As we head east, main roads turn into back roads that weave through fields that have just been planted. The honeysuckle smell is so strong it’s like you’re swimming in a pool of the delicate flower. It’s early May and the trees tower over us, branches heavy with their leaves. But as we get closer to town the trees begin to clear out, like they are taking a bow to the main performer. And when you hear the seagulls squawking in the distance, you know that you’ve made it to the coast.
Colonial Beach is a river/beach town located about 1.5 hours north slight-east of Richmond. It was once known as the “Playground of the Potomac“, given it was a popular resort town in the late 19th century. Now the area is better known for its beaches, history and overall good time.
There are five official LOVE signs located here with multiple unofficial signs. The official signs you’ll find are – the Golf Cart on the beach (pic at the top of this blog), one at Townhill, another outside of Peddlers Market at the Plaza, a fourth at Dockside Restaurant, and a fifth inside Monroe Bay Winery. My family graciously agreed to make Mother’s Day a weekend getaway. So strap yourselves in, there is a whole lot of LOVE to read about in this edition.
Because Colonial Beach is a golf cart town, we first picked up our rental from Custom Cartz. The rates were reasonable, offering selections for four and six seaters. If you’re in the market, they also sell some really nice looking new carts too.
Next we checked-into Colonial Beach Plaza Bed & Breakfast. While they have a number of rooms in the main house for adults, we rented the Beach Carriage house behind the main property. This gave us extra privacy, space to spread out, and a small kitchen with a fridge to store and heat leftovers.
While we didn’t go in the main house, the outside was ready to provide its guests with a good time. There is a small heated pool with plenty of outside chairs and tiki bar with soft seating. In the mornings, they bring you a satisfying breakfast which helps fill bellies for the day’s activities.
For dinner, we headed over to High Tides, a place that reminded me of seafood restaurants I’d go to as a child. If the wood floors could talk, it would tell you tales of the many good times, good people, and good food enjoyed here. We started off with the coconut shrimp, which our youngest now says is his new favorite food. Both boys enjoyed burgers as their entrees and Brett and I split the High Tide’s Seafood combo, which was more than enough for us and it was delicious.
As we were walking out, a band started playing outside in their sandy seating area. I can definitely see this being a place where both locals and visitors come together to enjoy a meal on the water. And located across the street from the restaurant, is an unofficial LOVE sign, made from fused glass and oysters. It is beautiful.
When I found out I had forgotten to pack wine for the weekend, we made a pit stop to Circa 1892. This wine and cheese shop sold a variety of quality wines that I knew would satisfy my palate. They also serve sandwiches, salads and desserts that you can enjoy onsite, or bring home. What also caught my eye was a history timeline of the area above their wine racks. This includes where the shop’s name comes from – The year the town of Colonial Beach was incorporated. Circa 1892 is the only shop of its kind in town, so I was thankful to have good vino to drink at the cottage.
The next morning Brett and our youngest had a lacrosse game, so I convinced my oldest to join me for some shopping. Imagine having a really cool aunt and uncle, and they let you explore their attic and garage. This is what the Peddler’s Market at Colonial Beach Plaza is like. They have dozens of vendors selling unique items – I left with two metal planters, a first edition Cassandra Clare novel, and a small love sign with an anchor. And while we were here, we captured the official LOVE sign outside of the building.
On the way back to the main town, we stopped for latte’s at Love Bites. Not only is the coffee tasty, they have a cute unofficial LOVE sign in the window. (And of course the name of the business is sweet!).
From there we made our way to the Beach Shop. For those that went to small beach towns in the 80’s and 90’s, this shop will bring back some fond memories. While they have most of what you would find in a chain beach store, there was something nostalgic about this place that had me smiling while browsing. They even sold hermit crabs, which I remembered begging my parents to buy whenever I saw them.
After the lacrosse game, the family sat down for lunch at Sunflower. If you’re not sure what you’re craving, this is a fabulous place offering French and Thai options. When I asked about the French/ Thai connection, a staff member shared that one of the chef’s is from Laos, which has strong influences from France.
