DC Getaway: A Weekend in the Mountains

This past weekend was a special one, a trip I’ve been looking forward to for months.
We spent it holed up in a little cabin high up in the mountains in the Shenandoah Valley.
We did the same thing last year, and had so much fun we had to do it again. Sometimes travel is about the places you go and the sites that you see, but other times it’s more about the people you’re with and the simple, fun times that you have.
Our cabin was located in Rileyville, Virginia which is a tiny dot on a map with only one adorable post office and little else to see or do. Although we chose to do relatively little during our stay, there is certainly plenty to do in the surrounding areas. Luray, with its popular caverns, is a close ten minutes away, and Front Royal about twenty. Several of Virginia’s most popular hikes, including Old Rag Mountain, are less than an hour’s drive away. There are also dozens of wineries and cideries in the nearby vicinity.
But our focus was on quality family time in our cute little home away from home. This cabin was slightly smaller than the one we stayed in last year, but just as cute with quirky decorations all over the place.
We brought our own linens, towels, food, firewood and toiletries, but were provided with everything else that we needed.
The fireplace turned out to be more complicated that expected, last year’s was an infinitely simpler setup, but once we got it going it heated the entire cabin in no time and we were as snug as could be.
We arrived late on Friday night and had a quick pasta bake dinner that Tom and I had made ahead. After settling in and eating, we popped open a couple of bottles of wine and relaxed both indoors and out… in the hot tub on the deck downstairs. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, if you’re forced to be cold on your vacation there had better be a hot tub involved.
The next morning we woke up to a view that went on for days. You can even spot the Shenandoah River in the distance, if you squint a little. So peaceful and gorgeous.
We had coffee and breakfast and took our time getting around for the day. We did venture out for about half the day. Our first stop was at one of my favorite Virginia wineries, Glen Manor Vineyards.
This was my third time visiting Glen Manor, and I will continue to do so every time I’m in the area. The views, the wine and the service all keep me coming back.
Both times we’d been in the past, they were out of their flagship wine Hodder Hill, a robust red that is made using only the highest quality grapes from their hilltop vineyard. But third time turned out to be the charm and we were finally able to taste this beauty, which is every bit as good as I’d heard through the grapevine (pun intentional). We each had a glass as we relaxed in the surprisingly warm sun.
Next up was a pit stop at The Apple House Deli in Linden. This is the quintessential quirky country store meets diner, serving up hot doughnuts along with breakfast, lunch and dinner. We stopped in for sandwiches to take to our next winery, and returned the following morning on our way home for further sustenance.
The standout was Tom’s pulled pork sandwich, but everything we ordered was solid. They also sell local wine, gifts, sauces and jams.
Continuing on with this slightly quirky theme, we took our food and drove on to Desert Rose Ranch & Winery, a new winery to all four of us that I was excited to check out.
The scene at Desert Rose is very lively and fun. There was a large group having an ugly sweater party who were clearly having a great time (think dancing with no music) and the staff was kind and welcoming.
They allow dogs inside the tasting room, which was great since we take ours everywhere. He enjoyed some fresh water, compliments of the winery, while we did a quick tasting. The wine was enjoyable, although most of us enjoyed the whites and rosé over the reds. We got a bottle of the dry, crisp rosé to share, and settled down in the tasting room to enjoy a late lunch as the sun was beginning to set.
More lovely views, these from the back patio at Desert Rose. I’d love to return here in the summer for a little sipping by the pond.
We might have lingered longer, but the drive up to our cabin was pretty steep and bumpy and we wanted to make it before dark. We got back just as the sun was about to dip out of sight.
Ashton was too worn out to selfie, but we made him anyway.
We played a few games, watched a few silly videos and then threw together a quick steak dinner before it was time to retreat to the hot tub again, where we spent the remainder of the night.
The next morning came to soon, as we sadly prepared to leave after such a fun weekend getaway. The pups were not amused. I think they partied too hard in the cabin while we were outside.
This is something we’re hoping to do every year. A little getaway to look forward to during the stress of the holidays and time to enjoy family, fun and nature. I can’t wait ’til next time!