North River Inn
3 hours away
Calm descends when you arrive at the North River Inn (877-693-1616), driving on a lane lined with towering red maples. Once a 17th-century sea captain's estate, the 100-acre property is surrounded on three sides by water. It has an unhurried, graceful ambience.
Guest rooms are in three buildings, each with water views, luxe linens, and antiques. Steps from a dock, a horse pasture, and a walled garden is the cozy two-story Toddsbury Guest House. The sitting room has a fireplace and floor-to-ceiling bookcases; in the bedroom are another fireplace and a canopy bed. At Creek House, with four guest rooms, French doors lead to a terrace by the water where you can watch herons amid the hollies, cedars, and dogwood on the far shore.
Read, rest, or explore the quiet waters in canoes and kayaks. On weekends, join like-minded peace seekers for chef Marjorie Haye's bountiful breakfasts. North River Inn is in Gloucester, Virginia. Rates: $165 to $255 for two on weekends, including breakfast.
