Williamsburg, Virginia Getaway!

 Greater Williamsburg Getaway!!

Last week we made the decision to get away somehwere that would make it a.) easy to social distance and b.) be able to take Piper with us. After plenty or research and planning we packed up, got in the car and headed to Williamsburg, Virgina. It's a facinating place due to the rich history and tons of fun activities available. There are plenty of shops, resturants, museums, tours, not to mention all of the beautiful holiday decor that lines the streets. As you will see in the images below it was beautiful day and night. The Williamsburg Inn (as shown above) was especially lit up and stunning in the evening. We stayed at the Williamsburg Lodge, which is a cute hotel right in the center of Williamsburg and a short walk to just about everything you can think of. The room and lobby had a very comfy and cozy feel and were very clean, they also kept up with all current COVID regulations, so we felt very safe. The best part is that Piper was just as welcomed as we were, and this is very important to us because whenever we go away we take Piper with us. She is a member of our family after all. It's refreshing to see such a wonderful welcome. 

We arrived around noon on Saturday, and by the time we checked into the hotel, got settled and headed back out to start exploring, it was around 1pm. So we made our way to Colonial Williamsburg and Merchants Square. This was one of our over all favorite spots, there were so many great little shops, bakeries, restaurants and even a cute little skating ring. We spent hours window shopping and wandering around from shop to shop. Looking at the many beautiful items. We also enjoyed sampling all of the delicious treats we came across. One was a spot called Retro's Good Eats, they had the best orange soda and frozen custard floats. 

After sharing our delicious float we decided to check out the Williamsburg Christmas Market for live entertainment, hot chocolate and lots of cool vendors. Before we knew it the sun started going down so we looked for a fun spot to grab a drink and warm up. We found the coolest spot called The Corner Barkery. You can go in and order a beer or a bite to eat with your dog, they even have plenty of pup items you can order for your sidekick. We hung out there to have a root beer, along with a Bowser Beer and cookie for Piper. 

Then we headed back to the hotel to wind down before going to dinner, which we made reservations for around 7pm at Casa Pearl. It's a fun spot that mixes oysters and tacos, which made for a cool and interesting combo. We had the Iceberg Stack as an app, and wow it was just as delish as it was pretty. I ordered a fruity pink cocktail called the "Pinkity Drinkity", along with some fried chicken tacos for my entree. Rob ordered mahi-mahi fish tacos. Finally, to finish off the meal, we ordered the key lime and tiramisu desserts. Everything was right on the mark and the resturant itself has a really chill vibe. 

After dinner we headed back to the room for the night to get some rest. The next morning we had plans to visit Historic Yorktown and The Christmas Market on Main. The weather called for a sunny day, so I was looking forward to exploring more of Williamsburg. We www able to check out the Watermen's Museum, Riverwalk Landing shopping and eateries, Yorktown Beach and Cornwallis Cave located just next to the Archer Cottage. It was really interesting reading the plaques of information. These particular locations have history that dates all the way back to before the revolution. It's amazing to think what those walls or beaches have seen in their time. Piper and I really enjoyed the boardwalk and pier along the beach on Water Street. 

We stopped into Yorktown Pub for lunch. They have a great seafood and drink selection. Rob and I are not big early morning eaters, so we just decided to skip breakfast, then wait and eat an early lunch. So, by the time we arrived, both of us were more than hungry. We ordered a little bit of everything, along with two of thier beautiful cocktails, which looked fabulous backed by the sun and sand. Foodwise we got some raw oysters, steamed shrimp, nachos, a burger, and some crab soup. 

Everything on the table was amazing and fresh as can be, plus it was nice to see the beach and the water while we were eating. Such a great vibe!! After eating until our hearts were content (...or stomachs, shall I say...lol!!) We made our way to one of my faves, Ben & Jerry's, for a couple scoops of icecream. Rob and I shared two scoops of strawberry icecream topped with peppermint dust, all piled high in a 

chocolate-dipped waffle cone, garnished with more peppermint dust. One of my holiday favorites is peppermint in and on everything, especially hot chocolate and ice cream. 

Needless to say we made that icecream disappear pretty quickly, and then we were back off to the hotel to wind down for a bit. We had plans at 5pm to go to the Busch Gardens Williamsburg Christmas Celebration, which I'll admit I was pretty psyched about. If you've never been for this particular event, I definitely recommend it. The whole park is lit up and absolutely gorgeous. The park is set up to feature different countries., and we saw England, Scottland, France and Germany. Germany was definitely my favorite, as I really enjoyed the decorations and fun details. I also think it's because I'm a bit partial as I was born in Germany..lol! While in there we stopped into Festhaus to grab some dinner. Rob and I both had a salad, along with a sliced turkey and gravy entree, which came with mixed veggies and mashed potatoes. Once we finished eating we started looking for something sweet. So we stopped into Three River Inn, located in the New France section, for Gingerbread Spiced Funnel cakes. Oh my goodness talk about amazing. They were soft, warm, and delicious, plus I'm a huge fan of gingerbread. 

