Travel
Boozing and Cruising Virginia’s Route 151
Nelson County has some of the most picture-perfect views of the Blue Ridge mountains in all of Virginia. Situated both in the mountains and in Rockfish Valley below, Nelson is the perfect backdrop for craft breweries, hard cideries, wineries, and distilleries. In fact, in the past decade these establishments have all popped up in the area and formed a craft beverage trail known as Nelson 151. (I mean, who wouldn’t want to sit in the shade with a drink in their hand, soaking up mountain views?) Nelson 151 is a perfect day trip from Charlottesville or even Richmond. Grab your sober driver, buckle up, and let’s hit the road! We’re going to booze and cruise in this guide to Virginia’s Nelson 151.
Cideries
Y’all know that I’m super into hard cider, right? I have definitely mentioned it before on this site and the odds are I will mention it again. Hard cider is my go-to alcoholic beverage. For that reason, I will lead this post with a summary of Route 151’s two cideries.
Bold Rock Hard Cidery
1020 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford VA
Bold Rock is most definitely the king of hard cider in Virginia – if not the mid-Atlantic. Their ciders, which are sold in nine states, feature both signature flavors and seasonal varieties. Bold Rock has also recently broken into the hard seltzer industry with two low-calorie flavors. Last but not least, if you visit the Nellysford location on 151, you can try exclusive flavors available only at their Barrel Barn tasting room.
Bold Rock Must Tries:
Signature Series – Pear Cider, IPA, & Rosé
Seasonal Flavors – Ginger Turmeric, Peach, and Blackberry
Barrel Barn Exclusives – Barrel 78° (cider with a post-ferment addition of apple brandy!!)
Hard Seltzers – Cucumber Melon
Beyond the tasty drinks, Bold Rock is located on a hill above a stream with gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge. They also have a large field where they hold events such as movie screenings, music, and more.
Blue Toad Hard Cidery
462 Winery Lane, Roseland VA
Blue Toad is a hard cidery that was founded by three childhood best friends and is based in both Virginia and New York state. Blue Toad has three flagship ciders and a handful of seasonal flavors. Their ciders can be found in local groceries in both of their home states. I love fruity flavor pairings and was blown away by Blue Toad’s blueberry cider.
Blue Toad Must Tries:
Flagship Flavors: Black Cherry & Blue Ridge Blonde
Seasonal Flavors: Blueberry & Paddy Green
Blue Toad has a very charming and quaint pub-style tasting room and outdoor picnic table seating. We stayed longer than we meant to, just enjoying the fresh valley air and listening to a nearby babbling brook.
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Wineries
If hard cider is my favorite alcoholic beverage, then I would say that wine is a very close second. Luckily for me – and you! – there is no shortage of award-winning Virginia wine to be found along Nelson 151.
Veritas Vineyard & Winery
151 Veritas Lane, Afton VA
Veritas Vineyard and Winery has been at the forefront of the Virginia wine scene since 1999. Their selection of wines is comprised of a variety of award-winners. Veritas’ name is a reference to the quote “In Vino Veritas” (In Wine there is Truth) by Pliny the Elder. Honestly, the truth about Veritas is that their wine is delicious and their winery is one of the classiest places I have ever been.
Veritas Must Tries:
Petit Verdot (red), Vigonier (white), and Mousseux Sparkling (rosé).
Veritas Winery’s vineyards and grounds are incredibly picturesque. It’s no wonder that Veritas is a very popular (and pricey) wedding venue. The rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge, a lush green meadow, a gorgeous grand ballroom… Pretty much the stuff a dream wedding venue is made of! Veritas also hosts an outdoor summer concert series called “Starry Nights,” where you can bring a picnic blanket and lie underneath the stars as local musicians play.
