Loving Loudoun

Walsh Family Wine

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This guest blog comes from Visit Loudoun, sponsor and long-time friend of the fest. 

​TEN THINGS TO DO IN LOUDOUN
Loudoun is lucky to be home to a spectacular 13-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, arguably the greatest hiking trail on earth. The fifth annual Loudoun Appalachian Trail Festival hosted by the “trail towns” of Hillsboro, Round Hill and Bluemont celebrates all-things A.T. in Loudoun. But while here for the fun, free event, why not explore a little further? Don’t miss these ten activities to do while in Loudoun.

VISIT A WINERY
Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Loudoun’s wine industry with a visit to one of our 50-plus wineries and tasting rooms. Venues close to the A.T. Festival include 2020 Governor’s Cup winner 868 Estate Vineyards and the scenic 400-acre  Doukénie Winery. On the slopes facing the Blue Ridge a little further west, you will find Hillsborough Winery, Brewery and Vineyard and the French Louisiana-style Breaux Vineyards. Closer to Purcellville is the modish tasting room of Walsh Family Wine and the rustic-chic tasting barn of Sunset Hills Vineyard.

GREAT COUNTRY FARMS
Featuring wagon rides, pick-your-own opportunities, putt-putt, farm animals, mining sluice, farm store and ‘roosteraunt’, Great Country Farms in the foothills of the Blue Ridge outside historic Bluemont immerses kids in Loudoun’s rich agricultural roots. For grown-ups, Henway Hard Cider artisanal cidery is right next door, while the same family also operates Bluemont Vineyard and Dirt Farm Brewing just up the hill.
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VISIT HISTORIC TOWNS
Loudoun is home to several historic towns and villages that date back centuries. A short drive from Hillsboro on the banks of the Catoctin Creek is Waterford, founded by Quakers in 1733 and now a National Historic Landmark. Explore its immaculately preserved homes on a self-guided walking tour.

In southwest Loudoun, picturesque Middleburg, America’s horse and hunt country capital, dates back to 1728 when a fieldstone tavern was established by a cousin of George Washington. That tavern became the Red Fox Inn, still going strong today.

County seat Leesburg meanwhile was founded in 1758 at the crossroads of two Native American trails near the Potomac River. Its historic downtown is lined with handsome 18th- and 19th-century buildings repurposed as bars, breweries, shops and restaurants. The town is bookended by the historic mansions and grounds of Morven Park to the north and Oatlands Historic House and Gardens to the south.

GET AN ICE CREAM
It’s June and it’s hot—time to cool down with ice cream. Purcellville is home to the original Gruto’s Soft Serve, a buzzing hole-in-the-wall popular with local school kids, while Tipped Cow Creamery down the street features a dozen farm-fresh, artisanal flavors to suit purists. Further afield, Leesburg has its own branch of Gruto’s for soft serve, while European-style dessert house Mocatinas does craft ice cream in cones, cups, shakes and spectacular sundaes.

GO FOR A SWIM
If the ice cream doesn’t cool you down, a dip in cold water will. Among several wonderful public pools in Loudoun, Sterling’s Volcano Island Waterpark with its twisting slides connected to a huge central pool is chief among them. Your kids will also love the AV Symington Aquatics Center at Ida Lee Park and the slides and rides at Franklin Park pool in Purcellville. For something quieter and fairly close to the Festival, the Lovettsville Community Center pool has clear refreshing water, deck chairs to lounge on and a playground and tennis courts. Dive in!

BREWS WITH A VIEW
Hiking can make you thirsty. Among Loudoun’s 30+ craft breweries on the LoCo Ale Trail are a slate of gorgeous beer gardens with views as good as the brews. Bear Chase Brewing Co. on the crest of the Blue Ridge is a wildly popular tap room near the A.T. with acres of lawn dotted with firepits and Adirondack chairs.  Wheatland Spring Farm + Brewery in Waterford is surrounded by farm fields. The owners make crisp clean European-style beers using almost all local ingredients. Out west, hilltop Harpers Ferry Brewing in far northwest Loudoun has spectacular views across the Potomac River of Harpers Ferry, WV. Try the summery, citrus-forward Potomac Pale Ale.

EXPLORE A MUSEUM
Loudoun has several landmark museums. The National Sporting Library and Museum in Middleburg is the nation’s leading resource on equestrian and outdoor pursuits. The Loudoun Museum, located in a log cabin in downtown Leesburg, tells the story of the county from its founding to the present day.  A short walk away, the George C. Marshall House at Dodona Manor is the home-turned-museum of the great statesman-general who drafted the Marshall Plan that rescued Europe after the war. Over in Sterling, eastern Loudoun, the Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum tells the story of Loudoun’s rich agricultural heritage. Learn about “Bull of the Century”, Round Oak Apple Rag Elevation, and find out why George Washington called Loudoun “The Breadbasket of the Revolution.”

ANTIQUING IN LUCKETTS
Famous for its antique emporiums, little Lucketts on a stretch of Route 15 in northern Loudoun is bursting with eclectic treasures at its roadside vintage stores. Sift through rare antiques at tumbledown, multi-story curiosity shop Lucketts Store, pick up cool vintage home décor items at Rust & Feathers and browse eclectic furniture at On A Whim antique store.

VISIT A SPA
If a day hearing about hiking makes you tired, how about some rest and rejuvenation? Loudoun has its share of spas to get you feeling right. OmFLOAT in Ashburn specializes in therapeutic flotation therapy that assists sleep and relaxation, while King Spa in eastern Loudoun is a luxurious three-story complex (with heated rooftop pool) modeled on the traditional Jjim-Jil Bang spas of South Korea. Salamander Middleburg offers a unique range of treatments from water therapy to basalt steam rooms and hot stone massages. Then there’s Lansdowne Resort’s Asian-themed Spa Minérale, which offers therapeutic massages and bodywork including acupuncture and cupping.

BUSH TABERNACLE ROLLER RINK
If your hiking boots hurt your feet, why not try roller skates? This classic roller rink in nearby Purcellville is a throwback to the retro roller rinks of the 1950s. Rent a pair of skates or blades for a fun blast from the past. If skating is not your thing, check out if there’s a game at Fireman’s Field right next door, home to local collegiate strivers the Purcellville Cannons of the North Valley Baseball League.

Come to our festival to celebrate the A.T.—and stay to explore Loudoun County.

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