Kilmarnock Inn

Chesapeake Boat Basin

by grandmaR

We've been here twice, and enjoyed it the first two times. The bathrooms/showers are sparkling clean and newly decorated. There is a lounge with cable TV and a marine store. The marina also does outboard work and has a boat ramp.

The town (2 traffic lights) is about a mile and a half down the road if you want to walk.

They also have bikes which you can use, although it is all uphill to town. We got a ride into town to for dinner.

Unfortunately the last time we were there, we found that the internet connection in the lounge was gone, and they would no longer take you into town for dinner. Even the nicest bathroom doesn't make up for those deficiencies. Only a short run to the Chesapeake/ICW. From the Chesapeake to the creek entrance - 1.7 nm and from the creek entrance to the marina - 2.8 nm. Approach depth 12 feet at low tide.

Since we were there, there has been added a 1600sqft Ship's Store, New Gas and Diesel fueling systems and a dinghy dock. (There is a protected anchorage near this marina.)

BOAT/U.S. Cooperating Marina. With the BoatUS discount our slip fee was $1/ft and the electricity was $4.00
Summer/Fall Hours 7 Days a Week 8:00am-5:00pm

Kilmarnock Museum

by grandmaR

This is about the only thing to visit IN Kilmarnock as far as I can tell. I've put it in "Off the Beaten Path" because unless you are in Kilmarnock for something else, it is off the beaten path. I would like to see their film of the 1952 fire which almost burned down the town.

We were in Kilmarnock at the start of our trip. Lucette and Max rode bikes into town (they said it was uphill all the way). I thought they might enjoy going to this museum, since I did not know at this time that they were not museum people. I never got a chance to go.

From: http://www.northernneck.org/attractions.htm

"Exhibits of photographs and artifacts recall the early days of the bustling town of Kilmarnock, first known as Steptoe’s Ordinary when it was settled in 1719. Open Thursday -Saturday 10 am to 4 pm." Unfortunately when we went by the museum the Friday after Thanksgiving, they were closed, so I still haven't been.

Fall 2004 Migrating by Mercedes - Road trip south

by grandmaR

"Friday November 26, 2004"

After we got back from Thanksgiving dinner at our oldest daughter's (which was very good and a lot of fun), we started to pack and get ready. We had taken my car up to her house in Ellicott City, and when we got back we filled the fuel tank (178 miles total for the round trip and took us 2 hours on the way up and an hour and a half on the way back) and, Bob serviced it for the winter.

Bob periodically complained that we only had a car and we needed a moving van, but I tried really hard to wean down to just a couple of suitcases. I have actually three (carryon sized) small bags, plus a bag of travel materials, and two computers. Bob has his night blooming jasmine in a large pot, a cooler of stuff from the refrigerator, plus supplies like toilet paper for the condos, a hanging bag for his suits, and two or three small bags. Plus we had the Xmas presents for two families.

Friday morning, Bob serviced the furnace (found a dead mouse), ran the dishwasher and clothes washer and dryer one last time, turned off the water and put antifreeze in the toilets, turned the furnace down, unplugged the TVs, and packed the cooler and the car. He also made a final run to the dump.

What have we forgotten? Bob again forgot something in the refrigerator - this time bacon, which won't go bad right away but will be inedible when we get back. I can't find my keys to the Mercedes - they may turn up in a pocket somewhere. I also forgot to pack a pair of black trousers (I only have blue) or a skirt or a long dress.

We shoved off from the dock (left the driveway) at 12:17. We were across the Potomac by 12:55..

and decided to eat lunch at Dahlgren where there was a choice of Mickey D's, Pizza Hut, KFC/Taco Bell and Burger King or we could have gone down to Port Royal and eaten at Hornes. There's also an Arby's being built. We picked Burger King...

and were back on the road and down to Port Royal to turn onto US 17 by 1:35 p.m.

Bob had observed that fuel in the Tappahannock area was cheaper than in Leonardtown (where diesel was $2.19/gal) when we were there on the trip to Great Bridge, so he wanted to fill up there. We eventually got fuel across the Rappahannock in Warsaw for $1.99/gal.

We've never been able to get to the Kilmarnock Museum (in the old Steptoe's Ordinary and which apparently has a film taken in 1952 when the town almost burned down) when we came to Chesapeake Bay Boat Basin by boat (Indian Creek off Fleet's Bay) so we were going down VA Route 3 to Kilmarnock. But we couldn't do that this time either.

The sign says it is open Thursday to Saturday 10-4 and it is only about 3 p.m. on Friday But it was closed.

Additional pictures under Off the Beaten Track

So I took pictures and we drove on towards Yorktown