Fredericksburg (Virginia)



Fredericksburg is a city nearly halfway between Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia.

Understand
Fredericksburg was founded in colonial era as a port city on the Rappahannock River—the fifth longest river in Virginia. At the time, it was at the farthest point navigable by large ships trading goods with the Old World. Although the city became a key trading center for the plantation owners and farmers nearby, it never achieved the level of commerce enjoyed by Richmond and Alexandria.

The city was contested during the American Civil War, changing hands numerous times between Union and Confederate forces. In the most famous battle in Fredericksburg, Union General Burnside repeatedly marched thousands of his troops across the Rappahannock River and up Marye's Heights to their doom.

The population of Fredericksburg and surrounding communities has boomed as housing costs closer to Washington, DC, has forced commuters to seek neighborhoods farther out. Many living in Fredericksburg drive up to two hours or catch the VRE commuter rail to work in DC. Fredericksburg is also a popular home for military families employed by the nearby Quantico Marine and Dahlgren Naval bases.

The downtown area has experienced a revival since the 1970s allowing a strong arts community to thrive. Galleries, music venues, and fine dining can all be found in the historic district. While the city has seen massive growth, the downtown area and battlefields have been well preserved due to strong local commitment to historic preservation, providing a unique blend of old and new culture.

By train
One Amtrak train station serves Fredericksburg at Caroline St. and Lafayette Blvd., which is a stop for Amtrak's Carolinian and Piedmont and Regional trains.





By car
Fredericksburg is about fifty miles south of Washington D.C. located directly on Interstate 95 at exit 130. It is also one hour north of Richmond on Interstate 95.

Travel time from the north (Washington, DC) will vary due to traffic conditions (avoid rush hour). Between 2:30PM and 7PM, typical travel times to Fredericksburg are 1½-2½ hours. Alternative routes include taking either State Highway 28 through Manassas to US Route 17, or by taking US Route 29 through Warrenton to US Route 17. Both routes take about an hour and a half, but the traffic is much more bearable and most of the trip consists of rural driving at full speed.

Another alternative to I-95 South from Fairfax is to take the following routes:




 * Fairfax County Parkway to Hwy 123
 * Hwy 123 South to right on Hwy 641 (Chapel Rd)
 * Hwy 641 to left on Hwy 610 (Wolf Run Shoals Rd)
 * Hwy 610 to right on Hwy 643 (Henderson Rd)
 * Hwy 643 to left on Hwy 612 (Old Yates Ford Rd)
 * Left onto Hwy 3000 (Prince William Parkway)
 * Right onto Hwy 642 (Hoadly Rd)
 * Left onto Hwy 234 (Dumfries Rd)
 * Right onto Bristow Rd
 * Left onto Hwy 646 (Aden Rd)
 * Left onto Fleetwood Drive
 * Left onto Hwy 612 (Brent Town Rd)
 * Straight onto Hwy 610 (Garrisonville Rd)
 * Right onto Hwy 648 (Shelton Shop Rd)
 * Left onto Hwy 630 (Courthouse Rd)
 * Exit onto I-95 South

This way takes about 2 hours, but you avoid the stop-and-go traffic from the mixing bowl (I-95/I-495 interchange) all the way to the Express Lanes merge (just south of the Garrisonville/Aquia Exit). You also avoid the bottleneck on Hwy 123 at Occoquan. As of 2021 the Express Lanes are being extended another 10 miles into Fredericksburg, and are expected to open to traffic in 2022. This along with other projects along I-95 should help speed up the drive to and from Fredericksburg.

By bus
Greyhound buses stop at 1400 Jefferson Davis Hwy.

Get around

 * Downtown Fredericksburg is a walking city - the sidewalks are wide, inviting, and mostly paved in brick. Many locals frequent the streets as well as the occasional street musician.
 * Biking downtown can be fun, but stay off the sidewalks and be sure to follow the traffic laws.
 * Taking the local bus (known as the Fred) is convenient and inexpensive. There are stops throughout downtown, at all major surrounding shopping locations, and most local subdivisions.  Racks on the front of the buses allow you to take a bike along for the ride. Fare is 75 cents for adults, children under three ride free.  Schedules and route planning can be found at the official website, ridefred.com
 * Driving is a good option. Downtown roads are largely straightforward aside from some non-standard intersections and one-way streets; outside the city numerous signs point to places of interest and major through ways. If possible, avoid driving during rush hour as traffic is intolerable, especially on I-95, US-1, US-3, and US-17.  There is plenty of free parking downtown, either on the street or in the many public lots (PDF map). During normal business hours (8AM-5PM), much of the street parking has a two-hour time limit, after which cars will be ticketed. Parking at a city-owned garage at 600 Sophia Street is free for the first two hours.  After that, the rates vary, but they are roughly $1 per hour, $8 or less per day.

