To celebrate my 6 year anniversary with my boyfriend, I booked us a romantic getaway in West Virginia so we could take a break from the fast pace of life around us. Our 24 hours away was truly lovely, and if you’re looking to visit Northern West Virginia/Virginia, this travel guide is for you.
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Hillbrook Inn and Spa in Charleston, WV, and it was an unforgettable experience from check in to check out! I couldn’t recommend this little slice of heaven more. We were greeted to cookies and cider when we checked in, as well as a personalized tour and welcome.
Our room was called The Lookout, and it was a cozy suite with slanted walls, cozy chairs, the most luxurious and cozy bed, and a shower with a waterfall head. I had the best nights rest and a great shower, and it was hard to check out! Of course, everything was clean and pristine and incredible amenities.
Before dinner, we spent some time at the little hotel bar and enjoyed a festive cranberry cocktail. The building was beautifully decorated for Christmas, on the inside and outside, and the old tudor charm was evident.
The next morning, we had an excellent, 2-course breakfast in their formal dining room. Complete with tea, coffee, and juice, we started with a blueberry oatmeal topped with whipped yogurt cream and granola, then had a havarti biscuit with eggs, sausage, and a carrot butter sauce. Everything was delectable!
What to Do
While you’re in the area, you have to go wine tasting! Loudoun County, VA is home to so many vineyards (40+), so picking a few to go to is hard, but the way we did it was we found one we were interested in then popped around to the ones nearby.
We started at Hillsborough Vineyard, Winery, and Brewery (and I think this was our favorite). We went for the dry wine sampler, which had 2 whites and a rose, and a flight of beers. The beer was average, but the wine was incredible! The Serafina Rose was so enjoyable, we bought a bottle! The vineyard’s grounds were also beautiful and definitely would have been nice to see in the summer.
We then went to 868 Estate Winery for some snacks and more wine. We did the elevated tasting, that included 5 different wines and gourmet snacks. We loved the Cab Franc wine and the curry goat cheese.
We finished off the wine tour with Breaux Vineyards, a STUNNING mansion and expansive vineyard. The giant house was decorated beautifully, and they had a Christmas event going on. The vineyard was lively and we bought 3 bottles of wine to go, which we thoroughly are enjoying!
What to Eat
For dinner, we went to this beautiful restaurant in Purcelville, VA called Magnolias at the Mill. In an old, renovated mill, this luxurious and rustic restaurant took our breath away with the inside design. We started with fried green tomatoes (with goat cheese, bacon, and tomato jam), then Collin had a steak salad and I got a Mexican burger! I would definitely recommend.
Where to Go
This area of West Virginia is also near Harper’s Ferry, which you can read more about in this blog post! We stopped by there on the way back to see how they decorated for Christmas and to walk off our two course breakfast.
All thoughts and opinions are my own.