Warm hospitality in an tranquil setting. Monroe Bay Inn, under new ownership, opened for business…read morein the fall of 2011. I stayed there in February 2012 and enjoyed it very much. The home has glossy wood floors and ample seating areas that would be great for a large family or group. Local art hangs throughout the Inn. Guest rooms are upstairs and spacious, each with a private bathroom. We stayed in Room #1. The feather bed was luxurious, and two windows offered nice views onto the large front yard and quiet street below. The innkeeper was polite and thoughtful. The bathroom was fairly new construction, but the tiny shower made for tricky maneuvering and the bathroom light-fan combo was annoyingly loud. Breakfast was tasty, with a variety of fresh coffees and orange juice, and friendly, personalized service. This home was owned by the family of Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the telephone, and at one time provided summer stays to hearing-impaired children from the region. Upstairs, the rooms are lined along both sides of a longish hallway and hearken to that bygone era. At this time, the overnight fee was due up-front, and in cash. FYI.

My husband and I recently spent an overnight at The Monroe Bay Inn in Room #1. We had a pleasant…read morevisit - the Monroe Inn was spotless and comfy! I like the fact that the inn keeper had local art hanging throughout the inn to punctuate the spacious layout. The location was near the local sites in Colonial Beach and a short (5-10 minute) drive to the bay or beach area. The inn keeper suggested that the inn could accommodate family groups and was flexible regarding length of stay. If you are doing a winery visit or beach stay in the area, please consider the Monroe Inn for your stay.

Hidden gem. Our family had an impromptu wine tasting. The location was perfect. The wine was…read morewonderful. The service was great. It is a small establishment. Local. Friendly. Not commercialized or overdone. The owner JOHN served us and it was a great afternoon. This place should be five stars. The best part it is DOG FRIENDLY.

This winery offers beautiful, peaceful vineyards to explore. Each row of grapes has a brass plate…read morestating the type of wine the grapes are grown for. Super interesting. There are many places to lounge outside and listen to live music and enjoy the view. Inside is quite small, only fits enough for maybe one group at a time but is delightfully decorated and very clean. My friend and I chose to do the full tasting of wines from the vineyard. All of the whites and the rose were really refreshing and delicious. I was not a fan of the reds, however, I have yet to find an MD red wine that I enjoy, so maybe it's me. The ONLY reason this does not get 5 starts is the limited food selection. They do sell pre-packaged hummus, cheese and crackers as well as packaged cured meats from a little fridge inside the winery, however I would love to see this expand into a bigger selection and/or food trucks on site. All in all my favorite part of this experience (aside from the beautiful grounds) was the Wine Slushy. I got strawberry one and it was fantastic!!

Omg this place is amazing you just don't get service like this anymore Shirley and Shawn are the…read morebest! They go out of there way to help you the place is so clean too you won't find a dust ball on those hard wood floors my second time there and I got another reservation in July before we ever came here we stayed at other hotels in the area and you just don't get that personal touch as they give! Coffee fresh every morning! They have breakfast items out with OJ if you want it' From our room beautiful view of the water! Every room is a theme so cute you gotta love the bathrooms small but too cute! I don't have a bad word to say! I never met the owners but they should be so proud of there employees cause they really care bout your Hotel ! And the maids too! It shows in how clean everything is! See ya in July!

Such a great small business! We were drawn to their business story and the fantastic job they have…read moredone upgrading a gem. The staff were all so friendly and attentive. The room are very nice and have cute themes. Our shower was small but that being said, it was really the correct size as to not take away from the room space. Our stay was so enjoyable because of their business ideas to renovate in this superb location instead of building some new boring building. We definitely want to come back soon.

Stratford Hall is the ancestral home of the Lee family of Virginia. The beautiful Great House and…read moreits surrounding plantation buildings is located on the Potomac River in Westmoreland County on Virginia's Northern Neck. The historic structures are now a museum operated by the National Park Service & is listed on the National Historic Register. Built by Thomas Lee, who served as an Acting Governor of the Colony of Virginia, construction was completed in the early 1740's. The buildings breathe history. One can feel it walking the grounds. Two of Lee's sons Richard Henry Lee & Francis Lighthouse Lee were signers of the Declaration of Independence & Delegates to the First Continental Congress. Thomas Liddell Lee was a Virginia Legislator. Walking the grounds where those men, who were instrumental in the Founding of the country, walked, lived & even played was a feeling that's hard to describe. I'd love to hear what the house and grounds could tell me with the whispers & stories it still must hold. The benefit of taking the backroads to Alexandria or nearby Charles County, MD, rather than the long parking lot that I-95 has become, is passing the wonderful historic places on the route. My route starts at the highway 17 exit off I-64 west and can continue north a number of different ways depending on my final destination. The easiest way to reach Stratford Hall and other beautiful historic properties from Highway 17 is to cross the Rappahannock River at Tappahanock on Highway 360 then north on Highway 3 which winds toward the Potomac. You'll see the signs for Stratford Hall from that road. If you're feeling adventurous, like I did in earlier years, you'll let your GPS take you through roads in an exploration of the countryside. In historic, beautiful Virginia you never know what you'll find. A visit to Stratford Hall is a must for those fascinated by American history.

