*Title is inspired by a Widespread Panic song by the same name. Check it out, it’s a great jam.
As I take the South Park exit off of I-95 I notice the area is bustling with various retail, business and office buildings, but it doesn’t feel overcrowded like a metropolitan. It’s almost like a city and a town got together and said, “hey, let’s create a space all our own”.
Colonial Heights is an independent city located about 30 minutes straight south of Richmond, and their Love sign stands at the entrance of Keystone Antique Truck and Tractor Museum. I haven’t ventured to this city before, so I had no idea the surprises that would await me.
The Keystone Antique Truck and Tractor Museum is a 125,000 square feet building that provides visitors a vast array of antique trucks, tractors, cars and other working type vehicles. You don’t have to be a farmer’s daughter (like myself) to appreciate the history this place provides its visitors.
Some of the unique items you’d see include a 1917 Waterloo Boy Tractor, a 1923 Model TT Ford Camper w/ Outhouse, and a beautiful blue vintage Ford Bronco. Monica and Stephen, who would likely hand you your admissions ticket, proudly boast about the museum’s restaurant, which serves traditional breakfast and lunch items. This is a spot I could bring my friends and family of any age to enjoy.
After you finish your visit to Keystone, a few-minutes drive away you’ll find a brunch-spot called Milk and Honey, where they are “redefining the art of Southern Louisiana brunch with a unique twist”. Once there, you may have a hard time choosing from the menu (like I did), because everything sounds delicious. Luckily Iesha was my server and recommended the Award Winning Shrimp & Grits with a sweet potato waffle on the side – both were amazing. They also offer a nice selection of non-alcoholic beverages to chose from.
While there, you may also meet the restaurant manager Alyceana, and the head chef Stephen. Alyceana shared one of her favorite things about working there is how the staff feels like family. And when talking with Stephen, it was obvious he had a love and passion for the restaurant and his work. The flavors I experienced here will definitely have me coming back again when I’m back in the area. The 90’s and modern R&B music playing in the background was a nice touch as well.
Not too far away is Violent Bank museum, a historic plantation house and museum that showcases a mixture of colonial and civil war artifacts. When arriving, you may be greeted by Wendy, one of the museum’s hosts and tour guides. Her enthusiasm on the history of Violet Bank and the surrounding areas is contagious. She will have you traveling back in time as you walk through the home.
While here, you will also get to experience a tree that was planted in 1718, and it’s the second largest of its kind in the world (species Magnolia Acuminata). The picture doesn’t do it justice (my family of four would not be able to circle the trunk!). Wendy said the best time to see the tree is around Mother’s Day when it is most decorated with foliage. It was the coolest tree I’ve ever seen in Virginia (thus far).
If you love antiques, you should also make your way to the Oak Antique Mall, which provides an “eclectic mix of Antiques, Primitives, and Collectibles” in historic downtown Petersburg. Just walking through the building is an adventure. While there were several items that caught my eye, I decided to purchase an antique cast iron boot scraper in the shape of a dachshund 🙂
Colonial Heights is a place to love…
Colonial Heights may be a spot on a map that some might overlook, but it is a place that offers experiences likely not found in many other places. I could feel the love and pride from everyone I talked to that lived there, and they loved meeting someone that wanted to learn more about their area. If you’re ever on I-95, their LOVE sign and city is worth a visit.
| VA ♥️ Signs Now Visited | Official VA ♥️ Signs |
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Other points of interest in Colonial Heights:
Is this your first Leah LOVES Virginia blog post read? Thank you for taking the time to visit. If you’re wondering how this adventure got started, check-out my first blog post and my about page. Want to stay connected? It’s super easy and you’ll only hear from me when a new blog gets posted. You can also follow along on Facebook.
Important note: I always do my best to ensure anything I include in my blogs is 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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