Why hang around your house the entire Thanksgiving weekend cooking and cleaning for guests and your family when you can take a day trip to enjoy traditional Virginia that will leave your guests happy and you recharged? Check out this something-for-everyone daylong itinerary in the historic Virginian village of Occoquan.
Vintage Virginia
Nestled next to its namesake Occoquan River, this historic village is just 6 miles from the Potomac and just 11 miles south of the Beltway. Not enough room in your car for all your guests? Spice up your travel by boarding the Amtrak Auto Train, which boasts entertainment, food service and a stop in Lorton just 5 miles southeast of Occoquan.
1. Start your visit in style with a Southern tea party experience at the Pink Bicycle Tea Room. Purchased by the friendly owner in 2014, this cozy pink and floral converted house sets the stage for a tranquil and memorable experience. Pick out a Kentucky Derby-style hat to wear as you sip on your choice of a vast arrays of steeped loose teas. Don’t forget the cucumber finger sandwiches, scones with cream and delectable tea biscuits and cookies. Tea service ranges from 1-30 people. Reservations are not required but are advised. Make a quick phone call to ensure you and your guests have a table to enjoy chitchat in a relaxed atmosphere. / 703-491-5216; 303 Commerce St., Occoquan
2. From the Pink Bicycle Tea Room, walk for two minutes to reach Mamie Davis Park. Let the kids run and your guests wander through the park while you sit in the gorgeous gazebo to enjoy the waterfront view and the reflection of Virginia’s celebrated autumnal trees in the river. / 201 Mill St.
3. Take a left out of the park back onto Mill Street and walk half a block to Paint Your Heart Out. Spend two hours making art in a sunny, spacious studio with each of your guests and your family choosing from traditional mediums such as “pottery painting, mosaic making and hand-building with clay.” Paint Your Heart Out hosts group outings, so it would be worth calling in advance and making a reservation./703-492-7223; 125 Mill St. #7
4. Historic Occoquan restaurants boast a number of scrumptious meals. If your group needs a quick but satisfying lunch, go to Blue Arbor Café for sandwiches, soups, salads and sweets. If you prefer an upscale luncheon, check out the Occoquan Inn and its award-winning Confederate chili or crab cake platter. And if you enjoy Belgian beers, wander down to European-style bistro The Cock and Bowl to enjoy a beer (or two) and an impressive menu, which includes an extraordinary array of mussel dishes.
5. After lunch, it’s time for you and your group to split up and visit the shops that suit your particular fancy. Nothing is far in historic Occoquan, but each of you will discover a shop or two to interest you for the next hour.
a.) Antique lovers can browse Virginian heirlooms at Kountrie Lane Antiques and Peony Lane. Peony Lane’s owner, Barb, is closing her doors in 2016, so prices are marked down. Right now, she has many smaller items and several pieces of antique Virginian furniture such as a Hosier cabinet, a corner cabinet with glass doors at the top, an oak buffet and a six-sided desk.
b) Lovers of fine weaving will delight in the talented artists’ creations of fashionable clothing and boutique items at Spinaweb./703-491-7422; 305 Commerce St.
c) For men uninterested in antiques or fashion, Man Overboard Enterprises boasts an incredible choice of man-cave items that will draw any man into deciding what, not if, to buy something for his private space at home./ 217-414-2386; 301 Commerce St
d) For distinctive handmade jewelry made by Virginia Commonwealth University graduate Marcia Sobocinski, make sure you save time for Secret Jewelry Garden./703-499-9911; 308 Poplar Alley
6. Reconvene with your guests at Mom’s Apple Pie. Grab a coffee for yourself and a juice for the kids before you head home. Don’t forget to buy one of the 27 choices of preservative-free pies including Virginia Blackberry Crumb Pie and the Chocolate Pecan Pie. Bring it home to enjoy as you recap with your guests what you enjoyed most about historic Occoquan./703-497-7437; 126 Commerce St.
