A Virginia is for Lovers Story...Cape Charles style

If you follow us on social media, you know we're a little obsessed with LOVE. Okay, we're a lot obsessed! LOVE are the art installations you'll see throughout Virginia to promote tourism and the "Virginia is for Lovers" brand. There are over 30 LOVE signs around the state and people "love" to visit and take pictures with them.

Each sign is unique and reflects the culture and history of its location. Ever since I learned about them, I thought we needed one in Cape Charles. Can't explain it. Don't know why, but it was really important to me that Cape Charles have one. 

Things always work out the way they are meant to, and I am grateful for everyone who said "no" because that brought me to the right team to bring LOVE to town. The Cape Charles Business Association was the one to say "yes" and instantly Miriam Elton from brown dog ice cream and Sandy McFall from gallery209 volunteered to help in the efforts. Miriam knows a lot about design and the right materials to use to weather any storm. Sandy is the artist so she knew what materials and colors would look good and complement one another. My role was to work with Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) to ensure we met their requirements, help with funding, and organize events to raise money and promote LOVE. 

We collaborated with Jen Lewis and Pete Leontieff of the Town of Cape Charles. The Town provided a permanent location (at the corner of Bay and Mason Avenues) and connected us with people who could actually build this thing. Together, we all came up with a design that is truly one-of-a-kind and perfectly represents Cape Charles and the Eastern Shore of Virginia. 

The entire sculpture is made of fiberglass which is perfect for our boating community. And then each letter incorporates materials to symbolize our area:

L - has beach glass and shells for our bayside location

O - is a tractor tire for our agricultural history

V - is made from kayaks to symbolize all the water sports and activities in our area

E - is made with crabpots for our aqua culture and watermen

LOVE is here to stay and be enjoyed by all. Come to the corner of Bay & Mason and take your picture. Post it out with #loveva and #capecharles to spread some LOVE far and wide from Cape Charles!

5 Reasons to Visit Cape Charles

We get a fair amount of calls from people planning a getaway and they want to know why they should visit Cape Charles. The first few times we thought this was a strange question. But now we say, "you tell us what you want to do. You can do everything or absolutely nothing. It's up to you."

If you want to check-in and not come out of your room until check-out, go for it. Enjoy the room. Enjoy time alone, or with your travel partner. Relax by your fireplace or soak in your jetted tub. Watch TV. Watch movies. Log on. Read a book or magazines. Play board games or cards. Or just sleep.

(Did you know Fig Street Inn is the ONLY b&b in Cape Charles that offers TVs and fireplaces all from the comfort of your room; otherwise you have to share with other guests in common areas - no thanks.)

BUT, if you prefer to venture out, here is what we think are the must-sees, must-dos for a visit to Cape Charles:

LOVE - Cape Charles has its very own LOVE sign. You may have seen others around Virginia - they are all over, and you will find ours at the corner of Bay & Mason Avenues. We're very proud of this because it took a lot of work by a lot of people to make this happen (including us). We "love" how it reflects the history and culture of our town and region. So go, snap a picture. Everyone needs LOVE in their lives!

Beach - We have an amazing beach right on the Chesapeake Bay. It's about a mile long, with soft, white sand. Sure it's great in the summer, but it's great any time of year. Go for a walk. Look for seashells, beach glass or even sand dollars (They do exist! We've even found one ourselves).

If you are visiting in the warmer months, and you're staying at +Fig Street Inn, leave the beach chairs, towels and umbrellas at home. We've got all of that here for you. We'll even loan you a cooler if you want to pack water, sodas or snacks. And yes, those are included with your stay, too.

And for the above two, combine a visit to LOVE when the sun is setting at the beach. Cape Charles sunsets are spectacular! If you are here in the fall, the sun is positioned so it sets right into the letter O for a picture perfect moment.

Trail Ride - Pfeiffer Riding Stables is about 1 1/2 miles up the road from our inn and you can enjoy a one-hour trail ride along Kings Creek. We guarantee you'll see wildlife and waterfowl as you soak in the natural beauty of our area. Don't worry if you have never been on a horse before because they will pair you will just the right one. Make sure you tell them you're staying at Fig Street Inn so you get our special rate (varies depending on time of year).

Kayak - Southeast Expeditions has many different kayak trips and you don't have to be an extreme or experienced sports enthusiast to hit the water. They'll take you out to a clam bed where you can hunt for your own clams, or on a leisurely tour through the wildlife refuge to observe birds, butterflies (fall season), and take in the scenery of our barrier islands. Or rent kayaks for how ever long you like and go out on your own. 

Or how about kayaking to a winery? The tour is called "Paddle Your Glass Off", and it's a 4-hour excursion that includes wine tasting at the award-winning Chatham Vineyards (try the Cabernet Franc. It's out personal fave!). You paddle there, have a wine tasting, and then paddle back. Yes, there is enough space in the kayak to hold a case of wine if you so choose.

Mangia - Your trip would not be complete without great food! Obviously breakfast is included with your stay at our inn, and we do offer more than enough so you don't really need to have lunch, but there are plenty of great places to eat right here in Cape Charles:

• Cape Charles Coffee House - breakfast and lunch
• Coach House Tavern - breakfast, lunch and dinner
• Hook-U-Up Gourmet - pizza and to-go lunches. Bistro dinner Tuesday-Friday
• Kelly's Gingernut Pub - lunch and dinner
• Rayfield's Pharmacy - breakfast and lunch 
• The Seafood Eatery at The Oyster Farm (formerly Aqua) - lunch and dinner
• The Shanty - lunch and dinner

And if you are here in the summer, you can top off any meal (or make a meal) at brown dog ice cream (open April through October).

Whatever you want to do, we're happy to help you plan it out.

I love LOVE!

No matter where you are from, there are some travel slogans everyone knows - "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", "I LOVE NY", and "Virginia is for Lovers". Each of them have their own ways to communicate their message, but I am in love with what Virginia does.

L-O-V-E! Those 4 letters make up about 30 different art installations across the state. It's called LOVEworks and you'll see the letters in the most random, and not so random, places made up of unique materials and items - metal, canoes, wood, wine corks, hay stacks. The most common one you'll see is made up of white letters.

LOVEworks in Culpepper, VA

LOVEworks in Bristol, VA

LOVEworks at Veritas Winery in Afton, VA

Communities are encouraged to create their own permanent installation using materials "native" to or symbolic of that area. I say we need one here on the Eastern Shore made with oyster shells. I talked with our local tourism director about it a year ago but nothing ever came of that conversation. I still think it's a brilliant idea, and who knows…maybe one day you'll see me somewhere in Cape Charles laying out a bunch of shells to spell L-O-V-E.

But in the meantime, there is a traveling LOVEworks that can be brought to a Virginia town near you. And it's coming to Cape Charles! It's the first time we'll have it here on the Shore and I'm so excited to be a part of bringing it here. It will be placed at the "Point" on the corner of Mason & Bay Avenues from October 11-16 with the Chesapeake Bay in the background. Can you imagine all the great photo opps?

LOVE comes to Cape Charles, VA October 11-16, 2013

Come to Cape Charles and be part of this inaugural visit. Come fall in love with LOVE. Take pictures and #LOVEVA and #CAPECHARLES or upload to Facebook.

We want to spread the LOVE from Cape Charles across the globe. Maybe you'll love LOVE too!