Day Trips from Washington (2025)

Patrick O’Connell’s destination blends theater and regional terroir, sustained by onsite gardens and longtime local purveyors. Still the region’s culinary “special journey,” it holds three Michelin stars and a Green Star, with recent coverage by Eater DC and others.

An independently owned estate with a serious culinary program and sweeping Blue Ridge views. Recognized by Wine Spectator and awarded at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards, it showcases Virginia varieties with polished hospitality.

Rick Wasmund’s pioneering distillery floor-malts Virginia barley and fruitwood-smokes the grain, then pours flights in a riverside garden. Tours add texture to the story of Sperryville’s artisan revival and Shenandoah’s foodways.

A 20-seat dinner party of a restaurant, run by a hands-on team serving a single seasonal menu sourced from nearby farms. Lauded by Washington Post critics, it encapsulates the intimacy of Rappahannock County dining.

Chef-owner Neal Wavra’s hearth-focused kitchen works closely with nearby growers and ranchers. Praised by Northern Virginia Magazine and covered by the Washington Post, it’s a relaxed but exacting snapshot of Fauquier’s farm economy.

A historic village inn with gardens that feed the menu and views across rolling pasture. Frequently celebrated by Northern Virginia Magazine and local critics, it makes a romantic, unhurried lunch or dinner stop.

A true farm brewery from a multigenerational Loudoun farming family, with grains and produce grown on Great Country Farms. Food & Wine and regional outlets highlight its views and homegrown beers; events keep the hilltop lively.

Loudoun County’s first legal distillery since Prohibition, family-owned and community-forward. Tours, tastings, and bottling workshops illuminate how Roundstone Rye helped anchor Virginia’s modern craft-spirits scene.

A family-run pair of 74-foot wooden schooners offers hands-on sails past the Naval Academy and into the Chesapeake. Recognized by the National Park Service’s Chesapeake Gateways network, it connects you to Bay history and ecology.

A fifth-generation, family-run seafood stalwart famed for jumbo lump crab cakes, now thriving in the renewed Lexington Market. Featured in The New York Times and Bon Appétit, it’s a bite of Baltimore food history.

Spike Gjerde’s celebrated, independently owned standard-bearer for Chesapeake sourcing returned as a 30-seat tavern with the same producer network. Covered by Baltimore Magazine and the Washington Post, it’s a delicious lesson in regional supply chains.

A Virginia pioneer known for Octagon and the Italian-influenced Palladio restaurant. Frequently cited by Washington Post wine writers, it blends Old World technique with Virginia terroir in a polished tasting experience.