USA public transport options?

[rockm]

If you're an architecture, design, or mid-century modern nerd, Frank LLoyd Wright's Fallingwater is nearby. I've only ever heard wonderful things about it, and it's about a 90-minute drive

Fallingwater Homepage - Fallingwater

Fallingwater Institute Educational Programs Check out the Fallingwater Institute’s 2024 programming, including our Saturday Classes Online and three-day Insight/Onsite workshop for professional architects and designers to discover and observe Fallingwater through group exercises, technical...

fallingwater.org

If you're more adventure-minded, Ohiopyle, PA (3-hour drive?) is a small adventure down mecca. Whitewater rafting (which is relatively easy on the knees), hiking, mountain biking, etc

If you'd like to tour wine country, the Charlottesville, VA (2-hour drive) has a bunch of vineyards, and I think there's a couple companies that run bus tours, so you can drink most of the wine instead of spit it out

History-minded attractions in the area are plentiful. Mount Vernon, George Washington's manor, is a bikeable distance from DC. There should be a bus route there, but I don't know it off the top of my head. Gunston Hall is George Mason's (another founding father) house and about 30 minutes driving away from the city. Monticello is Thomas Jefferson's estate, 2 hours away close to Charlottesville, VA, and is fantastically preserved, with expansive grounds that have examples of gardens, kitches, stables, slave quarters, etc. Monticello in particular does a lot to reckon with the ugly side of Jefferson's history. Jamestown and Williamsburg are about 3 hours away. Jamestown was the first British colony in the future US, founded in 1604. Williamsburg has a massive historic downtown which usually is full of staff/volunteers living out historical roles on the weekends

I live only a couple of miles from Mt. Vernon and Gunston Hall. Both are beautiful places to visit. Public transportation to either is scant, indirect or incomplete. Mt. Vernon is a beautiful bike ride up the George Washington Parkway along the Potomac River. It's about 14 miles one way once you cross over the Potomac on Memorial Bridge (easiest bike bridge, although Key Bridge is pretty good as well, both of those bridges pass over the Parkway bike path. The Mt. Vernon end of the ride is a it of a climb. Gunston Hall is harder to get to but there aren't as many tourists (This is the tourist season in D.C. and Mt. Vernon receives literally DOZENS of tour buses ever day--the place is packed though August). Gunston sees less than a fifth of that kind of traffic, which is a pity)

 

[Wood]

The Mt Vernon website has public transit directions: a metro ride to the Huntington Station on the yellow line, then a 20-minute bus ride on the Fairfax Connector 101 route

Hours & Directions

Where is Mount Vernon? Find directions about how to get to Mount Vernon by car, boat or bus. +++++NOTE there is no info on public transportation!

www.mountvernon.org

There's also bike rental info. The trail is pretty peaceful, I recommend it:

Visit Mount Vernon by Bike

Visiting Mt. Vernon by bike, including trail maps

www.mountvernon.org

 

[Underdog]

Yer comin to 'merica, you need to drive it and in a convertible this time of year too. Get outa the city's and see real people.

 

[Gabler]

Get outa the city's and see real people.

Yeah, the cities are populated by holographic projections and mannequins.

 

[Stormwater]

great to hear you will be in our neck of the woods. Really wish public transportation was better here, but driving might be best. What kinds of stuff do you like? We've got some great food these days in DC and surrounding areas. Not sure where you are coming from, but you could check out the tupelo swamps of VA: https://www.dcr.virginia.gov/natural-heritage/natural-communities/ncpa1;

 

[Orion_metalhead]

Jelle, you will never see everything in one trip, even locally... I guess just move here permanently is the way to go.

 

[Ruddigger]

Amtrak has several trains that run around on the northeast corridor. I’ve taken it several times without issue, but with rail you never know what can happen. It just takes one idiot on the tracks to ruin everyones day.

Signed, an Amtrak Conductor.

 

[Darth Masiah]

Yeah, the cities are populated by holographic projections and mannequins.

true from a certain point of view

 

[leatherback]

Jelle, you will never see everything in one trip, even locally... I guess just move here permanently is the way to go.

