Courtyard New Carrollton Landover

For a trip do both Washington, DC & Annapolis, MD, we decided to find a hotel that was located between the two, about 30 minutes from each.  The Courtyard New Carrollton Landover fit that that bill perfectly.

The hotel was in the middle of renovations and we were lucky enough to get a refreshed room.  The room was clean and very comfortable, especially the bed.  There's also quite a nice courtyard in the middle of the building to relax in, as well as a full service restaurant for breakfast, lunch and dinner available for guests. We found the Wi-Fi to be fast and the parking to be plentiful.

We'd definitely recommend this hotel for anyone needing to stay in this area as the prices are reasonable and the hotel is comfortable.

Address: 8330 Corporate Dr, Lanham, MD 20785

Wifi: Free

Parking: Free

Restaurant: Yes

Bar/Lounge: Yes

Smoking: Non-smoking

Hidden Fees: None

Breakfast: A la carte in the restaurant

In-room safe: No

Sunrise Landing Bed & Breakfast

Located on Seneca Lake in the Finger Lakes region of upstate New York, the Sunrise Landing Bed & Breakfast is an ideal location for couples looking to get away for a few days.  The B&B is located off of the main road that runs parallel to the west side of the lake, Route 14, down a dirt road to get you right onto the lake.  There is a sense of serenity and peace at the property.  The owners are delightful, friendly and look to accommodate all of their guests.

We were able to easily book an all day privately chauffeured wine tour through them and they were able to set up all the logistics for us, including providing free tastings at many of the wineries in the area.

Each morning, a delicious breakfast was freshly prepared for us, and the owners were more than willing to adjust the menu for anyone's special dietary needs.  Not enough can be said about the amazing peach stuffed french toast that was made our second morning, or the orange cranberry scones, and the chocolate chip muffins, and roasted potatoes (really, everything served for breakfast was delicious!).  You just need to taste it to understand.

We chose the Rose Suite for our stay, which is the smallest of the rooms (and thus the cheapest) and it worked perfectly for our needs.  It's a very comfortable bedroom that allows for views of various birds in the morning at the bird feeders.  In addition, you get a private sitting room with a television and a refrigerator stocked with drinks and snacks.

The Sunrise Landing B&B also provides an amazing view of Seneca Lake, and direct access to the lake. We would highly recommend this B&B to anyone looking to visit the Finger Lakes!

US Naval Academy Tour

The United States Naval Academy is an exclusive higher education school for the future officers of our Navy and Marines.  Many people apply each year, but few are accepted as the educational and physical requirements are strict.  When visiting Annapolis, you can take a tour of the facilities and learn what life is like for the students.

The campus is gorgeous, and is located right in the Annapolis harbor area, an easy walk to the main touristy area.  The tour will last about 90 minutes and you'll get to see a good amount of the campus.  Our tour guide was quite knowledgeable and proud of the academy.

This is definitely the highlight of any trip to Annapolis, and anyone with any interest in the US military would enjoy their time spent here.

White House Tour

The White House is probably the most iconic government building in the world.  When visiting Washington, DC, a visit is on most people's list.  However, in order to be able to tour the building, you need to do some planning.  For American citizens, you must contact your congressman/congresswoman and request a spot on a tour.  You can either call their office for information on how to do this, or go to their website and follow the instructions for requesting a tour.  The process may vary by congressional district.  You should also do this far in advance (at least a few months) to give the congressional office time to process the paperwork on your behalf.  If you try to just show up at the White House without doing this, you will be denied entry.  For people who are citizens of other countries, you'll need to contact your country's embassy to determine how to get access to view the White House.

Once you have a tour scheduled, you'll still need to wait online for about an hour to get into the house and go through multiple Secret Service security checkpoints.  They are very strict about the ID you need and what you can/cannot bring with you, so please make sure you follow the instructions you receive when you get your tour confirmation.

Once inside, the tour is self guided.  You'll walk through only one floor's worth of rooms, but in each room is a Secret Service agent who is there to answer any questions you may have.  You'll see some great decor, architecture and portraits during your walk through, and also be given a recipe created by the White House chef upon your exit.

This is definitely a tour we recommend for anyone visiting DC, but please make sure you do the proper planning first to avoid disappointment.