Top Things to do in Virginia
Top Hotels in Virginia
- 1. Best Western Plus Sandcastle Beachfront Hotel
- 2. Coastal Hotel & Suites Virginia Beach - Oceanfront
- 3. Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Charlottesville-UVA, VA
- 4. Hampton Inn Virginia Beach-Oceanfront North
- 5. Hilton Garden Inn Virginia Beach Oceanfront
- 6. Drury Plaza Hotel Richmond
- 7. Comfort Inn Williamsburg Gateway
- 8. Hampton Inn & Suites Fredericksburg South
- 9. The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center, Curio Collection by Hilton
- 10. Hilton Vacation Club The Historic Powhatan Williamsburg
What to do and see in Virginia, United States: The Best Distilleries
Virginia can make American history come alive. Visit Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, tour Civil War battlefields, explore the living history museum at Williamsburg… the possibilities are endless (if the kids object, break up the historical sightseeing with a visit to Busch Gardens). Arlington, site of Arlington National Cemetery, is just across the Potomac River from all the major sites in D.C. In addition to beaches and historical attractions, Virginia has plenty to offer outdoor enthusiasts. Active families will love the Blue Ridge Highlands, where hiking, canoeing and tubing are just a few of the activities offered. Couples might enjoy a romantic mountain cabin in Virginia after a day of hiking in Shenandoah National Park.
Restaurants in Virginia
1. Catoctin Creek Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 494 reviews
Catoctin Creek® Distilling Company was founded by Becky and Scott Harris in 2009 as the first legal distillery in Loudoun County since before Prohibition. We are located in Purcellville, Virginia, in the heart of the Loudoun Valley. Loudoun County, often called D.C.'s Wine Country, is home to more than twenty vineyards and wineries, and it now has a distillery. At Catoctin Creek, we believe in high quality food and spirits. Organic means higher quality: grain and fruit, sourced locally when possible, free of pesticides and chemical additives that would come through in the spirits we produce. Sure, it is more difficult to produce organically, but the results speak for themselves. The Virginia Rye Whisky!
Reviewed By dianemB8346AW
Catoctin Creek Distillery went above and beyond making a memorable experience to celebrate my husband’s birthday while ensuring customer and staff protections during the pandemic. We made a reservation online and had one indoor table waiting for us at a safe distance from other tables. We were able to attend a tour before enjoying a whiskey flight and cocktail flight. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable and were very accommodating of our 4.5 month old puppy. Thank you for making such an enjoyable experience! We will definitely be back!
2. A. Smith Bowman Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 114 reviews
since 1934, the historic A. Smith Bowman Distillery has passionately produced premium handcrafted spirits that have gone on to win many awards, most notably "World's Best Bourbon" two years in a row. Nestled just five minutes from downtown Fredericksburg and three miles from I-95, A. Smith Bowman Distillery has a lot to offer. Complimentary one hour tour includes: Knowledgeable history of the Distillery Behind the scenes look at our distilling process Walk through to see our stills "Mary" and "George" Barrel aging warehouse Spirit tastings (21+) Gift Shop & A. Smith Bowman Distillery Museum Tours are open to all ages, Monday - Saturday and Sundays during the summer. Complimentary tours depart every hour, Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. and Sundays from noon-4 p.m. Gift Shop remains open until 5 p.m. Please visit our website for more details regarding your visit!
Reviewed By 327josephk - Woodbridge, United States
Yes, all FREE. a 30 Plus minute tour by an expert on the oldest continual operating LEGAL distillery in the USA. Recently winning National and World wide awards for their bourbons and other spirits. AND at the end of the tour a FREE tasting of five of their products. The good stuff too! Of course it temps you to purchase their products and promotional items at the gift shop which has an ABC License!
3. River Hill Wine & Spirits
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 116 reviews
River Hill Wine and Spirits is a family owned, farm based winery and distillery located along the Shenandoah River in Luray, Page county, Virginia. We pride ourselves in small batch high quality Wines and Whiskeys. We also have a full selection of farm raised beef and pork products as well as farm fresh eggs available for sale at the distillery building
Reviewed By renfield1969
You have to drive through a neighborhood that turns into a farm to get to River Hill, but it is well worth tracking down. It is a pretty small operation as distilleries go, but the owners are really down to earth and enthusiastic. Pop is happy to give a tour of the unassuming place: there is the tap room, and the small room behind it is the distillery. "This is my vat, those over there are my barrels." The bourbon and corn whiskey he makes are all worth picking up. If they aren't the best you've had, you will appreciate the taste of down home honesty. My wife was happy to chat with Mom and sample the fruity wines they sell (yes, including Sweet Potato.) I find those type of wines good for desserts or pancakes, but my wife likes the occasional spritzer. They were out of one that my wife selected, but she got a kick out of watching Pop decant her bottle directly from a barrel, and he let her label it and put the seal over the cork. The property itself is pretty large, and they do a number of other things aside from the distillery. You can buy meat at the counter with your wine, and they also board horses and I understand they have a shooting range. This is a place you want to visit just so you can recognize it when some author inevitably includes it as a setting in a novel.
4. MurLarkey Distilled Spirits
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 25 reviews
MurLarkey Distilled Spirits is Prince William County's only distillery. Founded in 2014 and opened in October of 2015, Murlarkey produces an assortment of Virginia Corn whiskeys and Potato vodka. Tours and tastings are available.