See



 * Just outside the city in Spotsylvania County (a separate political jurisdiction in Virginia), 3 other large major battlefields to see: Chancellorsville, Lee's "masterpiece" and where Stonewall Jackson fell in battle; The Wilderness, known for its brutal fighting in some of the most dense forest and thicket in Virginia; and Spotsylvania Courthouse, known for its 2-week-long bloody stalemate on Grants march to Richmond in 1864.
 * Just outside the city in Spotsylvania County (a separate political jurisdiction in Virginia), 3 other large major battlefields to see: Chancellorsville, Lee's "masterpiece" and where Stonewall Jackson fell in battle; The Wilderness, known for its brutal fighting in some of the most dense forest and thicket in Virginia; and Spotsylvania Courthouse, known for its 2-week-long bloody stalemate on Grants march to Richmond in 1864.
 * Just outside the city in Spotsylvania County (a separate political jurisdiction in Virginia), 3 other large major battlefields to see: Chancellorsville, Lee's "masterpiece" and where Stonewall Jackson fell in battle; The Wilderness, known for its brutal fighting in some of the most dense forest and thicket in Virginia; and Spotsylvania Courthouse, known for its 2-week-long bloody stalemate on Grants march to Richmond in 1864.

Do

 * Canoeing or Kayaking on the Rappahannock River. The river can be very dangerous if you are not careful. There have been many drownings since the early 1960s.  It is not unheard of at least one or two drownings to occur along the river each year.  Therefore, if you decide to go adventure on the Rappahannock River, be sure to check out the safety information and water levels before you begin your adventure.
 * Hiking along the Rappahannock River near Francis Thornton's Mill just off of Riverside Drive on the south bank of the river, upstream of the US-1 bridge. It is also possible to hike up along the canal to where the old Embrey Dam used to be. There are a network of hiking/biking trails all the way up along the river, well past the I-95 bridge.  Beware when hiking through the quarry, that there are "No Trespassing" signs posted.  As tempting as it would be on a hot day, do not swim in the quarry, lest you want to run the risk of meeting Frederiskburg's Finest.  If merely hiking through the area, it is unlikely you'll be hassled, however.  If you hike up the river far enough, you may be able to get a glimpse of some of the old canal locks.
 * Golfing at any of the several nearby golf courses, such as Meadow Farms, Cannon Ridge, or Lees Hill.

Buy



 * Downtown Fredericksburg has many antique shops with war and sports memorabilia and collectible toys and comic books. The Card Cellar sells trading cards and action figures as well as other new and used novelties, while the Made In Virginia store sells fudge, popcorn, and other locally-produced candy and snacks alongside other Virginia-themed souvenirs such as T-shirts and lapel pins. Aside from gifts, antiques, and treat, you can also shop at stores like the Latitudes Fair Trade Store, which sells various handcrafted home decor and clothing. If you are looking for a quieter place, bookstores like Riverby Books offer new and used books and a quiet reading space.


 * Spotsylvania Towne Centre is a lively local shopping mall located off Virginia State Route 3 (Plank Road), with major stores including Macy's, Sears, Books-A-Million, Costco, JCPenney, HomeGoods, and Michael's. The center is consists of both an indoor building, which offers many clothing stores and a food court, and an outdoor plaza space where restaurants and cafes are located along. The mall even includes a library and a post office.


