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Independent city in Virginia, United States
Photo: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Fredericksburg is a city in Northern Virginia. 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.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
A small liberal arts college near Downtown Fredericksburg. It has been voted, in the past, as one of the most beautiful college campuses in the United States, according to the Princeton Review. Its architecture is comparable to that of the University of Virginia.
Was the site of a key battle during the American Civil War. You can visit, for example, the infamous Marye's Heights.
A Georgian mansion that was once occupied by Fielding Lewis and Betty Washington Lewis, George Washington's sister.
A short walk from Kenmore. A small frame structure, it was purchased by George Washington in 1772 for his mother, Mary Ball Washington, who lived much of her widowhood in Fredericksburg. Of interest is the garden now maintained by a volunteer group of certified Master Gardeners. A huge crepe myrtle is thought to have been planted by Mary herself.
A restored 18th-century pharmacy. Take a tour, the guides are dressed in period attire and take you through the building explaining 18th-century medicine and local history.
A great little estate near the Rappahannock. Impressionist painter Gari Melchers lived here. The estate is very well maintained and features beautiful gardens and a separate art gallery where many of his works are on display. Guided tours of the mansion are also available.
George Washington's boyhood home.
pronounced, "chat-um"
A Civil War-era mansion that overlooks the Rappahannock where Union soldiers crossed at the battle of Fredericksburg. It also provides a great view of the city. Take US-17 or US-1 to River Road, or cross the Hwy 3 bridge from downtown Fredericksburg and make a left when you see the sign.
A former tavern run by Charles Washington, brother of George in 1760; it began operating as a tavern in 1792. An historic landmark, the atmosphere is all historic, right down to the southern cuisine and servers dressed in colonial attire giving in-depth tours.
a long block of privately owned homes built between the late 18th and early 20th centuries. Some still contain shell fragments from the battle of Fredericksburg.
a large obelisk off of Washington Avenue at the site of Mary Ball Washington's grave.
Big-plate Italian dishes
Quick stop for a diner-style lunch with an old-time pharmacy in the back
Pizza joint where one slice needs two plates.
Italian restaurant that imports products from different regions of Italy
Modern American cuisine with French influences
Japanese restaurant
casual dining American
brunch
Steakhouse
Family-run Greek diner with a big, vintage neon sign up top. Typical diner food with Greek specialties for good measure (spanakopita, baklava, etc.) Lots of bar stools and bunched up booths lend an undeniable charm.
Funky old barbecue house right off of US Route 1. Unpretentious, authentic interior down to the hand painted menu on the wall and cutaways to the kitchen. Aside from the obvious menu selection, their onion rings and hamburgers are a nice, greasy treat.
Adjacent to the Union cemetery, this local fixture has been around since 1951 serving their home-style meals all day long. Cozy diner food, cheap prices, and vintage atmosphere.
Opened in 1947 and listed in the National Record of Historic Places since 2005, Carl's still operates in the same stand, with the same menu, hours and cash only policy as it did when it was first founded. It also has only three flavors of its simple homemade, handmade soft serve ice cream -- vanilla, chocolate and strawberry but with those flavors you can also get sundaes, shakes, malts, frozen slushes and slush floats. "Opening Day" at Carl's is a local holiday. People line up around the building to get a scoop from the family-owned treat stand. As is tradition, the stand is closed from the Sunday before Thanksgiving until the Friday of Presidents Day Weekend as the founder closes for hunting season.
Perhaps the most popular coffee shop in the city. Local hang out and meeting place, you'll find everyone from college students to politicians catching up on the latest gossip. The coffee is addictively good and priced comparable to national chains, light fare like pastries and muffins are also available. Free wi-fi is available.
A Washington regional chain, specializes in chili. Featuring four different types, served in bowls or on top of other menu items, such as burgers, dogs, spaghetti, nachos, fritos, etc. Also features an excellent plate of wings. This location is split in half, restaurant on one side, bar and pool hall on the other. Local rock bands regularly featured.
