Stafford County, proud site of George Washington’s boyhood home, is located in the Northern Virginia region on the Interstate 95 corridor positioned midway between Washington, DC, and Richmond, VA. The city of Fredericksburg is located just south of the county.
Named for Staffordshire, England and established in 1664, Stafford was home
to Falmouth – an international colonial port town on the north bank of the
Rappahannock River. Stafford is best known for The Washington Family
Farm - the boyhood home of George Washington, and setting for some of
the best known stories of his youth, including the tales of the cherry tree and
throwing the stone across the Rappahannock River. History buffs can visit this
archaeological site, as well as Stafford’s historic Civil War
sites, including Aquia Landing, Chatham, and White Oak Museum.
Stafford’s location along the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers allows visitors to escape through the many recreational opportunities, including motorized boating, fishing, canoeing and kayaking. Golfers will love the challenging, prestigious courses of Augustine, Cannon Ridge and The Gauntlet.
A touch of culture can be found at Belmont – the home and studio of American artist Gari Melchers, or at Riverside Dinner Theater – a live, performing arts theater. For an exquisite taste of Stafford, guests can tour the traditional farm operations at Hartwood Winery, or the state-of-the-art facilities of Potomac Point Winery.
The University of Mary Washington hosts a series of quality concerts, art exhibits and performances throughout the year that you won't want to miss.