 * Central Park is located on the other side of VA 3/Plank Road, adjacent to the Towne Centre. Central Park is a more traditional-feeling shopping center, but offers an enormous variety of major chain stores and is larger than Downtown Fredericksburg. Stores include Walmart, Target, Lowe's, Kohls, Barnes & Noble, PetSmart, Ashley HomeStore, Total Wine, Pottery Barn, Designer Shoe Wearhouse, Dollar Tree, Five Below, BuyBuy Baby, and That!, Hobby Lobby and many more. It even features entertainment establishments such as the Regal Fredericksburg movie theater and the Fun Land Fredericksburg arcade and amusement park.


 * Gateway is a small shopping center, but has chain businesses such as The Home Depot and Goodwill as well as the locally-owned Gateway Comics, which has a massive selection of comic books, toys, and other collectibles.

Budget
In addition to the numerous fast-food options scattered around the area, such as McDonald's, Arby's, Wendy's, Taco Bell, Burger King and so forth, it is worth trying out the following local places for a cheap meal or snack and to get a taste of the local culture.



Central Park
Central Park has many notable (if not generic) chain eateries, including Panera Bread (with free wireless internet), Chipotle, Bonefish Grill, Olive Garden, A&W, Long John Silver's, TGI Friday's, Applebee's, Ruby Tuesday's, Joe's Crab Shack, Melting Pot, and many more. The Stafford Marketplace has a few places to eat, most notably another Panera Bread (also with free wireless internet), and other generic chains.



Downtown
Downtown Fredericksburg may not be huge, but due to the presence of a college and a fun-loving local crowd from both the city and the surrounding counties, it does have a good number of decent places to catch a drink. Catering to those who want a relatively low-key atmosphere to catch up with friends and to those who simply want to let loose and get drunk, there should be something for everyone. A good route for a downtown bar crawl: start at Capitol Ale House for some good beers and burgers; hit Spirit's for a can of PBR; stop by J. Brian's for a pint of Guinness; then check the scene at Fatty J's, Brock's or The Colonial Tavern, and stop in if they're hopping and let loose.



Central Park
While downtown is far more charming, inviting and local, if you are more into the strip-mall bar scene, Central Park (Route 3 West, just outside of the city) has several places to go hang out, not all of which are totally generic. Yes, Central Park has its fair share of dime-a-dozen joints like TGI Friday's, Applebee's and Ruby Tuesday's; but do yourself a favor and skip them in favor of these places:



Sleep

 * Hilton Garden Inn, 1060 Hospitality Ln, mid-range hotel located in or near Central Park.

Go next
George Washington's boyhood home, Ferry Farm, is located across the river in Stafford county. Many other sites of historical interest are a short drive away, including Spotsylvania Courthouse.

Lake Anna is about 20 miles or so outside of town, which is a popular boating and fishing destination. The Lake Anna State Park offers some 15 miles of hiking trails, a beach on the lake, picnic areas, and camping.

A trip down to Kings Dominion, which is a large theme park a mere 35 miles to the south along I-95, is worth a day to see and experience. In decent traffic, it takes around a half an hour to get there from Fredericksburg. The park features many roller coasters and other rides, including some world class rides such as Volcano, the Blast Coaster and the Dominator.

About 20 miles (32 km) to the north along I-95 is the awesome National Marine Corps Museum near the Quantico Marine Corps Base. This museum features all kinds of interactive displays detailing the history and evolution of the United States Marine Corps.

For those that love to shop, Potomac Mills, one of the largest outlet malls in the country is only about 1/2 hour or so to the north (assuming decent traffic). There are more than 220 outlet stores in this place, so all kinds of options for the shopping fanatic. There are also several restaurants as well as an 18-screen movie theater.

About and hour and half west of town is the Shenandoah National Park, which includes over 500 miles (800 km) of hiking trails, and camping. If you are not the hiking nor camping type, at the very least, a drive down Skyline Drive can be worthwhile to check out some of the incredible views. During the peak of the fall colors (later part of October to the first part of November), it can get pretty crowded.

During the winter, there are two places within 2 hours of Fredericksburg to go skiing, Wintergreen Resort and Massanutten. Massanutten also has the added benefit of an indoor waterpark, featuring one of the east coast's only Flowriders. During the summer months, there is also an outdoor section with a wavepool and additional slides available. These resorts also feature golfing, fitness centers, and spas. Either one would be a worthwhile get-a-way. If you are willing to go even farther, there are other places that offers skiing that are within a few hours of driving from Fredericksburg.