Lucketts Spring Market and Victoria Auctions

Posted on May 10, 2013 by thesavvyseeker

Hey ya’ll!!!! Looks like I’ve been as absent as this spring has been! I don’t know what the weather has been like where ya’ll live…but so far, this spring has been cold, wet and dreary. Not exactly the perfect outdoor flea market hunting type weather that I was hoping for. Though, some of you may love the rain…in fact it might make you do things like this. I’ve mostly been primping around the house and the garden, but there are some pretty amazing events coming up that might make one come out from their cave!!

Lots to see and do at Lucketts! (Photo from blondemomentintheburbs.blogspot.com)

Have you guys ever been to the Luckett’s Spring Market? For those of you that live near Leesburg, VA…this annual event is a real treat!! I used to live right down the road and I can remember attending this event when I was younger with my mom. Back then, it was MUCH smaller and was mostly comprised of high end dealers. Now, the event takes over 15 beautiful acres in Northern VA and offers antiques, cool retro finds, funky home decor and more!

I think this bench would be perfect for my front porch!! (Photo from luckettstoreblog.blogspot.com)

Need aromatherapy? I love the smell of fresh herbs for the garden!

Which wicker item would you choose? I like the hanging baskets…imagine them filled with lavender! (Photo from luckettstoreblog.blogspot.com)

Need a break from shopping? Rest a while in one of these funky vintage chairs. (Photo from luckettstoreblog.blogspot.com)

Have fun shopping and looking at the awesome eye candy from over 170 dealers May 18 & 19, from 10am to 5pm. Admission is $10 (kids 12 and under are free and NO pets are allowed). If you need more details, visit the Lucketts Store Blog.

How about a day trip to Nottoway County for a good country auction?

Don’t want to drive to Northern VA? How about a day trip to Wilsons, VA? If you live in the central VA area, and love attending a good country auction, then I highly suggest you sign up to receive updates from Victoria Auctions. There’s a great auction going on Saturday, May 18 at 10am that will take place at a beautiful country farmhouse in Nottoway County. I don’t know about ya’ll….forget the contents of the house, just GIVE ME THIS HOUSE!! How gorgeous is that place?!

Here’s a smattering of the goods up for auction:

Early antique cast iron bank…

I’m guessing this is something that came out of a nearby general store?

Beautiful southern crocks…

And who doesn’t love a nice pie safe?

So make sure you get out this month and attend one of the many fun antiquing events going on in our region! And if you go…drop me a line and tell me what treasure you brought home! Happy Hunting!!

2013 Spring Antique Show Guide

Posted on February 25, 2013 by thesavvyseeker

Got cabin fever? Are you dying to bust out of your wintery abode and hit the road for some antique pickin’? Looking to plot out your travel calendar this spring for some antiquing adventures? Well, look no further…here’s a quick list of some DO NOT miss shows for the Mid Atlantic region:

I bet there are lots of great treasures waiting for you inside this building!

What: DC Big Flea Market
When: Saturday & Sunday, March 2 & 3, 2013 – Rain or Shine! 9am – 5pm
Where: Dulles Expo Center, Chantilly, VA
How much: $8 admission fee – good for the entire weekend!
What’s gonna be there: 300 vendors from around the country, bringing you one of the Mid Atlantic’s largest antiques and collectibles shows.
More info: www.facebook.com/events/278137342242084/
Need more info? Watch this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=N56DBe_ZP60

If you are serious about early American furniture and decor, then this is the show for you!

