Moving there this weekend from New Jersey.  Any good restaurants?  Bars?  Generally interesting places or things to do?  No wife or kids so it's just me

The gun show in Fredericksburg tends to be one of the better ones in Central/Northern Virginia. Other than passing through though, I don't hang around Fredericksburg much. There are some Civil War battlefield nearby though and Shenandoah is about an hour and a half away.



 

What landed you in Fredericksburg?

The cheapest place I could afford that still had access to DC for work.  Student loans are a killer

Maltese Brewing Company.

You could have lived in PG County for less!

Why would I live in Maryland? Lol.  Especially when I can have my freedoms back by living in Virginia.  I'll actually be able to carry in VA

Lot of good restaurants and Bars, both chains and local in the area.  If you are a Civil War buff there are several battle fields and a visitor center on Lafayette.  The Fairgrounds has events like the Brew Fest this past weekend.  The New Speedway just opened a couple exits south of the 'Burg.  Kings Dominion amusement park is about 30 mins. south of here.  Bass Pro is in Ashland.

This.  And Adventure Brewing in Stafford.

Downtown restaurants:
(1) Castiglia's for pizza. It's great, and not that expensive. Before they had a bar if the line was long for a table the owner would do "wine tastings" for free. On a couple occasions I was tipsy before we got a table.
(2) Farenheit 132 for steaks: It's new, and I've only been there once, but it was good. Also, I thought their surf and turf was actually reasonably priced.
(3) Vivify: burgers are good, milkshakes are great.
(4) Carl's for ice cream.
(5) Hunan Garden downtown for Chinese take out.
(6) Cap Ale House for beer (their bar is pretty cool).
(7) Foode for brunch.
(8) Hyperion for coffee.
If you like German, the two German restaurants downtown are also good. Bavarian Chef is a bit expensive, but the portions are ridiculously large and good. In the portion size area, Bistro Bethem is pretty good, but the only place I've ever had a four course meal (with the cost you'd expect) and left hungry. I've only been to Petite Auberge (sp) and Renatos like once, but they were good too. They do a Restaurant Week every so often.

The farmer's market on Saturday is fun too in Hurkamp park.

Things to do: for running/biking the river/canal trail is cool. Also, fishing in the river is easy. The shad are running right now.
Kayaking and tubing is fun as well. The city actually owns much of the riverbank for a long ways upriver and you can camp some of it while kayaking (just don't leave crap behind). Some of the companies due guides for it.

Also, you will go to the Marine Corps museum in Quantico.

I tried their beer at Riverfest and it was good. I need to go back there. I visit the brew store next door every so often anyway.

Oh man, stand in the Sunken Road and look down Marye's Heights and you can see the slaughter the Union took trying to take it.

I've never understood the love for this place.... just soft serve, nothing special.

Whatever the name is for the former Lee's downtown is 10x better. Also, Bavarian Chef sucks. Worst imitation German food I've ever had. Even my wife, who's been to Germany, said it was terrible.

Well, it's inexpensive and always good. Not much else to ask for. It's also historic.

Frank O'Reilly with the NPS does a really good walk almost every December tracing the route of the Irish Brigade from City Docks up the the stone wall that is very very good. He points out a lot of interesting terrain features that are easily missed or are totally gone now.

Thanks guys.  I was hoping for some decent bars.  I am a history buff so the civil war stuff will be interesting

My wife's family lives there.  Downtown is great, you'll enjoy it.  Blue and Gray brewery is there as well.  Bowers distillery.

I wish I could get my wife to move down there for how cheap it is.  Could buy a mansion for what I pay in Arlington.

Yeah I work in Arlington, no way I could live here.  WAY too crowded, not to mention the cost

OP, keep an eye open for the Grapes and Grains festival.  It's sometimes located at the Bowman's distillery on Rt. 2, which is a short taxi ride from downtown.  All the local wine companies and breweries are there, along with a bunch of other things (cigar makers, chocolate makers, live band, etc)  The wife will appreciate a Saturday wine/beer/bourbon tasting, with dinner at Capitol Ale House after.  My wife and I stayed at the Richard Johnston Inn one night after the festival, but there are other hotels in the area.

Someone already mentioned the trails, and there's places to canoe/kayak on the Rappahannok and Potomac.  Be prepared for horrific traffic. . . .

Well I am here now.  In the apartment and trying to put everything away and organize it all.  Feels nice not having to hide things in another state because they were banned in NJ lol

Do you live in within the city limits, zip code 22401, or in one of the surrounding counties and have a Fredericksburg address? I live in Spotsylvania county but my address says Fredericksburg. This would give us a better idea of were you are so we can recommend stuff close to you.

22406, technically Falmouth but a Fredericksburg address.  I've pretty much ventured up and down 17, but I guess this is Business 17 and not the actual 17.  Kind of screwed my parents up when we thought we booked a hotel right next to the apartment complex

I don't drink so I can not speak to bars. As far as restaurants go:

local steak and seafood - Old Towne Steak and Seafood or Firebirds. Firebirds is a chain place but very good and Old Towne is not a chain but also very good.

Italian - Poppy Hill Tuscan Kitchen. This place is very small, about 10 or 15 tables and is downtown in the basement of a butcher. It is not a chain and they do everything from scratch. They make there
own pasta in house and even tried there hand at there own liquor according to our waiter. The liquor did not turn out good so they stopped trying.

BBQ - We really don't have any great BBQ places. We had a mom and pop place but, they sold it years ago and I am told it just has not maintained the standards the founders had. We have a few chain places like famous Daves, BBQ Post and Allman's, the place I referenced above.