THAT is not going to happen. I am way to outspoken to remain alive in USA long-term.

 

[Paradox]

THAT is not going to happen. I am way to outspoken to remain alive in USA long-term.

Depends on which side your speaking from in most cases, at least lately.

 

[leatherback]

Depends on which side your speaking from in most cases, at least lately.

that in itself is also a reason to seriously doubt moving. I do not wish to live in a place with such heavy polarization that people stop looking for common purpose and goals. It saddens me to see what is happening.

 

[Srt8madness]

that in itself is also a reason to seriously doubt moving. I do not wish to live in a place with such heavy polarization that people stop looking for common purpose and goals. It saddens me to see what is happening.

Don't fall for the sensational news. The US political divide exists, but it is blown far out of proportion by the media (including some international like the BBC). You'll find this out yourself when interacting with the public. You certainly aren't anything special being "outspoken", LOL.

One could also say the flipside, I wouldn't want to live in a place with such groupthink and ostracism of individual thought.

 

[Stormwater]

Leatherback, since you are coming DC, there should be a Bnut.com meetup. I'm going Friday (missing all the good stuff), kids soccer games and mothers day stuff Saturday/Sunday...... If you are there Friday, look for the dude looking at trees.

 

[Bonsai Forest]

THAT is not going to happen. I am way to outspoken to remain alive in USA long-term.

If the U.S. falls to the death grip of either Communism or Socialism, then we can be sure the end of the world is near (it's a close one currently)

 

[Paradox]

that in itself is also a reason to seriously doubt moving. I do not wish to live in a place with such heavy polarization that people stop looking for common purpose and goals. It saddens me to see what is happening.

I totally understand your point and I agree that it is truly unfortunate how we have come to this state.
I feel the same myself the last few years.
I was born here and while I and my family have contemplated and discussed going somewhere else, it is much easier said than done.

 

[Paradox]

Don't fall for the sensational news. The US political divide exists, but it is blown far out of proportion by the media (including some international like the BBC). You'll find this out yourself when interacting with the public. You certainly aren't anything special being "outspoken", LOL.

One could also say the flipside, I wouldn't want to live in a place with such groupthink and ostracism of individual thought.

Being outspoken is a trait for where I live. Being a NYer, particularly a southern NYer, the vast majority of us here are outspoken.

 

[leatherback]

Leatherback, since you are coming DC, there should be a Bnut.com meetup. I'm going Friday (missing all the good stuff), kids soccer games and mothers day stuff Saturday/Sunday...... If you are there Friday, look for the dude looking at trees.

I am NOT falling for that. I am not going to ask every dude looking at trees on Friday whether they are Stormwater!

I also do not own a bnut tshirt or pin.. Guess.. I COULD share what I look like. I am the one wearing a pullover and light raincoat.
Good chances I am lugging a backpack and/or camera and / or tripod.
Find me next to the superfly stand, hoarding haydite.

but yeah, would be fun to have a bnut face2face.
All going as planned, I should be airborn for the next leg in 3 hours. Got up at 4 this morning for the first stretch.

 

[WNC Bonsai]

I am NOT falling for that. I am not going to ask every dude looking at trees on Friday whether they are Stormwater!

I also do not own a bnut tshirt or pin.. Guess.. I COULD share what I look like. I am the one wearing a pullover and light raincoat.
Good chances I am lugging a backpack and/or camera and / or tripod.
Find me next to the superfly stand, hoarding haydite.

but yeah, would be fun to have a bnut face2face.
All going as planned, I should be airborn for the next leg in 3 hours. Got up at 4 this morning for the first stretch.

I suggest you take a red magic marker and make a big red dot in the center of your forehead, that way any bnutters there will instantly recognize you!

 

[Gabler]

I suggest you take a red magic marker and make a red dot in the center of your forehead, that way any bnutters there will instantly recognize you!

Be careful what you wish for. I might actually do it, and I'll explain that it's a Bonsai Nut thing.

 

[Gabler]

I suggested on a different thread about the event this weekend that we should all wear green shirts or something.