When visitors come to the Southeastern part of Virginia for vacation, the itinerary is pretty much set with trips to Williamsburg to soak up our nation's Colonial heritage, then on to Virginia Beach to soak up the sun. Maybe there will be time to shop in Norfolk or watch the ships cross the bay to Newport News, but you plans don't necessarily have to end there. A side trip to Surry offers visitors an unspoiled view of rustic Virginia, hearkening back to centuries of tradition and hospitality.

Surry County sits on the opposite end of the James River from the Jamestown Settlement and James City County. If you are coming to Surry from the Williamsburg/Jamestown area, you will have to take the Jamestown/Scotland Ferry, a short 15-minute ride to the other side of State Road 31. Once on the road, you have the opportunity to explore landmarks than span nearly five hundred years of American history, from when Captain John Smith walked the land to the early twentieth century and the construction of the county courthouse.

Here are just a few attractions to highlight your trip to Surry:

Bacon's Castle - Not a castle in the storybook sense, this building offers the visitor a chance to see one of the oldest examples of Jacobean architecture in the country. The house's moniker is derived from Nathaniel Bacon, the notorious Jamestown settler who incited the rebellion that also bears his name. Visitors can learn more about that infamous time in early American history at the source.

Smith's Fort Plantation - This land has a storied history, with tracts endowed to John Rolfe when he married Pocahontas. There also remain on the property ruins of a fort constructed by Captain Smith in the early seventeenth century. The brick home open to guests has been standing since 1751.

Surrey House Restaurant - After a day of pleasant countryside driving and sightseeing, Surry House Restaurant is a must. The menu is traditional, pure Virginia, featuring salty ham, cream of peanut soup, and delicious apple fritters that have to be split!

Step back into time with a side trip to Surry County on your next trip through Virginia. The serenity of the countryside and the hospitality of her people is time well spent.

Labels: surry, travel, vacation, virginia