Title is inspired by a quote from Michael Sorrentino, “The secret ingredient to every meal is love.”
As I drive along I-95, I am surrounded by the hustle and bustle of other travelers headed to their next destination. There is a sense of urgency to the way everyone moves around me. But as I pull-off into my next town, I immediately feel like I am entering a hidden community that is at odds with the commotions of the interstate. A town I would likely miss, if I didn’t know it was there.
Ruther Glen is a community located 35 minutes north of Richmond, and their Love sign is located outside of the Northern Virginia Gateway Welcome Center. I’ve only driven by this area when traveling on I-95, so I was curious to what I may find.
The Northern Virginia Gateway Welcome Center is a rest area located at MileMarker 107 on I-95N. It provides travelers a number of amenities to include restrooms, picnic areas with grills, and pet rest areas. This is a nice place to stop, rest and collect yourself, especially if you’ve been on the road awhile. You’ll also be impressed by the quality and array of free magazines and brochures to help you navigate your travels. I took several and have already been inspired on what some of my next LOVE sign adventures will be.
A few miles away is New Beginning Deli, which will satisfy your hunger cravings with an assortment of breakfast, lunch and smoothie options. While enjoying the Southwest Salad with homemade dressing, other patrons were raving about the Cuban sandwich as well. You may be served by the owner, Roxana, who takes pride in making almost everything on her menu from scratch. Don’t let the lack of a flashy restaurant sign fool you. The inside will provide you with a comfortable and fun ambiance to enjoy a delicious meal made just for you.
Also in town is the Caroline County Virginia Center, another great welcome center that provides a wealth of information about the county. While walking into the center, you’ll see markings that show Secretariat’s actual running stride, measured at 25 ft – it almost doesn’t look real. You may be greeted by Grace, who will have you excited about what you can see and learn in the area. There is also a lovely small gift shop there – where I purchased my first “Virginia is for Lovers” t-shirt 🙂
While at the center, you’ll also get to experience a replica of a 14 million old whale fossil that was discovered in Ruther Glen in the 1990s. While not the original skeleton, it is still “considered one of the most innovative paleontological whale displays in the world.” I would have never known about this historic find without stopping by this place.
Only a 15-minute drive away from the Caroline Center is Mattaponi Springs, a beautiful golf and event venue that is absolutely worth the stop. Whether you’re a golf enthusiast or novice, you’ll still appreciate the rolling hills and tall pines that make-up the course.
In addition, the Barns at Mattaponi offer gorgeous event space for weddings, anniversaries or any gathering you want to bring people together. I was fortunate enough to schedule a tour with Tammy, which included a walk-through of the Manor House, part of several lodging options provided onsite. The accommodations flawlessly bring together a vintage and modern-day feel that will have you wanting to stay for days (or weeks). I left the place looking into the future on how I could bring some of my favorite people together to experience this unique and beautiful spot.
A final fun-fact of Mattaponi Springs…two-seasons of the PBS Great American Recipe was filmed there, a cooking competition that “celebrates the multiculturalism that makes American food unique and iconic.” How cool is that?! Now that I’ve been, I can’t wait to check-out the show that was filmed at this awesome venue.
Ruther Glen is a place to love…
Ruther Glen is one of those towns that can give weary travelers a nice respite from the road and provide them with unique places to see and experience. It will also remind you that every town in Virginia has something to offer – and that there are so many hidden things to discover in this commonwealth. The next time you are on I-95, consider adding Ruther Glen to your lists of stops, I’m glad that I did.
*A special shout-out to local resident Cheryl who I met along my Ruther Glen travels. She is one of the nicest people I’ve met on my adventures and she provided great recommendations in and out of town 💕.
| VA ♥️ Signs Now Visited | Official VA ♥️ Signs |
| 6 | 336 |
Click the 336 to see the full list of official VA Love signs according to the virginia.org
Other points of interest in Barboursville:
- Giuseppe’s Italian Restaurant
- Historic Jericho School
- Tita Mels Filipino Restaurant
- Bougie’s Boutique & Gifts
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 by friending me on my Leah LOVES Virginia Facebook page.
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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