Loudoun Heritage Pass Itinerary

Loudoun Heritage Farm Museum

George Washington famously hailed Loudoun as “The Breadbasket of the Revolution.” Pay tribute to that rich agricultural heritage at this extraordinary museum in Claude Moore Park, Sterling, dedicated to preserving, promoting and bringing Loudoun’s farming roots to life. Interactive, family-friendly exhibits include a vintage Grandma's Kitchen, a model farm school, a general store and a “Pick Your Own” wall and dairy barn. There’s also a tribute to the legendary Holstein-Friesian dairy bull, Round Oak Rag Apple Elevation, born in Philomont in 1965. Named the Bull of the Century and hailed as “the most influential animal in history,” close to 90 percent of all Holstein dairy cattle in the world – some eight million livestock – have the sturdy bull’s genes today.

George C. Marshall’s Dodona Manor

From Sterling, make your way west on Route 7 (the old Vestal’s Gap Road that a young George Washington took along with 2,100 British and American troops in 1755 ) to county seat Leesburg, where you will find the historic home of another general from another war. In the heart of the historic downtown, National Historic Landmark Dodona Manor was the private residence of Statesman-General George C. Marshall from 1941 until 1959. Marshall, who drafted the Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe after WWII, served as Chief of Staff of the Army, Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense. Docents are on site to give guided tours of the home, which include visits to the bedrooms, living room and kitchen as well as a talk on the art in the home, which features paintings by Winston Churchill and Madame Chiang Kai-Shek, gifted to the Marshalls.

Lunch at Lightfoot Restaurant

Founding Father and Leesburg resident Francis Lightfoot Lee was a signatory to the Declaration of Independence in Philadelphia in July 1776, a copy of which was read on the steps of Loudoun County Courthouse to cheering crowds a few weeks later on August 12, 1776. Pay tribute to Lightfoot Lee at the timeless oak-paneled restaurant located in a grand 19th-century bank building directly opposite the courthouse. Lunch classics include the French Onion Cup, Oysters Rockefeller and the Braised Pork, Shrimp & Grits.

Morven Park & Equestrian Center

After lunch, make your way just north of town to the home-turned-museum and park of Westmoreland Davis, governor of Virginia from 1918-1922. The stunning 1,000-acre property showcases Davis’ handsome Greek Revival mansion, immaculately maintained boxwood gardens and expansive lawns. The property is also home to the Morven Park International Equestrian Center, site of spring horse races, summer polo matches and international horse trials each fall. The site has also worked with the Town of Leesburg and the Thomas Balch Library to create the first-ever genealogical searchable database of enslaved individuals in America. “The 246 Years Project” uses digitized copies of historic records to document and honor millions of enslaved people in a free, online, custom-built database that allows descendants to trace their ancestors' recorded experiences.

The Loudoun Museum

Make your way back to downtown Leesburg for a tour of the recently renovated Loudoun Museum, which interprets the county's cultural history with permanent and changing exhibits, talks and events. This historic year, don’t miss Life, Liberty, Loudoun! Revolutionary Stories, an exhibit exploring Loudoun's Revolutionary War history. The exhibit features an associated talk titled Honoring Black Patriots and Loyalists in the American Revolution.

Dinner in Historic Downtown Leesburg

Leesburg has a dozen restaurant options, several of them in historic buildings that would not have been out of place in James Monroe’s time. Housed in a refurbished 19th-century grain mill, Tuscarora Mill is a farm-to-fork classic known for its “authentically local” cuisine (don’t miss the fried green tomatoes and crab cakes), while Shutters on King is a newly opened modern American eatery set in a beautifully restored 18th-century building in the heart of downtown. Go for the banquette-lined ground floor dining room with its exposed brick walls, wood floors, plush couches, stone fireplaces and handsome backlit bar that has the feel of a private member’s club.

Overnight at Hampton Inn by Dulles/Cascades

Your Heritage Pass gives you a 15 percent discount on overnight stays at any Loudoun hotel that’s part of the BF Saul Hospitality Group. That gives you six options. Once to check out is the Hampton Inn by Dulles/Cascades located just a few miles east of Leesburg and nine miles from Dulles International Airport. Unwind in the pool and fitness center when you get back from the history tour.

Day Two

Breakfast at Goosecup

Wake up to perfectly poured craft coffee and a fresh egg and bacon sandwich in this beautifully designed artisanal coffee shop and roastery. On top of all the espresso drinks, the café does drip coffee and pour-overs – good jet fuel for the day ahead.

Oatlands Historic House & Gardens

Make your way south of Leesburg down Route 15 to this stunning National Trust site adjacent to the Loudoun home and farm of Fifth President and Founding Father James Monroe. Established in 1798 by George Carter, who inherited 3,408 acres of prime land from his father Robert “King” Carter III, the estate encompasses 360 scenic acres, the Greek Revival main mansion built in 1804, rare 19th-century brick dependencies including America's oldest restored propagation greenhouse and a magnificent four-acre English terraced garden. The property does guided tours of the mansion and grounds.

Aldie Mill Historic Park

Continue south on Route 15 for six miles and when you reach Highway 50, turn right towards Middleburg. Half a mile further down, you will come to the historic village of Aldie, renowned for its restored roadside grist mill, now a public park. Built 1807-1809, President Monroe, who farmed at Oak Hill a few miles north after his presidency, was an early customer. Two tandem metal waterwheels within the four-story stone structure power the mill, and on weekend tours between April and October, you can get a live demonstration. Aldie was also the birthplace of John Champe, Sergeant Major in the Continental Army, whom George Washington charged with infiltrating enemy lines to capture the traitor Benedict Arnold. A plaque honors Champe on the roadside ahead.

Lunch in Middleburg

In 1728, settler Joseph Chinn, a cousin of George Washington, turned his rustic fieldstone home on an old Indian trail into an “ordinary” – a tavern for travelers. Located in the heart of Middleburg and known today as the Red Fox Inn & Tavern, it’s one of the longest continually operating inns in the nation and has hosted the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Elizabeth Taylor, Robert Duvall and – back in the day – Washington himself. While it’s not open for lunch, visit the building and then dine in the cozy King Street Oyster Bar directly opposite. Part of the successful Loudoun seafood group, it’s located in an imperious former bank building with towering windows facing the street. On top of craft cocktails, regional beers and oysters sourced across the US, highlights include the crab cakes, scallops and seabass.