Hiking to the rock formation called Arthur's Seat is one of the best free activities in Edinburgh. Standing at the highest point in Edinburgh (822 ft), you feel like you are at the top of the world with views of the Royal Mile, gleaming Firth of Forth, rolling green hills, crags and lochs all around.

Looking east from Arthur's Seat

At the end of the Royal Mile, which connects Edinburgh Castle on its rocky perch with the Palace of Holyroodhouse, lies a 640 acre Royal Park known also as Queen's Park or King's Park depending on the current monarch. It was created by King James V in 1541 to enclose a royal hunting estate dating back to the 12th century. Arthur's Seat was formed from tilting and erosion to reveal volcanic rock filling the Lion's Head and Lion's Haunch vents of a volcano active over 300 million years ago.  The park is open to the public and offers a majestic escape above the clamor of city life, melding rock or concrete with sky, green hills and water.

Looking down from Point B on map, below.

First view of summit from Point B on map, below.

For just 1¾ hours round trip, the hike to Arthur's Seat yielded fresh air, wildflowers and an expansive view of wild green hills surrounding the city of Edinburgh. It took my daughter and husband 43 minutes, and me 50 minutes, with breaks to rest and enjoy the emerging views, to get to the plateau on top. After about 20 minutes taking photos and enjoying the summit, the return trip down was 35 minutes. Several types of yellow flowers, complete with pollinators, and other striking wildflowers invited a closer look on the way back down.

Twelve years ago, our 11 and 6 year old children declared that the historic Williamsburg area was their favorite place to visit, choosing it over Disney, Rome and California. Last week, we had the opportunity to rediscover Colonial Williamsburg as adults. The perspectives of the gentry, tradesmen, free and enslaved African Americans, shopkeepers, religious minorities, military leaders and even lawbreakers in 18th century America truly came to life through conversations, tours, re-enactments and an Escape Room adventure set right in the original Public Gaol building of 1722!   

The Fife and Drum corps

We were stretching our legs on Labor Day, after driving 15 of the 18 hours or so to the Outer Banks from a midwestern family gathering. Our friends, the same family with whom we had explored Williamsburg 12 years ago, were already enjoying beautiful sunsets and early morning fishing, along with our son. Then we got the text... Although Hurricane Dorian was not predicted to reach NC for another three days, the county had just issued evacuation orders. Despite the beautiful current conditions, it did not make sense for us to push on into the evening for a single ocean sunrise before a mandatory evacuation. Fortunately, we found a great deal on a two bedroom suite at the Historic Powhatan resort in Williamsburg, VA only an hour away.

The resort was beautiful, with lakes and fountains and gazebos centered around a historic building, the manor home of the architect Richard Taliaferro, who designed the Governor's Palace and Wythe House in Colonial Williamsburg. The building is open for self-guided tours and ghost hunting (for a fee) in the evenings. Interestingly, Taliaferro reserved a special fireplace design feature for use in his own family buildings, which can be seen here. We enjoyed a fabulous dinner of meatloaf in tomato gravy and shrimp 'n grits at the Food for Thought restaurant, enjoying the many quotes and other tidbits on the walls.

Taliaferro Manor House at Historic Powhatan Resort

The next day, after our friends arrived, we were very pleased that we had said "No" to the ticket discount offered by the resort, which would have cost us two hours of vacation time. It turns out, Colonial Williamsburg had a much better deal for us (see Tips below). We got annual passes for less than the price of a one day ticket. There is so much to see and experience, and a multiday pass is highly recommended. Even the programs that appear on the schedule every day, such as Order in the Court, Entertainments at the Play House and The Necessity of Order in Battle, cover different topics from day to day. 

Order of the Court

Located halfway between Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, this open air, living history museum is truly a hidden gem. At a fraction of the cost of Colonial Williamsburg, and without the crowds, you can explore more than 33 historical buildings at your own pace. Stories are brought to life by craftspeople that have studied traditional methods of spinning, blacksmithing, leather work, woodcraft, basketweaving and more. It's great for all ages! 

We first crossed the covered bridge to Old Bedford in 2011, when my daughter and her friends were 10 years old, returning last week on our way to Washington DC. She enjoyed it just as much at 18 as she did when she was 10, although I appreciated the chance to linger for a longer chat with the spinner this time. We learned about grades of wool from different types of sheep, innovations in spinning wheels and the laborious process of making linen from flax. The flax had to be kept wet and carefully rotted to the right stage to allow removal of the strands inside. Flax seeds were a source of healthy fats, and folk remedies included putting one in the lower lid to treat eye irritation. 
At check-in, you will get a map of the village. The buildings that are staffed for the day with a craftsperson (up to 14 period skills) are highlighted. Even if unstaffed, all of the buildings are open for exploration, with displays, written information, and even audiovisual highlights on the free App for Apple, Android or MP3 players. As different craftspeople are present on different days, call ahead if you are committed to seeing a particular demonstration.

Buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries are clearly marked with the date and type of construction, along with notable architectural features. Some are residences, while others house toymaker, gunmaker, cooper (barrels), blacksmith, apothecary, tinsmith, saddleshop, or weaver. While I am not sure if you can still fire a black powder rifle, you can try your hand at creating a tin ornament, weaving a basket or dipping your own candles at the Chandler for only $1-$4, depending on the craft.

There is a gaol (jail), a church and a general store from which you can buy candies for a quarter, a bakery selling $1 cookies (try the huge snickerdoodles, just as good as we remembered from 8 years ago). And on weekends, you can enjoy a ploughman's lunch at the Tavern.