This state on the East Coast has everything you need for a fun girls' weekend.
Virginia has traditionally been a haven for doting couples. Certainly ever since 1969, when the motto was officially approved by the state. Even though Virginia has many attractions, that memorable statement was about all I knew about it when I made plans to meet my closest buddy there for our semiannual vacation.
On our trip, we intended to eat well, drink a super mario bros lot of wine, have a little fun, and see the sights in two of Virginia's most visited cities: Richmond and Charlottesville. And throughout the course of those few days, I discovered that the official motto of the Commonwealth of Virginia had nothing to do with the cheeky, somewhat risqué connotation I had previously ascribed to it. Turns out there's a lot for culture vultures, outdoorsy types, gourmands, and creative types to enjoy in Virginia. It works just as well for close pals. We slept at Quirk, a hotel in Charlottesville with, as its name implies, a distinct personality, complete with eccentric decor and one-of-a-kind artwork. This is the very first boutique art hotel to open in the city's original core district.
The hotel's convenient proximity to Charlottesville's Downtown Mall, a shopping and dining district with over 120 stores, was another perk of being in the heart of the city. We browsed the mall, looking through antique stores, second-hand bookstores, and more. When hunger struck, we could have gone to any number of places, such as Brasserie Saison and Citizen Burger Bar, but we ended up at The Whiskey Jar, where we had a delicious traditional Southern lunch. The Wool Factory is a former factory that has been transformed into a full-fledged food and beverage destination, complete with high-end restaurants, specialty breweries, wineries, and coffee shops.
There is a lot for women to do outside of Charlottesville proper on a ladies' weekend, including visiting local wineries. We were pleasantly delighted to find out that Virginia is home to more than 300 wineries and dozens of wine trails, one of the most picturesque of which is Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, located just outside of Charlottesville. We had a red wine flight and a white wine flight, as well as some small snacks, at a table near Pippin Hill's charming gardens.
Monticello Wine Trail, which includes Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards, is gaining in popularity because of its proximity to Thomas Jefferson's old home. For more outdoor enjoyment in the region, visit Carter Mountain Orchard for a day of picking your own fruit, complete with cider doughnuts and an apple-themed gift store.