What: The Philadelphia Antiques Show
When: April 13-15, 2013 – 11am – 6pm (special preview April 12th from 6pm – 9:30pm)
Where: Pennsylvania Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA
How much: $20 admission fee
What’s gonna be there: Looking for that museum quality piece of early Americana for our estate? Then this show is for you! The Show is now recognized as the finest and most prestigious Show in the United States, offering diverse furnishings and decorative arts for both the period and modern American home. Bring your check books…I have a feeling this one will be expensive!!
More info: www.thephiladelphiaantiquesshow.org
Need more info? Read this: www.philadelphiaantiquesweek.com/2012/10/15/2013-philadelphia-antiques-art-show-announced/

Joe Adams of Yesteryear Antiques at Liberty Antiques Festival (Photo: www.ourstate.com)

Joe Adams of Yesteryear Antiques at Liberty Antiques Festival (Photo: http://www.ourstate.com)

What: Liberty Antique Festival
When: Friday & Saturday, April 26 & 27, 2013 – Rain or Shine! 8am – 5pm
Where: Pike Family Farm, Liberty N.C.
How much: $7 admission fee
What’s gonna be there: 400 dealers from more than 25 states pack a 100-acre farm with 18th-20th Century antiques. No craft and no reproductions! Sounds like a good time to me!
More info: www.libertyantiquesfestival.com
Need more info? Read this: www.ourstate.com/liberty-antiques-festival

I've been to this event twice and always had a blast. Now I'm wondering why didn't purchase this awesome cola sign!!

I’ve been to this event twice and always had a blast. Now I’m wondering why I didn’t purchase this awesome cola sign!!

What: 52nd Shenandoah Antiques Expo
When: Friday, Saturday & Sunday, May 10, 11 & 12, 2013 – 10am – 5pm (Saturday – 9am – 5pm) (Sunday – closes at 4pm) Rain or Shine!
Where: Augusta Expo Center, Fishersville, VA
How much: $5 admission fee (or buy a 3-day pass on Friday for $10!)
What’s gonna be there: 300 dealers inside and outside the expo center! Dealers are set up in three exhibition halls, four large barns and tents outside. Everything from high end early American to fresh rusty pickin’s right off the truck! My advice…bring CASH, wear comfy walking shoes and bring a tote bag for your treasures. I’ve been and my experience is that the better deals are outside.
More info: http://heritagepromotions.net/events.htm
Need more info? Read this: http://thesavvyseeker.com/2012/05/21/2012-fishersville-antique-expo/

One day, I WILL get to this show!!! But how will haul all my treasures home?? (photo: Masslive.com)

What: Brimfield Spring Antique Show
When: Tuesday – Sunday, May 14-19, 2013 – Sun up to sun down! Rain or Shine!
Where: Brimfield, MA
How much: $5 admission fee (though off street parking ranges from $3 – $10)
What’s gonna be there: One of the biggest open air antique/flea shows in the United States! Yowzers!! More than 6,000 dealers and it takes place around 21 open fields! This show is held three times a year and is well known among antique lovers to be the quintessential show for anyone looking for a treasure!
More info: www.brimfieldshow.com
Need more info? Read this: www.brimfield.com OR www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2012/05/brimfield_antiques_show_has_a.html

This show is on my to-do list as well! I’ve heard it’s a great show with a good eclectic mix of goods for sale.

What: Clover Market
When: May 19, 2013 – 10am – 5pm – Rain or Shine! (There’s also another Clover Market on April 14th)
Where: Lancaster Avenue, Ardmore, PA
How much: No admission fee
What’s gonna be there: The Clover Market is an open-air market in downtown Ardmore PA (just outside Philly) featuring 100+ vendors with antiques & collectibles, vintage jewelry & clothing, handmade items, original art & artisan crafts.
More info: clovermarket.blogspot.com
Need more info? Watch this: clovermarket.blogspot.com/p/pictures.html

If you go to one of these shows, let me know how it was and what treasure you scored! What show will you be going to this spring?

Merry Christmas!

Posted on December 23, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Wishing everyone a very merry Christmas from historic Longwood Gardens in Kennet Square, PA. Now that is one amazing holiday table setting!! Hopefully you don’t have to cook for this many people at your household this season! Here’s to spending time with those that you love, eating way too much food and wishing for wonderful things in the coming New Year! Happy Holidays!

