Whether you’ve been together for years— or just a few weeks— downtown is the perfect locale for a Fredericksburg date night.
You saw former NFL player Colton Underwood and 2018 Miss North Carolina USA Caelynn Miller-Keyes Monday night during her hometown date. The Fredericksburg-area native and one of four final bachelorettes vying for Colton’s heart showed off her local family and the city we all love during a special two-hour episode of “The Bachelor.”
You, too, can have a special hometown date:
Take a carriage ride
Fredericksburg’s Olde Town Carriage Tours cover 40 blocks of historic neighborhoods, showcasing the city’s unique architecture and charm. Tour-takers will see sights like Kenmore Plantation, the Renwick Courthouse, the James Monroe Museum and many others during the 45-minute tour.
Tickets are sold at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center, and the carriages leave there every hour. The center is also a good place to find out more about local tours.
Visit a local food landmark
You can also visit Carl’s Frozen Custard. The stand, opened in 1947 by Carl Sponseller, is located at 2200 Princess Anne St. It’s an actual landmark, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005.
Share a milkshake there, or get your own cones, in Carl’s classic vanilla, strawberry, chocolate or pineapple flavors.
The stand just reopened for the season on Feb. 15, in time for your hometown date.
Take a walk
There’s no shortage of views in Fredericksburg. A walk along the Sunken Road on the Fredericksburg National Battlefield Park allows couples to take in vistas from the city’s highest point. Along the path is historic mansion Brompton, a spectacular view in itself, and now home to the University of Mary Washington’s president.
“We are proud of our campus,” said Troy Paino, president of University of Mary Washington. “It’s a beautiful treasure of tradition and history.”
A stroll down the Caroline Street shopping district is good for window-shoppers who want to take in the elaborate retail windows, or those looking for clothing, books, high end chocolates, kitchenware and much more.
End your walk through Market Square, at the Fredericksburg Area Museum and its rose garden— you’ve picked a winner.
Use the hashtags #lovefxbg #visitfred on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to share your own hometown date.