Shenandoah National Park, Virginia Fall Travel Diary

Over the weekend, Papa and our dog Rosie and I embarked on our annual Fall tradition to see the foliage at Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park. We rarely get out and hike or walk on any of the trails at Shenandoah National Park, but rather stick to leaf peeping and taking in ALL of the scenic views view the scenic Skyline Drive. We have made visiting Skyline Drive an annual tradition ever since I graduated from college in May 2021 (see more here!) and it has become a special way to celebrate the Fall season alongside the upcoming holiday season, too. Rosie has LOVED getting to take in ALL of the sights and smells at Shenandoah National park, too! And, 2024 was the first year that I had my camera with me to snap some lovely shots of the mountains in their beauty and glory this Fall season!

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Our Experience:

One of the things that we’ve noticed this year, despite arriving at Shenandoah National Park before 9am, was the lack of visitors this year (even as we left). Papa and I believe that the recent damage and unfortunate and devastating events from Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton are a big reason for this decrease in visitors. Shenandoah National Park amongst some of Western North Carolina’s and Virginia’s towns are reopening post-hurricane and are welcome to visitors. Even though these destinations may have received damage from recent hurricanes, they are still open to and eager to welcome visitors, including at Skyline Drive at Shenandoah National Park. These towns that are reopening need our business now more than ever before. While they may not be every town or place, the ones that are opening again and ready for visitors need us now to support and stimulate their economies, especially after receiving damage. That all being said, I am SOOO grateful that Papa and Rosie and I visited Skyline Drive via our annual Fall tradition especially this year.

Now, I am going to keep this post more focused on the photos I took as they encompass some of the many special memories made on our Shenandoah adventure this Fall 2024!

 

 

 

And, until next Fall!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Fall Strolls – Occoquan, Virginia

Growing up, I spent several childhood weekends in the charming town of Occoquan, Virginia. My Dad lived in Occoquan for a few of my childhood years hence the many weekends spent there. Weekends in Occoquan were spent walking my late childhood Yorkie Butters alongside the gorgeous historic streets and alongside the adjacent Occoquan River, getting ice cream at the local ice cream parlors, and dinners and shopping via supporting the local small businesses (which are the only businesses in downtown Occoquan!). Through it all, Occoquan holds a special place in my heart!

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Truly, Occoquan is a unique as some may say “hidden gem” in the Washington, DC area – something that I LOVE about it too. At the same time, I truly view Occoquan as such a special place in my childhood and sometimes forget that it is there amongst ALLL that there is to do in my own backyard (something I feel VERY fortunate for!). And, in those few moments that I do revisit the charming town that is apart of my childhood stomping grounds, I am extremely grateful for it. Needless to say, I LOVE that Occoquan is a little oasis amongst the Washington, DC suburbs and hustle and bustle of the area.

One of the biggest things that I have found in strolling through Occoquan, while not as frequent as in the past, is that it’s important for us all to find time to explore places near and dear to our hearts. We must make time for those places that we adore and cherish. Even though, yes, it may be the same place time and time again, it is also going to be great for your mental health, too. I have found this to be true whenever I go to Occoquan and hope that others can do the same with their childhood stomping grounds (if/when able to), too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Summer Strolls – The Smithsonian Castle

One of the MANY buildings in Washington, DC that I simply cannot get over how incredible it is is *none other than* the Smithsonian Castle! Indeed, the Smithsonian Castle is a magnificent building and is one of the first places that I visited growing up with my parents time and time again in Washington, DC. Not only does this incredible place hold many memories of my own, but it also holds a vast history in Washington, DC and the United States as well as several memories of people from all across the globe.

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Note: Currently, the Smithsonian Castle is closed to visitors for a few-years of renovations and restorations. It closed its doors on February 1, 2023, but will re-open once complete. However, its adjacent Enid A. Haupt Garden (home to some of the iconic magnolia cherry blossom trees!) and outdoor grounds remain open to the public during visitor hours.

About: The Smithsonian Castle opened its doors to the public in 1855 and has witnessed centuries of American history. It is the first-ever Smithsonian Institution building and also played homage to the first Smithsonian exhibit that opened to the public! Its home is alongside the National Mall where many of the Smithsonian’s other museums (and national monuments!) are located, including the National Air and Space Museum, National Gallery of Art, and African American History Museum. Currently, the Smithsonian Castle serves as the central information center for the Smithsonian. While its doors are closed as of February 2023, the Smithsonian Castle’s charm still reigns in ALLL of its glory!

