A Rustic Virginia Town With Craft Beer And A Beach Perfect For Finding Shark Teeth Sits Just North Of Richmond

The Northern Neck of Virginia is teeming with charming towns rich in history and surrounded by natural beauty. But for truly timeless wonders, the best place to look is the beaches. That's where you'll find fossilized shark teeth, as ancient as 50 million years old!

If exploring the history of manor houses, sipping craft beer, and a side of shark tooth hunting sounds like the weekend getaway for you, then make your way to Montross, Virginia. This rustic town is the gateway to Westmoreland State Park, whose Potomac River beaches are a treasure trove of fossils. It's also the best way to access Stratford Hall, the birthplace and early home of Robert E. Lee. It's less than an hour and a half drive from Richmond. If you're coming down from Washington, D.C., you can take the scenic route winding down the Potomac along the George Washington Parkway. Alternatively, swing past historically rich Fredericksburg, a great place for a food stop along the way.

Montross is a small town with fewer than 500 residents, yet it makes a good base for exploring Westmoreland County. For a primer on the area's rich history, stop by the Westmoreland County Museum and Library. The area was home to three of the nation's presidents: George Washington, James Monroe, and James Madison. The museum prides itself on preserving the history, not only of its famous residents, but also the stories of those who may be overlooked, like Cathay Williams, who was the first African American woman to enlist in the U.S. Army.

From there, it's a short drive to the main attractions in Montross: Westmoreland State Park and the nearby Stratford Hall Historic Preserve. The Big Meadow Trail is the most popular in the State Park. It's an easy trail that brings visitors straight to Fossil Beach. In prehistoric times, the Chesapeake Bay area was submerged under water, where sharks roamed, including the giant Megalodon. If you want to hunt for shark teeth and other fossils, time your visit for low tide and make sure to bring a sieve or colander to sift through the sand. Another excellent way to explore the park is by kayak, available for rent from the visitors center, especially along the gorgeous Horsehead Cliffs.

The Stratford Hall Historic Preserve is right next to the park. This stately home and plantation was the birthplace of Confederate General Robert E. Lee. Today, visitors can tour the estate at their own pace with an audio guide to learn about the Lee family's participation in the Revolutionary War effort as well as the enslaved community they depended upon. The property also has several nature trails, some of which lead to the beach and a working grist mill.

Montross has a small but tasty selection of places to eat. Angelo's is a Montross institution that serves baked spaghetti and pizzas loaded with toppings, along with freshly steamed and fried seafood. Their oysters are especially loved by locals. Northern Neck Brewing Company also has more than a dozen local craft brews on tap, in addition to local wines and homemade cream soda. It has live music and serves casual food in the large beer garden. If you need a caffeine fix, The Art of Coffee is a cute cafe with an outdoor patio that also happens to be the canvas for one of Montross' colorful murals.

Lots of visitors come to camp in Westmoreland State Park, but if you are looking for a more luxurious and historic stay, you can spend the night at Stratford Hall. The estate has guest houses and log cabins for rent, with access to the main house included in the reservation.

If you're looking for more shark tooth hunting grounds nearby, check out the fossil-rich Calvert Cliffs State Park on the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.