With winter break approaching, many people have vacation on their minds. However, it would be more practical for some to stay at home. This doesn’t mean somebody can’t have fun or go on a vacation. A staycation is where somebody partakes in activities near their house while still having fun at a reasonable price.

   An excellent staycation activity for people interested in aviation is the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, which is part of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. The Air and Space Museum in Chantilly houses the original Enola Gay plane, which dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and was a weather reconnaissance aircraft during the bombing of Nagasaki.

   Great Falls National Park is a wonderful option for people interested in outdoor activities. With hikes of all different distances and difficulties, there is something for everyone. Although there is an entrance fee of $20 per car, Great Falls National Park is worth checking out. Be sure to arrive early since the park is only open during daylight hours.

   Mount Vernon is another historical landmark located right here in Virginia. Mount Vernon is the home of our first President, George Washington. Mount Vernon offers guided tours of the estate and houses President George Washington’s copy of The Acts of Congress, including handwritten notes by Washington himself.

Sugarloaf Mountain is another outdoor hike with no admission fee, although donations are encouraged, and is privately owned. President Franklin D. Roosevelt considered Sugarloaf Mountain a location for his Presidential retreat. Still, he eventually decided against it to pick a site on Catoctin Mountain, now known as Camp David.