Presidential tours... I am a history geek

So for the weekend before my birthday (yay, I'm 25 now!), I decided to round up my 2 sisters and boyfriend for a weekend in western Virginia. 4 Presidents, 1 weekend. Only my family would be interested in seeing houses of old dead Presidents... well, my family and Gordon as it would seem.

So we left DC early early early on Saturday in a SW, no W, no SW direction towards Charlottesville and Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and Woodrow Wilson. First up... James Monroe. Monroe was better known by people outside of the states than by his own countrymen. Odd... but there you go. A statue commissioned by Venezuela is on the property. What you might know about Monroe: helped out with the Louisana Purchase, the Monroe Doctrine, and Monrovia, Liberia named after him (apparently Joy didn't know this). What you don't know about Monroe: Played chess with Thomas Jefferson-- they were like BFF, his house, while cute... isn't very "presidential."

TJ!!!! Ah yes, Thomas Jefferson, writer of the Declaration of Independence, POTUS, founder of UVA (boo cavs)... and slave owner. Couldn't keep it in his pants kind of slave owner... but no one at Monticello (his estate) wants to talk about it. His house, unlike Monroe's was over the top and full of crazy inventions that he really just stole from other inventors. But everyone loves TJ!!

James Madison, our 3rd president of our roadtrip had an estate nearby as well. Sadly, the DuPonts (yes... THOSE DuPonts) became owners after JM died and added 33 (count 'em... 33!) rooms to his cute little house. And now since the DuPont lady died, they're trying to bring it back to its original state. The BEST tour of the trip. It wasn't about seeing an old house with old smelly furniture. The tour was about restoring a house back to its original condition and finding cool things... like a letter lost in a wall, the original driveway, a lost archway.

Last president: Woodrow Wilson. We didn't tour his house because it was EARLY EARLY (again) and honestly, I think his house here in DC is much cooler. But Staunton, VA is ALSO home to a GIANT watering can and other GIANT gardening tools. And one of the best breakfasts ever (though London was still the best).

A short (but really a long) drive on Skyline Drive with lots of vista views and stops for pictures and a bear search with no bear.

To cap of the trip, something for Gordon-- a visit to Luray Caverns. The tour guides are 15-year-olds with no clue as to how a cave is formed and they are all up-talkers. Some cool formations in the cavern, some VERY weird tourists (I think I heard some Russian, too!) and the best part? A garden maze. Again, I am a big dork, but who wouldn't like a garden maze??

And then back to DC. All in all, a great roadtrip. This weekend? A roadtrip through a tropical storm to get to NC to visit the parents. Word.


Thanks for all the birthday wishes! :)

DRIVING PROVIDED BY: GORDON! Thanks Gordon! :)