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Virginia: Classic farms and vineyards serve up superb meals in the Old Dominion
Take your choice between downhome dishes and trendy treats. From farmers market produce to artisanal dishes, you’ll love what Virginia has to offer.
Drive 301.6 miles, 5 hours, 54 minutes
1. Roanoke
Starting Point
“Virginia is for Lovers,” especially wine and beer lovers, and with six wineries and three microbreweries in Roanoke, libations are easily available. Close to town, willkommen to AmRhein’s Wine Cellars, crafting great wines with a German flair. Down the road a bit, wind down, stay and play at Beliveau Estate Winery, offering great wine and quiet times. Roanoke also has several brewers that craft superb beverages.
2. Staunton
86.9 miles, 1 hour, 38 minutes
Staunton is a well-kept foodie secret, where “farm-to-fork” is the real deal and neighborhood restaurants proudly feature locally grown or raised ingredients on their menus. Head downtown and shop organic at Cranberry’s Grocery & Eatery, and then visit the farmers market for locally raised produce, poultry and meats you can craft into dinner. Rather dine out? Consider Zynodoa Restaurant, where each day’s menu is based on the local harvest.
RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS
Shenandoah Valley Campground
Verona, VA
(540) 248-CAMP(2267)
3. Charlottesville
38.7 miles, 51 minutes
Elena Elisseeva
Fine wines are a hallmark of the nation’s fifth-largest wine-producing state, and Charlottesville is situated right in the heart of wine country, which boasts the Monticello Wine Trail—the largest concentration of wineries (over 30) in the state. Stately Jefferson Vineyards, named after President Thomas Jefferson, produces quality wines from Jefferson’s superior Virginia soil. Check out the only thatched-roofed winery building in the U.S. at First Colony Winery and enjoy a glass of their estate reserve Chardonnay.
RECOMMENDED STOPOVERS
Madison/Shenandoah Hills Campground
Madison, VA
(540) 948-4186
4. Richmond
70.4 miles, 1 hour, 20 minutes
Saveur magazine calls the capital of the Old Dominion, the “next great American food city,” where artisanal dishes have a uniquely Virginian flair. With more than 550 restaurants located here, it’s difficult not to find a spot-on dining experience. Try the Roosevelt, which has a 1930s vibe with meals that are comfortably Southern but made with a modern twist. Amuse Restaurant, on the other hand, will entertain your taste buds with inventive cuisine served in a charming atmosphere.
5. Virginia Beach
105.6 miles, 2 hours, 5 minutes
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Located at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Beach has a vibrant restaurant scene that promises plenty of foodie surprises like lavender ice cream, homemade sweet potato biscuits and hearty Brunswick stew. It’s also a culinary hub for freshly caught seafood from the Atlantic and the bay, offering flavorful options like barbecued shrimp, fresh-baked clams, crab lollipops and an array of oyster tastings.