Chesapeake Bay
Neptune Statue: Roman god of freshwater and the sea.
We had a lovely few days along the Chesapeake Bay. This was the first time for both of us, and we really didn’t know that to expect. If you are looking for a small-town vibe with the allure of water and nature, this is the place for you. The area has some lovely little restaurants and stores, and at least one really good ice cream shop. We stayed near Cape Charles at a campground with an amazing beach-front view, and that was where the amazing part stopped. The other part was filled with hundreds of kids and dozens of golf carts racing around like their hair was on fire…pretty much from sunrise to sunset. It felt like a scene from a movie on Halloween night where the streets are filled with kids running wild in a crazed sugar rush. One bright spot was that we got some great clues about what to look for when booking campgrounds going forward (Hint: if they have two giant jump pads, stay away!). We had a nice meal at a restaurant called Hook @ Harvey that is a fan-favorite in the area. The food was delicious, and the harbor views were great. At dinner, we learned about a nearby ice cream shop called Brown Dog ice cream. This was, of course, an immediate draw for the ice cream junkie among us (that would be John), and it turned out to be worth the stop. They only offer a few flavors, but the ones they do offer are amazing like the Lemon Poppyseed Poundcake Christina enjoyed.
Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve
One of our favorite discoveries was a lovely little hidey-hole in a nature preserve. After driving several miles down the epitome of back roads, we came to a nature trail that led to a private beach. We weren’t quite sure what we were getting into that day, but had packed a lunch and a bottle of wine just in case, and it paid off! We spent a good part of the afternoon sitting on the beach, enjoying our picnic, playing in the water with Mack (who thought he had landed in doggy heaven), and soaking up the rays.
Paddle your Glass Off
Definitely one of the highlights of our stay in this area was a kayak tour called “Paddle your Glass Off”. Now, many of us have been to a winery before, but this trip was unique. We started by kayaking down a calm, quiet, beautiful creek that was rich in wildlife. We saw nesting Ospreys and Blue Herons (which, by the way, are devilishly hard to find when they are roosting in pine trees). Our minimal paddling effort was rewarded when we arrived at a winery dripping in history. The property itself dates to the 1640’s while the homes and the buildings currently there date back to the 1800’s. It is a beautiful piece of property, and the wines were surprisingly good. The tour included a wine tasting and a free bottle of wine of your choice. We sat outside in the lovely weather and enjoyed our wine before heading back. It was a magical afternoon.
Kiptopeke State Park
Our final stop, after we drove screaming from our campground, was Kiptopeke State Park. We started by visiting the visitor center where we encountered the most unusual park ranger. She greeted us with a curt “hello” which was immediately followed by “wait a minute my husband is calling”. After the call, she let us know how her husband made the foolish decision to try to order from REI in her absence and how she was undoubtedly going to have to straighten the whole thing out when she got home. Next, in what seemed like a warning, she told us a story about a recent visitor who had asked about the pronunciation of the park’s name. Her response was a gruff “sound it out”. We were grateful for the story as we were both wondering the exact same thing. On the down side, we still aren’t certain how to pronounce it. She took the same approach when Christina asked if the blond raccoon they had on display was an albino. She barely glanced her way and said “read the sign”. Turns out it was a cinnamon raccoon. Her parting thoughts concerned the humble penny. She said she had heard the penny was going to be removed from circulation, and that, in general, she was indifferent to the idea with one caveat. She was concerned for all the souvenir penny machines out there, and wondered how people would make their souvenir penny if there were no pennies to be had. Truly, an insightful and troubling question!
READ THE SIGN!!
Cinnamon raccoon.
