great lake for paddling or fishing…read more lots of smaller largemouth bass, but a developing population of larger ones. no gas motors are allowed. concrete boat ramp with a small floating dock and attached canoe/kayak launch. even when the parking area is crowded, I've never seen it full. & the lake looks empty even when the parking is full. limited shore fishing. some picnic tables & such. there are restrooms on the hill above the boat ramp. only flaws are a population of wasps at the dock that repeated complaints to the County have not resolved, and a tendency for all-about-me folks to park along the ramp (which is NOT a parking area, except for the small handicap area) or leave their vehicles there for extended periods.

Lake Mooney is technically a reservoir but it definitely has that lake feel and is perfect for…read morefishing or kayaking. Gas motor boats are not allowed; only electric motors are permitted on the lake. There's a boat ramp that is easy to get to. A few benches also line the shore. This is a great place for a picnic. I personally enjoy visiting late in the afternoon, as you can watch the sun set.

used the boat ramp to put our kayaks in to paddle with the Fxbg kayaking club on a Friday after…read morework. lovely weather that day - perfect for an evening outing. the river is beautiful along this stretch, and surprisingly wild since we paddled upstream past downtown Fredericksburg. great views of historical buildings - we went up past the Embry power plant and turned around at the bottom edge of Old Mill Park. saw a deer along the shore, surprisingly on the City side. spotted a bald eagle in one tree as we went up, and then saw it out on the river fishing as we headed back down. great exercise, pleasant surroundings, had a great time.

Located at the end of Sophia Street, the city dock is home to many different things over the years…read more The "City of Fredericksburg" Paddle Cruise boat docks here during the summer months. Directly across the river is Ferry Farms, where George Washington grew up. Today the dock is used as a recreation point for many locals. The dock is free to the general public and is enjoyed by many. Grubs ~

This is lovely reservoir park along River Road (northwest of downtown Fredericksburg, but on the…read moresouth bank of the Rappahanock River). It's only a 7 minute drive from the Wegmans in the Carl D. Silver Parkway megaplex. As you enter on the left side, continue past the mini-parking lot along a gravel road. At the end, there's a larger parking lot (upper lot) and the smaller parking area (lower lot). On a Sunday morning in late September, it was calm and peaceful on the reservoir. On weekends from 12pm-5pm, the nature center is open for kids. This is a great place for boating (they have kayak and canoe rentals) and easy hiking. Not so ideal for running because the trails are narrow and full of tree branches (hazardous if you're not watching your step). A river path is a good option for walking (but not ideal for jogging). Across River Road at the "bottom of the hill", there's a public boat ramp that's worth a quick peek for a view of the river. At the far left, walk toward the open space and path along the river. After a short walk of 200 feet, you'll get a clear view of how rocky and shallow the river is - as well as bowls in the ground which may been cannon redouts (used during the Civil War). It's amazing to see both the Union and Confederate forces built cannon redoubts on both sides to prevent people from crossing the river at this shallow and relatively calm area. Enjoy!

Pros: Beautiful, calm lake, with chances to see wildlife and public restrooms are available…read more Cons: Driving down the dirt hill toward the water can be treacherous due to long, wide, deep trenches. Also, this lake allows remote controlled boats, so if someone is using it to speed around the water, we kayakers have to steer clear. Noisy and annoying. Finally, we used our own kayaks and PDFs and the cost was $10.

This is the 11-acre riverfront park is located at the fall line of the Rappahannock River. This…read morepark is accessible via River Road, adjacent to the Falmouth Bridge. Most visitors to this park do so for river access for fishing. This park site is historically know as the spot where John Washington, a Fredericksburg slave who escaped to freedom behind Union lines. This site is known locally now for the amounts of drownings that originate from this river access spot. Seems that no matter how many signs you put up in every language known to man there will still be people that don't use common sense and respect the river. Unfortunately we live in a time where the acts of a few will force the hand of the city to close off all access. Yea I'm sure that'll be the solution. Me ~

Convenient and easily accessible location - about a mile off the Potomac River near the 301/Harry…read moreNice Bridge in KG County. The folks who own the Machodoc Creek Marina are knowledgeable, professional, friendly, and helpful. Awesome place to rent a slip, get your boat serviced, or go kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding!

What a great place to launch a boat and enjoy the day. We went and rented kayaks, then enjoyed the…read moreviews and weather. It is clean, affordable, easy to access, beautiful and nature positive. A great place for friends and family.

