After figuring out our schedule, we found a perfect weekend for my dad to come down and visit. It ended up being cheaper for him to fly down from NY than drive. The Charlottesville airport is small and easy to navigate so it made everything easier.
I decided to take my dad on a hike that we hadn't checked out yet. We went to White Rock Falls (Alternate Trailhead) which is within the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. It was about a 2 mile hike and I'd rate it as easy-moderate. The way down is easy, but going back up is heart pumping for about 20 minutes. The trail did not consist of great views, and unfortunately the water falls were very small. We enjoyed the time outside though!
Following the hike, we drove on the Blue Ridge Parkway and stopped at some of the lookouts.
Then we realized the sun was setting and decided to pull over and enjoy the view.
We also checked out Blackrock and Trayfoot Mountains. Going up to Blackrock was easy until you reached the scrambled rocks to climb up.
The hike to Trayfoot climbs pretty steep at the end, but there are no views. It would have been pretty boring if my boyfriend Aaron didn't see the rattlesnake next to us! If you look closely, you can see it slithering away from us... thank goodness!
We also took my dad to Basic City Beer for food and drinks!
Another day, my dad and I went to a city near us named Staunton to check out the local shops and cafes.
Staunton has a ton of cute boutiques and other stores, but unfortunately a lot of places are closed on Mondays and that's the day we went. There are still plenty of places that are open with great stuff! We bought candles, books, and tea. That evening we went to the Mill Street Grill. We went early and they have a special menu for early birds! They make fresh bread daily as well that is served prior to your meal.
Aaron and I decided to show my dad some of the local wineries, breweries, and distilleries while he was visiting. We started off at Flying Fox which there are pictures of in my Waynesboro, VA post. They have the most amazing Vermouth. We also went to Silverback Distillery and brought snacks to eat while we enjoyed our fresh mixed drinks!
Then we went to Afton Mountain Vineyard. Truthfully, we were not thrilled with their wine or their hospitality. On another note, it does have the best views and outdoor area of all the wineries we have been to here.
We followed this with a visit to Blue Mountain Brewing which has the best outdoor area to hangout! They also serve food which was pretty good as well. We all enjoyed the chicken wings, tacos, and fries.
On my dad's last day before the airport, we took a drive to Charlottesville to check out a few things there. On the way, we stopped at one of the over looks that Aaron and I pass everyday going to work.
I was planning to take my dad to Lampo, a popular restaurant in the area, but they close at 2:30pm and open back up at 5pm. So we decided to put the Monticello into my phone and drive there in hopes another place to eat would be on the way. We were in luck! We stopped at Michie Tavern a place that was originally built in the 1770's and many people used to go there to discuss political views and more. It also has a great view of downtown Charlottesville which is much busier than where the tavern sits. There are gift shops, places to eat, and lots of history to be learned. The 1784 Pub has amazing food (absolutely have to get the hush puppies)!
Then we went to the Monticello. I highly advise calling or planning for a full day here. We looked on google and it showed it was open until 6 pm. We thought we had plenty of time arriving at 4:30. Unfortunately, we got there and saw a sign saying they closed at 5 and the last tour was at 4:10. So we decided to just look around since we thought we missed it. Well, come to find out they forgot to switch out the signs from the day prior and the last tour was really at 5:10. Anyway, we enjoyed what we could at the Monticello. It was stunning and we learned a lot about Thomas Jefferson.
Sadly, after this I had to take my dad to the airport. I am so glad he got to visit and see how beautiful Virginia is!
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