Burgers and subs - we have the typical 5 guys, Red Robin, Pot Belly, Jimmy Johns....once again nothing exciting but good stuff for chain places. We do have a Capital Ale House downtown that is good. Parking can be a pain.

Thai - We like Aubergene in Spotsylvania. Good food and not a chain place. If you like Pho there is a place on Salem Church Rd. called Pho Saigon, it is in the strip mall next to the library. They make good Pho but, the prices have gone up a little lately.

Oddly enough if you go to the Wegman's and into the meat section there is a little restaurant in the isle between the meat counter and the deli counter. They make a killer steak pub sandwich. Also, there sushi counter is good. My fiancée and I were at Wegmans yesterday and had sushi for lunch. The cool thing there is if you see something you like but want it without something or with a different rice, ask and they will do it fro you. I am allergic to seafood, except scallops, and did not see any of the crunchy scallop sushi yesterday. We asked about it and the guy told us they are phasing it out since it is not popular but, they had the stuff to make it and he rolled us some. If we saw a roll with white rice and wanted brown rice, all we would have had to do was ask for it and they would roll it for us.

Not anymore. They closed on the 9th.

Spencer Devon Brewery- Wife and I had dinner and drinks last night and really enjoyed the food and beer.  Has that hipster brewery atmosphere, but I just ignore it.

Maltese brewing has BBQ on Friday nights.  It's actually w friend of mine that makes it, he works out of his catering trailer.  I suggest the hot wings, as well as the smoked wings.  He's there 4-8

For Mexican, we like El Pino on RTe 3 at Salem Church.  Second to the that is El Charro in Massaponax.  Doesn't look like much on the outside, but the food and service are great.

Steamers in Falmouth isn't bad for seafood, haven't been since they opened the mall location though.

Sedona Taphouse also has awesome food and beer.  Just don't expect to find average beers, they don't sell them.

Let us know if we're on the right track, and I'll keep going.

That sucks, they had really good food. Thanks for letting me know they closed.

Thanks for the tips

These two places are our "go-to" restaurants downtown.   We gave up on Capitol Ale House since they reopened, the quality just isn't there vs before their roof collapsed.

How was the service?

Wife and I went there a while ago, not long after opening. Great food, great beer, worst service I've ever had. Have they improved?

First Sunday of every month there is a USPSA match at the Rod & Gun club. $30 for 8 stages and it is run very well. Goes from 8am until 1-2pm at the latest it seems. Second Sunday of each month has a USPSA at Quantico. Speaking of Quantico the QSC is looking for members and you are within the required radius if you want to apply for a membership there.

Museums: Hit Udvar-Hazy for sure. A pretty awesome collection of aircraft they have and they are still adding more.

Yeah, they were on our list of places to try and they closed before we could.

OP, I've also had a few good cocktails at the Kenmore Inn, when the bar isn't being used for an event. It's kinda an odd place, but the drinks were good. This was a while ago though.

Yeah I'm thinking about Quantico, especially since they have longer ranges for my Ruger Precision 6.5 to finally stretch its legs

Nothing to think about. Just do it.

http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_8_24/595071_Quantico_Shooting_Club_Seeking_New_Members.html

I followed Lexington's advice and I am now a member. Now trying to decide whether to do volunteer hours or go the RSO route.

ETA: Oops. Confused casarez with cone256 when I wrote the following.

You signed up today and you are already confirmed? That's FAST. I hope to see you at the range. I used to RSO there. My cert expired and it's been hard to get recertified since the ancient government web site is incompatible with my browser (moderately lame excuse) and you have to go to base in person to take the second exam. When I took my proctored exam the first time, the Marine Corps testers came to the club on a Saturday and proctored a whole bunch of us. The RSO team was pretty healthy then. I think it has thinned again and I am going to recertify soon.

BTW, I'm in Spotsylvania.

Used to commute to Tysons  from Stafford

Got a job at Quantico

But had to deal with a crappy boss

Now he is being forced out for being so terrible

So, life is good.  Try taking the VRE into work.  I used to take it daily when I lived up north.  It's clean and it's all commuters.

Just think, if you moved to PG county, you could have taken the Green Line in!

Yeah I'm taking the VRE all the way to Crystal City.  We have an internal shuttle that picks us up there and drops us off at the building.  Pretty convenient

Life will be good for you then.  It will take a while to get into CC. But you can get a ton done on the VRE... Even have dinner there.

I'm gonna go with fair.  The food and beer all came out fast and correct, but the waitress had zero personality.  Like she absolutely hated what she was doing the whole time.

Welcome to the free state. I'm in 22406 Fredericksburg too but don't live anywhere near Fredericksburg, more like Hartwood. I'm up off Rt17 probably 15 mins north from you.

Let me know if you fish or like walking / running so,what secluded trails

I don't suppose you work at G6 do you?

Take the 10 minute drive north and go to Fatty's on 610 in Stafford, right in front of Walmart.  Blows Steamers away.  I recommend either their fried or steamed sampler, or the po'boy.

If anyone ever wants to go and split one of the $80 steam pots, I'm down.  

The service used to be horrible, just horrible....but it's gotten a lot better, and the food is worth it.  Live music on Friday and Saturday night....nothing huge, not much space, but it's been good when I've gone in.

Just made myself hungry thinking about it, and I just ate.  

If were talking 610, then you need to go to Alpha. Its a new Mediterranean place that serves gyros and shawarmas.  The food is homemade and if you like the food from that region it is very authentic.  It isnt a sit down place but you can chill inside at their small tables after you order.  It's our new favorite local spot.

Fredericksburg has more for choices but we have mainly chains in North Stafford.  

Also, we like Bulgogi, an authentic Korean place close to Giant.

As soon as I read this, only one name came to mind...

G6?  No, cant remember  That's the other thing they teach you.