About Perfect Saturdays
Looking for something to do this weekend? These great day trips are within a two-hour drive of DC.
White Post, Virginia
Drive time from DC: 45 minutes
This day-trip destination is made for dinosaur fans. Outside Winchester, you’ll find more than 55 fiberglass dinosaurs at the roadside attraction Dinosaur Land. You’ll also spot King Kong, who comes a little after their time. It’s a cool spot that offers nostalgia for two eras: dinosaurs deliver that classic Mesozoic vibe while the retro look is a salute to the ’60s, when the display first opened. A gift shop is stocked with dinosaur knickknacks. Entry is $9 for kids 11 and up, $7 for ages 2 to 10, and free for kids under two.
If you want to keep the road trip vibes going, the Winchester-Frederick County Convention & Visitors Bureau put together a “Service Station Grub Trail” with hidden gem restaurants in active or defunct gas stations. Fifteen minutes from Dinosaur Land, Paco’s Mexi Mart serves elote and tacos layered with barbacoa, carnitas, and chicken tinga at an Exxon stop. Further north in Winchester, Bonnie Blue Southern Market & Bakery is located in a former Esso station, with hearty breakfast platters, smoked meats, and Southern fixings.
Daniella Byck joined Washingtonian in 2022. She was previously with Outside Magazine and lives in Takoma.
