If You Need to Get Away: Stone Mountain Vineyards
This is not an endorsed post. I used my own money to pay for this trip. Below is my honest opinion of my experience.
During our Shenandoah Crossing baecation, my fiance and I decided to venture into the woodlands of Virginia and seek out the majestic Stone Mountain Vineyards. I'd purchased a Groupon for a wine tasting for two which included a cheese plate.
The drive from Quicksburg, VA to Dyke, Virginia takes about an hour. It is a beautiful, peaceful ride. We passed farms, adorable country cottages, and miles and miles of sprawling, green fields.
That being said, the drive up the mountain is TERRIFYING! It is not at all for the faint of heart. The road is very narrow and literally windes around the edge of a steep mountain. We were scared that a passing vehicle would push us off the roadway, or that a bear would fall out of a tree and onto the hood of our car. On a more serious note, it is very difficult to navigate the roadway if a vehicle is approaching you in the opposite direction. There aren't any sort of guardrails, so the only thing between you and an untimely tumble is trees and more trees.
Once we finally got to the top of the mountain we planned to be there for a while. We thanked God for safe passage up the mountain, headed inside, and immediately redeemed our vouchers to start our wine tasting. Lord knows we needed a drink to calm our nerves!
We enjoyed the wines we tried as well as the cheese plate with baguette and crackers, but after such a long and arduous drive, we really needed more sustenance. Their only hot food offering is pizza - which was just okay. We honestly didn't love it.
Also, the experience at the winery left a lot to be desired. We wished they had board games or playing cards available for patrons. There was live music - but it wasn't exactly our cup of tea.
The view from the balcony is UNREAL! You really feel like you are nestled in a beautiful, luxury tree house. However, for the time of year we visited we could only stay on the balcony for a short period of time. It is very windy at that altitude.
Just so you know, the drive down the mountain is just as terrifying as the drive up! Since it was the fall (and we arrived at 5pm) we stayed long enough for the sun to begin to set. We feared that if we stayed any longer it would be too dark to drive down.
With prayers, swears, and clenched butt-checks, we descended the mountain successfully. I've never been so happy to see flat, level ground in my life.
If you need to get away, and you aren't afraid of challenging driving circumstances - perhaps you'd like the experience of driving vertically up a ragged, jagged mountain. Just so you know - despite the pleasant time I had once we actually got settled, I don't plan on going back anytime soon!
Edit: Apparently, Stone Mountain Vineyards now communicates to patrons to take a very specific route to their facility. Please keep this in mind if you decide to visit!
During our Shenandoah Crossing baecation, my fiance and I decided to venture into the woodlands of Virginia and seek out the majestic Stone Mountain Vineyards. I'd purchased a Groupon for a wine tasting for two which included a cheese plate.
The drive from Quicksburg, VA to Dyke, Virginia takes about an hour. It is a beautiful, peaceful ride. We passed farms, adorable country cottages, and miles and miles of sprawling, green fields.
That being said, the drive up the mountain is TERRIFYING! It is not at all for the faint of heart. The road is very narrow and literally windes around the edge of a steep mountain. We were scared that a passing vehicle would push us off the roadway, or that a bear would fall out of a tree and onto the hood of our car. On a more serious note, it is very difficult to navigate the roadway if a vehicle is approaching you in the opposite direction. There aren't any sort of guardrails, so the only thing between you and an untimely tumble is trees and more trees.
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| Relief and Exhaustion |
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| Bae, cheese, & meats (omg he's so handsome!!!) |
Also, the experience at the winery left a lot to be desired. We wished they had board games or playing cards available for patrons. There was live music - but it wasn't exactly our cup of tea.
Just so you know, the drive down the mountain is just as terrifying as the drive up! Since it was the fall (and we arrived at 5pm) we stayed long enough for the sun to begin to set. We feared that if we stayed any longer it would be too dark to drive down.
With prayers, swears, and clenched butt-checks, we descended the mountain successfully. I've never been so happy to see flat, level ground in my life.
If you need to get away, and you aren't afraid of challenging driving circumstances - perhaps you'd like the experience of driving vertically up a ragged, jagged mountain. Just so you know - despite the pleasant time I had once we actually got settled, I don't plan on going back anytime soon!
Edit: Apparently, Stone Mountain Vineyards now communicates to patrons to take a very specific route to their facility. Please keep this in mind if you decide to visit!
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