Stuck in Virginia for Spring Break? All Flucos know there’s not much to do in Fluvanna when you have a whole week to kill (other than sleep and watch a Walking Dead marathon on Netflix).  Yes, Lake Monticello has five beaches, but the way the weather is going, they may be too cold anyway.  So if you need to stay relatively close to home, here are five day trips you can take that are fun, affordable, and close.

1. Smithsonian National Zoo:  Are you an animal lover?  Do you talk to your cat as if it can understand you?  Then consider a day trip to the Smithsonian National Zoo.  At 163 acres, this zoo is one of the biggest in the country and  contains  2,000 individual animals of 400 different species.  The zoo is located in the heart of Washington, D.C., which is approximately 2-2.5 hours from Fluvanna.  This may be a little trek, but it is worth the drive considering admission is free.  Besides viewing the animals, you can attend their daily programs that include animal training, feeding demonstrations, and keeper talks.  The park opens at 6 am and closes at 8 pm, but with such cute animals, it may be tough for you to leave.

2. Shenandoah National Park:  Excited about the weather warming up (finally) and want to spend as much time as possible outside?  Go to Shenandoah National Park.  The park stretches for 105 miles from Front Royal to Charlottesville, but you can hop on at Afton Mountain (only 40 minutes away) and go either direction.  In the park you can  hike from waterfall to waterfall, climb the rocky mountains, go biking or take a guided horseback ride.  Whatever gets your outdoorsy senses tingling, it’s there.  If you aren’t much of the outdoorsy type, stay in your car and drive the scenic Skyline Drive that runs through the Blue Ridge Mountains of the park.

3. Williamsburg Outlets:  Do you stay up for 24+ hours straight on Black Friday and get a thrill out of finding good deals?  Maybe the Premier Outlets of Williamsburg are the place to be for you this Spring Break.  Outlets are known for receiving the merchandise that doesn’t sell in stores, so they’re affordable.  For girls, they have stores such as Michael Kors, Coach, and Juicy Couture.  For guys, they have Adidas, Under Armour, and Nike.  No matter if you’re into clothing, sports attire, purses, or jewelry, the outlets have it all in their 200+ designer and retail stores.  You can get there in under two hours, and they even have a food court so you can shop till you drop, or at least from 10 am to 9 pm.

4. Jamestown Settlement:  Is your favorite part of your day history class?  Then why not visit the Settlement where our country first began in 1607?  Jamestown is two hours from Fluvanna but tons of fun.  Watch history come to life through museums, hands-on exhibits, and outdoor exhibits.  The museums inform visitors of how the Indians, Europeans, and Africans converged to create America.  Outdoors, there are replicas of the three boats the settlers used to sail to Virginia, plus recreations of the settlers’ forts and Indian villages.  It’s $16 for adults. For something cheaper, head next door to Historic Jamestowne (the National Park Service version of Jamestown) where admission is just $14 per adult (free for those 15 and under!) and also gets you into nearby Yorktown Battlefield for no extra charge.

5. Kings Dominion:  Roller coasters, water rides, and fun, oh my!  Kings Dominion opens for the Spring season on the last day of Spring Break, April 4.  This trip would be a perfect way to end your week.  Enjoy roller coasters that seem to touch the sky, such as the Intimidator.  Or cool off in the Water Works section.  Whatever gives you a thrill, Kings Dominion has it.  Their opening day hours are 10:30 am to 8 pm and it’s $54 for a single-day ticket (be sure to buy it online in advance or you’ll pay an extra $9 per ticket).  But there are ways to get tickets significantly cheaper. Click here to find out how.