(Ruther Glen, VA) – Within 16 months of operation, the Caroline County Visitor Center welcomed its 10,000th visitor on March 19. Krissi Shook and Jennie Smith, both of Advance, NC, were the 10,000th and 10,001st visitors. The ladies came in to the center to pick up a Virginia road map and ask for directions. Once it was announced to them that they were the lucky visitors, their worry turned into elation. Shook and Smith were greeted with applause by tourism staff and given a gift bag full of County and Secretariat souvenirs.

What started out as a girls’ weekend to a friend’s wedding turned into a memorable experience. “We were meant to be here!” exclaimed Krissi Shook. They were headed to Prince Frederick’s, MD via US-301, but the directions they found online didn’t list what exit to take off of I-95. Hungry, Shook and Smith came off the interstate and saw Arby’s and the county visitor center, and they decided to stop for lunch and directions.

Travel Counselor Jennifer Upshaw assured them that they had found the right exit and then assisted them by highlighting their route on state maps and offering alternate routes to get to their destination. They then enjoyed the rest of the center, shopping in the Caroline Crafter retail shop and purchasing presents for family as well as taking a photo in front of the center’s 28-foot long prehistoric whale.

The Caroline County Visitor Center opened on November 22, 2008 and is located on Rt. 207 off I-95 Exit 104. It is operated by the Caroline County Department of Economic Development & Tourism and open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.