Couples love cozy weekends in Culpeper, and for good reason. Some of our favorite accommodations are best suited for two, we have award-winning wine and craft beer aplenty, and our food scene is divine.
One of the most pleasant places for couples to find their solace is the 1921 Colonial at 222 W. Park Avenue. That’s West Park Gardens, and their spacious King Suite with romantic fireplace is grand in comfort. The inn is walkable to Davis Street, the heart of downtown Culpeper with fantastic shopping and dining opportunities, as well as the iconic LOVE sculpture.
Craft beer tasting is also available downtown with both Far Gohn and Beer Hound to choose from. At Far Gohn guests are treated to classic German ales produced with imported malts and hops while guests at Beer Hound are treated to various styles of beer named after dogs of the silver screen. Try a classic when you go: Olde Yella is an American Pale Wheat Ale and Gold Medal Winner in the Light American Ale category at the Virginia Craft Brewers Guild Awards in 2015 and 2016.
For more craft beer, head for the hills where you’ll find Old Trade and Old House breweries. Old Trade has just launched into cider and wine as well, and Old House Brewing is a sibling product to Old House Vineyards and Old House Distillery; a first in Virginia. You might want to call a rideshare for this country excursion.
Couples who find themselves more interested in wine than beer or spirits will enjoy experiences at area wineries like Gray Ghost, Prince Michel, Mountain Run, aforementioned Old House, or Culpeper’s wine store, Vinosity. Visit our wineries for tastings and special events, for example, Gray Ghost offers exclusive reserve tastings, live music in the garden, and seasonal celebrations while Prince Michel kicks off their weekend live music series with a big St. Patrick’s Day party. At Mountain Run, the calendar is loaded with everything from yoga and fully immersed LARP weekends (Live Action Role Playing) to DJ dance parties and full moon celebrations.
If you can’t make it to a winery event or don’t have time to tour and taste, we like Vinosity in downtown Culpeper for their complimentary in-store tastings Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from noon to 5 p.m.
Wine certainly sparks creativity, and we know where you can put those juices to use. Head to Wine and Design for a paint and wine date night. You’ll be amazed at how much fun an exercise in the arts can be.
Speaking of the arts, did you know you can catch a free movie at the Library of Congress Packard Campus for Audio-Visual Conservation? Movies are shown Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and range from classics to more modern flicks, with titles often coinciding with the season and national holidays. It’s a great place to be when the weather is less than you’d hoped for.
For those sunny days, a stroll through Yowell Meadow Park is nice. Walk the multi-purpose path to pick up the nature trail, and discuss your life plans or consider your dinner options. Keep an eye out for foraging friends, fowl, and emerging flowers as you go.
Check our calendar of events to round out your weekend. We know you’re going to LOVE Culpeper and we’re excited to introduce you to all you’ve been missing.