Virginia Summer Getaways: Coastal And Mountain Vacations Await

VIRGINIA — With Memorial Day upon us, are you looking for a summer getaway for the family? Along with Virginia Beach, the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula regions provide many options for boating, swimming and water sports in the Potomac and Rappahannock rivers and the Chesapeake Bay area.

If the beach and sand aren't your style, Virginia offers plenty of places to stay in the mountains and valleys where the traffic jams may be less time-consuming. Whether it's for a weekend or a weeklong visit, many resorts and parks in western and southwestern Virginia have cabins and rooms available.

Coastal

Near the southwestern tip of the Northern Neck is the Tides Inn, which offers 70 guest rooms and suites and exclusive access to the marina, a full-service spa, the Golden Eagle Golf Course, a sailing school and much more.

Across the Northern Neck's southern tip is the picturesque fishing town of Reedville, where visitors can stay at a bed and breakfast or rent a nearby cabin. Be sure to visit the Reedville Fishermen’s Museum and its exhibits detailing the traditions of the working watermen and fishermen of the Chesapeake Bay.

Just north of Reedville at the Buzzard’s Point Marina, take a cruise to Tangier Island aboard the Chesapeake Breeze, which leaves port every day at 10 a.m. and returns at 3:30 p.m.

After a relaxing one-and-a-half hour narrated cruise, the ship docks at Tangier, where you are met by a friendly guide. During your two-and-a-half-hour visit to Tangier Island, enjoy a meal at the famous Chesapeake House. Picnic areas and sandwich and gift shops are also located on the island. Walk around this quaint island, or take a tour on a mini-bus.

Virginia’s Middle Peninsula is a boater’s paradise, with its beautiful waters and miles of coastline.

Deltaville, located on the Chesapeake Bay at the eastern end of the Middle Peninsula, is bounded on the north by the Rappahannock River and on the south by the Piankatank River. Deltaville's history was shaped by these waterways, giving the town the name of "Boating Capital of the Chesapeake Bay.”

Book a weekend or an entire week at one of the many houses in the Deltaville area where you can enjoy easy access to the beach.

Instead of heading east to Virginia Beach, keep going south on Interstate 85 at Petersburg to the North Carolina border, and you’ll come to Buggs Island, where you can enjoy every water sport imaginable at Virginia’s largest lake.

Take your pick of five campgrounds on the Virginia side in Mecklenburg County, and enjoy hiking, horseback riding and fishing.

If you get bored with camp life, visit Occoneechee State Park on Buggs Island Lake. The visitor center has a replica Native American lodge and museum, which contains authentic artifacts found near the lake.

Virginia’s Eastern Shore also offers a quiet way to enjoy coastal Virginia. It is a narrow 70-mile piece of land surrounded by water on three sides and is the southernmost tip of the Delmarva Peninsula.

The Eastern Shore has several inns and bed and breakfasts where you can stay while you enjoy Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and other attractions.

Related:

• Memorial Day 2021: Best, Worst Times To Travel From NoVA, DC
• Best Beaches For Virginia Travelers To Visit In Summer 2021

Mountains

The most popular mountain destination in Virginia, Shenandoah National Park, is now fully open for driving on Skyline Drive and hiking. Visit the park’s website for hours for visitor centers, dining areas, lodges, campgrounds and picnic areas.

The National Park Service is still asking visitors to review CDC guidance to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Southwest of Charlottesville is Nelson County in the Blue Ridge Mountains and one of the most beautiful parts of Virginia. Visitors can enjoy outdoor recreation, mountain views, fresh farm and orchard produce, historic sites, artisan products and more.

The county is filled with award-winning wineries, cideries, distilleries and breweries, restaurants, plus cozy cabins, bed and breakfasts and other lodging.

While in Nelson County, hikers won’t want to miss Crabtree Falls, the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. The popular attraction is located just six miles off the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway near milepost 27.

Head southwest of Nelson County for about 45 minutes, and you’ll come to Natural Bridge, which remains one of the state’s top attractions.

Towering more than 215 feet high with a span of 90 feet, Natural Bridge is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. During the 18th and 19th centuries, it was one of the two most popular sights for European visitors, ranking with Niagara Falls.

In 2016, Natural Bridge was dedicated as a state park. Stroll along Cedar Creek Trail from Cascade Falls, under the bridge, and to Lace Falls, visiting an exhibit on the Monacans, the local Native American tribe, and a saltpeter mine used during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. US Route 11 runs over the top of the bridge.

The area around Natural Bridge, about a 20-minute drive south of Lexington, offers plenty of places to stay.

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