Flying Fox Vineyard
10368 Critzer Shop Road, Afton VA
A sister winery to Veritas, Flying Fox vineyard has been producing 8 locally-sourced wines since 2006. They also recently began their own line of Vermouth. Though I have not had the pleasure of visiting Flying Fox Vineyard, I hope to do so in the future! In the meantime, their Pinot Gris & Trio (red blend) wines have both won state-wide awards, so those are definitely at the top of my to-try list.
Cardinal Point Winery
9423 Batesville Road, Afton VA
According to their website, Cardinal Point’s winemaker Tim Gorman “is one of the few Virginia-born and educated winemakers in our area.” Though the winery itself only opened in 2002, the Gorman family has been growing grapes in their vineyard since the late 1980s. Unfortunately, I have not visited Cardinal Point yet. However, my good friend Steph is a wine connoisseur and she highly recommends their Rockfish Red and the Hopped Chardonnay.
Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery
2800 Berry Hill Rd, Nellysford, VA
Hill Top Berry Farm & Winery specializes in unique fruit wines and meads. Their fruit wines consist of everything from pears and plums to blueberries and blackberries. As their name suggests, they have a very attractive hill-top location. I have not been to Hill Top since I became of-age, however I did go when I was a bit younger to pick some delicious blackberries from their PYO plot amongst the grapevines. I would love to visit their tasting room to try either their spiced lavender mead (“Lavender Metheglin”) or their “Blue Heeler” blueberry wine.
Afton Mountain Vineyards
234 Vineyard Ln, Afton VA
Owned by UVA grads who couldn’t get enough of the area, Afton Mountain holds a special place in my heart. It’s where I did my first ever wine tasting on my 21st birthday. I’ve been going back to Afton Mountain every few years since then, and I love seeing how their business has grown. My gateway wine at Afton was their rosé, but as I’ve gotten older I have also come to appreciate their full-bodied reds.
Afton Mountain Must Tries:
Rosé, Gewurtztraminer (white), & Tradition (red)
Although each of the craft alcohol campuses along Route 151 has great views, I believe that Afton Mountain Vineyards has the best views. Since they are perched on a location higher up than most, their vantage point of the surrounding Rockfish Valley is incomparable. Afton Mountain is the perfect place to bring a picnic – no matter what the weather. In the Spring and Fall, you can enjoy the cooler temps out on the hillside. In the Summer and Winter, head into the Pavilion where you’ll be either cooled down or heated accordingly.
Breweries
Blue Mountain Brewery
9519 Critzers Shop Rd, Afton VA
The first brewery to establish itself in Nelson County, Blue Mountain features a number of beers made with Cascade hops. Not only that, but their brewpub has an extensive menu with many vegetarian and gluten-free choices. Back in the day, my family used to love to visit Blue Mountain for it’s restaurant fare – their specialty pizzas are *chef’s kiss emoji.* I am not a beer drinker myself – Emmett recommends the Full Nelson Virginia Pale Ale.
Wild Wolf Brewing Company
2461 Rockfish Valley Highway, Nellysford VA
Wild Wolf Brewery’s onsite restaurant and taproom was once a schoolhouse and now include a beirgarten & playground. Wild Wolf has six core-series beers as well as five rotating seasonal flavors. Their restaurant features farm-to-table provisions and has been voted #2 best farm-to-table in the Blue Ridge. Wild Wolf’s Area 151 Belgian-style blackberry beer is a local award-winner and comes highly recommended.
Devil’s Backbone Basecamp Brewpub & Meadows
200 Mosbys Run, Roseland VA
Inspired by European brewpubs, Devil’s Backbone features Euro-style craft beers and is one of the largest breweries in Virginia. (A caveat for local brew purists: Devil’s Backbone is now owned by Anheuser Busch). Devil’s Backbone brews 128 (!) beers and can be found in 15 states. The odds are that if you’re not not a local but you have tried a Virginia beer, it was from Devil’s Backbone.
