At Fleeton Fields:
Walking or Bicycling
The quiet roads and the quaint hamlet of Fleeton are perfect. There are bicycle tour loops that take you past lush farms, creeks and ponds, or over the Little Wicomico River on a two-car cable ferry where you can watch the local watermen tending their crabpots.
Kayaking or Canoeing
Launch the inn's canoe or kayak on the pond for quiet water paddling, or venture into the Chesapeake Bay and paddle to Reedville for lunch, for a longer day on the water.
Relaxing
Sit at the water's edge or stroll through the gardens. Perhaps wine and cheese at the patio table under the old maple. Enjoy a movie on the widescreen or in your room.
. . . why not do it all?
In Reedville:
Just two and one half miles up the road lies Reedville, founded in 1867 it is a typical Chesapeake Bay region working fishing village. Stop in at the Reedville Fishermen's Museum and be sure to see the Walker House, the oldest house in town and a restored waterman's home, and their historic boat collection including a 1911 skipjack, a 1922 buyboat and the Spirit of 1608, a discovery barge built at the Museum to commemorate Captain John Smith's exploring and charting the Chesapeake Bay.
Take the walking tour of the national register historic district, going by the imposing Victorian mansions, you'll see why in 1912 this little town was touted as the "richest per capita small town in the country."
On the water:
Cruises leave Reedville daily in season, for Tangier and Smith Islands, which are out in the middle of the Bay. It's a pretty boat ride and you can explore these quaint little villages, and taste the area's best crabcakes and soft shell crabs.
If you'd rather catch your own fish, bring your surf casting gear or hire a local charter boat for an exciting day on the bay fishing for bluefish or striped bass.
For day trips nearby:
Dameron Marsh, Hughlett Point, and Bushmill Stream nature preserves are great spots for walking and wildlife viewing. The Golden Eagle, Quinton Oaks, King Carter and the Piankatank River golf courses each offer 18 challenging holes.
Something new to do in our area is to follow the Northern Neck Wine Trail. The closest wineries are Athena and White Fences. Check for dates with special entertainment.
There are several Farmers' Markets nearby. Hughlett's Tavern sponsors the Heathsville Farmers Market every 3rd Saturday of the month from April to October. Irvington Farmers' Market is held on the 1st Saturday of the month from May through November from 8 am to 12 pm. Kilmarnock Farmers' Market is held from May to October on the 4th Saturday of each month.
There is great antiquing, such as the Kilmarnock Antique Gallery, and the Saturday morning farmers' markets and area fairs and festivals offer everything from fresh vegetables and home-baked goodies to a perfect Christmas gift for that special someone on your list.
Stratford Hall Plantation, the home of General Robert E. Lee, and Pope's Creek Plantation, the birthplace of George Washington, are in Westmoreland County. Many of our guests from Maryland and Northern Virginia plan to visit these beautiful plantations on their way to or from the inn. Another popular stop is Historic Christ Church. For local event calendars, see Virginia's Northern Neck and Virginia.org.
A Brief History of Fleeton
At the far tip of Virginia's Northern Neck lies Fleet's Point, which received the name from Captain Henry Fleet who explored the area from Jamestown in the 1650's. The point was part of an early patent of about 5,000 acres granted by the King of England and operated as a plantation.
During the Civil War a Union gunboat Captain reported "... I landed a small force there on the 25th (Ocotber, 1864) and burned the houses to the ground, 3 in number, and their barns and outbuilding" - it seems the houses had been used as shelter by the Northumberland County House Guard from which to fire upon the blockading Union vessels.
With the coming of the steamboat era, Fleet's Point became a good stopping point for the vessels between Maryland and Virginia and the samll town of Fleeton developed. The hotel, steamboat wharf, stores, and fish canning factories are long gone now. All that remains are the imposing Victorian mansions of the sailing captains and factory owners, surrounding the new focal point of the village, it's charming white Episcopal Church, St. Mary's.