Irvington, VA

In summer the green lawn edging the Tides Inn's driveway supports a complimentary, par-3, nine-hole golf course. Several teens are practicing their putts and swings when we pull in. The doorman welcomes us with lemonade and cookies. In fall and during the December holidays, enjoy warming up with hot cider. Free bicycles to borrow fill the rack by the front entry.

The Tides Inn, a 106-room resort situated on a peninsula surrounded by water, offers Southern comfort, Northern Neck style. That means casual graciousness mixed with a highly developed appreciation for boating. After all, creeks, streams, ponds, rivers and the bay define Virginia's Northern Neck. The area, bordered by the Potomac River on the north, the Rappahannock River on the south, and the Chesapeake Bay on the east offers more than 1,200 miles of tidal coastline as well as 6,500 acres of natural areas, including marshes, state parks and preserves.

Originally opened in 1947, the Tides Inn, a Northern Neck icon, operated as a family-run hotel for more than 50 years. In May 2001 Sedona Resorts acquired the property, and after several million dollars in renovations, the Tides Inn reopened in April 2002.

In places, the resort still seems in transition. From the outside, the long, white, wood-sided main building looks more homespun than four-diamond chic. Although the spa offers good massages, the facility could use an update and brightening. Part of the lobby, despite the floor to ceiling windows with a water view, has a tired feel.

That said, the Tides Inn features comfortable rooms, good food, an imaginative children's program and a waterfront location from which to enjoy the Northern Neck's creeks and rivers. Families have fun here, especially those who relish boating as well as being on or near the water.

Virginia's Northern Neck, especially Irvington, has been "discovered" by weekenders from New York City to Norfolk who, until the economic downturn, were fueling the development of second and retirement homes. When compared with the urban east coast, however, Irvington is still country comfortable and as alluring as a bay breeze.

The Tides Inn generally closes after New Year's and reopens in early March.

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