Once we finished our funnel cakes we proceeded through the rest of the park by getting on the train. It's a great way to go from section to section since the park is a good distance from end to end. After exploring, eating, and having fun, we left the park and headed back to the hotel for a very good night's sleep. I have to say the beds at the hotel were super comfy. The next morning we headed out to Billsburg Brewery to get a drink and order some food from The Hungry Pug Food Truck, located right there at the brewery. I was excited to order the pink beer, a Cherry Raspberry Berliner. The cherry and raspberry gives it the beautiful color. It was delish with the Ruben sandwich and soft pretzels with beer cheese, which happens to be one of my absolute faves. 

We hung out and at the brewery for a couple hours, then headed to Williamsburg General Store to check out a great little ice cream spot called Bubba's Ice Cream Shop. They have all kinds of shakes and sundaes; I ordered the Dulce De Leche sundae, and WOW! Every bite tasted just an Dulce Leche cake. There was also caramel and fresh banana on top, and I can tell you that Rob and I ate the entire thing. I definitely need to get that recipe, because it was that good. 

After ice-cream at Bubba's we went to Williamsburg Premium Outlets to check out the shopping scene. There were so many great stores to choose from, not to mention the amazing prices. I also thought it would be a good time to pick up a couple holiday gifts for friends and family. I got a couple sweaters from Express and some workout gear (hoodie and matching leggings) from Reebok. I got everything at 50% off so you know I was happy as can be. I saved so much money on gifts for my parents and friends. 

That night, we had dinner at Berret's Seafood Resturant full of fresh fruit and cheeses. For entrees, I ordered the mushroom risotto and Rob got the salmon. Both were amazing, especially with the cocktails that our waitress recommended. She was very and nice and answered all of our questions. There's nothing better than helpful staff when it's your first time to a particular place. Barret's Seafood Resturant will forever be my first choice when visiting Williamsburg. Did I mention they also have amazing desserts? You guys know I'm a sucker for sweets and cakes, so I ordered the ice-cream, caramel topped, bread pudding for us to split. Usually, I'll get my own but we had been eating all day so splitting one seemed like the smarter choice, plus their helpings are massive as you can see in the image below

After sufficiently stuffing ourselves we headed back to the hotel for our last night in Williamsburg. First thing in the morning we spend a couple hours at Historic Jamestown. It's the first permanent English Settlement in the United States. There are so many things too see, including the beautiful shorelines and an award-winning archelogical dig museum. Their many exhibits are full of the neatest items that have been found all over the island. I feel like three days wasn't enough time to see everything, I'm definitely making a trip back to Williamsburg. We genuinely had a great time and can't wait to return!!

Also if you ever want to see unposted or unseen footage of all these amazing treats or trips just follow me on my Instagram or Pinterest at @DanaStargazerTruitt, both platforms have their own unique content.

To check out the last Ice Cream Tour just click here-> "First Annual Ice Cream Tour"

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Our Little Getaway!!

Our Staycation at Getaway House!!

Hello all it’s so good to be back with you again on this lovely Friday, I went to a really spectacular spot this past week, and I can't wait to share it with you guys. I had an amazing time little overnight trip, or clamping as they call it. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to stay in a tiny house? I have, and many times over especially after I started watching that show on HGTV called Tiny House Hunters, and another one called: Going Tiny. I have seen them all hooked up and decorated in so many fantastic ways, and due to all of the unique and interesting little space saving ideas, they're full of so much character. I’m one of those people that is down to try anything new and fun, I guess I'm what you call very outgoing  Exploring something new is fun to me, so when I got my chance to spend the night in a Tiny House, best believe I took it. We went to a place called Getaway House in Stanardsville Virginia. Home to a family campground for over 2 decades, the site covers 80 acres of beautiful lush wooded landscape. They also have a location in Boston and New York. The Virginia location is about a 2.5 hour drive from my house in Randallstown MD, which is Baltimore County. I was really excited about going, Rob on the other hand wasn't so receptive. He has issues with his back which makes long drives tough for him, so as you can imagine I got a lot of complaints. As always I am the glass is half full, he is the glass is half empty, we're polar opposites on a lot of things. I guess this is why we make such a good couple, he evens me out in certain situations, and vise versa. I'm so glad to be able to say that once we arrived and he got a good look around his mind quickly changed. On the drive up we saw a lot of cool places that we made plans to hit up on the way back. It just wouldn’t be a travel post if I didn’t give you guys a taste of the immediate area. The whole property was tucked up in the woods making private and not to mention gorgeous. Each tiny house has 140 to 200 square foot of space inside and a name, yes I said each Tiny House has a name. I have to say I thought that was really interesting and quite cute, it adds a more personal experience when your cabin has a name, our's was named Cyris. 

