Historic Fredericksburg Offers Nature, Unique Shopping, and Tales of Ghosts

Parks and nature trails

 

Fredericksburg's rolling lawns, lush forests, and deep blue rivers are a huge part of the town's allure. The Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation Department organizes a plethora of activities for participants of all ages, including tai chi in the park and pickleball lessons. Kids can stargaze through computerized telescopes and learn how to follow animal tracks, while adults can indulge in special interest classes like horsemanship and photography. Year-round parks events include the Fredericksburg Christmas Parade, Picnic in the Park, and the Soapbox Derby.

 

• Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation, 408 Canal Street, Fredericksburg 22401; Tel: +1 540 372 1086; Website: Fredericksburg Parks and Recreation

 

Food and entertainment

 

In Fredericksburg, dinner and entertainment go hand in hand. At upscale 16-lane bowling alley Splitsville, you can knock down pins while knocking back cocktails and hand-rolled sushi. Broadway productions such as My Fair Lady and Oklahoma! take centre stage at Riverside Dinner theatre, where you can enjoy a 3-course gourmet meal during the show. Fredericksburg Square’s Cabaret Supper Club, inspired by Frank Sinatra’s classic club, features dining, live entertainment, and ballroom dancing in a historic mansion.

 

• Riverside Dinner theatre, 95 Riverside Parkway, Fredericksburg 22406; Tel: +1 540 370 4300; Website: Riverside Dinner theatre

 

• Splitsville, 51 Towne Centre Blvd., Fredericksburg 22407; Tel: +1 540 785 2695; Website: Splitsville

 

Shopping for artisan goods

 

In keeping with its historic charm, Fredericksburg has a plethora of charming boutiques that carry artisanal wares. After cuddling and posing for a picture with the 4-legged residents of Maranatha Alpaca Farm, you can pick up fluffy socks, sweaters, and blankets for your home. At Deep Creek Vintage, which is set on a historic Spotsylvania farm, a 1790s manor house and its grounds are the setting for myriad vendor stalls selling everything from antiques to upcycled art. Latitudes Fair Trade stocks community-conscious goodies, such as glass bead bracelets from Nepal and batik scarves from Indonesia.

 

• Maranatha Alpaca Farm, 71 Coakley Lane, Fredericksburg 22406; Tel: +1 540 841 4878; Website: Maranatha Alpaca Farm

 

• Latitudes Fair Trade, 806 Caroline Street, Fredericksburg 22401; Tel: +1 540 370 8778; Website: Latitudes Fair Trade

 

Ghost tours

 

The Civil War saw 100,000 soldiers fall during hard-fought battles in and around Fredericksburg, making it a contender for the most haunted place in America. Once dark falls, several ghost tours take to the streets. The Ghosts of Fredericksburg Tours offers 90-minute candlelit strolls led by a guide dressed in Civil War period costume. If you’re particularly courageous, you can take a Phantoms of Fredericksburg tour that ensures you’ll have a chance to photograph ghosts as you wander through the city’s streets and graveyards, learning about the history of the city as you go.

 

• Ghosts of Fredericksburg Tours; Tel: +1 540 710 3002; Website: Ghosts of Fredericksburg Tours

 

• Phantoms of Fredericksburg, 904 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg 22401; Tel: +1 540 899 1776; Website: Phantoms of Fredericksburg