<p>We're working on planning a possible beach trip around PPW at USNA and I had a few questions:
-Which beaches are closest? Which do you recommend? What about places to stay (we'll have 4 children w/us)?
-Is Six Flags America w/in the 22 mile boundary for mids if son was, at any point, up for a visit there? (I'm not really expecting that he will be PPW weekend).
-During the remainder of plebe year, can we visit son only on Saturdays and worship services on Sundays (not including holidays)?
-Would we be able to visit son on Saturday after PPW if we are still in the area?
Thank you ahead of time for your help!</p>
<p>-closest beach is at the base of the Bay Bridge....swimming in the chesapeake... with the jellyfish...</p>
<p>forget 6 flags...way out of the 22 mile limit</p>
<p>during AC year, plebes will have town liberty on Sat after their last obligation (usually around 12 noon or so) and yard liberty on Sundays. If they are assigned watch over the weekend, they will be restricted to the yard for the weekend.</p>
<p>As for visiting, just check with your mid before packing the car. Watch, homework, sunday professional knowledge tests, and lots of misc things can crop up that all add up to keeping your plebe unavailable.... so a good rule of thumb is to just check with them first before heading out.</p>
<p>Saturday after PPW is still considered part of their plebe summer, so visiting them at that time is probably not a good idea. Personally, I would wait until the brigade reforms and the AC year starts before visiting. Once the AC year starts, it is not as much of an issue (keeping in mind the points posted earlier)</p>
<p>As for places to stay- there are lots of hotels in the annapolis area...country inn and suites is a nice alternative if you are traveling with kids.... there are other hotels within walking distance to academy- a bit more pricey and not as kid-friendly, however Lowes is pet-friendly should you have one of those along!</p>
<p>navy2010, thank you for your help! That is exactly what I needed to know regarding visiting our plebe.
I didn't clarify well enough on the beach/lodging info though: we already have reservations at Loewe's for I-day and PPW (based on the wonderful information found on these forums). What I was looking for now was input on beachfront condos/hotels w/in fairly close driving distance: i.e., I've heard Ocean City, MD is pretty nice. Just thought those B.T.D.T.s might have some good advice/opinions...</p>
<p>Nickinest, Ocean City is lots of fun for families. Very crowded in the summer -- not so bad before July. Great boardwalk and a visit to Assateague Island would be a good side trip. OC is definately a resort town with all that goes along with that. Other quieter options would be Bethany Beach or Rehobeth Beach. Our family visits Cape May, NJ which is a very quaint resort town that is very quiet and family oriented (especially with younger children).</p>
<p>For Information on Plebe Parent weekend for the Class of 2010 look at this web site. </p>
<p>They have put together resources for Plebes and Plebes to be.</p>
<p>Keep in mind that things can change from year to year. I believe starting with the Class of 2008, the Plebes have been authorized overnights on the Sat. night of Plebe Parent Weekend. I do know that the Class of 2010 and 2009 both allowed overnights.</p>
<p>Again keep in mind that things can change. The Class of 2010 was allowed out of the 22 mile limit on Sat of PPW. I believe that the rule of thumb was no more than 1.5 hours from the yard.</p>
<p>If you go to the above linked web page and look at the Plebe Parent Weekend Guide. This was what the class of 2010 was issued. I think I recall that we received this in the mail about a week before. On page 12 of the handbook (page 14 of the pdf) it states </p>
<p><a href="3">quote</a> Overnight Liberty. During Parents' Weekend, midshipmen authorized overnight liberty may travel beyond 22 nautical miles of the Naval Academy. A good rule of thumb is traveling no longer than 1.5 hours from Annapolis. To be granted overnight liberty, a plebe must be in the company of a parent(s), a legal guardian, or their officially assigned USNA sponsor. Midshipmen must wear the uniform of the day during overnight liberty.
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Saturday. 12 August 2006:
Members of the Class of 2010 may request “overnight liberty" provided they are hosted by immediate family (parents, legal guardians, grandparents) or official plebe sponsors. Midshipmen on “overnight liberty" will have liberty commence following the reaffirmation "ceremony to expire at 6:00 p.m., 13 August 2006.
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<p>They will have to submit a chit and their company leadership will go over that with them. Nothing that a parent will get involved with. </p>
<p>Please remember as you see things that pertain to the Class of 2010 or before, things can change and the Class of 2011 may not have the same privileges.</p>
<p>A word of caution, do not plan events for PPW. Let your Plebe tell you what they want to do. Many will only want to hang out at the hotel, sleep, talk to all of their friends, use a computer to catch up with friends etc. Parents just take your Plebes lead and go with what they want to do, have suggestions,but in the end let them decide.</p>
<p>FutureMarineMom, the quiet beaches sound like just what we're looking for! I'll definitely check them out.
