Colonial Beach, Virginia is a place I hold dear to my heart. My family and I have traveled there at least once a summer for several years, and it’s become one of my favorite places to visit. In the time we’ve been making our way to the town, I’ve come to explore more and more of what Colonial Beach has to offer as a destination and also see the town emerge into its own as an ideal seaside getaway.

Here’s what my family and I did and saw on a recent visit.

After our drive into Colonial Beach, our first stop was for some lunch. Wilkerson’s Seafood Restaurant, a restaurant that has been serving customers since 1946, was where we settled on, overlooking the Potomac River as we dined. With Wilkerson’s proximity to the water, you know the seafood is fresh and my rockfish sandwich certainly didn’t disappoint!

Checking into our hotel next – the River’s Edge Inn ($164/night in peak season, breakfast included) – we head out on foot to venture around the town.

Every Labor Day weekend the town hosts a Labor Day Arts and Crafts festival along the boardwalk adjacent to the river. Here we perused the different artisan goods for sale, admiring the craftsmanship and skills that went into each vendor’s work.

A place I had wanted to make it to visit in town was Colonial Beach Brewing, a local craft brewery that had just opened in July. En route there I passed a funky Volkswagen van – and couldn’t help but stop to snap a photo.

Colonial Beach Brewing has a small tasting room and outdoor seating. Inside, tastings are free – so I sampled three of their beers. I really liked everything I tried, and settled on a pint of their ale to relax outside with.

Of course, a hot summer day on vacation is not complete without ice cream – so we stopped in to Nancy’s Ice Cream Shoppe for a cone with sprinkles!

After our ice creams, we spent some time walking along and relaxing on the Colonial Beach Municipal Pier. There were plenty of fishermen animatedly showing their catches of the day!

In the evening, it was time for dinner and there was nowhere better to head then the Dockside Restaurant and Tiki Bar. Top notch sunset views overlooking the water, live music, delicious food, and a dance floor made this the perfect spot to round out our day.

The next day we were up and at ’em early in the day. After a breakfast and stroll along the town’s boardwalk, it was time to pack up the car – but not without a stop along the way.

Colonial Beach is home to two wineries – Ingleside Vineyards and Oak Crest Vineyard & Winery, both of which are part of eight wineries comprising the Chesapeake Bay Wine Trail. Having been to Ingleside when visiting Colonial Beach earlier in the year, I decided to try out Oak Crest this time around.

The winery had a varied assortment of wines available, but the one I was most regaled by was their Hot Jazz wine – a mix of Symphony grapes and none other than… jalapeños! The smooth yet spicy combo certainly got my morning starting off right!

With another trip behind us, we waved goodbye to Colonial Beach – till next time.

For more on Colonial Beach:

• Spiced Up and Chilled Out at Oak Crest Vineyard & Winery
• A Photo Essay of a Coastal Gem: Colonial Beach, Virginia

Have you been to Colonial Beach? What’s your favorite Virginia coastal town?