Emily Goes Places

🗺️ Unique places worth going
🥾 Hikes, Hidden Gems, Experiences, Stays, Solo Adventures
📧 [email protected]
👇🏼 Travel Guides 📍DC-Based
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I’m Emily Moore—a DMV-based travel & lifestyle creator helping you uncover the best places to go and things to do in Washington, DC and beyond. From hidden gems and weekend escapes to memorable stays and must-try eats, I’m here to inspire your next adventure.

✨ Let’s go places and experience more.
📍 DC + weekend getaways
📌 Tips, itineraries & curated finds
💼 Collaborations: Travel, tourism, hotels, and lifestyle brands

09/10/2026

🗺️ How to visit Luray Caverns and make a whole outdoorsy day trip out of it!

If you’re heading to Luray, Virginia, don’t make the caverns your only stop! Here’s how I’d plan a full day of hiking, caves, scenic drives, and delicious food:

📍 Your Luray Day Trip Itinerary
1️⃣ High Top Peak Trail 🥾
Start your day with this ~3-mile out-and-back hike along the Appalachian Trail in Shenandoah National Park.
2️⃣ Luray Caverns 🪨
Explore the famous underground formations on a self-guided tour, then check out the new Carved Over Time collection featuring woodcut artwork inspired by actual formations found inside the caverns.
3️⃣ Luray Carillon Singing Tower 🎶
Stop by this historic 117-foot carillon tower in downtown Luray, featuring 47 bells.
4️⃣ Spelunker’s 🍦
Grab a juicy burger and a frozen custard before continuing your adventure.
5️⃣ Skyline Drive 🚗
Take the scenic route through Shenandoah National Park, stopping at a few overlooks along the way to soak in the mountain views.
6️⃣ Culler’s Overlook 🌄
End the day with a beautiful view of the Shenandoah River from Shenandoah River State Park.

🍩 BONUS STOP: If you’re heading back toward Front Royal, make a detour to theapplehouseva for their famous apple cider donuts!

🔗 Head to luraycaverns.com for more information and to plan your visit!

09/08/2026

“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”
— Theodore Roosevelt 🇺🇸

⬆️ A lesson I think we could all use sometimes.

I thought this weekend was going to be full of new adventures in New River Gorge National Park, but the universe had other plans. And while it’s disappointing when the plans you’ve been looking forward to don’t work out, it’s also a good reminder to make the most of where you are.

I’ll always encourage you to go new places, take the trip, and see as much of the world as you can with your free time. But sometimes we forget there are so many places worth exploring close to home, too.

You don’t always need a big trip or a packed itinerary to have a good adventure. Sometimes it’s a hike in a nearby park, a new trail you’ve never tried, or simply getting outside and appreciating where you are.

I hope you had a great Labor Day weekend, and here’s to making the most of these last days of summer ☀️

09/02/2026

👀 You can now experience the famous formations of Luray Caverns twice. First underground, then through the eyes of four artists.

During the self-guided Luray Caverns tour, you’ll see stalactites, stalagmites, underground lakes, and other formations that have been growing for thousands of years. Some grow at a rate of just one inch every 120 years.

Then head back to the surface to explore Carved Over Time, a collection of woodcut artwork inspired by actual formations inside the caverns.

Four woodcut artists (Dennis McNett, Gloria Ann Shows, Brian Reedy, and Tugboat Printshop) each created their own interpretations of Luray’s natural formations. You can find their original prints and merchandise in the gift shop while supplies last.

PLAN YOUR VISIT ⬇️
📍 Luray, Virginia is ~90 minutes from Washington, DC
🗓️ Open every day
🧥 Always 54°F inside the caverns
🎟️ $36 adults | $34 seniors | $18 children (6-12) | Free under 6
👟 Step-free access with tours along paved walkways
🔗 Find more info at luraycaverns.com

P.S. Admission includes the Self-Guided Tour, Car & Carriage Caravan Museum, Shenandoah Heritage Village + Toy Town Junction

09/01/2026

Let’s go to Ireland together June 21–26, 2027! 🇮🇪✈️🍺 My next group trip is LIVE!!!

Here's the trip link: https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/ireland/ireland-with-emily-moore-jun-2027

This is my second time hosting a group trip, and this time we’ll do six days through Dublin, Killarney, and the Ring of Kerry. Some of the trip highlights include:
🍀 Rock of Cashel, a 1,500 year old castle
🍀 Guinness Storehouse tour + a pint at the Gravity Bar
🍀 Irish whiskey tasting in Killarney
🍀 A full day driving the Ring of Kerry’s coastline
🍀 Cobblestone streets and Temple Bar in Dublin

🚨 Heads up: only 8 early-bird spots, then the price goes up $100.
💰 $3,299 for the first 8 travelers
✅ Just 25% down secures your spot (just over $800), and the rest isn’t due until 90 days out.

P.S. from September 2 to September 8, use code LABORDAY50 for an extra $50 off for TrovaTrip's Labor Day sale! This is probably the lowest price you’ll see on this trip.

I would LOVE to travel abroad with you + make some new friends. Please let me know if you have any questions!

08/31/2026

Hi, I’m Emily! 👋 New here or just need a refresher, either way I’m glad you found me.

Swipe through this post and if any of this sounds like your kind of thing, stick around! I’d love to help you go more places.

Oh and a few bonus things about me:
🎵 My favorite artists are Illenium and Vance Joy (weird combo, I know 😉)�
🧟 I love zombie movies, science fiction, and sports�
🏈 I love playing Fantasy Football�
🌴 I lived in Costa Rica for a year (2017)�
🪂 I’ve bungee jumped, skydived, and hang glided. Next up: hot air ballooning🤞

And if you're interested, here's the link to my 2027 group trip to Ireland: https://trovatrip.com/trip/europe/ireland/ireland-with-emily-moore-jun-2027

08/24/2026

Officially a big fan of this little corner of southeast Virginia 🌊

Just wish I’d discovered Gwynn’s Island + Mathews, VA sooner! If you’re looking for a quiet coastal getaway in Virginia, definitely add this place to your list.

08/21/2026

🌊 Let me introduce you to one of Virginia’s best-kept coastal secrets: Gwynn’s Island.

While there, stay at Cricket Hill House, a brand-new waterfront inn with private suites, beautiful views, a private beach + dock, and SO much character.

Want 20% off your stay? 💙
Find your dates on Airbnb, then message the hosts before booking and say "Emily sent me!" They'll send you a 20% off special offer directly through Airbnb. Valid Sept. 14-Dec. 31, 2026.
https://www.crickethillhouse.com/

🚦This tiny Chesapeake Bay community in Mathews County has fewer than 1,000 year-round residents, one stoplight, and a historic swing bridge that opens for passing boats. It’s to fun to watch it open and close.

The island also played a small but pretty interesting role in the Revolutionary War. In 1776, Patriot forces fired on Lord Dunmore’s British fleet from nearby Cricket Hill during the Revolutionary War.

Our hosts gave us the BEST local recommendations, cooked an amazing breakfast, and were so kind that we genuinely left feeling like we’d made new friends. 🥹

While you’re here, grab seafood at Hole in The Wall, try oysters at The Hatchery, kayak the waterways with Mark Smithson - Chesapeake Bay Kayak Tours, visit the Gwynn’s Island Museum, or explore New Point Comfort Lighthouse and nearby beaches.

Would you add this Virginia getaway to your bucket list?

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