Local Attractions/Things to Do

On the premises

  1. The main house is relaxing and peaceful; views of the pond and fields abound.

    The bedrooms encourage privacy, offer views and are full of light.

    The theater room boasts an increasing array of entertainment for its high-definition projector and 94” screen, including a Wii with exercise console.

    The breakfast room looks to the south; the remodeled corn crib, pond, future gardens and golf course provide the backdrop.

    The great room faces south; the pond and future gardens dominate the view on one side; the future golf course on the other.

    The front porch provides a panorama of the northern fields surrounded by timber and framed by the barn.

  2. Cooking is a participatory sport at City Boy Farms. All hands are welcome to experience culinary creations large or small. Any guest may provide recipes and direct operations. The country kitchen is large enough for four cooks, sous-chefs, dishwashers and other helpers; there is an island for helpers and observers.
  3. Brisk adventure walking is an option year around; a perimeter is more or less cleared. The boundary is clearly marked by ribboned-metal fence posts every 100 feet or so; the corner posts have 3 ribbons.

    A topographical map, machete and work gloves are available upon request; path maintenance is an excellent exercise.

    Please bring waterproof ankle high boots. Past beaver families created a 10-acre marsh between the main house and the southern boundary; it is muddy even in the summer.

    The south end hosts an abundance of bird life, including a resident woodpecker; paths to several rock pinnacles provide private meditation or yoga opportunities.
    Numerous logs and other resting places are available for less athletic guests.

    The eastern boundary is paralleled by the neighbor’s logging road from the main house north.

    The western boundary is paralleled by a stream both north and south of the pond. The northern end is more primitive but walking the perimeter of the northwest field is an option.

  4. Volunteering for real farm activities is welcome from appropriately skilled guests. We wish friends and family to “grow” this property; we gladly share its bounties.
    Competent tractor operators are especially welcome. The implements available for the Kubota L5740 HSTC include a bucket with grapple, dump trailer, chipper, rototiller, box scraper, landscape rake and post hole digger.

    A multitude of hand and garden tools, Stihl land clearing and landscaping implements, chain saws, a grinder and some wood and electrical tools are also available. All guests are certainly welcome to pitch in on the myriad maintenance tasks that always need doing on City Boy Farms.

    Of course, once the landscaping and golf course are finished, the zero-turn Kubota lawn mower, with its sun canopy, should be popular entertainment. iPods are available for tuning-out while enjoying the smell of fresh grass being cut.

Automobile excursions
The Commonwealth of Virginia is beautiful country and it contains many elements of American history. The City Boy Farms kitchen is open for packing picnic lunches that can be enjoyed at any number of scenic stops or in the car. Maps, more detailed directions and information can be copied from City Boy Farms’ atlases or downloaded from its computer.

Within 15 minutes of City Boy Farms

  1. Cooper Vineyard is about a mile from City Boy Farms; both it and Lake Anna Winery are part of the Heart of Virginia Wine Trail. In a nutshell, the vineyard is open daily from 11 to 5; Guests have enjoyed several of its vintages and it holds events in its “green” tasting room, including wine-paired dinners.
  2. A recycle center is approximately 3 miles away and the county landfill is an equal distance in the opposite direction; when leaving on Shannon Hill Road/VA-605 (which you have to do), guests can always volunteer for trash drop-off.
  3. The town of Mineral is approximately 6 miles away.

    Although it boasts few attractions, there is a pet store that can only be described as interesting; there are several local restaurants, including The Tavern on the Rail, which has quite a history and faithful following. During the summer, the town hosts a Farmers’ Market on Saturdays.

  4. The town of Louisa, also the county seat, is approximately 8 miles away. Although there is no dry cleaner, the country village has a golf course, an attractive (and active) parks and recreational center, two drug stores, two grocery stores, a liquor store, a True Value hardware store, a Goodwill, the surprisingly good Obrigado Restaurant and several unique shops.

    The little community also has several bed and breakfast establishments, the Whistle Stop, Ginger Hill and The Boxley Place Inn.

  5. Another interesting find in the center of Central Virginia is Twin Oaks Community, which hosts three-hour tours and three week visits.

Within 30 minutes of City Boy Farms

  1. Lake Anna Winery is about 20 minutes from City Boy Farms, but not far from the town of Mineral; both it and Cooper Vineyard are part of the Heart of Virginia Wine Trail. The vineyard is open most days from 11 to 5 and tours are provided upon request.
  2. Lake Anna State Park is only a short hop from the winery. With almost 3,000 acres and 10 miles of lakefront, boating, fishing, hiking and picnic areas flourish. The park offers nightly camping amenities and cabins.
  3. Gordonsville is a charming little town, more picturesque than Louisa; in fact, the official Web site claims it is ”…a charming southern town of quaint shops and galleries, a noted Civil War museum and critically acclaimed restaurants in the heart of historic central Virginia.”

    The Civil War Museum at the Exchange Hotel hosts tours and events, including an annual living history encampment, to provide visitors an appreciation of the area and building’s past.

    Most of the shops are right on the main street and include attractive antiques, metal working, unique clothing and garden supplies.