It was a challenge to decide what to order because everything looked so good – I’m pretty sure Brett ordered five different entrees lol! I enjoyed the sauteed escargot and the Chesapeake Roll. Brett said the Wonton soup was excellent. If they had a wheelbarrow on sight, we would have used it to wheel ourselves out of the restaurant.
Did you know that Alexander Graham Bell’s family had a summer home at Colonial Beach? (And it’s still standing). This and other fascinating things can be learned at the Colonial Beach Museum. There are several rooms in the house turned museum that share various important facts about the area’s past. The building itself is a relevant part of the town’s history as well; to include it was once a telephone center. You can still see the initials from locals waiting to use the phone dating back to WWII. This is a great place that if you have a few minutes, you can learn so much about the town. (Plus, they have a vertical unofficial LOVE sign outside.)
We were lucky enough that the weather was nice so we caught some rays on the beach. Colonial Beach, located on the Potomac River, “is the second largest in Virginia and is over 2 miles long.” There is also a small boardwalk with several places you can shop and eat. We saw multiple families with small children, which seemed perfect as the river provides a calm way to enjoy the water. And depending on where you set up, you’ll see multiple unofficial LOVE signs.
If Jimmy Buffett were still alive, he would have loved the Dockside Tiki Bar. It is a lively place with lots of space to enjoy time with friends and listen to music. We stopped in for the official LOVE sign and some appetizers. We were also lucky enough to catch the band JunkFood, an awesome group from Gainesville, VA.
Later that evening, Brett and I ventured to Colonial Beach Brewery. The staff was amazing and the beer and seltzers were great. Another fun fact we learned while there, Tommy Tutone’s brother lives here and sometimes Tommy will visit (heard of the most famous phone number, 867-5309?) When I mentioned my blog, one of the staff gave me an ornament of the golf cart LOVE sign on the beach – the people who work here are truly awesome.
It’s now Mother’s Day Sunday, so we go to enjoy my favorite meal of the week – Brunch at the Drift. This is where fine dining pairs beautifully with beach vibes. And everything is freshly sourced so it’s worth the wait (which isn’t long at all). We started off with the mussels and steamed clams and the boys each got sandwiches (our oldest said the brunch burger was the best he’d ever had). Brett had the steak and eggs and I chowed down on the shrimp and grits. It was a wonderful way to celebrate being a Mom ♥️.
On the way home, we stopped at two historical places in Colonial Beach. One is James Monroe’s birthplace park and museum. Here you will see a replica of his original home, a park with plaques carved with historical facts and a museum that provides a deeper dive into Monroe life.
Second was George Washington’s Birthplace. Visitors will find “551 acres of land where seven generations of the Washington family lived and where George Washington was born in 1732.” While we didn’t have time to go into the museum, we look forward to investigating it further when we return.
Colonial Beach is a place to love…
If you reminisce of beach days from the past, Colonial Beach is the hidden gem you’ve been looking for. At each place I visited, I was reminded of the simpler summer vacations we would take when I was young. There is also a perfect balance of quiet and excitement here – both are easy to find and easy to enjoy. If you’re looking for a new spot with sand, sun and fun, Colonial Beach will be your new favorite place.
Ready to plan your Colonial Beach Trip? All of what you need is right here. Interested in more? Check out the book, A Small Town Love Story by Sheryll Woods
♥️♥️♥️♥️
| Official ♥️ Signs Visited = 50 | LOVEworks Official Signs = 336 |
| Unofficial ♥️ Signs Visited = 35 | LOVEworks Unofficial Signs = 400+ |
| TOTAL VISITED = 85 | TOTAL LOVEworks Signs = 700+ |
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Important note: I always do my best to ensure everything I include in my blogs are factual and that I also give credit and use quotations when pulling information from sources. If you believe there is something included here that needs to be addressed, please email me directly as I want to be sure it is fixed. Thank you and happy LOVE sign hunting.
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