IF YOU FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED A SLIGHT LACK IN ADVENTURING AND A BUMP IN WORK RELATED POSTS...
It's true, when Summer hits I like to do a little more traveling. Whether it be day trips down the river in Charlottesville, weekday getaways to the beach, or long weekends in Upstate New York, this is the time of year where I like to gather little moss. While work has kept me slightly busier than usual this summer (and I am so thankful!) with a big trip abroad this fall, it just makes sense to stick a little closer to home. So I can honestly say I wasn't expecting a trip this year for my birthday. I had a lovely mid-week trip to celebrate another year around this earth. It was quiet, quaint, and full of sweet surprises.
Keeping in pattern with the past few years I had no clue where we were headed when we left Richmond, August 3rd. I was told, "North" and "beach." We finally made a stop for lunch in Annapolis Maryland.
Annapolis. Like Old Town Alexandria and Charleston had a baby! Lots of old city charm and cobblestone. We grabbed a quick bite at Pip's on the water. I love a hole in the wall kind of place and I love a good hotdog. This place fit the bill. The heat of summer has been kicking my butt lately so after lunch and a very brief walk around town I was ready to get back in the car and head to the next destination.
Only the universe had other ideas! After being on the road for 10 minutes, we began to have a little car trouble. It could have been so much worse but Tyler knew right away exactly what the problem was and we pulled into a very convenient repair shop. Two hours later we were back on the road! Tyler was worried the whole fiasco would ruin my birthday but honestly I wasn't bothered. The car got fixed. I cooled off in the AC. I had a smoothie. I was good.
We ended up in Oxford, Maryland. The cutest little town on the bay. I fell in love with he place right away! It had the small town look of costal New England. And so quiet! It fit the description for every "cute small town" in any rom-com/quirky mystery novel. The town is home to less than 700 people and full of old historic homes with well kept gardens. I was immediately ready and looking to purchase real estate.
We stayed at Sandaway Suites a picturesque B&B right on the water with it's own private beach. Mornings were nice to spend on the beach, collecting shells, the entire place all to ourselves. We spent our days walking around town, admiring the houses as well as the history, stopping in the one cafe for a little pick-me-up and then back to the beach to enjoy the sunshine and time kayaking on the water. When it was time for dinner, we just cleaned up, changed clothes, and walked down the street to one of the few restaurants. If a sleepy beach town is your idea of a relaxing getaway I couldn't recommend Oxford more!
This birthday may have been more low-key than years past. But what made it special was how thoughtful and carefully planned each detail was. From surprising me with my favorite kind of lunch place in Annapolis, to discovering a small town that fits my dream, and planning an activity we can do together like kayaking, this birthday was definitely one to be remembered. With the rest of August set to be a whirlwind with photo sessions, family visits and more weddings to capture, this quiet time in Oxford was extra sweet and felt like a harbinger for what I'm really looking forward to: I T A L Y! in September.
click here to see where I went last year for my birthday!
Keep scrolling to see more photos from our trip!
