The beach & boardwalk
Sandy public beach along the Potomac with a boardwalk, Town Hill park and the town pier. Swim in summer, walk it year-round, and watch the fireworks over the river in June.
Our hometown
Colonial Beach, Virginia
A small river town with a big front yard: miles of sandy beach on the Potomac, a bay full of boats, golf carts all over town and festivals all year long.
The Playground on the Potomac
A beach town without the crowds
Colonial Beach sits on a point of land where the Potomac River meets Monroe Bay, about an hour and a half from Washington and less than an hour from Fredericksburg. The river is wide here, wide enough that the far shore is Maryland on the horizon, and the town wraps around it with beaches on one side and marinas on the other.
It's the kind of place where you walk to dinner, wave at neighbors from the porch, and catch the sunset from the boardwalk. Summers bring swimmers and boaters; spring and fall bring festivals, car shows and art walks; winters are quiet and beautiful. Plenty of people discover it as a weekend getaway and end up staying for good.
Jessica lives here and knows the town street by street, from the best water views to the blocks that are a short golf-cart ride from the boardwalk.
Why people love it
Life on the water
Boating on Monroe Bay
Marinas, boat slips and private piers on the protected bay behind town, with the open Potomac right around the point. Paddleboards and kayaks fit right in.
Fishing & wildlife
Cast from the municipal pier, crab from your dock, and watch the ospreys come back every spring (the town even throws them a festival). Bald eagles are regulars along the river.
Hometown calendar
A festival for every season
Dates change every year; the Chamber posts the current calendar. See the Colonial Beach Chamber of Commerce calendar
- March – December
2nd Friday Art WalksGalleries and shops stay open late the second Friday of each month.
- April
Osprey FestivalWelcoming the ospreys back to their nests along the river.
Easter Egg HuntThe town's annual hunt for the little ones.
- June
Potomac River FestivalThe big one, held every year since the early 1950s: the Grand Parade, a boat parade, fireworks over the river and a weekend on the boardwalk.
Father's Day Classic Car ShowChrome and classics lining the streets downtown.
- August
Rod Run to the BeachHot rods and street machines take over the town, alongside the Colonial Beach Water Fest.
Arts & Crafts FestivalLocal artists and makers on the waterfront, running for more than fifty years.
- September
Northern Neck Beach Music FestivalBeach music and shag dancing by the water.
- October
Bike FestMotorcycles from all over the region.
Restaurant WeekSpecials at restaurants all over town for a week.
Fall Festival & Golf Cart ParadeOnly in the Golf Cart Town: decorated carts parade through town.
- November
Lighted Boat ParadeBoats strung with lights cruise the shoreline after dark.
- December
Santa's Wonderland & Winter Festival ParadeThe holiday parade and a visit with Santa.
A little history
From steamboat resort to hometown
People have lived along this shore for thousands of years, and the point of land known as "The Point" was patented in 1651. James Monroe was born just outside today's town limits, and George Washington a few miles down the river.
In the late 1800s Colonial Beach became a resort for Washingtonians, who came down the Potomac by steamboat to swim, fish and escape the city heat. Alexander Graham Bell's family kept a summer home on Irving Avenue, and it still stands. The town was incorporated in 1892.
Because the Potomac itself belongs to Maryland, the town's piers once stretched out into Maryland waters, where slot machines were legal, and from 1949 to 1958 the pier casinos drew crowds. Those days are long gone, but the Victorian cottages, the beach and the small-town feel remain.
Around town
Places locals love
Tap a pin to read about it, or get directions.
Beach · Colonial Beach
Town Beach & Boardwalk
Sandy beach along the Potomac with the boardwalk, Town Hill and the festival grounds. Sunset walks, swimming in summer, and fireworks over the river during the Potomac River Festival.
Water · Colonial Beach
Colonial Beach Municipal Pier
The town’s fishing pier, reaching out into the Potomac. NOAA’s Colonial Beach tide gauge is mounted here, the same one behind the tide card on this page.
Water · Colonial Beach
Monroe Bay
The protected bay on the town’s south side: marinas, boat slips, waterfront homes and calm water for paddling. Waterfront homes along Monroe Bay are one of Jessica’s specialties.
Park · Colonial Beach
Castlewood Park
A small town park on Monroe Bay, a short walk from the marinas.
History · Colonial Beach
The Bell House
The Victorian summer home of Alexander Graham Bell’s family, still standing on Irving Avenue. A private home: enjoy it from the street.
History · Colonial Beach
James Monroe Birthplace Park
Where the fifth president was born, just outside town on James Monroe Highway (Route 205). A replica of the family home stands on the site.
Getting here
Close to everything, far from the traffic
Colonial Beach sits on Route 205, which connects to Route 3 and US 301. Many residents commute to Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren or to Fredericksburg, and some make the trip to Northern Virginia and DC a few days a week.
| Dahlgren (NSWC) | about 20 minutes |
|---|---|
| Fredericksburg | about 45 minutes |
| Richmond | about 1½ hours (70 miles) |
| Washington, DC | 1½ to 2 hours (65 miles) |
Typical drive times; traffic, especially around Fredericksburg and DC, varies.
Where to live
From the boardwalk to the bay
Homes in Colonial Beach range from Victorian and beach cottages on the in-town grid near the boardwalk, to waterfront homes on Monroe Bay and the Potomac, to newer neighborhoods and new construction on lots around town. Just outside the town limits, Westmoreland and King George counties offer more land and quieter roads.
Colonial Beach runs its own public school division, separate from the county's. Jessica is happy to point you to the details for any address.
