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Favorite winterscapes, San Juan, St. Maarten, Dominican Republic, Shenandoah National Park and more

Babymoon, Md.: Hi all! My husband and I are interested in escaping somewhere local for a weekend before we welcome our first kid in May. I can't do too many active things (hiking) unfortunately, even though we are both very outdoorsy. B&Bs have a little bit of appeal, but we generally have a modern sensibility to style and dislike "country" floral designed places... We also don't want to drive too far -- an hour or two at the most. Any recommendations? Thanks for any help!

Christina Talcott: If you want the option of getting out in nature without having to backpack in, consider Shenandoah National Park. Get a room at one of the lodges or rent a cabin, all of which are rustic and simple with some modern amenities (you know, like running water) but where the main attraction is being up close with nature. The deluxe and the suite rooms are fabulous, some with fireplaces and kitchens.

Shenandoah's ranger programs start on April 4, and while there are Appalachian Trail hikes and the like, there are also leisurely walks in Big Meadows, visits to the historic Massanutten cabin and a trip to Herbert Hoover's camp (see the story we ran on July 16, 2008, in our archives). You can also just veg on the porch or in the reading room at Big Meadows lodge, drive along the Blue Ridge Parkway scouting for deer, bears and other wildlife or stop in small towns like Luray, Sperryville and Amissville (see our July 27 story, also in the archives).

Other ideas: Annapolis, St. Michaels, Easton or Cambridge, Md.; Charlottesville, Richmond, Fredericksburg, Va., or Berkeley Springs, WV. Any other babymoon suggestions?

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