Chatham Manor is the kind of place that makes you slow your steps without realizing it--because it…read morefeels important. Built in the 1760s, this isn't just a historic home; it's a front-row seat to centuries of American history layered in one breathtaking setting. From its elegant Georgian architecture to the sweeping view of the Rappahannock River, everything about Chatham feels intentional, enduring, and quietly powerful. During the Civil War, this estate became Union headquarters after Fredericksburg and was transformed into one of the largest field hospitals of the war. Standing on the lawn, it's impossible not to imagine rows of tents and wounded soldiers stretching toward the river. Inside the house, history echoes--Clara Barton moved through these rooms tending the injured, Dr. Mary Walker broke barriers here with her fearless medical service, and Walt Whitman visited, absorbing the human cost of war that would later shape his writing. Few places can claim that kind of convergence of compassion, intellect, and resolve. What makes Chatham extraordinary is how alive it feels. This isn't a rope-and-glass museum experience. It's immersive, thoughtful, and deeply moving without being heavy-handed. The house, the grounds, the views--everything works together to remind you that pivotal moments didn't happen in textbooks; they happened in real rooms, with real people, making impossible decisions. Chatham Manor is beautiful, haunting, and awe-inspiring in the truest sense. If you love history that gives you goosebumps and leaves you thinking long after you leave, this place deserves a spot at the top of your list.

This is one of my favorite "hidden gems" in Fredericksburg. It's part of Fredericksburg National…read moreBattlefield Park and there is an informative display and film inside the manor house if you're interested in the history of the property. The standouts for me though are the gorgeous formal gardens and the amazing views across the river to historic old town Fredericksburg. There is no bad time to visit but early spring for cherry blossoms, daffodils, tulips and dogwoods and late spring for Iris and peonies (and the early roses) are my favorite times to visit. Parking is free, the gardens are free and the museum is a suggested donation.

I work at walmart down the street and my coworker recommend me this place & let me just tell you…read morethey don't disappoint. I must of passed this place a gazillion times in the past, Its a little hard to catch driving on the road its more of one of those things if you know then you know, but their menu is huge from seafood to breakfast to steak and cheeses & more. I got the bacon egg steak and cheese & the mozzarella sticks. Everything hot and fresh and not too oily like fast food restaurants but still very delicious. I will be returning

A little gas station like establishment with seems to be a family owned business and very popular…read more A lot of chitter chatter amongst the employees with instead of focusing on the waiting customers. Being my first time there, I felt it was a bit unorganized as to where do you place and pay for the order. Crab cakes were recommended but when I saw the freezer cases of premade crab cakes, my instinct told me to forego. But I had to try it and it was a mashed mushy mess. Should've went with my instincts. My mom called it sausage patties. The only good thing was the cat fish. Although it was a bit undercooked for my preference, it was flavorful and crispy. People were mainly ordering steamed crabs so maybe that is a sign. Not sure if I'll return.

nice place nice location...rentals available......bike trails…read moreand of course hiking trails...would recommend for the family Yes

facilities are pretty comprehensive. water was a little low so the boat ramp was probably a little…read moremore difficult than usual to navigate, but we got the kayaks in the water & back on the vehicle without too much trouble. they have a variety of rental boats/canoes/kayaks, and we saw a lot of folks parking to hike or bike the trails. lovely, peaceful lake to paddle on. had a great time. kind of low of wildlife and even fish, but I figure that was mostly due to our visit being on the last day of September.

If you need outdoor gear OR if you don't and just want to browse check this place out!…read moreYou can go in for something specific and they'll help you get in and out. You can legit go to browse and they'll be just as friendly and helpful! Favorite experience was going in to browse, found a pair of clearance shoes for my son and for some reason there was only one shoe! They looked in the back, called the other location and could not find the other shoe. Ended up buying a different pair, a week later I got a phone call (mind you I didn't specifically leave a number they just have me in the system for rewards) saying they had located the other shoe and would I like them to hold for us? I was blown away! They took the time to note who we were and actually follow up! Of course we went in for the shoes they even gave us the extra discount that would have applied the day we were originally there! They also have a good selection of used items at awesome discount and you can put your items on consignment too! Visit both their locations downtown and Central Park

This is mostly intended for my Virginia friends but when a business excels in so many ways, it…read moredeserves to be noted. Robynn and i have deleberately avoided participating in any black friday shopping for all the reasons we're all so familiar with. But my wife has recently become a "backpacker" and I wanted to get her fitted for a legitimate backpack so we made an exception to our black friday rule and went to the only place I would go to locally backpacking and other outdoor gear, River Rock Outfitter Even though the shop was filled with customers, Keith and April, the owners, immediately greeted us. When April finished with her customer she began the process for fitting my with a backpack. This process which included measuring her torso, what type of backpacking it was for day hikes or multiple day/night trips, types of weather, trying on multiple packs (with weigjts in the pack) took approximately 40 minutes, maybe more, but it was such a pleasant experience, it only seemed like minutes. My wife and April found the perfect pack but since it was not in the color my wife wanted, April placed in on order. We'll return in a day or two, try it on again and walk out with an early Christmas present for my wife we will now be able to share and enjoy many more years of backpacking together with a comfortable backpack. If you want professional backpacking and other outdoor expertise and a wide selection of high quality gear from a polite, courteous, friendly local business, go to River Rock Outfitters; you will not be disappointed.