Virginia's Scenic Coast Boasts A Secret Artsy Haven With Beautiful Victorian-Era Buildings

Virginia's portion of the Delmarva Peninsula is sometimes overlooked, but it's home to some amazing hidden coastal scenery. Onancock is a tiny town on the eastern shores of the Chesapeake Bay, and by water, it's only a few miles east of America's soft-shell crab capital, the disappearing island of Tangier in Virginia. Onancock's prime location on a deepwater creek made it an ideal hub for shipping when skipjacks, oyster buyboats, and steamboats plied the waters of Chesapeake Bay. 

Highway bridges have replaced the steamers and ferries of yesteryear, making this peninsula accessible for a weekend getaway to places like Onancock or Bethany Beach (Delaware's family-friendly foodie heaven). Coming from the Washington D.C. or Baltimore areas, this town is about three hours beyond Annapolis via the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. From the south, the 17.6-mile-long Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel makes the drive from Norfolk just 1.5 hours long.

This sleepy town is in a quiet, less-visited part of Virginia, and Onancock is home to small art galleries, Victorian-style buildings, and delicious dining options. Reminders of its heydays are everywhere, as historic homes line tidy streets and red-brick buildings create a walkable downtown hub. 

Onancock's name derives from Algonquin, meaning "foggy place." In the early 1600s, Captain John Smith made several expeditions to map the expansive coastal estuary known as Chesapeake Bay. Onancock was a great deep-water port close to the fertile lands of the Eastern Shore, and the town was chartered in 1680. For hundreds of years, life has revolved around the town wharf, where ships brought settlers, fresh produce, and supplies.

A great way to glimpse this little town's history is by visiting Ker Place, a 1799 Georgian-style mansion built for a local merchant. Today, the house is the headquarters of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Historical Society and is open for tours. Rooms are decorated with period-appropriate antiques, and exhibits throughout the house showcase the area's history. The best times to visit Onancock are the shoulder seasons, from May to June or August to October. These provide the least likelihood of experiencing the muggiest days of summer or the coldest days of winter.

Local art is everywhere you go in Onancock, with several galleries huddled around the intersection of Market and North Streets. Art lovers won't want to miss Bizzotto's Gallery Cafe, an Italian restaurant with patio seating and an art gallery inside. The Onancock Business and Civic Association hosts the Second Friday Art Stroll year-round, with stops at the galleries, boutiques, and shops. Businesses extend their hours and have specials, including live music and wine tastings. 

No trip to the coast is complete without a stroll down to the wharf. Look for Chesapeake Bay workers on their traditional deadrise boats. The harbor is also the departure point for the Tangier Island Ferry and Onancock Sailing Adventures, which are great ways to get out on the water for the day. Consider a guided kayak tour of Onancock Creek from Burnham Guides.

Should you be visiting the best and cheapest East Coast beach towns in the area, Onancock is a great place to stop for a few hours. It's also welcoming enough to make you want to stay a night or two. The Inn at Onancock and the 1882 Colonial Manor Inn are small bed and breakfasts downtown, while the Charlotte Hotel offers boutique accommodations in a historic 1907 building with a restaurant and bar.