I visited the grounds on an early Sunday morning and came away quite enchanted. It was huge! It was…read morewell staffed! It was beautiful. All around well done and one of my favorite of the old surviving Virginia plantations. You park and go thru a very small museum to pay your dues. Then across a neat bridge over a ginormous gully to the gift shop and a beautiful walk to the house. The house tour (self audio) was quite cool. The grounds were just awesome. Lots of outbuildings well maintained. It was like a mini Colonial Williamsburg in all the depth and information. I could have spent a day there. Later, I decided to drive the other side and stumbled upon a whole new unexpected world. Lots of cabins that could be rented, a restaurant that seemed closed for the winter and then a windy drive to the river where people were searching and finding fossil shark teeth. One showed me his treasures. They weren't gigantic, but you could definitely tell they were shark teeth. Finally before leaving the river front was a old gristmill which alone would have been worth the trip. Anyone near the area should add it to their list and if you have guests around, make it an activity on your "visitor's list".

Michael and his team provided an exquisite spread for our 12/2/2023 wedding. We heard over and over…read morefrom guests and continue to hear this was the best wedding food ever. We, as the bride and groom, agree! We actually had time to sit and eat and we are so glad we were able to enjoy the Maryland jumbo lump crab cakes, beef tips, pasta and sides and salad. Everything was so fresh and made to perfection. We would hire them again in a heartbeat for any future catering needs we have. They were easy to work with, very professional and friendly, and was able to advise on how to manage some of the guests dietary needs. Fantastic! We didn't get a chance to try the hors d'ouvres and charcuterie display, but heard amazing reviews to no surprise. Thank you, Michael and Team!

A full service group, and a value that can't be beat!…read more We worked with Canards for catering and event design and execution for our wedding of ~175 guests, and we were incredibly impressed with the results! Lisa and her team are very creative and detail-oriented, and you essentially get a free event designer (as well as coordinator) included in your catering costs, it is a value that cannot be beat! They were responsive to the needs and ideas that were unique to our event and helped turn our thinking into a real vision - and then they executed it! Guests were impressed with the food and the cocktails! The executive chef is very talented and the menu was creative; Canards listened to the food styles we were interested in and suggested items that would add some special elements and elevate the menu. They are so flexible and the sky is the limit, and everything is plated in a beautiful way. Really can't go wrong with food from Canards. Canards is very fairly priced and the team looks for ways to save you a buck where possible. They coordinate rentals and other vendors for no additional fees. They designed a linen/décor/tablescape plan that was super unique and then handled rentals and set up, and the results really were stunning. They suggested a decorative scheme for our ceremony space and handled it directly, creating a floral backdrop. They ordered bulk florals/décor which they turned into simple but beautiful centerpieces, which saved us a pretty penny. They helped us do a "welcome" greeting before the ceremony and cocktail hour without inflating the price. It really does result in the best value that you can find for wedding catering, really impressive what they can do for each event. The vendors and service staff they work with are extremely professional. Service was excellent throughout dinner and the rest of the event. The contract, tasting, and event planning process was very easy. In the end: highly recommend - incredible value and attention to detail!

Perfect setting for a large family get together or a true country wedding. The building is an old…read moretobacco barn built on a spacious plot of land. It's as rustic as you can get. They have enough space for your ceremony, reception, bar and band. Kids have plenty of space to run!!! No issues with parking. The owner is very friendly and easy to work with.

INCREDIBLE BOAT TOUR WITH INDIGO BLEU YACHT SERVICES!…read more I recently booked a full-day trip with Indigo Bleu Yacht Services, and it was nothing short of amazing. We departed from Solomon Island and cruised all the way into the Chesapeake Bay, and the entire experience was first-class from start to finish. The yacht was spotless, comfortable, and perfectly maintained--everything you would expect from a professional team that truly takes pride in their craft. The crew made the day even better: knowledgeable, friendly, and focused on making sure we enjoyed every moment on the water. From smooth cruising to breathtaking views along the Bay, they handled everything while letting us relax, unwind, and take it all in. The route from Solomon Island into the Chesapeake Bay was absolutely beautiful--calm waters, great weather, and stunning scenery all around. Whether we were anchored and relaxing or riding out along the open water, the experience felt luxurious, safe, and unforgettable. If you're looking for a premium yacht service for a relaxing escape, celebration, or adventure on the water, I HIGHLY recommend Indigo Bleu Yacht Services. This was one of the best boating experiences I've had, and I'll definitely be booking with them again. 11/10 experience--absolutely worth it.

If you're looking for a DJ who is professional, energetic, and truly knows how to create an…read moreunforgettable party, we highly recommend Enzo Entertainment. Rey is professional, organized, and incredibly easy to work with. He listened to our ideas for music but also offered great suggestions that fit my style and party theme. Rey's team also arrived early to set up the 360 Booth and Photo Booth. We couldn't have asked for a better experience and couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. Several guest have already asked for their contact information for their own events.

We have booked Enzo DJs through the years for our big events. They have since expanded their…read moreservices to include photo booths! Always superb service delivered professionally. Rey communicates well and promptly. You can tailor your contract with them to suit your needs. Book them, you won't be disappointed! They are also a veteran-owned, minority small business. So that is a plus!!!