The Oyster Experience
Offered Mondays – Thursdays, October 1–early December, 2014
A two-day adventure offering a hands-on oystering experience with a local waterman on
Virginia’s Rappahannock River, renowned for producing some of the best oysters in the world.
Day 1
Early morning, meet Capt. William Saunders, a longtime, local waterman born into the oyster industry.
Climb aboard a deadrise, a classic Virginia oyster vessel and head out to local oyster beds where you’ll help harvest, size
and sort the oysters. Deliver the catch to a local oyster shucking plant, and see how the bi-valves are cleaned, shucked
and packaged to be shipped around the country.
Return to the Tides, bringing some of the oyster harvest to Chef TV Flynn who will cook up an oyster-inspired lunch
featuring your morning catch.
Day 2
The next morning, visit the Rappahannock River Oyster company on the Rappahannock River and learn how a couple of
local boys made good by developing a cottage industry of cultured oysters that has become the role model for a new
breed of watermen.
Enjoy a light lunch at the waterside restaurant, Merroir, ranked one of the best oyster bars in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure
magazine.
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The Oyster Experience is a hands-on tour for the adventurous and physically fit.
Limited to a maximum of four people (must be at least 16 years old).
Please wear appropriate gear including waterproof boots.
Cost is $250 per person
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To reserve your stay or book any of the above events
please contact our reservations team – (804) 438-5000 or visit tidesinn.com.
To learn more about our Oyster Experience, please contact our Activities Team at ext. 4489.
The Tides Inn offers an ongoing program of seasonal activities and events for guests’ enjoyment. Our idyllic waterfront
location on Carter’s Creek, a tributary of the Rappahannock River which flows into the magnificent Chesapeake Bay,
provides us with a calm setting for kayaking, canoeing, paddle boarding and sailing as well as for spotting bald eagles,
osprey and blue heron. Weekly activities include morning bike rides, tennis and golf clinics as well as classes in yoga,
vision boarding, mixology, meditation, and cardio, among many others.
480 King Carter Drive, Irvington, VA 22480