Even though it's right off of US Route 1, this family-run Greek restaurant is tucked away on a side street so you can't see it well when passing by. The small interior has a friendly living room quality to it along with a wall-to-wall mural. Famous for their gyros and pizza as well as novelty dishes like the flaming cheese. One of the only places in town where you can order Retsina with your meal.
Relaxed and casual, specializing in sandwiches and wraps. Lots of vegetarian and vegan options. Large bar with over 75 bottled beers available. Local art and local bands are featured regularly.
A tiny little place, they serve genuine Mexican cuisine: fish tacos, fried plantains, black bean soup, and all the chips and salsa you can eat. Margaritas are a great way to wash it all down.
Located next to the bus station, this unassuming building houses a distinctively hip interior. Japanese cuisine including sushi, seaweed salad, bento boxes, sea urchin, scallops, all served with artistic flair. Their broad sake menu is hard to beat. Extremely personable staff, sit at the bar and chat for a spell.
Classic French cuisine served by smartly dressed staff. Many dining setting options, including outdoors and in the eclectic bar room. If you're on a budget, check out their "Early Menu" special, a four-course meal for $23 (served M-Th 5:30-7PM).
Doesn't look like much from outside, but inside you will find wood paneling, a roaring fireplace, and finely dressed wait staff. Known for their generous portions, wide variety of cuts, and surf'n'turf options, this is the place to go if you simply must have an 18 oz. ribeye.
Local Mexican chain, current flag-ship location. Excellent Carne Asada.
Rather fancy dining by day, full scale bar scene at night. Another local hang out full of mini-reunions, especially in the summer when the spacious outdoor deck is open and the DJ is spinning.
Offers 62 beers on draught and over 300 bottle beers, as well as wine, mixed drinks, and regional/European food. Casual upscale atmosphere, great for big groups, darts and board games are freely available in back. Lots of weekly specials on food and drink. On Friday nights, they tap a firkin (wooden barrel of beer), it's a great way to enjoy traditional brews.
Irish-themed pub, regularly features karaoke and live music, sometimes features touring acts.
As the name implies, this place is serious about what's on tap. With not a bottled beer in sight, they instead sport 23 selections of lagers, stouts, ales, ciders, and pilsners. Quirky decor and a great jukebox make this a good late night hangout.
Catering mostly to the metal/punk crowd, KC's is a huge music venue located in a seedier part of town. Plenty of pool tables, poker tournaments, and other bar novelties are featured.
Loud bar over a pizza restaurant where many locals hang out. Lounge area on the second floor has board games, couches, and a big jukebox. Third floor will occasionally feature small music acts.
Intimate little restaurant with a classy, yet casual, atmosphere. Standard bar menu, 12 beers on tap and full wine list. Local bluegrass performances featured weekly.
Another place that is quickly becoming ubiquitous as locations open up all over the country, but like Cheeseburger in Paradise, Fredericksburg had one of the first locations. Very large, massive and excellent flavor list to go on rather mediocre wings, and plenty of cheap booze and televisions playing every sport on at any given moment. Gets particularly packed during football season, mainly for Redskins and Virginia Tech games.
Large pool hall located across Route 3 from Central Park, next to the main entrance of the Spotsylvania Towne Centre (aka "the mall"). Features your basic pool-hall fare, lots of fried food and cheap drinks. Texas Hold'em tournaments on Sunday, Monday, Wednesday and Thursday (no buy-in, since paid table games are illegal in Virginia, but they do feature a $50 cash prize), Karaoke on Friday, live music on Saturday.
Central location.
Hotel in the heart of the Fredericksburg historic downtown area.
The Quality Inn near the University of Mary Washington is an affordable option for Fredericksburg Virginia hotels.
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.
By bus
Greyhound buses stop at 1400 Jefferson Davis Hwy.
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Dulles · International · IAD
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