Summer is here, at least for the next few months and there’s plenty to do outside! Why not pair a lovely hike with a winery visit as a reward for your hard work? With some of the best hiking and vineyard spots around, Northern Virginia is the place to be when it comes to enjoying the outdoors.With the hot and humid summer air sticking around Northern Virginia, now, is a better time than any, to enjoy the excellent selection of wines (and hikes) in the region.
If this idea sounds like the perfect way to spend the weekend, check out one of these Northern Virginia hiking trails and nearby wineries.
The Hike
First Battle of Manassas Trail Loop
Location: Manassas, Virginia
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 5.4 miles
This hike is great for those looking for a long, yet less strenuous, hike, and it’s a treat for history lovers. Hike on the land where more than 150 years ago the Union and Confederate armies clashed for the first time in 1861. Along the route, you’ll get a view of a foliage-filled forested area as well as Bull Run, Matthews Hill (site of the opening phase of combat), Young’ Branch, the historic Stone House, and Henry House.
The Wine
The Winery at Bull Run
Location: Centreville, Virginia
Fan-Favorite Wine: 2018 Cabernet Franc
Established in 2012, The Winery at Bull Run sits on 225 acres adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park. The team at The Winery at Bull Run is dedicated to crafting fine Virginia wines while paying tribute to the history and preservation of 19th century pastoral Fairfax County.
The Hike
Bull Run Occoquan Trail
Location: Clifton, Virginia
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 1.7 miles (but up to 17 miles)
Located along the Occoquan Reservoir in Fairfax County, the Bull Run Occoquan Trail is NOVA Park’s longest natural surface trail encased by more than 5,000 acres of scenic woodlands. If you’re not really the hiking type, most of the trail is also open to equestrian riders and a section of the trail—from Fountainhead Regional Park to Bull Run Marina Regional Park—is open to mountain biking.
The Wine
Paradise Springs Winery
Location: Clifton, Virginia
Fan-Favorite Wine: 2019 Chardonnay
With an original log cabin dating back to the early 1800s, Paradise Springs Winery is a historical marvel influenced by American architectural royalty. In 1955, the log cabin undertook a major renovation led by a protégé of the great Frank Lloyd Wright. Fifty years after those renovations, Paradise Springs Winery is the oldest winery in Fairfax County, and today, is serving up a variety of wines, which you can sample with their winemaker’s flight.
The Hike
Ambassador Whitehouse Trail at Sky Meadows State Park
Location: Delaplane, Virginia
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 3.3 miles
Sky Meadows State Park is a 1,862-acre park in the Blue Ridge Mountains, encompassing more than a dozen hiking trails. The Ambassador Whitehouse Trail is a 3.3 mile out and back trail that is often filled with wildlife and includes a great overlook. It’s also a great trail for dog lovers and runners.
The Wine
Arterra Wines
Location: Clifton, Virginia
Fan-Favorite Wine: 2019 Blueberry Apple Wine
Located just outside Sky Meadows State Park in northwest Fauquier County, Arterra Wines prides itself on producing clean, Virginia-style wines using indigenous yeast strains. Arterra uses low levels of sulfite, at or below the organic standard, to grow conscientiously grown fruit, harvested free from residue of powerful pesticides. If you’re looking for a clean wine, try the 2019 Blueberry Apple Wine which is sweet yet balanced.
What’s your favorite hike and wine combo in Northern Virginia? Let us know on Facebook, so we can enjoy a hike (and a glass)!