Today (Saturday), we spent the day exploring the Yorktown area, and trying to battle a nest of wasps that were somehow making their way inside our Airbnb.
Yorktown Market Days
After a fairly early start, we drove around the embankment down to the Yorktown Riverwalk Landing. Much to our delight, we discovered that the local farmer’s market, Yorktown Market Days, was set up for the morning. Abandoning our original plan of going back to Mobjack Bay Coffee for breakfast, we decided to get breakfast and coffee from the food trucks and vendors and eat by the river. It was very cold, but bearable on a sunny morning.
Cody and I got some pastries from Diana’s European Delights, a German bakery. We got a lemon curd roll, a poppyseed roll, a pumpkin muffin, and a slice of German apple cake. Meanwhile, Morgan and Faith got coffee (for all) and breakfast (for them) from the Coastal Thirst food truck.
All the food was good, especially Faith’s breakfast burrito. I was impressed by the selection at the market, particularly for such a small town. We took our food to a bench down by the river and ate, enjoying the view.
Yorktown Market Days
Yorktown, VA
A farmer’s market with a surprising selection of items for such a small town. A great place to get some food and stroll along the York River to enjoy the scenery.
* – Would definitely visit again
** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area
*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there
Yorktown
After a brief stop back at the Airbnb to locate the wasp nest (our host was very helpful, and quickly got someone over there to take care of it), we went back to the riverfront, and started our walking tour of Yorktown. We started along the York River, where Cornwallis was forced to move his headquarters during the final bombardment of Yorktown. The location made me realize what dire shape the British were really in during the siege.
Continuing along the walking tour, directed by Cody with an app on his phone, we headed up the hill to the Yorktown Victory Monument. The monument to the last major battle of the American Revolution was authorized by the Continental Congress in 1781, but wasn’t constructed until 1881-1884.
Next, we strolled through some of Yorktown’s historic houses. Some of them still have holes in the brick from cannon fire. We were very disappointed to learn that the cannonballs implanted in the sides of the homes are not original, and were added to help tourists spot the holes. It was amazing to see how the shots came from every direction.
Lunch
After another quick stop back at our Airbnb (verifying that the wasps were now gone), we headed out for lunch. I selected Chung Oak Korean Restaurant as our destination, which was somewhat on a leap of faith, as the reviews were very good but the place was definitely a hole-in-the-strip-mall-wall.
We ordered egg rolls, beef bulgogi, rice, and dumplings. The seasoned, shaved ribeye was extraordinarily tender and flavorful. I wasn’t particularly hungry after our pastry-full breakfast, but still very much enjoyed the meat.
Chung Oak Korean Restaurant
Newport News, VA
Excellent beef bulgogi. Don’t be fooled by the rough exterior and interior.
* – Would definitely visit again
** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area
*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there
Colonial National Historic Park
After lunch, we started our driving tour of the Colonial National Historic Park. First, we made a quick stop at the visitor center to check in with our pass, get some stickers and tags for our car, and get a map of the park’s weaving roads. There was a museum inside the visitor center, so we browsed through for a while. The two most interesting exhibits they had were George Washington’s tent and a recreation of a ship like the ones used to blockade Yorktown.
We began the driving tour around the “Red Loop” portion of the battlefield. The stops on this tour included the British Inner Defense Line, Grand French Battery, Second Allied Siege Line, Redoubts 9 and 10, Moore House, and the Surrender Field.
Dinner
Cody and I drove under the tunnel to Norfolk, and navigated to A.W. Shucks Raw Bar & Grill for a semi-quick dinner before the football game. For an appetizer, we split a half-dozen “Oysters Romano” with fresh greens, bacon, and Italian cheeses. I got a crab cake sandwich with a tomato salad as a side, and Cody got some buffalo wings with a very tasty basket of fries on the side.
A.W. Shucks Raw Bar & Grill
Norfolk, VA
Solid seafood in a casual setting. The Oysters Romano are worth a visit.
* – Would definitely visit again
** – Exceptional, must visit if you’re in the area
*** – Worth making a special trip to eat there
Meanwhile, back in Yorktown, Faith and Morgan went toy shopping for the kids, walked along the river, got a pizza to go from a local restaurant, and played games at the townhome to round out their evening.
App State @ ODU
We finished up our dinner and drove over to Old Dominion’s campus. They have a ton of commuter students, and thus a ton of parking, so parking is free for football games. We parked in a parking deck, and walked through the heart of campus towards Kornblau Field at S.B. Ballard Stadium. ODU’s campus is pretty nice, with a mix of older and modern buildings. It reminded us a lot of a flat (and less scenic) version of App’s campus.
The game was yet another disappointment for the Mountaineers. ODU had a pretty good band, the stadium was clean and new, and there was a great sunset, but otherwise it was another frustrating away game. It was also quite cold up at our seats, especially with the wind blowing steadily.
After the game, we attempted to stop at a Wendy’s to get a Frosty, only to find out their machine was down. We tried again at the next Wendy’s we came to, but it only had pumpkin spice Frostys. We reclutantly ordered a couple, and ate them on the rest of the way back to Yorktown. They were mediocre at best, but they kept us awake.
The Best Things we Saw Today
Isaac
The best thing I saw today was… “the sunset in Norfolk”.
The best thing I ate today was… “beef bulgogi and oysters Romano”.
Faith
The best thing I saw today was… “walking along the York River”.
The best thing I ate today was… “beef bulgogi”.
Conclusion
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Tomorrow, we’ll head back to Colonial Williamsburg to finish up our visit there.
– The Churches and McKinneys
3 Responses
Always enjoy your trips with your pictures and illustrations.
Walker has so much to look forward to!
I thought the monument was a beautiful piece of architecture.
The information about the holes from the cannonballs was really interesting.
Your meals looked delicious.
Glad you were able to get the wasp situation taken care of, especially with the babies.