Run Away for the Day at the Vandiver Inn

Whenever I tell people that I live in Havre de Grace, 9 out of 10 times they say they know Havre de Grace from attending a wedding at the Vandiver Inn.

The Vandiver Inn sits on Union Avenue in the heart of Historic Havre de Grace. John and Susan Muldoon purchased the Inn eighteen years ago. While they found the traditional bed and breakfast charming, they were drawn to the grand pavilion on the Inn’s property.

John and Susan are the definition of “power couple.” I am always in awe of their enthusiasm, energy, and ability to consistently produce fabulous events.

With their cozy guest rooms, award-winning food, and top-notch service, the Vandiver Inn has become one of the most sought-after wedding and event venues in Harford County. Typically, they host seventy to eighty weddings a year. Weddings are their bread and butter. Then, 2020 brought a global pandemic and the wedding and event industry disappeared overnight: every event venue’s worst nightmare.

As the owner of an events and marketing company, I can attest to the fact that the pandemic has been devastating to the industry. At first, we thought we’d just need to postpone events for a few weeks. Weeks turned to months, and now many are rescheduling into 2022.

Small business owners have become all too familiar with the word pivot, and we’ve lost sleep at night trying to figure out how to navigate this pandemic. Taking it day by day has been the only way to survive.

When I think of businesses that truly rose to the challenge and adapted most successfully, the Vandiver Inn would be at the top of my list. With weddings and large gatherings prohibited, the Muldoons had to get creative fast.

After packaging 200 meals for the local Boys and Girls Club, they realized that it would be worth a shot to offer their Monday Night Supper Club 2GO, a concept they’d never tried before. People went wild over it!

I try not to think back to those first few weeks that I was stuck in a condo with four kids – terrified for our world, my company, my family, and my sanity. The one happy memory that I can recall in those early weeks was ordering the Vandiver Inn’s Supper Club 2GO. While this may sound silly, the Thai themed dinner that we had planned for our “date night in” got me through that week. Finally – it was something to look forward to!

If you’ve never experienced the Vandiver Inn’s cuisine – you are truly missing out. Susan Muldoon is one of the most talented chefs and her food is always creative and flavorful.

And while it has been a stressful year for the Muldoons, they still manage to laugh. When I asked them what the best part of owning the Vandiver Inn would be, they both agreed that it is the friends they have met over the years. The best compliment they’ve received was from a father of the bride who stated that his only regret was not having any more daughters to get married at the Vandiver Inn.

The dynamic duo continues to pump out new “outside of the box” ideas, too. One of their latest and greatest promotions caught my attention – “Run Away for the Day” with a Vandiver Inn Staycation.

The website states, “Tired of the all-too-likely chance of a semi-naked person in the background of your zoom chat? The kids need a break from you, it’s ok, no judging. Fireplace, book, and absolutely no Legos in your toes sounds nirvana-esque?”

Twelve hours where I could binge watch Bridgerton and sit in a quiet room sans kids? Sign me up!

To all the parents out there who are juggling virtual schooling, working, laundry, and cooking on top of being sleep deprived – we applaud you! We know how challenging parenthood is normally – never mind during a pandemic. As a mother of four, there are days where I would do anything for just an hour extra hour of uninterrupted sleep or even better – a midday nap!

Havre de Grace Living and The Vandiver Inn are teaming up for the ultimate giveaway – a “Daycation” at the Vandiver Inn. Yes, that’s right – an entire day to yourself! You provide the sitter, we provide the relaxation.

In addition to the “Daycation” at the Vandiver Inn – the winner will also receive a bottle of wine from Coakley’s Cornerstone, a box of chocolates from Bomboy’s Candy and a charcuterie tray from Bowman’s Butcher Shop.

The winner with the most total points will be announced on January 31.

The Daycation must be redeemed on or before March 1, 2021, subject to availability.