Quaint town on the Occoquan River with rich history
Occoquan, an almost mystical village established in 1804, rests by the Occoquan River and is characterized by a vibrant community that appeals to residents of many different walks of life. Cherish Green, a managing broker at Coldwell Banker Elite, whose family has lived in Occoquan since the Civil War, says, “Occoquan brings in a little of everybody, people commuting to DC, people looking to retire on the water, it has the appeal for young couples and families that want to walk around in a historic district with restaurants and whatnot.”
Occoquan is decorated with mom-and-pop shops
The town’s historic blocks are filled with independent boutiques and restaurants. Buy local, shop local is a mantra here – don't expect to find big-box retailers or chains apart from a Lidl for groceries. For coffee and sweets, Grind n’ Crepe is a go-to spot with espresso, smoothies and an assortment of its namesake flat pancakes – including a gluten-free option. Located in an 1840s-era building that the local pharmacist owned, the Secret Garden Café is shrouded by the lush greenery of a cottage garden. The lunch and dinner menu includes ribeye steaks and gumbo, which residents can eat on the outdoor patio with a pond and fountain. D'Rocco's Italian Restaurant, perfect for a special occasion or casual outing, has outdoor seating for al fresco dining or people-watching in the heart of the old town area. While the restaurant's main dishes are Italian fare, it also serves a flavorful bacon cheeseburger and saucy Italian sub sandwich.
River Mill Park for concerts and Occoquan River activities
The central waterfront green space is River Mill Park, spanning an acre along the Occoquan River and close to the Mill House Museum, which hosts concerts and special events. Boating is another popular activity for residents, as motorboats line the private docks on Occoquan’s riverfront properties. The Occoquan Yacht Club is about a mile or two south of the town, in the mouth of Belmont Bay. Green also says of Occoquan River, “It’s good fishing, ever since I was young, we’d go down there and catch catfish.”
Occoquan Fall Arts and Craft Show
Come to Occoquan when the leaves turn brown for the Occoquan Fall Arts and Craft Show, as Green raves, “Occoquan has an annual craft fair that’s wildly popular and shuts down the whole historic district, its got music, vendors, full of arts, food, beer and wine, so it’s a really big deal for Occoquan. It’s in the fall this year, and pretty much everybody in Prince William County has been at least once.” Music on Mill is a free summer concert series held on select Saturdays between May and August in River Mill Park.
Prince William County Public Schools has extracurricular benefits
Occoquan students can attend Prince William County Public Schools, including Occoquan Elementary, rated an A on Niche and provides students with a makerspace -- a place for shared creativity, innovation and problem-solving. Middle school students enroll in Lake Ridge Middle, rated a B-plus and known for its world language programs in French, Spanish and German. For ninth through twelfth graders, the A-graded Woodbridge High School has specialty programs in aviation maintenance and Advanced Placement courses.
Colonials and townhouses surrounded by trees or resting on the riverfront
Home values in Occoquan range from $325,000 to over $825,000, varying by age, square footage and proximity to the riverfront. While this Prince George’s County community is located about 25 miles from D.C. and is flanked by Interstate 95 and the Occoquan River, its shoreline and wooded views make the area feel enchanted. Colonial-style houses perch on the slightly hilly terrain as creeks flow across large, jigsaw-shaped lots. Closer to town, homebuyers will find brick condos from the late 1970s and early ‘80s and updated three-level townhouses designed to blend in with the area’s original architectural styles.
Occoquan appreciates local art
The Artists’ Undertaking Gallery started in 1977 with the creation of a few studios in an old funeral home building. Since then, the site has been a community gallery and art center where local artists display work and teach classes in various mediums and techniques.
I-95 for access north or south in Virginia
Occoquan is just off the exit of Interstate 95, which residents can take 25 miles north to Washington or further south to Virginia cities like Fredericksburg and Richmond.
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Written By
Maxwell Olarinde
