Weekend Getaway: Tangier Island, VA

About ten years ago, my wife and kids surprised me on Fathers Day with a day trip to Tangier Island, VA. We got up early, drove to the ferry launch and spent the day exploring the island by bicycle. I had not visited the island since I was five or six years old. It was a terrific surprise and we had a wonderful time. Flash forward to Fathers Day 2009 and you find my wife and I spending the weekend on the island, with no kids in tow. This was only the second “adults only” weekend getaway we have ever taken together. However, with the kids grown, we plan on many more!

Tangier Island Is A Great Weekend Getaway

Tangier is a small island, located in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay. It is only reached by boat or plane. The island is about 1 mile wide and 3 miles long and has about 480 residents. Most make their living on the water or in businesses related to tourism. The island is known for its crab cakes, soft shell crabs and clam fritters. Captain John Smith first visited Tangier Island in 1608. Later, in 1620, settlers arrived from Cornwall, England. Descendants of these original settlers make up the majority of today’s residents, most of whom have the last name Crockett, Parks, Pruitt, or Thomas. The island natives have a distinct dialect, which can still be heard today. It is best described as Elizabethan English mixed with a southern twang.

Upon arriving on the island, you immediately feel as if you have stepped back in time. It’s sort of reminds me of Mackinac Island in Michigan, but different. Simpler. Not as fancy. But that’s not a bad thing. One of the first things you’ll notice is a lack of automobiles, the island only has about twenty or so. The primary mode of transportation is bicycles, golf carts, four wheelers and walking. Next, you will find that your cell phone no longer works, at all. As in NO SERVICE. For those of you, like me, who stay connected 24×7 via a Blackberry or the like, this is HEAVEN.

Reservations Please!

My wife made reservations at the Bay View Inn Bed and Breakfast. Accommodations are again, simple, modest. Nothing fancy. But the rooms are neat and clean, have clean linens and the hospitality can’t be beat. The Inn picked us up at the ferry dock. Once settled in our room, they drove us by golf cart over to the bicycle rentals. We picked out two bikes and paid our $7 rental fee. Seven dollars per bike for 24 hours. Not bad! Bikes rented, we began to explore the island. Before getting too far we decided to have lunch. We ate at the famous Hilda Crockett’s Chesapeake House. Here we enjoyed their famous “family style” lunch (or dinner) featuring homemade Chesapeake Bay Crab Cakes, homemade Chesapeake Style Clam Fritters, Virginia Ham and all the fix-ins. This is a unique experience and the home cooked food is delicious. I highly recommend making Hilda Crockett’s part of your lunch or dinner plans. For breakfast we enjoyed a complimentary, home-cooked meal at the Bay View Inn.

It’s Relaxation Time!

We spent the rest of Saturday and Sunday morning riding bikes and walking around. We browsed the souvenir shops, enjoyed ice cream cones and visited the Tangier Island History Museum. The museum is very nicely done and has extensive information on the island, past and present. We also spent some time on the beach, relaxing in the sand. Relaxing being the key word. We had the beach almost entirely to ourselves. It was a very peaceful weekend. No cars, no cell phones and no stress!

If you long for a simpler time, need a break or just want to get away, Tangier Island might be just what the doctor ordered. My wife and I had a truly wonderful weekend and plan on visiting again some time. This would make a great family getaway or a weekend for two. If a weekend trip is not in the cards, this could be done as part of a larger vacation to Virginia Beach. Have you ever heard of Tangier? Do you know of any similar getaways? I would love to hear from you.

Here are some photos from our getaway:

Tagged as: Bay View Inn • family vacations • Hilda Crockett's • tangier island va • virginia beach • weekend getaway