The Historic Homestead Resort

Posted on December 4, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

One place that my mother-in-law loved to escape to for a long weekend was The Homestead, located in Hot Springs, VA. For years, she kept telling the Mr. and I that we should go there for a romantic getaway, especially around the Christmas holiday. Well, a few weeks ago, I got the wonderful opportunity to stay at this amazing historic resort for a company retreat…and boy was she right!

What a view! The original tower still stands, originally built in 1929.

The Homestead has a long and rich history, which all started with the natural mineral springs that are located in this beautiful area. Native Americans were the first to discover and use the hot springs for their healing properties. In 1776, the first version of the resort was built, which consisted of 300 acres and an 18 room hotel. The Homestead’s website has lots of great information on the history here.

Enjoy tea time on the sprawling front porch.

After staying at this place for a few days, I understand why it has earned a four diamond award rating. Besides the serene natural settings, beautiful architecture and cozy room accomodations…I was actually most impressed with how wonderful the resorts staff was. The food was also delicious…especially the huge buffet style breakfast, which offered everything from homemade miniature waffles to bagels and lox.

This photo was taken early in the morning, standing in the Great Hall, which had just been decorated for the holidays. This impressive entry way was rebuilt in 1902 after a horrible fire burned the entire resort. The coffered ceilings, dental molding, pendant lighting and giant columns will take any visitors breath away! By mid afternoon, this area is buzzing with guests who are checking in or those who are simply enjoying tea time with an afternoon paper.

She’s got a ticket to ride!

There are many items scattered around the resort, hinting of the Homestead’s rich past. In this corner, I found an old horse-drawn buggy. I would love to go for a ride around the property in the spring time in this thing! The resort still offers private horse-drawn buggy tours of the grounds for a fee ranging from $95-$170.

And if you like to golf, here’s a small view of one of the many golf courses at the resort…offering amazing views of the surrounding Allegheny Mountains. For more information on about the courses: www.thehomestead.com/golf

If you get the chance to go, which you should definitely try to do if you are going to be passing through the south western region of Virginia, take an afternoon and go hike one of the many trails around the property. There are 100 miles of biking and hiking trails around the property. This photo was taken while hiking a small trail that offered amazing views of many waterfalls. Simply breathtaking!

For those of you that will be in the Richmond, VA area this weekend, here’s an event you shouldn’t miss:

The Fan District’s Historic Holiday House Tour
December 8th & 9th, 2012
1-5pm
More info: http://fandistrict.org/holiday-house-tour-december-8th-and-9th-2012/

Are you going somewhere fun this holiday season? If so, tell us about it!

23rd Annual Harvest Festival – Bowling Green, VA

Posted on November 4, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Have ya’ll ever been to the Harvest Festival in Bowling Green, VA? If your answer is no, you are missing out! Mark your calendars for next year…it’s usually always during the end of October. The Mr. and I found out about this awesome small-town festival about two years while antique shopping in Caroline County. We had such a great time last year, we decided to go again!

Welcome to Bowling Green, part of Caroline County…which was founded in 1728!!

First off, let me mention that if I was a location scout for movies, this place would be hot on my radar! Once you walk down main street and take a look around, you’ll understand why.

This yellow farm house is for sale!! I never did get any details, but what a lovely place. Lots of trees on the property and it even has a cute white picket fence. Where’s my checkbook??

I think this is my dream home…

This adorable gem was right down the street…as a matter a fact…all the homes were adorable!!! Where’s my sweet tea? I need to take a break and sit on this porch for a while…

Now that is a good southern sittin’ porch…

This home was definitely OLD. There wasn’t anyone around or out front of the house for me to inquire about its’ history…but I can tell there’s a good story here…

Lovely. Simply lovely. Don’t you just LOVE that tin roof??

And this little church was just a short walk down the street. The leaves on the tree out front were a beautiful ruby red. Does this not look like a movie set to you?

Don’t think that this place was a ghost town. Everyone was out in the streets, eating, drinking, buying merchandise from the local vendors, listening to the blue grass band on the corner or the country band that was playing on the big stage. There was a great spot for buying local pumpkins, face painting for the kids and petting some farm animals.

I love all the different colors, textures and sizes of these pumpkins.

