Spring into Culpeper, VA
March 21, 2024 Food & Drink Places to Stay Things to Do
With winter officially drawn to a close, spring arrives in Virginia with a burst of warmth, color, and activity. Culpeper is an ideal travel destination to escape for a weekend trip as a couple or for family travel. There is something to discover around every corner, whether it be dining, shopping, or exploring. Here are a few reasons why you should add Culpeper, VA to your list of top places to visit for spring or early summer vacation.
Stay in Style
Culpeper, VA offers an abundance of lodging options that are guaranteed to accommodate both couples travel and family travel.
For couples, Culpeper Center & Suites offers both cozy and luxurious accommodations within walking distance of Downtown Culpeper. With three room types to choose from, you plan the perfect romantic getaway.
Looking for a more secluded option? Consider the cabin at Campo Cibola. Set on a 300-acre working bison farm, this 400 sq. ft. cabin, equipped with a porch and fire pit, is ideal for experiencing the warmer weather.
Looking for family travel accommodations???? Try the Modern Charming Culpeper Escape. This brand-new house is the perfect place to unwind and soak in the experience of southern hospitality along with photo-worthy moments. The outdoor space provides the perfect place to relax and take in the stunning sunset. You’ll love spending time outside, whether you’re grilling up a delicious meal or just lounging with a good book. Thoughtfully designed to provide a comfortable modern stay. Have fun with the whole family at this stylish place
Fresh Food, Fresh Air
One of the best parts of spring is the chance to eat a great meal outdoors in the sunshine, and Culpeper offers more ways to dine outside than ever. For a casual pit stop, try The Ole Country Store & Bakery. Whether you’re on your lunch break, bringing the whole family, or just driving by, this is the place to get a great meal that tastes homemade! Their deli sandwiches have been voted the best in our area for the last 5 years running, and the lunch specials are prepared in-house daily. As an added bonus, enjoy the view over Lake Culpeper as you eat!
In town, Grill 309 offers American fare including salads, sandwiches, wings, and wraps that you can enjoy on the attached patio alongside a round of cold beers or cocktails. If you’re getting an early start, Grill 309 also serves breakfast daily, as well as brunch on Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. If you’re more of a night owl, there’s a late happy hour from 9 to 10 p.m.
Or, turn any meal into an outdoor experience by ordering your food to-go and enjoying it on one of Culpeper’s parklets. These mini patios dotting downtown are perfect for groups of two or four, with café tables surrounded by flower boxes that invite you to stay a while.
Snag a Sweet Treat
To many, warming weather means the start of ice cream season, and you can’t go wrong with a classic cone featuring Gifford’s Famous Ice Cream from Scoop on Davis. Tucked away in the back of Poppy & Chalk’s vintage and reclaimed furniture shop, Scoop also serves milkshakes, malts, and sundaes.
Or stop into The Frenchman’s Corner for gourmet gelato. The upscale chocolatier offers flavors like Coppa Pistachio, Hazelnut Chocolate, and perfect-for-spring Guava Mango, among many others. The Frenchman’s Corner also offers a jaw-dropping array of chocolate confections, from glossy truffles to dark squares with chewy sea salt caramel filling to seasonal delights shaped like flowers, bunnies or bumblebees.
Bring the Outdoors In
Springtime brings an explosion of new greenery, flowers and plant life. Celebrate the season by sprucing up the flora around your own home. Botanical Dwellings is a chic plant store on Main Street with a wide selection of house plants like succulents, air plants, pothos, snake plants, ferns, and more. The shop also stocks pots of all sizes, plant care tools and books, and stylish home décor items to brighten up any room in your home.
Everyone loves a good pick-your-own bouquet. The 11-acre Wollam Gardens offers over 10,000 tulips ready for you to pick your own. Beautiful parrot, fringe, and French varieties are available from dawn to dusk at the farm.
Adventures Ahead
One of Culpeper’s best features is the proximity to dozens of breweries, wineries, and distilleries. Mountain Run Winery offers guests a variety of annual events to entertain you all year long. Plan a visit to see one of their Live Action Role Playing (LARPing) weekend. Spend the afternoon enjoying local music, food, wine, beer, art, and more at their annual CulpeperPalooza event, every April.
While in the area, drop by Old Trade Brewery and Cidery. Old Trade is a family-owned, family-friendly, and pet-friendly rural operation located in historic Brandy Station, VA. They have an onsite tasting room where you can try hand-crafted beer, cider, and wine as well as an outdoor back bar to enjoy the sunsets over the Blue Ridge Mountains. There is no shortage of things to do here, including live music, a playground for the kiddos, a dog park, shuffleboard, darts, a bounce house, and axe-throwing stations!
Explore more Places to Stay, Things to Do, Places to Eat & Drink, and upcoming Events. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @visitculpeperva to stay up to date on upcoming happenings.
