Where to stop when driving south to warmer weather: historic Occoquan

November 3, 2:51 PMChicago Midwest Getaways ExaminerJodie Jacobs

Previous Next

6 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Chicago Midwest Getaways Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

Mill Street in Historic Occoquan retains old-time flavor. A JJ photo

No question that the east coast’s Interstate 95 passes good places to stop and see when heading south for the holidays and warmer weather. Certainly Baltimore, MD, Washington D.C. Richmond VA and Savannah, GA come up during route planning.

Less known are tiny treasures that rapidly appear on the GPS or MapQuest, only to disappear a second later. Historic Occoquan near Washington D.C. is just such a town.

Sitting on the Occoquan River, 22 miles south of D.C., the town dates back to 1734 when it was a trading post. About 275 years later, it still has a trading-post atmosphere.

A stroll up Mill Street through the five block heart of town passes antique, candy and gift shops, clothing boutiques and places to relax over lunch. Just know that in a town that slants from hillside down to the river, interesting shops are likely to be a few wooden or stone steps up from the street. As the street name implies mills were important to the town's development.

If you go:
Accommodations:  None are in Occoquan so plan to overnight on the route along I-95. Occoquan is 11 miles south of the Capital Beltway at Exit 160 and County Highway 123 North.

Where to start: The Occoquan Tourist Center, 200 Mill Street, open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily at one end of town, has brochures, restrooms and helpful people.

See the town: easiest is to walk up one side to the Mill House Museum, 413 Mill Street, and back the other side. But if time allows also stop in shops around the corners on Washington Street or Union Street.

Where to eat: The Garden Kitchen, hidden up stone steps at 404 Mill Street, features excellent quiches, pies, breads and sandwiches.