Getting to and from Nags head is half the fun, unless you try to sneak through Hampton Roads at 5 PM and get hung up in D.C.-like traffic. Actually, we took I-64 on the way down so we could stop at Bubba’s at Virginia Beach, Nancy’s favorite restaurant. We met with some traffic, but since it was mid-day, it wasn’t so bad. And interestingly, when we left Virginia Beach, my GPS Lady took us through some back country and we popped out near Battlefield Boulevard on Rt. 168 below the toll road. It was a real time saver, and we didn’t have the pay the toll. They now charge $3 if it’s a weekday, but if you pass through on a weekend, it’s $8. What a rip-off!
Coming back, we took Rt. 460, the scenic route, which connects Petersburg with Suffolk. This is beautiful farming country with vast acres of peanut, cotton and soy bean fields, black creek waters and tree-lined highways.
The main attraction on Rt. 460, however, is the Virginia Diner in Wakefield. The Virginia Diner opened as a wayside in 1929 – a refurbished railroad dining car along a dusty highway in southeastern Virginia, in the heart of Virginia peanut country.
My friends say they have the best breakfasts ever, but I’ve never been through Wakefield that early. We usually hit the small town at lunch time and if we’re lucky, the Virginia Diner has their buffet line up and running. This is one of the best buffets in Virginia. Their Fried Chicken is out of sight and their Barbeque just as good.
We like their buffet, not so much because of the quantity of food you can eat, but the variety. You can add a piece of crispy Fried Catfish to your Barbeque and your piece of Fried Chicken and the sides are delicious – collards, ham seasoned green beans, fried okra, southern style red beets, mashed potatoes and gravy and homemade breads and desserts. All for $11.95.
Something I’ve never tried, but will next time, are their country ham biscuits. Three come on a plate and the lady next to us ordered that. They looked so tempting, if she had just turned her head…… no I wouldn’t have. Too many watching.
Bottom line, it takes a bit longer to go Rt. 460 under normal traffic conditions but it’s a far more pleasant experience.
The Rt. 168 drive, Caratoke Highway in NC, is also enjoyable – lots of nurseries and sprawling farms, plus interesting little towns like Currituck and Coinjock. In season, there are numerous places to stop for fresh fruits and vegetables. The drive is most pleasant and when you finally reach the bridge at the Albemarle Sound, you’ve arrived.
Time for fun in the sun and restaurants aplenty.