Day escape to Bay Creek

Cross the water for modern amenities and Eastern Shore charm

By Jill Canada

As seen in Hampton Roads Magazine - August 2005

Driving eastbound across the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel and slipping over and under the waterline like a shore bird as the road rises and dips means, rest assured, a haven from busy Hampton Roads is ahead. Ten miles north on Route 13 after the bridge, amidst the quaintness and quietude of the Eastern Shore, modern amenities are nestled into Cape Charles at Bay Creek Golf and Marina Resort.

Begun by Hampton Roads developer Richard "Dickie" Foster, Bay Creek has nine planned villages with Eastern Shore influenced architecture. Foster envisions the property with a 50,000-foot golf club with golf pro shop, 44,830-foot beach club with a pool and community center, spa, hotel and more. Although years out from reaching that grandeur, Bay Creek offers recreational activities now–golf, fine dining, shopping and boating- that are perks for day-trippers seeking a new escape.

Start with tee

Bay Creek has two, 18-hole, championship golf courses-one designed by Arnold Palmer, the other by Jack Nicklaus. Both 72-par courses are semi-private, with a daily play rate of $85 April-October and $65 November-March. Eventually the courses will become private, although that timeline has not yet been set.

The front nine of the 7204-yard Arnold Palmer Signature Course at Bay Creek offers spectacular views of the water. The course has four holes on the Chesapeake Bay , eight on Old Plantation Creek and several framed by dunes. The Palmer's Bermuda fairways are open, with a slight roll to the terrain. It has five sets of trees to challenge all levels, with the forward tees cutting the yardage down to 5229.

To offer "Cliffs Notes" to accuracy, golf carts at Bay Creek come standard with GPS tracking. With a click of a button, you can pull up yardage, the lay of the course, pro tips…or even the snack bar menu as the ninth hole approaches. The Palmer course is open for play now, however The Jack Nicklaus Signature Course at Bay Creek isn't expected to open until this fall. 

Afternoon apps and shopping

After finishing the 18 th hole and burning off the last of the calories from lunch head for a light snack at Fish Heads Café, and shop in the Village Merchants at Bahama Breeze, Veranda or Purple Pelican. Fish heads Café offers light fare like Thai Roast Pork Salad, Turkey Cobb Salad Wrap, a limited selection of wine and an assortment of crackers and spreads.

If you have a taste for painted kitchen décor after lunch, the Purple Pelican has that along with colorful children's toys and zany pet dishes and collars. Bahama Breeze has resort/casual clothes like Vineyard Vines ties and belts, Seven Jeans, Tommy Bahama shirts, colorful Lacoste sweaters and Eliza B. sandals. And the last store, Veranda, sells fine arts; its gallery located on the upper floor, features bright, playful artworks of mermaids, sailboats, seascapes and abstracts.

Throughout the store, great views of the water and plenty of natural sunlight will pique your interest in the marina.

Marina meandering

The Marina at Bay Creek can accommodate boats up to 150 feet. One hundred and twenty five of their projected 216 slips are available on a first-come, first-serve basis at a daily rate of $1.50 per foot, says Joe Hable, director of operations for Marina Villages . Slips are also available for monthly or yearlong rentals. The main, fixed dock is 20 feet wide and 1,000 feet long with floating finger piers that accommodate boats 35-70 feet in length. (The T-head accommodates larger vessels.) The dock was designed wide enough to hast gatherings like outdoor weddings, Hable says.

The marina is 1 ½ miles away from bay (following the channel) and 10 miles away from the Atlantic , with a minimum depth of 7 feet. Amenities include water, fuel, cable television and high-speed internet access and an in-ground pool. For convenience, there's also a bait and tackle store located next to the Village Merchants. The Complete Angler has rods, reels, lures, toiletries, snacks, and bait suitable for seasonal fish.

Local fareLOCAL FARE

After meandering around the marina, Bay Creek offers two choices for dinner located next to the shops: Aqua and Cabana Bar, which opened in August 2004.

Aqua, a fine-dining restaurant, features great views of the water, dim lighting, dark wood floors, leather chairs and a bar garnished with bright, aqua tiles and flat-screen televisions. The restaurant seats 121 inside and 50 on the deck in the summer, and at peak season, it expects to serve 300-400 dishes per night. Aqua features modern, creative fare with an emphasis on local sourcing, says executive chef Amy Brandt, who opened the restaurant Lucky Star in Virginia Beach in 1989.

"We get our oysters and clams local," says executive soux chef Shelly Cusmina, who opened Beach Bay Grille in Virginia Beach last year and has worked with Brant for 10 years. "We have a liaison with a farmer up in Parksley. And he supplies us with fresh vegetables and lettuces all summer long-beautiful stuff. We get our tomatoes from a local farmer in Virginia Beach." Upstairs, Cabana Bar offers a relaxed setting with seating for 75. Aqua-marine walls highlighted with large, abstract paintings; high ceilings; woven fans; and scenic views of the water from the second floor add to the casual atmosphere, along with cuisine like pizza, salads, edamame and fried flounder parmesan.

One day turns into two

After dining, if you're too tired or full to make the trek across the bay, you can make the day trip into a two-day escape. By the marina, there are two fully furnished suites-a one bedroom rents for $250 per night and two bedroom for $350-both including kitchens…not that you'll be hungry.