Aren’t they cute?

Bah bah black sheep…have you any wool?

Oh, look…an antique store…how did I find that?? Just kidding. There are a few antique stores down the main street of Bowling Green, but my favorite is Stone Creek Antiques. If you caught my last post, I had a photo of a small empire chest that I purchased from this store.

Reminds me of my painted dresser in our guest room…

Ya’ll know I love anything mission…including this petite desk!

I also fell in love with this small farm table and the patina on the large wooden box below.

And what a perfect way to end our fun fall day! A few silly photo opps! Look how cute…and of course I’m speaking about my husband, the Mr. I guess the Bison is pretty cute too.

Here’s yours truly hamming it up with an old western wagon. Do you think my neighbors would mind if I parked this in my front yard?

Good thing I wore my cowgirl boots…I’m ready to go ridin’!!

Stay tuned for a part two to this story…which includes photos from the Antique Car Show from this festival! Lots of great eye candy!!

For more information, visit www.townofbowlinggreen.com

Upcoming events:

Hickory Creek Antiques is having their Christmas Open House Nov. 10th, from 10am – 6pm. 427 England Street, Ashland, VA 23005. 804.798.0202. Cute little antique mall, just off of Historic Route 1 in the cute little town of Ashland!

Gameboard Antiques is having their Christmas Gathering Nov. 9th from 5-8 by candlelite and Nov. 10th from 10am – 4pm. 16300 Midlothian Pike. 804.794.9200. Beautiful historic tavern that has been turned into an antique shop, focusing on fine American primitives.

Also, Saturday, Nov.10 is the Holiday Party on Lakeside Ave. Stores will be having sales and refreshments! Always a good time!

More Pennsylvania Antiques!

Posted on September 4, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Hey ya’ll!! Hope everyone had a wonderful Labor Day Holiday! Now that summer is coming to a close, I thought I’d share one more post about my antique pickin’ trip up to Pennsylvania. Today, we’re going to visit a funky little shop in historic Downingtown, PA called Creekside Antiques. This is a great little spot, with lots of rusty junk piled high outside. Indoors, you can find a little bit of everything. Last Christmas, I was able to score a beautiful turn of the century slag glass lamp. There are several dealers inside, so the mix is nice and the prices are very reasonable. Take a look inside…

Lots of rusty goodies outside!

Now that I’m looking at these photos, I’m thinking to myself…”why didn’t I grab that adorable garden arbor or that funky rusty sculpture for my flower bed?”

I loved this desk…even though someone had applied a painted finish to it. I do have a mix in my home of “as is” antiques and some that have been painted. This dealer had some really cool old glass bottles and wrought iron door/coat hooks.

My mom fell in love with this cabinet. I had one almost exactly like it in my living room last year, but sold it so I could fit in my giant step back cupboard. I love all kinds of cupboards and cabinets…because they are a great place to display books, artwork and other small collections.

Shabby chic cabinet…probably from the 1920′s or 1930′s.

Next stop was another little shop called Milkhouse Antiques, in Glenmoore, PA. Drool. I LOVED this galvanized bench. Doesn’t this look like you could just escape to this little corner with a lemonade and a good magazine? It was a bit steep for me though, as it was priced at $300.

They change out their garden accessories seasonally….I

Old chicken crate behind the cute potted plants…

Lots to see in this place. Don’t you love the old store bin? I could put lots of stuff in those little cubbies! I was looking for antlers, but wanted something mounted on an old plaque…so I passed on these.

Below is the top half to an old hoosier cabinet. I thought this would be really cool mounted on a wall in a laundry room. You could use it to store all your detergent and other household goods.

One thing that is plentiful in PA are old trunks, tool boxes and blanket chests. I really like this black one, since it was up on casters. Could be a small coffee table for a small space or apartment…

I though Milkhouse had a nice mix of styles, as you can see in this dealer’s booth. Her style was more french/english garden…which I love in a guest room. Still sad that I left the smaller tobacco basket behind…as that size is hard to find. Usually in the south they are much larger.

