We are going to be in D.C. the end of September for business. Want to extend stay for pleasure. Have done D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia in recent past with kids. This is just a trip for us.

Any ideas for a getaway within 200 miles of D.C.?? Will either be driving to D.C. from Indiana, or may fly in and rent a car to get away after meetings are over.

Resort, beach (even though in September), etc.??

Sue

As we love to say on the forums, what are your interests? September could be a lovely time to visit an old inn with great food and a "no children" policy. Have you visited washingtonpost.com? The travel section has quite a few suggestions for nearby escapes.

Perhaps you may want to try Charlottesville, VA (home of Monticello, UVA), near the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is a nice inn called Boars Head Inn, they have a web site, it was very nice and I would certainly recommend it.

My vote is for Shenandoah National Park. There are many hiking trails and the like that have fabulous scenery. You could bring a picnic lunch or lunch at Skyland Lodge. The fall foliage will probably be past its peak in September, depending on when you go, but is still worth the trip.

If you're thnking of Cville, make sure you won't be there during a football weekend, which can cause massive traffic snarls and give you the chance to see UVa students barfing in the streets (public Ivy my Aunt Fanny). Of course, that's only one day; if you're choose an inn some ways out of town (Boar's Head won't work) you could just steer clear on game day. I know some people who really liked Prospect Hill out in Trevillians (www.prospecthill.com).

I agree that heading to the mountains would be a good idea. There is a huge selection of B&Bs in cute little towns where you can go hiking, antiquing and have some great meals (the restaurant Four and Twenty Blackbirds in Flint Hill, VA is outstanding -- or if money is no object and for a once-in-a-lifetime meal, the Inn at Little Washington is supposed to be great). Have also heard very good things about the Boars Head.
But if you're set on staying at the coast, a lot of couples I know like to go to Cape May, New Jersey for a getaway weekend. I personally haven't been there yet but have heard lots of good things about it -- lots of pretty old Victorian homes, B&Bs, etc. I'm not sure exactly how far it is distance-wise, but I've heard it takes about 3.5-4 hours and you take a ferry to get there.
You might also want to think about St. Michael's, Maryland which is a pretty little town on the water, again with a good selection of small inns and B&Bs. You can rent boats and go sailing, etc. I went there on a day trip once but didn't stay overnight -- there are some very good restaurants (crabs are in season right now -- yum). You didn't say how long you want to stay but I'm not sure St. Michael's has enough to entertain for longer than a weekend -- it's a pretty small place. I think it takes about 2.5 hours to get there from DC.
Annapolis is very close and is a great small city with lots to do -- I think that would be a great choice.
Also, if you're looking for a nice, quiet beach, Chincoteague, VA is pretty (home of the wild ponies) and uncrowded, especially by late September. I've only been there once and think it took about 4 hours to drive from DC.
Hope you have a wonderful time.