In a continuation of birthday related outings, we found ourselves headed out the following day to Occoquan, Virginia. It's a quiet place, nestled just along the river of the same name. An area where time has slowed down, and though an area where many a tourist flock to, remains relatively stress free.
Spend some time on the water, walk the docks, or take a stroll through town, either on foot or in a rented golf cart, to visit the specialty shops, or enjoy some unique dining experiences. What you won't find here are chain restaurants, or your run of the mill stores you can find on the corner of most towns and cities.
The houses are equally unique, and most belong to very well-maintained associations. These homes along this strip typically start around a million dollars.
While we didn't go into every shop, there were a handful that piqued our interest. First up was a hidden gem toy store named Toynado. It's so small and hidden that you could literally walk right past it without noticing, like we almost did.
The next shop of particular interest was one dedicated solely to puzzles, called Puzzle Palooza.
In hindsight, I wish I would have taken a few more photos of the various stores we went into. Not necessarily because we bought anything, but rather because of how unique they were. Many places were selling antiques, homemade chocolates and art related pieces, and other such tchotchkes that you just won't find in your average store.
Truthfully, we didn't even necessarily come up to wander around the town. That was actually just a nice bit of bonus. Instead, we came because we wanted to try a little hidden gem called The Secret Garden.
Much like many of the places there, it's a unique dining experience tucked away down an alley, but with an amazingly relaxing view. I mean, how can you be stressed out when this is the view from your table?
The menu isn't too extensive, but what it does offer is fresh made, and really delicious.
For my entree, I got the steak and cheese, and we shared an appetizer of their hummus platter, and then also their artichoke dip. We crushed the hummus, and I was well into my sandwich before I remember to take photos. Oops.
We then tossed the remaining bread to the birds and watched them zip around and eat.
All and all, it was a great time. I'd actually like to come back closer to Christmas and see how the town is all decorated for the holidays. I'm sure that's an amazing treat.
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