Growing up, I used to visit the Smithsonian Castle with my Dad and brother probably at least 3+ times during the course of my high school years. I would, then, visit it again with friends in both high school and college in the years that followed. Needless to say, over time, going through the doors of the Smithsonian Castle began to feel a bit old and annoying to me. However, as time went by, I grew to truly love this building more and more and more. When the #IfThenSheCan exhibit showcasing 3-D printed statues of women in STEM (here) were scattered all across the National Mall including at the Smithsonian Castle (which I visited!!!), I truly began to appreciate the importance and beauty of this building that I frequented in my teens. Now that the Smithsonian Castle’s doors are temporarily shut to the public, I cannot help but admire it even more so. That all being said, I cannot wait until its doors reopen again!

While on my photoshoot of the Smithsonian Castle, I couldn’t help but admire its architecture at EVERY turn! I started off entering in via the adjacent Enid A. Haupt garden aka a favorite spot of mine to visit during cherry blossom season for the magnolia cherry trees (!!!!!) to check out the stunning gardens during the summer time. It was an EXTREMELY hot and humid Washington, DC day, but yet a great one to admire the Smithsonian Castle grounds right in front of my very own eyes. I happened to embrace my Hydrangea Girl Summer (if you know, you know!!) and found a few hydrangea bushes, too! I ended up walking ALLLL around (well, most) of the Smithsonian Castle grounds and was just in awe at every turn.

The Smithsonian Castle is, indeed, an amazing structure on the National Mall. It is one that I hold near and dear to my heart! Truly, a special place to me and many others!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Summer Strolls – Lake Mercer, Virginia

To celebrate the Summer Solstice, my best friend Haley and I enjoyed a Summer Solstice stroll to Lake Mercer! I recently shared another recent Summer stroll that Haley and I did to Fountainhead Regional Park, which we ALSO loved doing. I am hoping to continue sharing remarks from my local (and even far away strolls with y’all!).

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Lake Mercer is a man-made lake on a 154-acre park located just South of the Fairfax County Parkway in Springfield, Virginia. There is a loop that goes ALLL around the lake, allowing for visitors to take in ALLLL of the views of it from every angle. Lake Mercer is BEAUTIFUL, despite its small size and acreage, it is a mighty place to be!

On this Summer Solstice stroll of ours, Haley and I discussed the power of balance when it comes to all of life’s commitments. Both of us were agreeing on the importance of balancing work and other responsibilities with time to take care of ourselves and also enjoy our hobbies. Within this discussion, we truly emphasized the importance of setting boundaries when it comes to our commitments. Personally, I’ve found it a challenge at times to balance it all, but in recent times, I am striving to set more firm boundaries with where I am willing to commit, need to commit, and won’t commit (at least for now). Truly, I have been learning the true importance of boundaries. At the end of the day, boundaries are a gift.

At the same time, I am SO grateful for a friend who also agrees on the true importance of placing boundaries within our lives. Boundaries tell us what’s important to us and give us the opportunity to recharge before conquering all that’s in front of us.

XOXO – Katie <3

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Summer Strolls – Fountainhead Regional Park, Virginia

Welcome to my brand-new series … Seasonal Strolls! In this series, I will be sharing mostly photo diaries and current ramblings from my recent stroll. On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I have been sharing content from my recent local Summer strolls where I take my camera and snap some photos of the surrounding nature (and a few of myself!). Usually, I have gone with my best friend (and neighbor – I feel REALLY lucky in this department!) Haley on walks but plan to do some dog-free on my own, too. Recently, I have been enjoying taking some Summer strolls close to home, but am looking forward to taking some on my upcoming travels, too! I hope to do some more strolls beyond Summer seasons, too!

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Haley and I a couple of weeks ago checked out Fountainhead Regional Park located in Fairfax Station, Virginia off of Hampton Road which is directly off of 123/Ox Road. Fountainhead Regional Park offers kayak/canoe access, fishing, and several walking/biking trails. What I LOVE about Fountainhead is the opportunity to do something outdoors that YOU love is there for everybody. Not to mention the fact that the waterfront views are truly breathtaking!

On our Summer stroll at Fountainhead Regional Park, Haley and I discussed the importance of budgeting and strategic ways to save money, especially during the seasons of life that can be more expensive. Haley and I are striving to do things more affordably and even packed a picnic dinner while at Fountainhead, as opposed to getting dinner via carry out or at a nearby restaurant. One of the BEST ways to cut back and save some money is to get out in nature and enjoy a local park. Luckily for us living in the Washington, DC area, there are SEVERAL free admission local parks for us to choose from!