    Restaurants provide a variety of mealtime options, from The Barbeque Exchange (highly recommended by a guest, open 11 to 8 daily according to the Web site) and the Gordonsville Deli to The Toliver House and the Restaurant Pomme.

Within 45 minutes of City Boy Farms

  1. On I-64 to the west lies Charlottesville, the center of Thomas Jefferson’s life; the home and university are historic testimonials of his vision—for detailed information visit:

    Monticello
    The University of Virginia

  2. On I-64 to the east is a historic center of American history, Richmond; this city boasts many attractions. No history buff can or should avoid its draw.
    Internet research is best started from the city’s Visitor’s Home Page.

    In person research should start with its Visitor Centers:

    Main visitor center and gift shop is located
    405 North 3rd Street
    T: 804 783 7450

    Airport Visitor Center is located at
    1 Richard E. Byrd Terminal
    Suite A
    Lower Level – Baggage Claim Area
    T: 804 236 3260

Scenic drives—one to two hour round trips

  1. Tour Lake Anna on local roads–
    Take Goodwin Store Road to VA-605/Shannon Hill Road
    Turn right on VA-605/Shannon Hill Road
    Follow to stop sign; cross VA-33
    Take what is now VA-605/Willis Proffit Road to stop sign
    Turn left on US-522N/Pendleton Road follow to the town of Mineral on Mineral Avenue/US-522S
    At stop light, make right on E. 1st Street, cross the railroad tracks
    Take your first left on US-522S/Zachary Taylor Highway, follow for about five miles
    Turn right on VA-208E/Courthouse Road (past a tractor dealer on the left, Dickerson’s General Store with reasonably priced gas is at the T-junction; Courthouse Road only goes to the right)
    Turn right on VA-652/Kentucky Springs Road to either VA-701, which will be a left-hand turn, or Bumpass
    From either, take VA-601 back to VA-208/Courthouse Road.
    To come straight back to City Boy Farms, take VA-208W
    To visit Lake Anna Winery or Lake Anna State Park, take VA-208E
  2. Tour the small towns of Gordonsville, Orange, Madison, Stanardsville; the country roads are such that you can take a different route in both directions. The trip can be as much as four-hours if you enjoy visiting small towns and country driving—watch out for restless natives and make time for tractors.
  3. For Civil War buffs—obtain a copy of the driving instructions and narrative for the Trevilian Station battlefield tour from the City Boy or Country Girl or download it from here.

Scenic and historic experiences—general
Although Boston was the center of the American Revolution; Virginia was the center of the nation’s early government and strife. Any airport or main byway will put you in proximity of American history.

  1. Washington, D.C.—the nation’s capitol is replete with attractions, use the city’s “official” Web site to decide how to spend your time; years wouldn’t cover it all.
  2. The War Between the States—the “heart” of the south still beats in the commonwealth.
    The Civil War in Virginia Web site is an excellent place for serious history buffs to sharpen their appreciation of the history event. Although some links are broken, they provide a wealth of information.

    The less serious minded folks can start with the site that provides general information on the state’s “home” page; a search for “civil war” yields enough information to plan a trip.

    One can order a free map of the Civil War battlefields in the state here. For the more serious minded historians, Civil War Traveler is the best place for maps; unfortunately, it is not free.

Scenic and historic experiences—within a ten hour-day trip of City Boy Farms
City Boy Farms recommends these locations for overnight trips. Although the trip to Williamsburg can be done in ten hours, American history deserves a much closer scrutiny than a jam-packed day. Likewise, the scenic byways available to and through the Shenandoah Valley to the east are worth a leisurely trip from a day to a week.

  1. To the south is the center of the Old Dominion—Colonial Williamsburg. In addition to its overwhelming history, the town boasts numerous worthy attractions, including Busch Gardens and Water Country USA. For those staying in the area for a couple of days, tours of historic Jamestown and Yorktown provide a deep appreciation for our ancestors.
  2. To the east lies the Shenandoah Valley, VA-33E will start the tour with Harrisonburg, take I-81S or local roads, visiting Staunton (where you can cut back across the mountains to Charlottesville, back to City Boy Farms or go on to), Lexington (where you can again cut back to City Boy Farms or go on to), Lynchburg and Roanoke.
  3. Also to the east is Shenandoah National Park, renowned for The Skyline Drive, which runs 105 miles north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains and is the only public road through the park. You can enter Shenandoah at four places: Front Royal near Rt. 66 and 340, Thornton Gap at Rt. 211, Swift Run Gap at Rt. 33, and Rockfish Gap at Rt. 64 and Rt. 250 (also the northern entrance to the Blue Ridge Parkway). It takes about three hours to travel the entire length of the park on a clear day.
  4. Polyface Farms, made famous by Michael Pollans’ Omnivore’s Dilemma, is located in Swoope, Virginia, merely 8 miles from Staunton. The farm is open to visitors most of the time and is certainly an interesting place to visit. While the Salatin principles are certainly admirable, we are not sure what, if any, statement is made by the farm’s physical appearance.