Well, I hope you enjoyed the eye candy! This fall should be a host to tons of antique shows scattered around the east coast. I’ll try to post information about shows as I hear about them. For starters, here are some:

Brandywine View Antiques is having their 5th Annual Fall Fest on September 8th and 9th, 9am to 4pm. If you’ve never been, you should go! Lots of treasures for sale in the big barn! This is one of my favorite antique stores in PA! The original house, that is now the store, used to be part of the Underground Railroad!

Notforgotten Farm in Amherst, VA is having their Annual Gathering of Primitive Friends show on September 15th, from 10am to 4pm.

Enjoy! And let me know if you go!

Cute and Quaint at Pearl’s Market

Posted on August 13, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Just outside of the lovely area of Chester County is this gem of a place, Pearls Market, in Downingtown, PA. This was a great stop, early one morning, as I continued my antiquing journey through the sprawling and lush PA countryside. I believe that it’s a family owned and operated business, as I saw what looked like a father-daughter team working the fresh fruit and flower stand outside the shop.

Lots of great goodies can be found outside…such as lovely hanging flower baskets and this cutie side chair, turned into a makeshift planter with petunias.

I love the multicolored petunias spilling out of this child’s size chair…

There’s tons of fresh fruit and I was told that their fresh produce changes seasonally. Inside the shop, you can find all kinds of homemade jams as well!

Beautiful and ripe…cherries and other fresh produce

Going into the shop, one can find all kinds of furniture. Some of it’s old, some of it’s vintage, some of it has been repainted. Out on this porch area, I found two wonderful counter height chairs, probably from the 50′s, that had wrought iron cows on the frame of the chair…adorable.

I think this cupboard and little farm table would look precious in a kitchen or hallway…

When we went inside, I fell in love with this re-upholstered arm chair. It was either the soft linen fabric or the nail head trim…this chair could go in any room.

An old chair gets a facelift with linen upholstery.

How about a cute potting table for the gardener in your household…or maybe it could be a desk in a child’s room. Either way, it’s bright and cheery!

Something every gardener needs…a cute vintage potting table!

The inside of the shop is small, but there is a nice mix of vendors. This vendor’s corner seemed to have a more shabby-chic feel with it’s cute painted dresser and vintage hanging light…

Update an shabby chic bedroom with this charming white dresser…

If you’re passing through this area, make this a stop…as I have heard their array of items for the fall are wonderful.

For more information about Pearl’s Market, visit their website at http://www.pearlsmarkets.com/

Antiquing in Lemoyne & Hershey, PA

Posted on August 6, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz of American Pickers had it right, when they said that Pennsylvania is one of the best states for antiquing. Not only is this large state steeped in American history, it has two towns that are coined as the “antique capital of the U.S.A”….Lancaster, PA and Adamstown, PA.

A little further west of both of those two towns is Lemoyne and Hershey, PA. Our first stop was in Lemoyne (near Harrisburg, PA) at a large antique mall called Antique Marketplace. This place had it all…furniture, photography, pottery, glass, vintage clothing, you name it. It was so large, that at one point while browing isle after isle, I almost felt lost! Oh, and almost every booth in this place was having some sort of sale!

Lots to see at Antique Marketplace in Lemoyne, PA

I find it so interesting to see what kind of antiques you can find in a particular town. It tells you a lot about how the people in that area lived a long time ago. Since Lemoyne, PA is surrounded by beautiful farmland, I found a lot of farm memorabilia for sale.

Love these old enamel farm signs…would look great in a garden!

And of course, I’m always drawn to the advertising pieces, such as this beautifully restored Coca-Cola drink machine. I can picture Jack White (from The White Stripes, The Racounteurs) having a red and white themed kitchen in his Nashville mansion…can’t you?

Outfit your kitchen in white and red with this vintage cabinet and Coca-Cola machine.

I used to be able to find old house parts and architectural salvage like the pieces pictured here for $20 or less. Now that stores like Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware have made this look popular to the masses, these original antique parts have sky-rocketed in price. I think these two white, chippy corbels were priced at $190.

