Round 3 in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley

Best Things Nearby:
Many different caverns for touring.

Best Things About the Resort:
Proximity to Bryce Resort (for the golf).

Resort Experience:
The resort was a two-bedroom (one an open loft) unit. It was old but fully equipped, with many things in need of repair, including a new paint job. It was off in the woods with no real view, and the road was in need of repair also. I won't be returning.

• Unit Type: 2 Bedroom


• Activities: Poor


• Amenities: Fair


• Unit Satisfaction: Fair


• Family Friendliness: Fair


• Service: Fair

What to do the day after a 10-hour drive? Golf! So, not wanting to drive much, I decided to play the course at Bryce Resort, which is the only course in Bayse. During the initial drive by, I wasn’t overly impressed. The course was two holes wide, nestled in a valley. This impression was about to change. Fortunately, I was joined up with a local member and his family. This insight, no doubt, helped my score. My “caddie's” advice, coupled with reasonably generous fairways, allowed me to card a good score. Watch out for the creek; it winds its way onto 13 holes. There were a number of interesting doglegs, some elevation changes, and just enough bunkers to give a wide variety of play. And watch out for the 16th, my only bump! The one hole I didn’t keep, my tee shot in play. I found that the greens held well but were a bit slow. The scorecard indicated that the course was used in the Virginia sectionals. It was well groomed, and I would play it again.

My second round of the trip was on the advice of a local ice-cream vendor. The course was well off the beaten path, but the directions were easy to follow. Beem was a co-designer of this future first-rate course. The clubhouse was excellent, all cart paths were paved, and there were some excellent scenic views of the area from the later holes. I was not prepared the grueling duel of man versus course, though. Every hole had elevation changes, as the course was on the side of a mountain. This coupled with undulating and thin fairways, errant tee shots, and slow greens made a problem for me. A big problem! I would, however, recommend the course for play--just be prepared.

The museum is recently opened and only half stocked with aircraft; however, it was without a doubt one of the best museums I have viewed yet. Follow the history of flight from the very beginning to the fighter of the future. In between, you will find the X71, Space Shuttle Enterprise, the Enola Gay, Concorde, and many, many other fascinating air- and spacecraft. Expect to spend the entire day taking the guided tour (nearly 2 hours), view the IMAX and over 100 exhibits, which will double to 200 by 2007. An absolute must-see.

The best overview would be their website, it's chock-full of pictures and stories. Go to http://nationalzoo.si.edu to check it out! The park itself was a bit difficult to navigate - I found the map versus winding paths a bit confusing, and it was hard to go from certain areas to others. Comparing this zoo to the Toronto Zoo, I found the number of exhibits smaller, and the number of animals on display to be small, with many only having one or two specimens. However, as one of DC's many free Smithsonians, it is worth a day.