Feature Articles

Scoot’s BBQ is so much more than the name implies. When most folks who haven’t dined there think of the restaurant in Hayes near Gloucester Point they think strictly barbecue. “I didn’t want it to be just barbecue,” said owner Gary Ward. “Living in such a small community, you have to...

WE ASKED. YOU VOTED. This year marks the 10th year of The Best of the Rivah Contest! We are grateful to our readers who continue to vote and share the places and expreriences that make the Rivah special to them. From wineries to oysters, chicken to bait, art to ice cream and much,...

In 1970 Jimmy Smith came home from Nashville after seeing the Grand Ole Opry with an idea for an abandoned Mathews movie theater — create Virginia’s Li’l Ole Opry. The first show of local musical talent in summer 1975 revived Donk’s Theater. On Saturday nights the 30-year-old theater came alive...

Growing blue-ribbon, record breaking, mind boggling, awe-inspiring ginormous produce is no easy feat. Countless trials and errors, hours of research, months of labor and perseverance go into growing newsworthy crops. While it may not be an easy feat, for Jr. Brent, it sure is a fun one. Brent of Lancaster...

Family Fun The land below the Thomas J. Downing Bridge in Tappahannock has been transformed into a park and fishing hole. The park features a covered picnic area and offers a spectacular view of the Rappahannock River. Birch trees and weeping willows line the boundary giving shade to visitors who...

Last month, I followed a winding road into the Mattaponi Indian Reservation in King William County, where Ginger and Lonnie Custalow own and operate Mattapony Reserve, a waterfront winery and restaurant. An expansive covered patio offers visitors a beautiful view of the Mattaponi River, where fish break the water and...

As the saying goes, sometimes less is more and The Hatchery on Gwynn’s Island takes full advantage of this philosophy. Now in its third season, its rustic, open-air concept puts you right on the water with Milford Haven and glorious sunsets in full view. The food truck-style eatery’s proximity...

The buyboat “Peggy of New Point” turned 100 years old this year and on Saturday, June 21, family, friends and old crewmen came together on Gwynn’s Island to celebrate the life of the century old boat. Just having come off the railway from Hudgins Horn Harbor Marina at Port Haywood,...

Telling the story of Menokin is not just about an historical house. It is also telling the story of three distinct yet intertwined groups of people—the colonists, the enslaved and the Indigenous—who called this place home. Menokin’s historians and educators are developing innovative ways to tell and experience their...

If you’re looking for a restaurant with a cozy, waterfront vibe and good food, then take a trip to Ottoman in upper Lancaster County where you’ll find The Black Duck nestled at the bottom of a hill at Yankee Point Marina. Overlooking Meyer Creek and the Corrotoman River, the...