7 Must-Do Experiences in Loudoun for 2026

The New Year is upon us and with it comes a raft of exciting new openings and bucket list adventures.

Here are some experiences to check out – and tick off – in Loudoun in 2026

Celebrate America’s 250th

2026 is a big year: the 250^th Anniversary of America’s founding. Talks, exhibitions, readings, festivals, parades and other commemorations will take place in Loudoun throughout the year with the main focus being the build-up to – and celebrations on – July 4. For details on all upcoming 250^th events go to Visit Loudoun’s Loudoun VA250 page here.  In anticipation of the 250^th , seven Loudoun museums and cultural destinations have joined forces to launch the Loudoun Heritage Pass, a multi-site ticket package highlighting Loudoun’s role in the nation’s founding and story. The pass, valid through July 4, 2026, offers discounted admission to Morven Park, Oatlands Historic House & Gardens, George C. Marshall’s Dodona Manor, the National Sporting Library & Museum and Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum.  Visitors are also encouraged to explore two additional free-admission sites: the Loudoun Museum and Aldie Mill.

Sip Bubbles at Virginia’s First Sparkling-Exclusive Winery

Opened in late 2025, Petit Domaine Sparkling Winery & Estate in Hillsboro is the first winery in Virginia to focus exclusively on sparkling wine. Until its own barrels come online in 2027, visitors can order bottles of Brut, Blanc de Blancs and Rosé Champagne imported from France. The property resembles a St Tropez beach club – all clean lines, cool centerpiece bar and spacious outdoor patio where you can relax under sleek cabanas in summer. An elevated small plates menu overseen by Michelin-star Chef Eric Ziebold enhances the wine without overpowering it.

Dine in a New Restaurant

Set to open in early 2026, Oak & Ember in Aldie will combine a neighborhood market with a wine-focused restaurant and social hub. A concept by Christian Puccio, who started beloved Italian deli Puccio’s in Leesburg, expect handcrafted pasta, charcuterie, artisanal cheeses and curated flights of Loudoun wine. A bucket list backup if you haven't already been: Shutters on King in downtown Leesburg opened in a gloriously restored 19th-century building in late 2025. Start with oysters from the raw bar before graduating to the juicy brioche bun cheeseburger. Excellent cocktails and an impeccable wine list too.

Visit a Roaring New Brewery

Also opened in late 2025, LoCo Lion on a 26-acre farm in western Loudoun is the expansive new brewery of UK transplant Nigel Rourke and his American wife Laura Starego. In the scenic two-floor tasting room, they offer a rotating seasonal mix of 10 beers made by a former Sam Adams brewer, while in a nod to Nigel’s UK roots, there are multiple British food items on the menu. Bubble and squeak pizza, anyone? Cornish pasty? As for the unusual name, it’s a tribute to two African lions that once roamed a neighboring farm and are now buried under a tree on the grounds just below the tasting room.

Stay in a Boutique Hotel

Put Hotel Burg on your 2026 bucket list. Opened in the latter part of summer 2025, the 39-suite boutique hotel on trendy King Street is the first new hotel in downtown Leesburg in 60 years. Overnight guests and club members get access to a rooftop bar and a speakeasy-style basement lounge, while for the general public, the swanky Diana Lounge off the lobby is a stylish horse and hunt country themed bar with impeccable martini service. The cherry on top is fine dining restaurant The Huntōn, where Chef Vincent Badiee elevates farm-to-table to fine art.

Spend A Cozy Night in the Country

If you’re visiting Loudoun, or even if you’re a resident and want to make a night of it, why not book a stay in one of our cozy bed & breakfasts for the evening. One suggestion is the historic Welbourne Inn outside Middleburg, a rustic six-room 18th-century manor house and horse farm owned by the descendants of Col. Richard H. Dulany, founder of the Upperville Colt & Horse Show. In Northern Loudoun check out Hummingbirds Hideaway Treehouse – a cozy treehouse B&B just outside historic Waterford.

Pamper Yourself in a Loudoun Spa

It’s a new year so how about some rest and rejuvenation? Loudoun has its share of spas to get you feeling just right. King Spa in Chantilly is a luxurious three-story complex (with heated rooftop pool) modeled on the traditional Jjim-Jil Bang spas of South Korea. The spa at Salamander Middleburg offers a unique range of treatments from water therapy to basalt steam rooms and winter warming massages. Lansdowne Resort’s Asian-themed Spa Minérale offers therapeutic massages and bodywork including acupuncture and cupping.