They're also equipped with a little driveway, as well as a separate picnic area with two chairs, a fire pit, a picnic table and a waterproof container that includes everything you need to start a fire with ease, like fire starters, bonfire starters, and dry bundles of wood. This is where we set up Piper's line so she could explore the clearing and hangout by the fire with us. Yes they allow your dogs to come with you, for a small fee of $25 they can enjoy Getaway as well. You guys know i don't go anywhere without Piper, I think she had just as much a good time as Rob and I did.There’s also just enough trees, foliage and space, so that you have privacy from the other cabins, but you’re close enough that you know you’re not alone. My first impressions were oh my goodness it’s so tiny, until I walked into the door and got my first glimpse of the inside. When you walk in you come to an adorable little kitchen, where there is a double burner flat top, then a cute little stainless steel sink, along with some shelving on the right-hand side that holds plates, pans and cups. Just under the flat top is a fun red mini fridge, and off to the right is the bathroom. Yes it’s an actual bathroom with a flushing toilet and a hot shower, granted it’s tiny but everything in a tiny house is tiny. Then off to the left is a table and chair, perfect to use as a desk, to eat or to play cards. A little further to the left there is the super comfy bed, then further off to the left, next to the bed the far end wall is one big window. As you can see in the image below the window placement is perfect, that way you can lay in the bed and just look at and enjoy nature, it’s a genius idea. 

Now keep in mind these tiny houses are set back in the woods to give you a peaceful and quiet way to recharge, so no televisions are included, but there is a really nice radio. They also stock the cabinet next to the sink with all kinds of goodies, they also have a shelf of fun books to read. I spotted a S’mores kit on the table, along with a cell phone box to put your phones in until you leave. I have to say Rob and I thoroughly enjoyed the s’mores after settling in and getting unpacked.Then Rob went outside and started a fire where we sat and enjoyed the surroundings for a few hours, it was such a relaxing experience. We also took some walks through the area to get a look at all the other tiny houses.

I had no idea there were so many. I saw lots of beautiful Irises all over the property, along with trees being flowered due to the spring season. It was around 3 pm when we arrived so it’s wasn’t long before night fell. With the hectic morning and long drive I was more than exhausted, so I fell asleep quite early. I slept so soundly all night because is was so quiet, peaceful, and dark. Wow up there every star shows itself in the sky, it’s absolutely amazing. I woke up early and refreshed the next morning, ready to take on the day. We had a long drive home and some fun spots to stop at so we packed up and regretfully said goodbye to Cyris, then headed out to find a good breakfast spot. On our way out of Virginia we spotted a place called Jacks (located on Spotswood Trail in Ruckersville VA) and we stopped in to eat. I have to say it was a great find, because we really enjoyed the food and service, everyone what so friendly, along with the restaurant being nice and super clean, as I’m sure you can see in the images below. Rob had the eggs Benedict and I had the Mexican breakfast. Both meals where aesthetically pleasing and delish, I sure wish there was a Jacks in Baltimore because I would be there on the regular. 

After filling our bellies we headed out to one of two spots we noticed on the drive up. First stop was a petting zoo, you guys know I had to stop in, I took a live feed video on Instagram, I wish I could post it here for you guys to see because it was so much fun. They had little gum ball machines full of feed to give the animals such as Billy goats, llamas, ostrich like birds, beautiful colorful pheasants, huge pot belly pig’s, and even a big beautiful peacock. The animals were so sweet and ate the feed right out of your hand. If you’re ever in the area stop in and give it a go, it’s fun and free. (It’s located on S. Seminole Trail, in Madison VA). 

Then not much further down the road towards home we stopped at the Prince Michel Winery, talk about a beautiful spot and some amazing yummies. When it comes to wine I’m a sweet gal, I definitely don’t like dry. I usually go for the red, and I’m glad to say they had some amazing choices. We also checked out the vineyard which was so green and gorgeous, and the wine was amazing. As you can see below they both photographed beautifully and you know Piper had to get in on the action. After spending a couple hours tasting wines and schmying around, we got in the car and headed home. 

All in all it was a great trip, and I definitely was able to prove to myself that there are never ending fun things to do in the Maryland, DC, Virginia area. I’m going to be going out of my way to find all of those interesting and fun things to share them with you guys, so if you have any great ideas or things you’d like to see in these areas definitely let me know, you never know I may go. 

Have a wonderful weekend Dolls!!💋 

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