Who doesn’t love architectural salvage these days?

Maybe this chic in the painting in the background is smiling because she could see me drooling at this antique dentist sign. I LOVED this sign and was so tempted to bring it home, but it was not on my list (when you get easily distracted, as I do, it helps to make a small wish list and stick to it!). Notice the small tooth/molar in the arrow….ugh…LOVE!

Ugh…still sick that I left this sign behind…would look amazing in my new bathroom!

Next stop was this small roadside service station that has been transformed into an antique store called Furnace Hill Antique Co-op in Campbelltown, PA.

Furnace Hill Antique Co-Op in Campbelltown, PA

I love this photo…could almost be a postcard! If I had a large garden, I would totally purchase this old wagon and place potted plants all over it! I also like old shutters, which look fabulous repainted and placed on either side of a window in a room or fashioned together as a headboard for a bed…

A cute, rusty vignette outside the shop welcomes visitors…

There was a lot to see in this small place…some great hoosier style cabinets, pottery, great antique photography and of course the wonderful furniture Pennsylvania is known for…such as this jelly cupboard. If you don’t like the finish of the wood (which I think this one was walnut), then you can always paint it to fit the style of your room.

A great Pennsylvania jelly cupboard…could either leave it be or give it a coat of milk paint…

Last stop was Crossroads Antique Mall in Hershey, PA. I really think Hershey is the cleanest place in America. I didn’t see a leaf or a piece of trash anywhere on the street in this small town! Every lawn was perfectly manicured and who could resist a stop at Hershey Park or the Hershey Chocolate Factory! This two story building had mostly smalls but had some great antique Hershey chocolate molds at a great price ($100 or less).

Crossroads Antique Mall…two floors with lots of treasures!

Before we were leaving, we spotted a chair (that was on my list!) to go with my recently purchased mission desk. Once we removed the giant pile of stuff that was sitting on top of it…we could see the beautiful dark oak finish and lovely straight lines of the chair. You could instantly tell that this was a chair of strong craftsmanship. I turned the chair over to see if I could find a makers mark (as I do with all old furniture) and low and behold…the original Quaint Furniture Stickley Brothers label was still in tact!!! I thought I was either going to throw up or pass out. Needless to say I couldn’t write the check fast enough for this pretty baby! She’s a perfect match to the desk and I couldn’t be more thrilled!

The find of the year…a Stickley Brothers chair, c. 1902, with original Quaint Furniture label.

Not all pickin’ trips bear such amazing finds as this last trip…but for now, I may have to agree…that if you can’t find it in Pennsylvania, then you can’t find it anywhere!!

Have you ever gone antiquing in PA? If so, tell me about it…what did you find there?

Upcoming event note: Join the Art Deco Society of Virginia this upcoming Sunday at Forest Hill Park. For more info, visit http://artdecova.org/

Furniture at the Philadelphia Museum of Art

Posted on July 31, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

I’m back from my whirlwind trip up the East Coast!! Lots of fun stuff to share with you over the next couple weeks, including this post about my trip to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. If you’ve never been there…it’s well worth the trip and the $25 admission fee. Their collection is HUGE and spans from Van Gogh paintings to Medieval suites of armor. It’s a fabulous day trip and conveniently has a parking lot directly in front of the museum (which is $12 a day). Be prepared to spend a lot of time at this museum…and if you get hungry, there’s a fantastic cafeteria with all sorts of goodies to eat.

I wanted to share with you some of the photos that I took…from their furniture collection, which is scattered throughout the building. You are allowed to take your own photographs, as long as you don’t use a flash….so kudos to whomever did the lighting throughout the museum, because these turned out really nicely! I took so many photos, that I may have to do a part two to this post down the road. Enjoy! And let me know what you think!

