Where to Travel Spring 2014:
Waterfront Getaways in the U.S.A.

In Search of… Old School Family Memories

Northern Neck, VA

Cradled by two majestic rivers, this stretch of the Chesapeake
is rich in history, seafood and water.

Shoreline fishing along the Chesapeake. Photo by the Tides Inn

Vibe: There’s the part of the Chesapeake experience that’s all old money and popped collars, and then there’s this part of Virginia, which is filled with pristine, verdant inlets and a vibe that’s sweetly nostalgic, slightly Southern, and all about family bonding. (Think Dirty Dancing minus the sultry dancers.) Best part? Sailboats everywhere you turn—instant ahhh.

Stay: The Tides Inn has been a redoubt of relaxed hospitality since it opened in the mid-1940s. Snug along Carter’s Creek, a tree-shrouded tributary of the Rappahannock River, it’s a romantic destination, a pet-friendly family compound and a sportsman’s dream, with golf, a spa, bikes, pools. The original resort vibe is still intact at the Tides Inn—there are even s’mores under the stars. Rooms from $180 to $500 per night. 804-438-5000.

Eat: The resort’s gorgeously paneled Chesapeake Club offers mesmerizing creek views and a seafood-celebrating menu. The adjoining East Room is an elegant evening refuge with low-key but attentive service; the she-crab soup is a standout starter, and for that first cocktail, order the Lancaster Lemonade. The Local, a few minutes’ walk from the Tides, is an airy, unpretentious gathering spot with locally roasted coffee and fortifying breakfast sandwiches.

Be a tourist: No less an authority than Thomas Jefferson thought Virginia’s soil and climate ideal for producing wine. Though his own experiments in viticulture sadly failed, Jefferson would be tippled pink at the state’s 200-plus wineries. Hop on the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail and go.

Be a local: The nearby town of Kilmarnock­—practically a city by Northern Neck
standards—dates from the 1600s but doesn’t look it, having been rebuilt multiple times after huge fires. The main drag offers plenty of restaurant choices, but to cap off your native education, surrender to the unreconstructed ’50s dinerhood of Lee’s
Restaurant—seriously, $3.75 for a sandwich and chips?—where everyone clamors for the coconut pie.

Water time: How does 10 minutes from room to gentle rocking on a glistening surface sound? Complimentary kayaks, paddleboats and stand-up paddleboards are available at the Tides Marina, where you can also arrange guided cove cruises. The Tides Inn is one of the only resorts in the U.S. to offer accredited sailing courses; beginners as young as six can learn to haul away and tack.

Another option: Try Little Palm Island Resort & Spa in the Florida Keys, where water activities abound. —Timothy Haas

Get Historical
This part of the state has a surprising past. Find it.

At one point, 85 percent of the world’s oysters came from the Chesapeake Bay, which meant the Northern Neck shoreline was dotted with oyster processors and canneries. This engendered an impressive and unique steamboat transport network and culture. Start exploring this hidden history—after a 1933 hurricane, barely a trace of the old steamboat wharves and vessels remains—at Irvington’s excellent Steamboat Era Museum. Its most entertaining exhibit: the improbable tale of the 500-seat floating theater that inspired the musical Show Boat. Go deeper into the Neck’s earliest maritime days at the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum and the Kinsale Museum, housed in a former 18th-century pub.

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