Some of the ways that I am cutting back financially is by opting to take public transportation instead of Ubering places (especially downtown), choosing happy hours and brunch/lunch with friends/family over pricier dinners (however, there is ALWAYS room for an occasional dinner!), shopping online less frequently and less items in my cart (this has been tough at times), cooking more dinners at home, and less frequent trips to Home Goods/TJ Maxx/Marshall’s and the thrift store. There were times post-Fountainhead walk where I had to be transparent with friends and family about where I was willing to spend and where I wasn’t. I felt nervous to do so, but am so proud that I did it and that those in my life truly understood and respected my decisions! In all honesty, cutting back financially takes A LOT of discipline and can be tricky, but in the end, it is worth it to know that I’ll have more money moving forward sitting in my savings account.

Here’s to *many more* Summer (and Fall and Winter and Spring) strolls to come!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A Day at Assateague Island National Seashore

Flashback to a few months ago and my best friend Amanda and I were planning our next trip (see one of our previous trips to Philadelphia here!) to visit my Dad and Step Mom and my “Sissy” aka their Yorkie Ginger in Bethany Beach, Delaware. Out of the blue, Amanda texts me that we MUST go to visit Assateague Island National Seashore on our visit. I had been previously to Assateague and had yet to see *even* one horse, HOWEVER, we truly hit the jackpot this time around. Long and behold, we had a sunny day AND saw … HORSES!!! Needless to say, it is worth making an Assateague Island day, especially as its within a reach from Washington, DC and Philadelphia to catch some waves and perhaps see a pony (or a few!!).

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

About:

Assateague Island National Seashore is located in Berlin, Maryland and is proudly on the edge of the Chesapeake Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Assateague Island National Seashore is a National Park Service destination and offers a variety of different day and overnight activities for visitors to do, including: oceanfront camping, kayaking, and simply driving through and sightseeing. Check out more information here.

Getting there:

Assateague Island National Seashore is located about 3-4 hours (give or take traffic) from Washington, DC. It is within either a day’s trip reach from the city or makes for a great overnight trip combined with the nearby beaches of Ocean City, Maryland/the Delaware beaches (Bethany Beach, Dewey Beach, and Rehoboth Beach) or the charming nearby town of Berlin, Maryland. Note that one must pay for admission via a Standard Pass of $25/vehicle to Assateague IF you do not have a National Park Service pass already, so plan accordingly!

Overall Experience:

While we opted to mainly drive through for our Assateague Island Day as we went on an overcast April day, yet you could easily spend an entire day or even weekend here! Through it all though, I was SOOOOO happy that we got to see … ponies!!!! After multiple visits to Assateague Island National Seashore without seeing ANY horses, I was genuinely SO SO SO excited to see many of them at once and I know my crew aka Amanda and Dad and my Step Mom and Ginger were, too. At the same time, we took the opportunity to walk to the ocean from the parking lot filled with horses. Amanda and I did a mini photo shoot, admired the gorgeous coastline with peeks of sunshine, and Ginger ran allll across the sand A TON. It was a GLORIOUS time!

Wrap-Up:

The bottom line is to keep expectations LOW when visiting Assateague as to whether or not you will see horses. Seeing horses there is definitely hit or miss, but can be so beautiful to see. Either way, the scenery at Assateague Island National Seashore from marshes to ocean to everything in between is STUNNING and worth a visit!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Peak Bloom 2024

Flowers for Spring?!?! GROUNDBREAKING. On February 29, 2024, the Washington, DC area celebrated leap day with the announcement of the National Park Service’s Cherry Blossom Peak Bloom prediction for the upcoming Spring season. Peak bloom lasts approximately 7-10 days on a typical year. HOWEVER, little did we allll know, peak bloom lasted around 2 WEEKS (!!!!). Rarely does peak bloom happen for ~2 weeks and it was such an exciting time in the Washington, DC area. While the National Cherry Blossom Festival ended in Washington, DC on April 14 for 2024, the excitement of Spring and the blooms everywhere is still in the air!

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Personally, I never like to travel extensively during peak bloom/the National Cherry Blossom Festival, as it is such an EXCITING time of year here in my hometown. My best friends Haley and Shivani and I visited the blooms on the Tidal Basin this 2024 year AND have made it a tradition to do so in the future! Shivani and I went to see the cherry blossoms in 2022 (here) AND my influencer bestie Lindsay came with me last year (here). Also in 2022, Shivani and I attended the National Cherry Blossom Festival’s free opening ceremony at Warner Theater which was a CORE memory for us. Needless to say, cherry blossom peak bloom does nothing short of igniting incredible traditions and memories for me and my loved ones right in our own backyards.

