Loudoun County Grapes. Photo by Loi Mai © 2012 Loi Mai.
Just outside Washington, DC lies Loudoun, Virginia where horses wander the countryside, sharing the rural landscape with vineyards, farms and historic estates. With its unpaved roads and charming downtowns filled with historic architecture, it’s a place that reminds visitors of a simpler time and one that has served as an idyllic country escape for Washington notables. Nestled between the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Potomac River, Loudoun also features a robust outdoor scene where visitors can enjoy the landscape by doing everything from a hike on the Appalachian Trail to a zipline adventure above the treetops. Come discover this beautiful county less than an hour from the nation’s capital.
Drink
With 40 wineries and tasting rooms, Loudoun is a premier East Coast wine region, leading the way in Virginia. Known as “DC’s Wine Country” due to its proximity to Washington D.C., Loudoun’s boutique wineries house tasting rooms in everything from rustic barns and intimate cellars to architecturally stunning facilities. While here, sample wines that include Virginia varietals like Viognier and Norton, taste grapes off the vine, tour barrel caves, indulge in food pairings and enjoy conversation with award-winning winemakers.While Virginians have been producing wine for over 400 years, the craft beer scene is now also making waves. In Loudoun, try one of 23 breweries that are creating more than 200 unique brews at any given time. Home to the LoCo Ale Trail, experience tasting rooms on farms where brewers are growing hops, cherries and other products to go into their beer or play corn hole and chat with a brewmaster at an urban brewery minutes from Dulles International Airport. Here, get a behind –the- scenes look into the industry by booking a guided tour of the Mid-Atlantic’s first commercial-scale hops processing facility at Black Hops Farm or bike to breweries along the W&OD Trail.
Prefer spirits over beer and wine? Loudoun has you covered with a handful of distilleries, cideries and even a meadery!
Dine
Loudoun prides itself on unique dining experiences where you can dine under the stars in a glass atrium on a farm or in a circa 1905 restored mill. Visit a trendy café that was once a shoe shop or enjoy lunch in a turn-of-the century national bank building. Here, the food is as exceptional as the settings. Chefs focus on fresh cuisine where ingredients are sourced from Loudoun’s farms and transformed into culinary masterpieces. Many of Loudoun’s chefs have received regional and national accolades including Chef Tarver King from the Restaurant at Patowmack Farm, who won Chef of the Year at the 2017 Rammy Awards, and The Conche’s Chef Santosh Tiptur-a world-renowned pastry chef who has appeared on various culinary competition programs on the Food Network.
Discover
Besides a robust culinary, wine and beer scene, Loudoun offers a wealth of other attractions and activities for visitors to enjoy. Stay in one of two resorts or a Bed & Breakfast to take advantage of everything Loudoun has to offer. History lovers can tour the former home of Virginia Governor Westmoreland Davis at Morven Park or enjoy a tea at Oatlands Historic House & Gardens- a National Historic Landmark. Those looking for adventure can try everything from white water rafting and indoor skydiving to zipline courses and numerous hiking trails along the mountains and river. Take time to explore the historic towns of Leesburg and Middleburg, where an eclectic mix of shops and restaurants line the streets, or delve into Loudoun’s rich horse and hunt history at the National Sporting Library & Museum.
For more detailed information on where you can “Dine, Drink, and Discover Loudoun,” visit visitloudoun.org.
You find the offerings in Loudoun are endless. Come create your perfect weekend escape in Virginia’s beautiful countryside and share your experience on social media with #LoveLoudoun.