It’s no secret that The Northern Shenandoah Valley is a haven for the great outdoors whether you like hiking and canoeing in rural areas, strolling the downtown streets of our small cities, or taking in the vast history of our region. Whatever adventure you choose, there are places to stop along the way where local agriculture meets the fine tastes of handcrafted wines, beer, cider and distilled spirits.
Take a scenic drive along The Shenandoah Valley Spirits Trail and tour the byways and back roads to 19 vineyards, 14 craft breweries, 3 cideries and 4 distilleries throughout the Northern Shenandoah Valley, an area that is rich in outdoor adventure.
Embrace the agricultural roots that set the Shenandoah Spirits Trail apart from other regions. With surrounding mountains and rolling hills in the valley, the temperatures and rainfall, sun and soil provide ideal growing conditions for grapes and corn, hops and fruit trees, giving the visitor a chance to get closer to the process, meet the vintners and brew masters and then experience the flavors close to where they’re grown.
Some things you might experience along the trail:
- Grab a pint at Swover Creek Farm, a Virginia Century Farm which grows many of their ingredients on the premises.
- Enjoy a glass of lavender infused wine at Purple WOLF Vineyard, and take in the scenery as the grapes are grown on the same property as a beautiful lavender farm.
- Sample distilled spirits in a 1930’s theatre at Gingerwolf Distillery in Middletown.
- Have a beer with friends at Pale Fire Brewery, in the Historic Ice House in Harrisonburg.
- Sip a glass of wine on the patio overlooking the Shenandoah Valley at the top of the Blue Ridge Mountains at Twin Oaks Tavern Winery.
- Bring the entire family to Old Hill Cidery where you can pack a lunch and have a delightful picnic among the apple trees.
- Check out River Hill Distillery which makes small batch whiskey from corn grown on their farm
- Learn more about beer and the history our brewing heritage in Virginia from 1607 at the Virginia Beer Museum located in a place that was once referred to as “Hell Town” where people came to drink.
The Shenandoah Spirits Trail covers six different counties in the Shenandoah Valley. So whether you like a sip of wine in a quiet country setting or a bustling brewery in the historic district of a charming small city, it’s easy to sip your way through the region while enjoying the ultimate path to beverage enlightenment.
