Off Site Activities
Wine Tours of Virginia
Wine Tours of Virginia – It may come as a surprise to some that California is not the only state to boast a notable wine region. The fertile farm land of the venerable Virginia plantations is yielding a new crop - wine grapes. One ideal area is Virginia's Northern Neck, a peninsula formed by the Rappahannock and Potomac Rivers. The rivers are tributaries of the Chesapeake Bay, which is a major factor in creating a stable climate for a vineyard. The climate and topography – along with the sandy loam soil – create conditions similar to those of the Bordeaux region of France.
Wine tasting takes on a historic tone when touring in Virginia. Ingleside Vineyards – one of the oldest wineries in Virginia – is part of a 3,000 acre estate owned by the Flemer family for over 100 years. Built in 1834, it has served as a boys' school - a Civil War garrison - a courthouse - and a dairy. Now the property is home to Ingleside Vineyards and Ingleside Nursery. Several award-winning vineyards are located within 35 minutes from our DC area hotel and custom tours can be planned to fit your schedule. If you're visiting the DC area in the spring or fall plan to attend the Mt. Vernon Wine Festival – Fall date: October 5 – 7, 2007. Tickets are available through Ticketmaster at (703) 573-SEAT or www.ticketmaster.com