The Keno Brothers would go hog wild over this Pennsylvania High Boy from the early 1700′s

Early american high chair, with original paint, c. late 1700′s

Beautiful Pennsylvania “easy chair,” c. early 1800′s

I fell in love with this southern whiskey jug, c. 1920′s

Frank Lloyd Wright chair

Art deco night stand, mixed woods, shaped to mimic a skyscraper

Wonderful mahogany chair by Charles Rohlfs

Two unique Tiffany vases with experimental glazing.

Victorian wicker rocking chair by Heywood Wakefield, c. 1890

Gustav Stickley cabinet with Wisteria stained glass lamp, by Tiffany.

French arm chair and matching ottoman, c. 1700′s

Amazing painted chest from a chapel in France, c. 1400

Renaissance chest with Medici family symbols painted on it, believed to be from the early 1500′s.

Yours truly, pulling a Rocky moment on the steps to the Philadelphia Museum of Art

For more information about this museum, visit their website at www.philamuseum.org.

Have you ever been there? What was your favorite exhibit?

Seeking in Colonial Beach, VA

Posted on July 17, 2012 by thesavvyseeker

There’s no better place to explore for treasures than a beach…Colonial Beach, VA that is. After my trip to Fishersville, I started asking a few dealers where a gal could go these days for some ripe pickin’s. A few folks told me that there are still some great places scattered around the Eastern Shore and Northern Neck area. So, what did do? I conned my poor family into going antique hunting by mentioning that we were also going to the beach! Something for everyone, right?

No big waves, but just as lovely…a large public beach awaits us and our beach chairs!

Surprisingly, there wasn’t much to find online about Colonial Beach. A tourist website and a smattering of motel/restaurant reviews…but nothing to really give an overall sense of what this place has to offer. We hopped in the car and drove a little over an hour northeast, through Bowling Green and King George…passing farm houses and veggie stands. We also passed signs for Popes Creek Plantation (the birthplace of George Washington) and Stratford Hall (where General Robert E. Lee was born).

I’m such a sucker for a cute, yellow cottage!

When we entered the small beach town, we were greeted with ice cream stands and adorable Victorian cottages, many which were either for sale or for rent. We drove up the peninsula to have lunch at Dockside Restaurant, so we could sit outside and watch the boats pass by.

The town’s Victorian architecture style is abundant, since the town was incorporated in 1892.

This adorable home was for sale, as were others with beachfront property…most averaging around $350,00.

Legend has it that this home served as a summer, vacation spot to the family of Alexander Graham Bell. It’s now a lovely bed & breakfast and visitors can enjoy its historic charm, as well as amazing seaside view! When I was taking this photo, a guest at the house told me that the owner had just restored the two original brick chimneys on either side of the house.

The Alexander Graham Bell family vacation home, now a B&B.

You never know who you’ll run into…a reenactor from George Washington’s birthplace goes for a stroll with an ice cream cone…

We asked some locals where some good spots were for pickin’ old treasures and the Red Barn seemed like a popular place. After visiting there, I see why. This is the kind of place I love…just a big ol’ indoor flea market. We saw lots of cool stuff in here, including an old taxidermy squirrel (which probably should have come home with us!).

We also visited Compulsive Cravings, which is sadly going out of business. Lucky for us though that almost everything in the shop was on sale. I fell in love with this arts and crafts style wicker arm chair, but decided to pass. I did leave with an antique yard-long photograph taken in 1944…to add to my vintage photography collection.

Wouldn’t this chair be perfect with a new cushion, placed in the sun room of a beach cottage?

So, what was the big score that day? This antique mission oak desk. We stopped a small roadside shop called Rydell’s, and as soon as we walked in my husband I both spotted it at the same time. We’ve been looking for one and this one was priced just right at under $100! Now it sits in the corner of our living room, anxiously awaiting a matching chair (which I’m now on the hunt for!).

Our new antique mission desk, which cozily fits in the corner of our living room.

Colonial Beach was well worth the short drive and we loved the town, so this will definitely be on our list of places to visit on a sunny weekend. For more information about Colonial Beach, VA, check our their visitor website.

Have you ever been to Colonial Beach? If so, what are your favorite places to visit in the town?