Our Virginia bed and breakfast is located on a little peninsula. It is surrounded on three sides by water and 800 feet of waterfront. So what is there to do? Well go kayaking of course! We are on the western banks of the Chesapeake Bay in beautiful Mathews County Virginia. Mathews County has more waterfront than any other county in Virginia, and The Inn at Tabbs Creek is located literally just a few hundred yards from one of the side trails of the Mathews Maritime Heritage Trail. So not only can you enjoy a relaxing kayaking excursion, you can see all sorts of natural beauty as well as some the historical maritime sites of Virginia.
Kayak Rentals – Contact our friends at Chesapeake Bay Paddling Company for Kayak and SUP board rentals to be delivered on site. Solo and Tandem Sea Kayaks, Sit on Tops, Fishing Kayaks, and SUP boards are all available for rent and they also provide some guided tours and instruction. Take an eco-tour or paddle out to our iconic local lighthouse and pristine beaches. You may even see some Dolphins dance! Call 804-294-1105 to reserve your rentals and for more information on guided tours and instruction.
Whether you rent kayaks, or bring your own, you can launch right out of our backyard and be on your way in minutes. Our little inlet known as Tabbs Creek, (hence the name The Inn at Tabbs Creek), is scenic, calm and beautiful. For those who are new or out of practice at kayaking, it is an ideal spot to learn or relearn how to do it. For those seasoned veterans, it is a great launching point to begin your kayaking adventure into the East River.
Go South down the East River where you will run into Mobjack Bay which is an ideal spot for kayak fishing. Keep going, and you run into the Chesapeake Bay. If you choose to go north up the East River, you are not too far from one of the only Tide Mills still standing in Virginia. This is part of Poplar Grove, the birthplace of the first female Captain in the Civil War as well as being once owned by John and Yoko Lennon.
That’s right… we have a very rich and interesting history here in Mathews County! As you continue up the East River, keep looking out for Dolphins, Rays and Sea Turtles and then be sure to stop at Williams Wharf Landing. Since the time of the Revolutionary War, Williams Wharf Landing has been a major port of call for maritime activity in Virginia. You can get out, have a look around, enjoy a picnic lunch in the shade, and also take a timely bathroom break .
If you bring your own kayak, there are 15 different launch sites within a short drive as part of the Mathews Blueways Water Trails, including the one at the New Point Comfort Lighthouse observatory. If the conditions are right, this is the perfect place to launch and explore pristine beaches owned by the Nature Conservancy as you paddle out to the Lighthouse itself. Enjoy a picnic on the sandbar next to the lighthouse as you watch the Pelicans and Cormorants fly overhead. If you are looking for a calmer paddle, our Virginia Bed and Breakfast is located just a few miles from the Horn Harbor area where you can explore more marshlands and different bird species or Bethel Beach Nature Preserve where you can launch straight into the Chesapeake Bay. Head out to Gwynns Island, and there is a decent chance you will see some Dolphins that want to play. All to say there are more options here than the average kayaker will have time to pursue, so you might just have to keep coming back to Mathews. Virginia is for Kayak Lovers!
