Beach, river or mountains? You pick!

How does a three-day weekend in the Outer Banks sound? Or overnight with breathtaking views of the Shenandoah Mountains? How about a quaint little sleepy town on the Potomac River? Good news is you don't have to make such a difficult decision! Why?

Because at the Denny's Shotgun Riders April 30 fundraiser you will have the opportunity to bid on all three of these fantastic stays!

My incredible cousin, Terra, has generously offered up a Friday-Sunday stay in her 2 bedroom 1 bath house in Kill Devils Hills! (https://m.airbnb.com/listings/5767766) dates of stay will be determined by the winner of the auction and the owners.  This one level, dog-friendly house with a fenced backyard is small but perfect! You won't be wasting time inside (even though it does have central a/c and heat) when you're in the Outer Banks, anyway!  The house is a 5 minute walk to the beach and located "in between the highways" if you are in tune with OBX lingo! It's even within crawling distance of incredible restaurants like Awful Arthur's (http://awfularthursobx.com/) and Jolly Roger (http://jollyrogerobx.com/) ! Whether you are a sunbather, a boater, a lighthouse climber, a wildlife photographer, a lover of delicious fresh seafood, or you're like me and just feel at peace near the ocean, the Outer Banks has it all!

If you like the water, but the ocean isn't your thing or perhaps you want to stay in Virginia, then you're in luck!! Our awesome friend, Betty, has secured (among other goodies from the town) a stay at The Plaza, (http://colonialbeachplaza.com/), a historic bed and breakfast in the sleepy little town of Colonial Beach (http://www.colonialbeachva.net/) on the Potomac River!

For those of you who don't know, this town is very near and dear to my family's heart. Colonial Beach has been in my family's bloodline since the 1930s when my great-grandmother and her friends used to take the St. John's Boat all the way from Alexandria! In 1957, my grandparents bought their first summer cottage in the town and in 1981, they sold that cottage and bought another one three streets over. As a child, I remember spending every weekend from Memorial Day to Labor Day at the cottage! Last year, my parents demolished the family summer cottage and built a "real home" in the same location and have officially made the "Playground on the Potomac" their second home.

You can bring your bicycles (or motorcycles), rent a golf cart or just walk around the town. The Potomac River is on one side and the Monroe Bay is on the other. Visit during the summer and you can go crabbing, fishing, or even visit Shady Lane Seafood and leave the work to them! Maybe riverboat gambling is your thing or perhaps you want to revolve your stay around one of the special events they have during the year - like the annual Potomac River Festival, the Arts and Crafts Festival, YMCA triathlon or even bike weekend! There are also wineries nearby that are part of the Chesapeake Wine Trail! 

Maybe the water isn't your thing. That's fine too. Thanks to Kimberley Fort (and Howard O'Brien for his contacts), you'll be able to bid on an overnight stay at her Harmony Manor Bed and Breakfast

(http://harmonymanorbb.com/) in Washington, Virginia! With breathtaking views of the Shenandoah mountains you are surrounded by hiking opportunities, wildlife and 13 local wineries! (Check out the earlier Chateau O'Brien post - it's very close to Harmony!)  Art galleries, antiques, farms, orchards and horseback riding are at your disposal! Best of all, you can just "unwind, relax and indulge!" Who doesn't enjoy those three things?!

From the beaches of Outer Banks of North Carolina to the shores of the Potomac River to the mountains of Rappahannock County, Denny's Shotgun Riders has it covered!

Get your checkbooks ready and make sure to mark your calendars for the evening of April 30!
Better yet, make sure you don't have to stand in line that night and contact me at valamoore@yahoo.com to sign up ahead of time for the fundraiser! We sure would appreciate it!

Make sure you don't miss out on an opportunity to stay at one (or all) of these wonderful places!

We can't wait to see you next month!