On a recent weekend, close friends visited us from Philadelphia for their annual Loudoun fix – wineries, farm breweries, afternoon hikes and strolls through historic towns. Except, on this occasion, we showed them something completely different.
We started with Friday night dinner at Indian restaurant Bhai Sahab in Lansdowne, followed by a late-night crawl of trendy Leesburg cocktail lounges including Tarbenders, The Docket and Nightshift. On Saturday, we caught Major League Rugby stars Old Glory DC at Segra Field while my daughter took their daughter ice skating at Ion International Training Center.
Not only did our friends love the weekend, they were stunned to discover there was more to Loudoun than the amazing craft beverages, stunning rural scenery and historic villages that they already knew and loved.
Which brings us to Think You Know Loudoun? Think Again. – Visit Loudoun’s summer marketing campaign. The tourism organization was awarded a 2022 Virginia Tourism Marketing grant to launch this campaign, which runs July through September.
The campaign will highlight the hip, fun, fast-paced side of Loudoun that many locals and visitors might not think about when enjoying or describing this vibrant destination.
The above-mentioned restaurant, bars and sports venues, (Segra Field is also home to soccer stars Loudoun United, feeder team to MLS giants DC United) are not the only examples of this cool, lesser-known Loudoun. Did you know Sterling is home to Axes & Os, an axe throwing bar where pro tournaments take place? Or, did you know that you can race Formula 1-inspired go-karts at Autobahn Indoor Speedway Complex in the morning and be zip-lining over forest canopies at Harpers Ferry Adventure Center in the afternoon?
Then there are the chic boutiques of Middleburg and Leesburg featuring the kind of design, style and fashion that would not be out of place in New York’s West Village.
Of course, fine food has long been part of Loudoun’s allure, but even the dining scene seems to have an extra swagger these days. The new Bia Kitchen in Purcellville is the passion project of Irish born chef Shane O’Connor, La Prensa is the trendy tapas and tacos outpost of Indian-born chef Santosh Tiptur and Louisiana-inspired Bourbon Bayou Kitchen in Ashburn is co-owned by an Armenian-American -all of which bring a dynamic international flavor to our food scene.
We won’t stop taking our friends to wineries, breweries and historic towns when they visit, but we are going to mix it up, and you should too. “Think Again” about Loudoun by following Visit Loudoun on social media, and visit our website to discover what’s new, surprising, fun and cool between now and September.