Since the well-known beloved hollow cherry tree “Stumpy” is to be cut down as apart of a Tidal Basin restoration project, both Shivani and Haley and I on our two separate occasions to the Tidal Basin *HAD* to go pay him our respects. Stumpy is located just past the Tidal Basin further away from the Washington Monument and entrance to the Tidal Basin via coming in from the Smithsonian and Metro. We walked allll the way through and past the Jefferson Memorial – something that I had yet to do when visiting the Tidal Basin at peak bloom. I am someone who gets SOOOO triggered by crowds, however, over time, I have realized that seeing the cherry blossoms with all of their peak bloom glory is worth waiting in a packed group of people to see them. There is simply SO MUCH beauty in seeing the cherry blossoms in peak bloom alongside ALLL of the iconic Washington, DC monuments.

Washington Monument with Shivani

Tidal Basin with Shivani

Tidal Basin with Haley

The traditions made during peak bloom year after year are SO special. At the same time, I LOVE seeing ALLLL of the magic that is the National Cherry Blossom Festival here in my own backyard.

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Pre-Thanksgiving Weekend in Washington, DC!

Typically the weekend before Thanksgiving, ALL of the Christmas fun has typically begun in the Washington, DC area! And, as a Christmas enthusiast, I see that there is literally nothing better to do than simply enjoy ALL the holly jolly fun right in my own backyard. Ranging from hosting my first-ever Friendsgiving to visiting a Popup Christmas bar to a Christmas tree lighting and everything in between, I have enjoyed this past pre-Thanksgiving weekend essentially kicking off the holidays here in my city.

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

My best friend and fellow influencer Lindsay of @sunshineandstairclimbs on Instagram came to visit me over the weekend JUST IN TIME for Friendsgiving (!!!). We, then, did a bunch of activities around the city and went out to Bealton, Virginia for a winery day, too. I will note that although not everything is fully decorated and all things Christmas until around December 1, I am SO glad I got to show Lindsay a bit of Christmas in Washington, DC.

Friendsgiving

Friendsgiving was a bittersweet one, as I had to cancel my planned gathering last year due to burnout. SO, I am so so so thankful, grateful, and blessed to be able to not only host an incredible Friendsgiving this year but also have such incredible friendships here in the Washington, DC area. Many of my local friends were able to make it, too, which made it to be such an incredible and blessed gathering. Lindsay also got to meet all of my Washington, DC area friends and everyone there all became friends on social media and in real life (!!!!). One of the biggest gifts in my book is seeing my friends become friends with my other friends. I LOVE being a bridge to new and incredible friendships! Rosie my dog also joined in on the Friendsgiving fun, too, and brought us all SO MUCH JOY!

Downtown Holiday Market (Centered at 8th and F Streets NW, Washington DC)

Every year, Washington, DC’s Downtown Holiday Market brings Christmas cheer to the city pretty much daily now until December 23 from 12-8pm. Located just in front of the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery, the Downtown Holiday Market brings local Washington, DC area businesses to the forefront to showcase their goods and allow locals and visitors alike to support them. While I find the Downtown Holiday Market to be a bit overpriced (depending on the merchandise) at times, I do LOVE supporting 1-2 local small businesses each year and learning about many others in my city. Lindsay and I LOVED taking photos in front of the fun props such at candy canes and reindeer and stars for folks to pose in front of and enjoying *none other than* the holiday vibes at the Downtown Holiday Market. Live music is there, too! We were there right as the sun had set, which made for such a magical experience!

Urban Roast (916 G Street NW, Suite C-2, Washington DC)

Known as Washington, DC’s premier pop-up bar, Urban Roast has been ALLL decked out for Christmas since the beginning of November! I have LOVED dining at Urban Roast for the vibes and drinks but less for the food (which to be honest is subpar). However, the staff there are super kind and make it worthwhile to come back time and time again. The Christmas decorations at Urban Roast was probably my favorite that they’ve done, too! Being transparent, I reacted adversely to something in the environment at Urban Roast which will make me sit out going back there any time soon. BUT, I am ALL about enjoying the vibes at this incredible pop-up bar while you can!

