Places to go and things to do in Virginia's Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula

The Rivah has not always been so easily accessible for everyone. That is all changing with investments by Lancaster County for public waterfront access. Over the past three years, existing boat ramps and fishing piers have been renovated, two new parks have been created and two more are on the way. “Our strategic plan and comprehensive plan call for these...

If you fly an American flag made in the USA there’s a good chance the stars on the blue section were made right here at The Rivah. For decades, “Star Fields,” located in Cobbs Creek in Mathews County, has been embroidering stars on a blue background that are part of American flags. Since 2006, Star Fields has been a division...

Blue catfish are one of the most invasive fish in Chesapeake Bay — but they can be good to eat and fun to catch. During the 1970s and 80s blue catfish were introduced to the James, Rappahannock and York river basins on Chesapeake Bay as a new recreational fish by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR). Blue cats are...

I’m embarrassed to say I grew up in Northumberland County and had never been to The Backdraft in neighboring Westmoreland County until a few weeks ago. Well, I’ve been missing out. Originally opened by retired firefighter Jay Genest and his wife Annie, The Backdraft was purchased by the restaurant’s longtime manager Leah Lewis in 2022. She’ll celebrate her fourth...

Scroll down to see our latest listings of music, fireworks, parades and festivities scheduled in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula on the 2026 Independence Day weekend.    Firework shows are highlighted in YELLOW.    Rivah Stories are highlighted in BLUE. Due to a forecasted heatwave, with temperatures in eastern Virginia nearing 100 and heat indexes up to 110 degrees over the...