A Weekend Getaway To Topping
Our journey continues through Virginia River Realm’s eight great small towns. Just like our other charming towns, Topping is full of delightful surprises, hidden gems, and friendly small-town spirit. Here, you’ll dine on local oysters with a view and pizza with heart. Fly high and get a view of the River Realm from the sky. Push away from the shore in your own kayak or paddleboard and calm your mind. Get a little shopping done. Indulge in wide open spaces and thoughtful experiences in this Middlesex County town.
Grab Dinner and a Sunset on the Way In
Start off your getaway right with a meal that comes with a side of gorgeous views. Here, the heart of the Virginia oyster resurgence is rooted in Rappahannock Oyster Company. The Topping aquaculture farm is front and center while you enjoy fresh oysters from the waters right in front of you. The Merrior menu is lined with small artisan tasting plates like barbeque butter oysters, stuffin muffins, and fish tacos. Pair it with a wine or craft beer from the extensive offerings.
Settle into a Chic Vacation Rental or Campsite
There are so many ways to stay during your trip to the river. If you’d like something a lot like home, there are a number of Airbnb homes and VRBO rentals. Click here to see them all. If you’d like company and community, Grey’s Point Camp is nestled on the Rappahannock River and always ready for a good time on and off the water. Reserve a supersite for your RV or one of the cottages. There’s a huge water park with slides, multiple pools, and a splash point kid’s area. Bring your boat to fish or make plans to kayak the river from Grey’s Point as your homebase. There are always fun community events like live music, trivia, and more.
After Breakfast, Catch Some Air
If you’re up for some speed and some height, you have to get to Hummel Airfield. Here, Michael Kuhnert of Bay Aviation or Davy Nichols of Coastal Sky Taxi can help you see the River Realm from above. Kuhnert is originally from Berlin, Germany, and has an airshow performance background. You can ride in the open-cockpit of his warbird plane. If your stomach can handle it, he’ll spin you in an aerobatic loopty loop. Nichols also offers an aerial tour of the Chesapeake Bay. You can see how all of our small towns, rivers, creeks, and landmarks come together from the closed cockpit of his classic Cessna Skylane R182, which has been in his family for nearly 40 years. He’s logged nearly 1,000 hours of airtime and the River Realm native will show you all the rivers, creeks, and landmarks of the region so you’ll be a true coastal expert by the time you land.
Fuel Up with Some Pizza + BBQ
Whether you’ve been up in the clouds or you’ve kept your feet in the water, it’s always a good time to grub in the River Realm. For some straight-forward hearty grub, head to Rudy’s Pizza & BBQ. You can choose the barbecue route or opt for some classic pizza pie. Order up brisket, ribs and traditional barbecue sides or opt for pizza and subs with wings and mozzarella sticks for sides. It’s all served up cafeteria-style in a no-frills setting with indoor picnic tables.
Shop It Off
Next door to Rudy’s is 2 B’s Quilt Shop, a colorful shopping experience. The quilting specialty shop has more than 26,000 yards quilting fabrics in stunning batiks, classic calicos, florals, specialty prints, and solids in all colors of the rainbow. Stock up on threads, notions, patterns, and ask lots of questions to the expert staff along the way. Learn more about classes and retreats to plan our next visit around.
For all things “Rivah,” stop into Rivah Time Boutique. Bright and colorful tunics, coverups, and coolers can help outfit your river weekend. To bring a touch of river home, enjoy browsing through adorable flags, garden furniture, and other decor. Discover seasonal treats like locally made apple butter to bring home as a gift to your loved ones.
Golf and Dinner at the Club
A plane ride with a view is one thing, but a round of golf with a view is something else all together. The Piankatank River Golf Club is 425 acres and 18 holes of dreamy sightseeing. The front nine holes are lined with gentle rolling hills and the back nine of the course flatten out with three of the holes overlooking the magnificent Piankatank River. The Steamboat Restaurant has a full bar and can send you out on the course with a cocktail of your choice. If you aren’t a golfer, enjoy the view from the Steamboat’s deck that overlooks the course. Indulge in crab bisque, oyster tacos, meatloaf, and wedge salads for a classic, yet flavor-packed dinner.
Spend a Day Splashing Around
If you’re staying at Grey’s Point, then you’ll have water all around you. Opt to hang by the pool and splash in the water parks onsite or visit the bait and tackle shop to set up for some fishing for the day. The Grey’s Point area is known for flounder, spot, croaker, rockfish, bluefish, cobia, tautog, and spadefish. The campground also has its own sandy riverside beach, sundeck, and freshwater lake. To get a little further away from the shore and rent canoes, kayaks or paddleboats to start exploring!
You can also charter a boat for the day. Head to Regent Point Marina where Locklies Creek Charters can set you and your squad up with a “Harmony Tour.” Harmony is the name of the classic Chesapeake Bay deadrise cruiser built in 2002-2003. Cruises at 14 knots and catch some wind, some views, and some extreme relaxation from. If you brought your own boat, Reagent Point Marina or Locklies Marina have boat slips, ramps, and other amenities.
Looking for More to Explore?
The restaurants, beaches, and marinas of our other small towns are just a short boat ride or car ride away. Explore our Business Directory to see where else you may like to visit during your time in Topping. Click here.
Capture & Share Your Favorite Moments!
With every river bend and wind in the road, we’re sure you and your travel buddies captured memories of the sights, sounds, smells, and flavors of the River Realm. After your adventures are done, check out your photos and share the best with us! We hope more people like you can enjoy the calming and enchanting spirit of the River Realm. Tag us using @virginiasriverrealm and we’ll share your photos.