Bull Run Festival of Lights (7700 Bull Run Drive, Centreville, VA)

I treated Papa and I to tickets at the Bull Run Festival of Lights and it was AMAZING. Every holiday season, the Bull Run Festival of Lights takes over Centreville’s Bull Run Regional Park with SO MUCH Christmas cheer. When I was a kid, my family and I used to pack the family van and all go and enjoy the lights at Bull Run, so it felt magical to be back! This time around, Papa and I ended up going on a rainy Tuesday night and took Rosie with us. The cutest thing is that Rosie was looking out the window at the lights, too! Needless to say, we all enjoyed ourselves and had a holly jolly time!!

Morais Vineyards & Winery (11409 Marsh Road, Bealton, VA)

My fellow best friend Stephanie posted about the Fall Festival that Morais Vineyards & Winery was having when Lindsay was coming to visit, SO, in typical Katie fashion, I made arrangements for us ALL to go! Morais Vineyards & Winery is located about an hour away from me and Stephanie both in Bealton, Virginia and about 90 minutes South of Washington, DC. Stephanie and I had checked out Morais Vineyards & Winery while at the Mount Vernon Wine Festival back in October (here) and knew we wanted to check out the gorgeous vineyard in-person at some point. Morais Vineyards & Winery also serves as a wedding venue playing homage to Portuguese architecture and wine with some tastes of its home in the Virginia Wine Country, too. It is a STUNNING place! We all enjoyed some wine and checking out the food trucks and small business booths at the Fall Festival.

Old Ebbitt Grill (675 15th Street NW, Washington DC)

Old Ebbitt Grill is probably one of my VERY favorite restaurants. I write more about this incredible restaurant and its historical significance in Washington, DC and the United States as a whole here. And, since the notable Nutcrackers appear outside the doors of the magical Old Ebbitt Grill EVERY holiday season, Lindsay and I *just knew* that it would be a must-go for us! While I go into much more details on Old Ebbitt Grill in my previously linked post, this well-known restaurant is a unique one in that it brings together tourists and locals, alike, and has a strong international presence with both its clientele and staff making it such a unique place to be!

Old Town Alexandria Christmas Tree Lighting (520 King Street, Alexandria, VA)

The Christmas tree lighting in Old Town Alexandria took place on Saturday November 17 with special guests such as Santa and his elves. The Christmas tree is located right in front of the gorgeously historic Alexandria Courthouse in the heart of Old Town Alexandria’s King Street. Lindsay and I shopped at local shops on King Street before admiring the gorgeously lit tree. I spend A LOT of time in Old Town Alexandria, as it is one of my happy happy happy places, so to see the Christmas tree there the night it was lit brought me SO MUCH JOY!

The Willard Intercontinental Hotel (1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC)

While not decked out for Christmas *just yet* (or at least when we went), the Willard Intercontinental Hotel is ALWAYS such a magical place to be. I took Lindsay here late on a Sunday night right after our dinner at Old Ebbitt Grill, as it is a few blocks away. This notable and iconic Washington, DC hotel has an iconic holiday tea at their in-house Peacock Alley and nightly carolers (something I want to check out this year!). More details on the holiday fun here. It was a such and brief visit for us both before the halls are decked out!

I have already found SO MUCH joy and things to be thankful for this holiday season. I have SO MUCH holiday fun to look forward to this season, and I hope you do too.

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Old Lucketts Store Holiday House 2023

If you know me, then you know that I LOVE a holiday market! On my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I have not feared sharing Christmas content before Thanksgiving. Christmas time brings me SO MUCH JOY, so why not?! Anyhow, I went to the Old Lucketts Store Holiday House last year for the first time ever and LOVED it. And, when I had the day before Veterans Day off at work, I decided to take a solo day to clear my head and check out the Old Lucketts Store Holiday House for my 2nd year on *none other than* opening weekend.

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

Get your tickets here!

While I will not get into details in this post about the Old Lucketts Store Holiday House (you can read ALLL about it here though!), I did learn a few brand-new facts about it this year! Every year, the Holiday House gets a completely new interior look. I learned that the store owner goes to Atlanta, Georgia’s markets to shop for all-things Holiday House merchandise the week AFTER Christmas. This year, the owner hand-painted some of the wallpaper on the 2nd floor (I forget exactly which wallpaper, though!). Her works have also been featured in several magazines over the years, too. Another important note for 2023 is that the Holiday House IS via ticketed entry ONLY. Tickets this year are $25 excluding taxes and fees. However, I find the ticket price to be SUPER worth it, given the value of literally walking through a Hallmark Christmas movie and Pinterest board and shopping with complimentary bubbly, too!

