Leesburg VA is approximately an hour’s drive from Washington DC. The town pre-dates DC and was established in 1740. It is named after the “Lee” family – as in the first Governor of VA, and Henry Lee, signer of the Declaration of Independence. And during the War of 1812, the town served as the temporary US Capitol and “safe-haven.” And in the 20th Century, the town was home to Gen George C Marshall, World War Two General and architect of the Marshall Plan used to rebuild Western Europe after the War.
Leesburg is known as one of the more historic and charming small towns in Virginia. The downtown is extremely walkable and quaint. We spent about an hour popping and out of cute shops which pride themselves on their locally made products. Lightfoot is a beautiful spot for dinner which is in a renovated old bank.
Virginia is not known for its wine, and there is a reason for that. But there are several in the Leesburg area that are worth the trip. My girlfriends and I especially liked Stone Tower Winery which as a beautiful outside seating area and a fairly wide selection of food. They don’t do flights, but they do have a sampler (we never quite figured out what the difference was). We also went to Willowcroft Farm Vineyards which has a fun wine and chocolate tasting. I’ve done several wine and chocolate tastings and this was the most pronounced for me. If you only have time for one, I’d recommend Stone Tower. But know there are at least a dozen in the immediate area and I haven’t tried them all (yet).
Reopening in 2025, you can cross the Potomac River to White’s Ferry which is a very small but cute location. And finally, there are a range of hiking trails nearby that allow you to do everything from explore Civil War Battlefields, spend some time on the famous Appalachian Trail, or hike to waterfalls and scenic outlooks. This is a great resource for some nearby hiking. 10 Best Hikes Near Leesburg, Virginia (gohikevirginia.com)
And for more ideas of activities in the area, check out this blog: 21+ Fantastic Fun Things to Do in Leesburg Virginia (funinfairfaxva.com)
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