The northern crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains begins in Pennsylvania and wanders its way southward through a sliver of Maryland before expanding into its full glory in northern Virginia. Loudoun County, which is 520 square miles in area, takes up a majority of Virginia’s northern Blue Ridge. Down the county’s meandering lanes can be found some of the most beautiful scenery in Old Dominion, as well as some world class vineyards that make this southeastern region one of the best destinations for a wine vacation.
While only located 45 miles, about an hour’s drive, outside of Washington D.C., Loudoun County’s landscape is something entirely different from the traffic congestion and built-up metro of our nation’s capital. The Blue Ridge mountains seem to rise out of the earth like great waves. Amazing, under-the-radar small towns like Middleburg ooze with historic charm and local character. It’s a wonderfully diverse region where you can go from hiking and exploring the outdoors, to shopping trendy downtowns and sipping on award-winning local wine.
This is an area that needs to be a stop on everyone’s Virginia wine country road trip. Shack up for a few nights at the luxurious Salamander Resort in Middleburg, or the historical Hotel Burg in downtown Leesburg. Wherever in Loudoun County you choose to stay, do yourself a favor and make a trip of it. You won’t be sorry.
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The best Loudoun County wine experiences
People enjoying wine and food. – Ariel Skelley/Getty Images
Cheekily nicknamed “D.C.’s Wine Country”, Loudoun County contains almost 1,000 acres of vineyards stretched out across over 50 wineries. An iconic location to visit would have to be Willowcroft Farm Vineyard, as it was the first to bottle up some Loudoun County riesling back in 1984. Its red barn tasting room is set on over 12 acres of rolling grape vines, containing several different varietals, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Chardonnay, and Vidal Blanc. Experience a wine tasting or tour the historic vineyard as you sip on some of the award-winning wines.
If you’re interested in seeing more than one Loudoun County winery, then check out Cork and Keg Tours. The family-owned business offers customized vineyard tours based on your wine preferences, and will pamper you for a day as you travel around in one of its luxury Mercedes vans. It also offers craft brewery and distillery tours if you are interested in that.
Another top-tier wine tasting experience would be to head into Leesburg for a unique dinner and wine tasting experience with The Vineyards and Winery at Lost Creek. It hosts Terroir to Table Dinners throughout the year, highlighting the seasons with a selection of locally sourced meals and their own wines. Certainly not an experience to be missed for any foodies.
Blue Ridge explorations in Loudoun County
A hiking path surrounded by trees and blue flowers in Virginia. – MarkVanDykePhotography/Shutterstock
While you can easily spend your entire trip to Loudoun County exploring the vineyards and charming towns, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t head outside and ramble through the county’s landscape. Remember, this is the area in Virginia where the Blue Ridge Mountains begin. There are several different places where you can go out and experience this nature firsthand. Banshee Reeks Nature Preserve is nearly 700 acres of designated protected woodlands. It contains 20 miles of maintained trails that wind through woods, creeks, wetlands, and fields.
Another great option for outdoor adventuring is Sweet Run State Park in Hillsboro. One of Virginia’s newer state parks, this work-in-progress contains over 11 miles of trails cut into the Blue Ridge hillside. A picnic pavilion and nature playground for children are available near the entrance. The remains of an old, 19th-century farming community can be found here, and there is a historic farmhouse visitors can peek into.
We imagine you’ll have worked up quite an appetite after spending a day exploring. Why not head into Hillsboro proper and order a wood-fired pizza from Market in the Gap? Want something a little more refined? Head into Leesburg to the Red Fox Inn and Tavern to enjoy a menu of seasonal favorites sourced directly from this lush, scenic slice of Blue Ridge country in Virginia.
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Read the original article on Explore.