Older than the United States and located just outside of Aquia Harbour, Aquia Church was built in 1757 and is a designated National Historic Landmark.
Aquia Harbour is an exclusive, gated community that serves as a commuter home base for workers traveling 15 miles to Fredericksburg, 45 miles to Washington, DC or 70 miles to the capital city of Richmond. If that last trek seems lengthy, that's because it is. But Aquia Harbour residents don't mind since they come home to their own slice of walled paradise every evening. Besides, a commuter bus runs daily from neighboring Stafford, Virginia, directly to the Pentagon and downtown DC.
Moving to Aquia Harbour
First things first: if you're looking for apartment complexes, prepare for disappointment. There are around 2,300 homes here, and none of them are attached to each other. The nearest rental apartments are located just outside the southern boundary of Aquia Harbour -- the Aquia Terrace Apartments or Crescent Pointe. If you're looking for housing for rent, then you may be in luck, but given the neighborhood's exclusivity and popularity, you'd better begin looking for an apt for rent at least three months in advance. Or, you could make friends with current residents to get the inside scoop. Even then, this might just be a place that likes longer term roots than your average lease provides.
If you manage to find a willing landlord, come prepared to make the best possible first impression. Whip out your proof of income (a healthy amount of it), spotless credit history, stellar references and deposit money (a good amount of that, too) with confidence.
Virginia, a southern state, has four seasons, but the winter one is generally more mild than you'll find further north. Still, moving in December or January might find you navigating icy roads, so pick one of the other seasons instead.
Neighborhoods in Aquia Harbour
Aquia is technically a neighborhood in its own right. It represents about a tenth of the population of Stafford County.
North Aquia Creek: On the north side of Aquia Creek, you'll find the Country Club and pool, along with several small community parks.
South Aquia Creek: On the south side of the Creek, you'll find the stables, a dog park and access to Government Island.
West Aquia Harbour: Closest to the main gate and highway access in the west, you'll enjoy easy access to tennis courts and the Harbour Inn and Pool here.
Living in Aquia Harbour
This place has everything: a country club, swimming pools, a private marina and boat docks, horse trails and riding arenas, tennis courts, jogging paths, playgrounds, and more. Heck, there's even a stable for your horse! Walking and bridle paths ring the community, providing great outdoor recreation and exercise opportunities. Add to that the peace of mind provided by round-the-clock security and a private police department, and you may never want to leave again!
You're not going to find retail opportunities within the neighborhood, but just outside is Aquia Town Center with several fast food options, the humorously named Carlos O'Kelly's Mexican Cafe, a movie theater and several small shops. Bigger retail is located just on the other side of I-95 -- your big-box errands won't take you too far from home.
History buffs will be happy to leave Aquia Harbour to explore the surrounding area's many historic Civil War battlefields. There are also several state parks and nature preserves within an easy drive: Widewater State Park, Crow's Nest Natural Area Preserve and Prince William Forest Park, just to name a few. And, of course, the nearby meandering Potomac River provides plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities as well. You might even feel the need to buy your own boat to sail down the Aquia Creek to the Potomac now that you live somewhere with a private marina.