heroism I associate with Soviet propaganda.

Our final stop of the day was Prince William Forest Park. I love the premise of building a forest park so close to the city and the value to the locals is immense, but we're spoiled by the west. Nice woods, but a high point of "nearly 400 feet" doesn't do it for me.

We made it to our hotel in Richmond and crashed hard. Lilly is an early riser which means she goes to bed early. I took advantage of the excuse was asleep by 9pm every night.

Day 2

We had a long day planned so we started early. First stop was the Cold Harbor Visitor Center in Richmond National Battlefield Park. We were there before the visitor center opened so we walked a trail that wound through woods and fields. While Manassas left me flat, Cold Harbor was amazing. By this point in the Civil War trench warfare was in use and the trenches could still be seen. Plus it was clear why this was important as it protected the Confederate's capital. The only downside came when the rangers told us we were crazy for visiting so many sites in a single day.

Petersburg National Battlefield was next. It was contemporary with Richmond and key to the end of the Civil War. It was also a siege that affected troops and civilians alike. Absolutely brutal. After the visitor center, we toured The Battle of the Crater. Amazing engineering. Terrible execution.

Then east to Colonial National Historic Park aka Jamestowne. Neat history, great visitor center, but much of the really cool stuff is privately owned and I'm cheap. We did visit the Glasshouse, which you would expect to be way too hot, but was surprisingly tolerable.

The last stop of the day was Fort Monroe National Monument aka "Freedom's Fortress." It was a key stop on the Underground Railroad and also served as a jail for the Confederate's president after the Civil War. The Casemate Museum is a must as is the pet cemetery atop the walls. Weirdly, regular people live within the fort's walls.

Day 3

Another early start because this was our longest driving day at over 300 miles round trip. We arrived at Appomattox Court House National Historical Park just as they opened for the day. This is where General Lee surrendered to General Grant after the fall of Petersburg and Richmond. While not the actual end to the war, there was no hope for the South once Lee surrendered.

Another hour east and we were at Booker T. Washington National Monument. It was a fitting site to follow Appomattox. This was where Booker T. Washington was born enslaved and freed following the war. The site provides a glimpse into what his early years might have been like and describes his unquenchable thirst for knowledge that led to his lasting impact on society.

Back in Richmond we barely squeaked into Maggie L Walker National Historic Site before closing. We only had time to watch the movie before the rangers closed up. She was a contemporary of Booker T. Washington, though she was never enslaved. Like Washington she improved the lives of Black people in the south through education and entrepreneurship. I wish we'd had more time there.

Day 4

Our last day of parks started with an early checkout and a drive to Fredricksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park. Waiting for the visitor center to open, we walked along the Sunken Road that was the line of the Confederates. The idea that such a line could be breached and the Union tried is a testament to how important it was to break through. On the hill above the road is a cemetery. The majority of the remains are unidentified.

Perhaps the only monument to a southern soldier I've seen and appreciated is located near the Sunken Road. It commemorates Richard Kirkland who risked his life to provide water to wounded Union soldiers. Humanity at its best even while he fought for the wrong side.

We went back in time to George Washington Birthplace National Monument. It was nice and all, but it will remain the place of some of the worst bugs we've experienced. Ever. Not that it was a surprise. We were in the woods next to a swamp after all. But these horseflies were merciless. They would dive bomb us as we eventually ran away. Lilly, who is engaged in a cuss-reduction campaign with Henry, called him from the car and asked him to put 15 cents into the swear jar because she'd had a "whoopsie." (Each cent represents one swear word.) Henry's reply reduced us to tears. "What'd you do? Whoopsie into a wood chipper?"

While plotting a route back to the airport I noticed Thomas Stone National Historic Site had somehow eluded my planning. No worries. We rerouted to stop at the home of the signer of the Declaration of Independence. It was a quick walk from the visitor center to the house. It was very rural. Not bad.

Our final park was the least National Parky national park I've ever visited. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts. Don't get me wrong. It's a lovely place for an outdoor concert. But a National Park? Nah. We got our passport stamp and returned the car.

But the adventures weren't over. Next up was the most adventurous of them all: Traveling by rail to Baltimore! We used the Metro to get from the airport to Union Station and Amtrak to get to Penn Station in Baltimore. Along the way we were again reminded that Seattle messed up when they declined to approve rapid transit in 1968 and 1970. The D.C. Metro was easy to use and cheap. The train from D.C. to Baltimore was easy and cheap. Plus we discovered we really, really like Shake Shack.

Our time in Baltimore was all around the Inner Harbor where the conference was being held. Each night we'd take a walk along the water and find food. We learned that the cross-harbor water taxi is free, people play beach volleyball like crazy, and don't order the "loaded fries" before a massive hamburger.

The only downside was on our trip back to D.C. where I mismathed and we missed our flight home. Big thanks to Alaska Airlines who only charged us $50 to rebook our flight for later the same day.

Oh, and if you were counting, you probably are crying foul at the claim we visited 15 park sites. You only mentioned 14! Yeah, well, the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail counts the visitor center at Colonial National Historical Park as its headquarters so that counts!