Here’s a guest blog post from a A Day’s Outing Fan, Sharon Singleton -

For those who love history AND great food, a outing to an area just southeast of Richmond, VA will provide both.  We took friends from Michigan on a tour along the Jamestown Discovery Trail, scenic Route 5, which follows the James River running east toward Jamestown.  On 40 miles of this lovely country road there are no less than 45 historical places or markers, including the scene of Thomas Jefferson’s wedding, several important Civil War Battlefields and nine historic plantations.  Since we got a late start we visited Malvern Cliffs Battlefield Site with eight cannons keeping watch over this now silent ground, then the stately Georgian-style Shirley Plantation, currently owned and lived in by the 11th generation of the original family.  The plantation house, outbuildings and grounds are immaculately kept and our tour guide was hospitable and knowledgeable.

After asking, it was suggested that we check out the Charles City Tavern for dinner, just about 5 miles further east on Route 5.  We arrived before they were open for dinner but were invited in for a drink and an appetizer which we had on a screened porch.  This restaurant was formerly the main house of a dairy farm and is now owned and operated by the Macknights.  Mr. Macknight is the extraordinary chef and Mrs. Macknight was our friendly and attentive server.  Each of us had something different and each meal was superb; beautifully cooked, well-served and reasonable.  The entire tour, ending with dinner here, is highly recommended!

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