Profmom2, based on previous advice I'd read from you and others, I haven't planned a thing for our son over PPW. I think he will definitely be one of those who just wants to chill out.
However, since our family "graduation" cruise was nixed, I am trying to make alternate vacation plans w/out our son :( . (Son opted out of a cruise- he wants to spend his last "free" summer going on another mission trip w/his youth group and lifeguarding again at our community pool. As sad as I am about a "family" trip w/out him, I certainly couldn't argue with his reasoning.) I was hoping to squeeze in a bit of extra visit time w/son if we remained in the area thus my questions re weekend leave, etc.
Thank you all of your helpful info-I had already printed off the link from another of your posts, I believe? It is really so great of you btdt's to help us newbies out w/everything. It is much appreciated!</p>
<p>nickinest</p>
<p>Reform of the brigade is the Wed after PPW. Classes start on Monday August 20th. </p>
<p>My Plebe had that Sat off as that was the first visit to his Sponsor's home and they hadn't started working on boards yet so he went from noon until they had to be back at 10pm. Until that week they will not know if they have any obligations on that Sat. so remaining in the area could work and then again might not. That is the biggest adjustment that we have learned is that plans can be cancelled at the nth hour. I have had to develop a go with the flow attitude. </p>
<p>During the Academic year they can put in for a chit and travel outside of the 22 mile limit. Ours did both a 22 mile and a dining out (midnight return rather than 10pm) chit and we went into DC, toured the mall and then went out for a nice dinner - lots of attention for the mid in his whites - and then had him back by midnight. We found visiting on nonfootball weekends gave us much more time with him.</p>
<p>Also on PPW we found that keeping the hotel in Annapolis through Sunday night was a good thing as then we had a place to just hang out all day Sunday, not having to worry about checking out and no where to go.</p>
<p>Just remember folks, a new Commandant may mean new rules so it might be better to wait until all that paper work comes in May to plan anything definite. 08 found things drastically different when they came back as youngsters...a new Commandant had come in during that summer.</p>
<p>Be careful at the Maryland Beaches, lots of Squids in the water.</p>
<p>After a bit more research, our fam has decided to just take advantage of the many other wonderful things to do in the Annapolis area and pass on the East Coast beach scene. Our family has been a bit spoiled by the white, sandy beaches of the Florida panhandle and IMO, most others (in the continental US) pale in comparison. Lucky for our mids, they will get to experience the beauty of the panhandle area firsthand, I believe.</p>
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forget 6 flags...way out of the 22 mile limit
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<p>No its not. If you get on Google Earth and use the measure tool, you'll see that from the center of Tecumseh Court to the center of Six Flags is 16.5 miles.</p>
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Our family has been a bit spoiled by the white, sandy beaches of the Florida panhandle and IMO, most others (in the continental US) pale in comparison.
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<p>obviously you have never been to the Hamptons.... ;)</p>
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you'll see that from the center of Tecumseh Court to the center of Six Flags is 16.5 miles.
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<p>are we talking about the same 6 Flags??? The one I am thinking of is in New Jersey.... around exit 6 and a tad further than 16.5 miles, even as the bird flies! Is there more than one????</p>
<p>Six Flags are all over the country. There is one just outside the DC Beltway.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.sixflags.com/pick_a_park1.asp%5B/url%5D">http://www.sixflags.com/pick_a_park1.asp</a></p>
<p>Saul Steinberg was right :D</p>
<p>^^^LOL.... and absolutely, positively, 100% correct.</p>
<p>Lets face it... if you have NYC in your backyard, what else could you possibly want for? ;)</p>
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Six Flags are all over the country. There is one just outside the DC Beltway.
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<p>huh...learn something new every day! Who would have imagined!!! :)</p>
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Lets face it... if you have NYC in your backyard, what else could you possibly want for?
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<p>One of the myriad of reasons LFWB chose Kings Point over Annapolis. :)</p>
<p>LOL!!!<br>
although you gotta admit, each of the SA's have been absolutely blessed with location-location-location!!! </p>
<p>The views of the Hudson from USMA-
Manhattan skyline and the views of the sound and the bridges which, at night, look like "stings of pearls" visable from USMMA-
Severn, quaint blocks, chesapake bay and the capital buildings at USNA-
Purple mountains majesty at USAFA-
and USCGA- Thames, sound, the EAGLE....</p>
<p>heck, when it comes right down to it they are all really terrific!!!</p>
<p>Bear in mind - Not all Six Flags are equal. We are less than an hour away from the one in Largo, MD ( outside of DC beltway) but we do not go there. We would rather drive further to Kings Dominion or Hershey Park.</p>
<p>BUSCH GARDENS at Williamsburg is awesome. Just a thought.</p>