I don’t know about you all… but I am so over 2020. I don’t recall a year where we have experienced so many crises at once – and it’s only September.
I desperately needed a getaway, but since we are still in a pandemic, it was important to me that I do it safely. I’m personally not comfortable with air travel yet, because I am in the high-risk group. However, I also recognize that COVID-19 is here to stay for a while, and unfortunately, we have to find ways less-risky ways to navigate it.
Luckily, I live in a beautiful state, and there are many places that I can travel to that are near me. Before COVID, I planned to host a wine and wellness weekend with my girls to celebrate the launch of this blog and showcase the beauty of VA. Of course, that did not happen. Sigh.
Thanks to my friends over at Visit Virginia, and the launch of their #WanderLOVE travel campaign, I was able to hit the road and explore some of the finest wineries and restaurants and stay at the vineyard lodging in Charlottesville. Charlottesville has an abundance of activities such as wineries, horseback riding, wine retreats, and great restaurants if you haven’t heard. And while it wasn’t the big Ladies weekend I had initially been planned; it was so fabulous – that I had to share the deets so you can play a trip too! Trust me, a girl’s wine and wellness weekend are the perfect way to relax, laugh, and bond with your girlfriends. Think the movie Wine Country meets Sex and the City, but in Charlottesville and hopefully less drama. Wait – but what is a girl’s trip without a little drama? Ha!
We started our wine and wellness weekend at Pippin Hill Farm. If you’ve been reading my blog, you know that Pippin Hill is one of my favorites. I even shared it as one of my faves to Martha Stewart Mag (shameless plug). When planning a girl’s trip, the first thing you do sets the stage for the entire weekend. So why not start with a bang? Pippin Hill is gorgeous, everything from the mountain views, the landscaping, the food presentation, and the wine. The customer service is excellent too. I’ll give you an example; my reservation was at 1:30 p.m. I arrived at 1:25 p.m. However, I wore some press-on nails, and two of them came off when I arrived. WTF? I can’t walk around with missing nails, so I crawled underneath my SUV rental to find it. I found them, glued them back on, then my outfit got dirty, so I had to change. I was late ASF. I told them what happened, and guess what? They gave me complimentary sparkling champagne for my trouble. It wasn’t even their fault. It was mine for being high maintenance – but that’s why I love them.
We started with white wine flights and then purchased a bottle of champagne. We also bought a cheeseboard, flatbread, and a salad – we were starving. They did not disappoint. They never do, and that’s why they always are #1 in my book.
Once you wrap-up at Pippin Hill and take a few pics for the gram, you should head to Blenheim Vineyards for more wine tasting. Blenheim is a 32-acre vineyard, with a timber frame tasting room and patio with gorgeous vineyard views. Oh, and for all of you, Dave Matthews Band fans – Dave Matthews owns this winery. So yeah.
After all that wine sipping, we checked in to our bed and breakfast. The first night we stayed at the Farmhouse at Veritas (Ver-ah-taus). I kept pronouncing it wrong. Yes, friends, I embarrassed myself in front of all those classy people by calling it (Ver-ee-tas). Nobody corrected me either. Oh well.
Veritas is STUNNING. The photos, videos, and everything else I saw while researching this B&B did no justice. I knew I selected the right place when we drove up the mountain, and the fog rose as we approached the farmhouse. Accommodations are in the property’s farmhouse, built-in 1839 and converted to a six-room guesthouse, or in the nearby two-bedroom cottage. I kept telling my friend, if heaven had an official vineyard bed and breakfast – Veritas would be it. In fact, Veritas might be the 2020 version of where the man upstairs turns water into wine. Or, maybe I’m exaggerating.
We stayed in the Derby Room. It was very country chic. I love a loft-style, two-level accommodation, and this was perfect for my BFF and me. It has a spiral staircase that leads to the king bed upstairs, beautiful views of the vines, and a private entrance. There was even a bottle of sparkling wine waiting for us when we walked into the room. Classy ASF. For a larger group, you might want to book the barn cottage.
My friend and I make the mistake of not booking dinner there. We were so jealous that we didn’t because it looked great, plus we were tired from driving and wine sipping all day. However, we mustered up the energy to drive downtown Charlottesville to have dinner at the Common House, a member’s only social club. It’s a cool and unique venue, with lots of event space, a library, and a rooftop. We wanted to dine on the rooftop, but it was raining – so it didn’t work out as planned. However, the food was excellent – especially the mac and cheese. It was worth the drive.
Day #2
We woke up, got dressed, and had brunch in the garden. Not only is the garden pretty – but it is perfect for mindfulness. After I ate, I sat outside and smelled the fresh mountain air, listened to the sounds of the birds chirping, while watching the vines sway in the wind. I instantly regretted that I did not book their wellness-reset retreat package, but I will next time. Veritas Winery offers three-day wellness reset retreats, which combine yoga and hiking with wine education, cooking classes, vineyard tours, and farmhouse dinners.
We did, however, book a horseback riding tour through the vines. In full disclosure, I didn’t know what I signed up for, and when they told us that we were going to ride the horses through the vines and up the mountain, my friend and I were terrified. In fact, I looked at my horse Gracie – and she started pooping. That was precisely what I felt like I was going to do at the moment. Nonetheless, we pushed through, and it was one of the most memorable experiences of our lives. The view overlooking the winery, farmland, and the city was beautiful. I will never, ever forget that.
Unfortunately, Veritas was only available for one evening, so we had to check out. We checked out our room and went to the winery at Veritas. We were not prepared for the large crowd that was there, so we left. Nobody was social distancing that day, and there was a long line to purchase wine. We decided to leave, and so we went to Afton Mountain Vineyards next.
We checked-in at Glass House Winery B&B, where we stayed in Suite to the Stars. Which is a 2 bedroom/2bathroom suite with a large deck overlooking the mountain, lake, and winery? This B&B has a more casual and family-friendly feel. Unlike the Farmhouse at Veritas, it also has a pool and a hot tub, perfect for a girl’s trip. The only downsides to staying here is that the reception here is low, and there aren’t any restaurants close, be sure to buy groceries to keep there. The only meal they serve is breakfast, and it wasn’t my favorite.
Day# 3
Sunday in Charlottesville is Polo Day! I highly suggest getting dressed up and heading to Kings Family Vineyards for the polo match. It is so fun, and a great place to take more photos for the gram. The grounds itself are beautiful. I’d also check out Septenary Winery at Seven Oaks and Stinson Vineyards. All three wineries are beautiful and near one another.
After a day of wine-sipping, I highly encourage you to check out some of the boutiques in downtown Charlottesville. I really liked Bittersweet, Eloise, and Honey Rider on Main street.
Shopping and wine sipping usually make me hungry, so we dined at the Quirk Hotel rooftop restaurant. It was a lovely night for a rooftop dinner. The views were spectacular, the food was good, and they had a great wine and beer list. After we ate, we headed back to the B&B to give ourselves facials, pedicures, and spent one last evening relaxing in the hot tub before heading home on Monday. It was a perfect weekend, and we both can’t wait to go back.