Reviewed By je1058 - Fredericksburg, United States
One Word… “AMAZING!!!” We’ve been going to local wineries for years (having tried nearly all of VA’s 275+ wineries and most all in MD as well), as well as several distilleries, meaderies and even breweries…. This place is hands-down in the top 5 of places we’ve visited and definitely the BEST when it comes to amazing service and the best distillery! When we went, the theme was “Speakeasy” and that just happens to be one of the themes and places we LOVE to visit! They really did it right… they did it PERFECTLY! Customer service was over-the-top attentive, friendly, helpful and explained so much you might want to know when deciding what to drink, how things are made, etc and they offer all the samples you might want to help you decide! Papi’s menu and skills are incredible and he actually loves what he does and really cares how you feel about his amazing work behind the bar, both creating these concoctions and menus and making them for service. In fact, the day we went, they had three separate menus of Papi’s drinks and each were loaded with incredibly-designed adult beverages! We met some of the crew, like Kevin, the head distiller and he was more than helpful in explaining their distillation process and even showing us how natural and amazing the process is. Definitely would highly suggest a visit to this distillery. Don’t let the “warehouse building” look fool you, this place and what they offer is first class, but with a local, friendly, “down home” approach to providing excellent service. We’ll be back, many times!!!!
5. KO Distilling
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 32 reviews
KO Distilling is an award-winning craft distillery in Historic Manassas, Virginia founded by former US Merchant Marines and Navy Reservists Bill Karlson and John O'Mara. We produce award-winning Bare Knuckle Whiskeys and Battle Standard 142 Gins. Our Bare Knuckle Bourbon, Rye, Wheat, and American whiskeys are distilled in state-of-the-art Vendome copper stills, aged onsite in new 53-gallon American white oak barrels, and made with 100% Virginia-grown grains. Our newest release, Distiller's Reserve Bourbon, is our first Bottled-in-Bond offering. Battle Standard 142 American Dry Style Gins are available in bold Navy Strength, classic Standard Strength, and oaky Barrel-Finished varieties. All of our award-winning spirits are certified Craft Distilled, Kosher, and Virginia's Finest, and they are never chill-filtered.
6. Ragged Branch Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 37 reviews
Conveniently located just minutes from Charlottesville and the University of Virginia, our tasting room sits on a knoll that offers year-round, breathtaking mountain views. Take a self-guided tour of the Still Barn to learn about our distillation process, visit the Barrel Barn, and finish your visit in our Tasting Room where you can sample our handcrafted bourbon and purchase our Black Angus beef.
Reviewed By 346jenh
The views from the distillery are gorgeous and there is a ton of outdoor seating. You feel like you could stay all day. The whisky and bourbon are fantastic as well.
7. Dida's Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 12 reviews
100% Grape-based spirits, distilled from wine produced 100% on site at Rappahannock Cellars. Currently offering Vodka, Gin, and several Brandies. Ultra-premium spirits made from grape (gluten free!) - "Pressed, Not Mashed" State law allows for the consumption of up to 3oz of spirits per person per day, so that allows for you to enjoy up to EITHER a tasting flight (1.5 oz of spirits) + a cocktail (1.5oz of spirits), or two cocktails (1.5oz of spirits each). Our tasting flight includes a sample each of our currently available spirits along with a mini cocktail made with each spirit. When you're done enjoying the spirit tastings and/or cocktails, walk across the entry to our Winery and explore our wines! Our distillery and winery are house in the same building, on the same floor - so when you enter Rappahannock Cellars, go left for the winery or right for Dida's Distillery. We hope to see you soon!
Reviewed By 227tonyt - Leesburg, United States
Been really looking forward to coming here. It did not disappoint. Ask for Tom, he will take you through everything and make sure you get the right drinks and the right taste. Highly recommend the brandy.
8. Tarnished Truth Distilling Company
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 525 reviews
Tarnished Truth Distilling Company is the country’s first and only craft distillery operating within a working luxury hotel. Tarnished Truth is a small craft distillery producing multiple hand crafted spirits such as bourbon, whiskey and vodka. Come visit us for a tour, tasting, craft cocktail class and gift shop.
Reviewed By Tenore90 - Portland, United States
With a small group of nine people, Anna led us on a great tour of the distillery and the tasting afterwards of their Moonshine, Tarnished Truth Rye 3 year and Old Cavalier 9 year straight Bourbon. Our group quickly bonded. While in the distillery, Andrew Yancey, the owner walked through who my son knew because my son knew his parents as neighbors on the street where he formerly lived. All in all, it was a great experience to be sought out at the newly renovated Cavalier Hotel.
9. Springfield Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 9 reviews
Reviewed By M2513JZjohnc
A relaxing afternoon enjoying some great bourbon sitting in a rocker on their large porch and taking in the beautiful Virginia countryside. Kelly and James Gordon have done a terrific job in developing their Springfield Distillery into a very promising distillery and a venue for any occasion. I never thought I enjoyed bourbon until I had it here and now I am a bourbon fan. Have a tour of bourbon being made and then go into the shop and have Kelly fix you up with one of the bourbon drinks that they are so famous for. Well worth the visit.
10. Ironclad Distillery
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 7 reviews
Reviewed By TravelerO279 - Washington DC, United States
Nice spot inside a refurbished storehouse from the era of shipbuilding days long gone. Even have some of the old blast doors in place. The family running this distillery has done a great job renovating this building and turning it into a great spot for hanging out. Good whiskey and fun company here. Highly recommend taking the tour, if available. It's a nice local hangout with a relaxed atmosphere. The name comes from the famous battle of ironclads, which took place just south of the building in the James River during the Civil War, between the USS Monitor and CSS Merrimack. Thus, students of history will also have special appreciation for the location and the meaning behind the name.
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