Sunday, February 14th is Valentine’s Day – a time to celebrate your love in Loudoun. Love comes in many forms however, and should not be limited to romantic couples. Instead, choose your own V-Day adventure! We also have a few suggestions for special gifts for loved ones.
With that in mind, here are our selections for the best Valentine's Day with…
Your Partner
The classic Valentine’s Day is a romantic dinner for two. The rustic Stables at Bluemont Vineyard is hosting a decadent four-course Chefs Table Dinner featuring a prosciutto and brie starter, then choice of shrimp and grits or a rib eye steak alongside Bluemont wines. There’s live music, too. Over at Salamander Resort & Spa the hushed ambience and crackling fireplace of the Library is the setting for a lavish six-course Valentine's Day Tasting Menu dinner on February 14th. Courses include Maine lobster, farm egg ravioli, saffron paella and a pot de crème dessert. Over in Leesburg, the beloved Tuscarora Mill Restaurant has a three-course prix fixe over Valentine’s Day weekend. Options include a pan roasted black cod and a braised Dakota bison short rib. Dine in town then book the Spa Getaway Package at Lansdowne Resort & Spa, which includes a $300 credit to the resort’s 12,000 square-foot luxury spa.
The Family
Dulles Golf Center & Sports Park in Sterling is more than a driving range. Enjoy an 18-hole mini golf course, a pro shop and pro golf lessons for parents and children. Smaller kids can search for gems in Rocky Cove Mining Company mining sluice, so something for everyone. Come spring, the baseball batting cages and beach volleyball courts open.
The Guys
We reckon guy’s spending V-Day drinking beer with their mates is perfectly legit this year and there’s no better way to do that than by hitting the LoCo Ale Trail, which connects some 35 breweries and tap rooms, from the urban east to the mountain west. Where to go? Check out modishly urban Beltway Brewing Company in Sterling; small, rural Barnhouse Brewery in farmland outside Leesburg and newly opened veteran-owned Harvest Gap Brewery in the Blue Ridge foothills near Hillsboro.
The Girls
Ready for Galentine’s Day? Enjoy a girls’ day out at 8 Chains North Winery where six wines will be paired with cupcakes that have been infused with 8 Chains wines by a local confectioner. Over in Middleburg, visit newly opened Lost Barrel Brewing where Chef José Marty’s LoCo Kitchen serves up cheese and charcuterie plates, hot flatbreads, salads and – just for Valentine’s Day weekend – warm fudge brownies with whipped cream and strawberries. Don’t forget to get a group picture taken in the on-site Saloon & Studio. One for the memory bank.
The Kids
Schoolteacher and equestrian Elizabeth Lipovsky runs Hogback Mountain Pony Rides south of Leesburg. Book a Valentine’s edition Meet & Greet photo session with miniature pony Clyde the Unicorn and Elsa from Frozen, on February 6th. There will be a fire pit with marshmallows to roast and props available to enhance the photo. Over Valentine’s weekend, nearby Leesburg Animal Park is hosting cookie decorating sessions for little ones. Reserve your spot online at www.leesburganimalpark.com/.
Valentine’s Gifts
Not to put pressure on you this soon after the holidays, but giving a Valentine’s gift is a sure way to someone’s heart. Leesburg Gourmet in downtown Leesburg has a spectacular selection of Valentine’s Day chocolates from Neuhaus, the famous Belgian chocolatier. Get Valentine Heart Boxes, Valentine Sharing Boxes (with 24 pieces) and even limited-edition Love Letter Boxes filled with Neuhaus pralines. For locally made treats, the aptly named Sweet Signatures in Sterling does everything in house, from chocolate lava cakes and brownie sandwiches, to gourmet hand-crafted chocolate covered almonds, truffles and coconut macaroons. While decadent chocolates go hand in hand with this holiday, you can also gift something a little less traditional -dance lessons. Loudoun’s popular Dance King Studios is offering couples a Valentine’s Day Dance Night on February 13th and 14th: a 40-minute private lesson with a professional instructor in the dance style of your choice. Book your spot by calling 703-443 -2623 and receive a 25% discount as well as a $10 gift card for King Street Oyster Bar.