Now, I will get into the meat of this post by sharing …. Pictures! Let’s take a virtual tour together!

My Favorite Room in the house (!!!!)

After shopping around the Holiday House, I shopped at the Old Lucketts Store, which is open year-round!

& last but not least, the Holiday House’s outdoor decor!

Happy Holiday season, everyone!

XOXO – Katie <3

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4 Hours in Winchester, Virginia

On Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee), I have always seen content pertaining to the stunning town of Winchester, Virginia, yet I hadn’t been. HOWEVER, others’ content on Winchester only made my desires to visit this stunning Northern Virginia town grow and grow. Luckily, when my college friend Carlin started graduate school in Winchester, I was given the opportunity to take a day and visit her there! Carlin and I had a GREAT time catching up and enjoying the gorgeous downtown 4 hours in Winchester, Virginia together on a sunny September Saturday afternoon.

Please note that this content is apart of my exploring the Washington, DC area series. For more information on planning your own trip to Washington DC (here), Northern Virginia (here), the Virginia Wine Country (here), Maryland (here), and beyond (here), please use the corresponding links for some recommendations and inspiration.

About Winchester:

Winchester is a Northern Virginia town in Jefferson County, located not too far from the West Virginia border. It is also in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley and boosts a rich history, specifically focused on the Civil War playing home to Stonewall Jackson’s Headquarters Museum, and lots of nature and charm, too. Winchester has a lot a rich amount of unique culture with a small town charm. With its location in the Shenandoah Valley, mountains are plentiful and so are vineyards and breweries. For my fellow friends living/have lived in the South, it is important to note that Winchester DOES have a Cookout (!!!!).

Getting There:

Winchester is located about 90 minutes from Washington, DC and 2 hours from Charlottesville, Virginia. It is easiest to drive to Winchester from its closest airport Dulles International Airport located an hour east or its second closest airport Ronald Reagan National Airport located 90 minutes east. The town is located right off of highway I-81. That all being said, Winchester makes for the PERFECT small town day trip getaway, given its location in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley and proximity to several local vineyards and breweries.

What We Did:

Old Town Winchester – Carlin and I spent most of our time at Old Town Winchester’s open air walking mall, taking in the live music, enjoying the sunshine, and catching up. We started with lunch at Union Jack Pub & Restaurant which was delicious and had a gorgeous bar, before checking out some of the many shops on the same street, including the ultra-adorable Winchester Book Gallery. There was also A TON of super fun live music in downtown Winchester, too, and what I found to be unique is the diverse age range and genders of people playing the music making it so much more charming and wholesome.

 

Kimberly’s – Just a couple of blocks away from the open air walking mall in Old Town Winchester is the ultra-adorable and VERYYY much a Katie store – LOL! – Kimberly’s. Kimberly’s has two buildings: one which has all-things seasonal, home decor, and Virginia made goods, whether it be plates, magnets, jams, or wine and another with clothing including … Lilly Pulitzer and Barefoot Dreams (!!!). Carlin and I got to meet Kimberly the store owner and buy some Lilly Pulitzer, too. It was just a week after the September 2023 Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale, which Kimberly’s still had TONS of merchandise marked down from. We also got to shop the 2023 Print with Purpose to support Breast Cancer awareness before it hit the Lilly Pulitzer website. Kimberly’s was definitely a favorite of mine, as I LOVED its super fun Fall decorations, merchandise, and *of course* all-things Lilly Pulitzer!

Handley Regional Library – Looking as if it is a European Opera House, the Handley Regional Library also located in Old Town Winchester is a site to be seen. With free access to all visitors, the Handley Regional Library is absolutely STUNNING. It has a uniquely painted dome which guests can climb stairs to to the top of, alongside functioning as a library to those within the Winchester and greater Shenandoah Valley communities. The Handley Regional Library is TRULY a site to see and definitely worth a visit!

Apples – All across town, there are some super fun painted apple structures representing different aspects of Winchester, including its history and charm. Carlin and I LOVED getting to spot *just a few of them* during our time here in Old Town Winchester.

Wrap-Up:

I truly had an amazing time and a blast here for 4 hours in Winchester, Virginia. I am so blessed to have connected with Carlin during my undergraduate years at Meredith College and to have another friend from Meredith up here in the Northern Virginia area. Carlin is truly a blessing! At the same time, I LOVED getting to explore a bit of Winchester with Carlin and learn more about this beautiful little town located in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. And, I definitely want to come back, too, and spend another 4 hours in Winchester, Virginia!

XOXO – Katie <3

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