Explore Fredericksburg’s Itty Bitty City scavenger hunt
Fredericksburg’s 18th-annual Itty Bitty City scavenger hunt has just started. The hunt, which is organized by The Free Lance-Star in partnership with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism, will be open through September 7th. It covers much of the Downtown area, spanning from Lafayette Boulevard to Lewis Street, and from Sophia Street to Liberty Street. There are 40 items on the sheet, and their locations must be found to complete the hunt. Once finished, you can submit your entry at Fredericksburg.com for a chance at up to $1,000 in downtown gift cards.
I started off at the Fredericksburg Visitor Center (706 Caroline St.), where I grabbed a paper and prepared to hunt. I went to Fredericksburg Cupcake and Eileen’s Bakery along the way, where I filled up on freshly baked treats and cooling drinks. Before I left to head home, I stopped by Benny’s Pizza for one of their signature slices, which is so big they serve it on two paper plates.
I’ve been downtown many times, but paying attention to details in my hunt led me to some new discoveries. The downtown area is filled with so much interesting architecture. I noticed plaques on many of the buildings for the first time, which tell when the building was established.
I saw many people participating in the hunt, and even got to talking with someone who found 37 of the items. He did the hunt in previous years, and gave me a few helpful hints. In case you don’t run into someone as knowledgeable as him, you can also find hints in The Free Lance-Star paper and on the Fredericksburg.com Facebook page.
I found 14, or about one-third, of the pictures in two hours. If you plan on looking for everything, it may take a while longer. My family and I found it very fun, and enjoyed finding new places to eat and shop. I would recommend this hunt to anyone looking for something new to do in the city, regardless of your age. You can grab a form at the Visitor Center or print one from this website, which also lists the rules. Have fun hunting, and make sure to keep an eye out for more fun at FXBG.com.