Virginia is for lovers and wineries, breweries, nature, country pies, distilleries, solitude and idyllic scenery.
Located in the shadows of the Blue Ridge Mountains, relax for the next three days in Amherst County.
Day 1: Your accommodations are a lovely guest cottage with ample room for four and all of the comforts of home… wood-burning fireplace, kitchen and 3/4 bath.
Each morning, enjoy muffins, fruit, juice, coffee and tea. Explore your surroundings, listen to the birds and watch the sunset with a complimentary picnic basket of wine, cheese and crackers.
Grab the camera and head up the road a short distance to Morris Orchard.
For an unforgettable lunch, drive a little less than two miles and enjoy a sandwich and a delicious slice of famous pie, as written up in Southern Living magazine (open Wednesday – Saturday).
After lunch, begin the 45 minute journey to Natural Bridge. Walk beneath the 215 foot natural arch formation for which the town is named. Don’t miss George Washington’s initials, left by the future first president when he was a young surveyor.
From Natural Bridge, drive to historic Lexington, home to Virginia Military Institute and Washington & Lee University. Stroll the quaint streets for afternoon shopping and sight-seeing before dinner of your choice from casual dining to farm to table (list of dining and shopping options provided).
Day 2: Today, the drive includes Nelson County wineries, breweries, cideries and distilleries. A map with directions and suggestions will be provided for a full day of activities for a self drive tour. Begin the day with a local favorite, Ankida Ridge. As the drive nears the top of the ridge, notice the decrease in temperature. These cooler temperatures allow Ankida Ridge to be one of the only wineries in the state able to grow the grapes necessary for pinot noir.
If a day of wineries makes you sleepy, perhaps an adventure will do. Explore Crabtree Falls, the highest vertical-drop cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River. The drive is only 35 minutes from Green Hill. Not up for the full 2.5 mile hike to the top? No problem, the first overlook is just a few hundred feet from the upper parking lot along a gentle, paved trail making it an excellent stopover for travelers of all ages and abilities.
Day 3: It’s the last day at beautiful Green Hill and we suggest an early morning drive with pastoral scenery, a mile away from your stay.
Today, drive to the Blue Ridge Parkway and new accommodations at The Peaks of Otter. Enjoy the full service restaurant, multiple walking and hiking trails and enjoy a good book by the lake. Unplug, relax and enjoy your stay before departing tomorrow.
Day 4: Enjoy a relaxing morning in the mountains and start planning your next visit to this beautiful part of Virginia.
Optional half day trip: Located 20 minutes south of the cottage, drive through Lynchburg’s Diamond Hill. One of the city’s most prestigious neighborhoods at the turn of the 20th century is a ridge extending from the high bluff that runs parallel with the James River. With Washington Street as the central thoroughfare, a wide variety of architectural styles can be found along its primary and access streets, which include Harrison, Madison, Clay, Grace, 13th and Pearl.
Cairn Travels 