Devil’s Backbone Must Tries:
Core Series – Vienna Lager
Throwback Series – Cattywompus & Tommy Two Fists
Specialty Series – Hibiscus Hard Lemonade
Devil’s Backbone is a pretty large establishment – remember the 128 beers? – that has a plethora of seating both indoor and outdoor. They also have an extensive menu that is one of the most vegan and vegetarian friendly on Route 151. I personally had the cauliflower steak there a few months ago and it was superb. Last but not least, Devil’s Backbone consistently hosts outdoor music onsite throughout the warmer months.
Distillery
At the moment, there is only one distillery located along Nelson 151. I have no doubt in my mind that more may pop up. In fact, Devil’s Backbone has been getting into the spirit distilling business as well. That being said, let me go ahead and talk about the award-winning Silverback Distillery.
Silverback Distillery
9374 Rockfish Valley Highway, Afton VA
I’m going to be real with you: this is the only distillery I have ever visited. Ever. I do really enjoy a craft cocktail. However, I’m really cheap so I rarely treat myself to any while out and about. Thus, on my visit to Silverback this past July, I went all out and got three cocktails in order to sample some of their signature liquor.
Silverback Must Tries:
Straight Up – Route 151 Proof Blackback Moonshine, Blackback Straight Bourbon, and Strange Monkey Gin.
Mixed Cocktails – Sex in the Jungle, Blushing Mandrill, Jungle Juice, and Peach Sour.
Silverback’s tasting room is small but welcoming – it’s really got a tiny-bar-in-the-city vibe. More than that, though, there is a big gorilla outside that you can pose with for a souvenir photograph. When you’ve had a few drinks, this is exactly what you want to do before leaving the distillery. (At least me and my crew did).
There you have it. Nelson 151 is the perfect adult’s day out in Virginia’s mountains. Have you ever been on a Craft Beverage Trail? Would you visit Nelson 151?
Travel
Why I Travel Journal And You Should Too
I like to journal. In fact, I’ve been writing about my life with regularity since I was nine years old. And I make no exception when I travel. In fact, I journal even more while I’m on a trip than I do at home. Even though it can take up a lot of my time, I feel compelled to journal about my experiences on the road. Here are five reasons why:
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You Are Writing for Your Future Self.
As with any journal I’ve kept, I love being able to read about something I did and see it through the eyes of my past self. It not only brings me joy to relive a tip but re-reading old journals also helps me recall details I never would remember otherwise. It’s been three years since my trip to Costa Rica and I don’t think I could have remembered the names of all of the village tiendas if I hadn’t been journalling about it.
While I tend to generally write about the details of the day, I also jot down other things that I’d like to remember. Things like pronunciation guides, songs I heard in specific places, the history of a site I visited, a little map of the area I walked in, or some interesting facts I read in a book. I’m always learning a lot of information about the new places I visit that I know would normally just disappear from my memory. Once it’s on the page, the information won’t get lost.
2. Writing is Cathartic.
When I’m having a crappy time somewhere, I will feel a lot better about it if I can write down every little thing that’s bothering me. A drunk guy peed on the floor of the dorm room? The airline lost my luggage? I’m covered in ultra-itchy bed bug bites? You can bet I wrote some angry words about all of those things in my journals. It was much easier to let go of my frustrations once they were all written on the page.
3. It’s a Scrapbook.
I don’t know about you, but I like to hold onto every little ticket stub, brochure, map, paper with traveler contact info, business card, or flier that finds it’s way into my hands. I always seem to end up with a pile of travel memorabilia in the bottom of my backpack – even after only a few days. Instead of just periodically throwing all of that nostalgia in the bin or keeping it in a messy pile somewhere, I long ago decided that the best thing to do with it is put it all in one accessible place. So: I glue them into that day’s journal entry. Now my journals are like little diary-scrapbook hybrids. I like that pasting papers and tickets into my journal visually breaks up the pages upon pages of my sloppy handwriting. Not only that, but the scraps I paste in can further jog my memory back to a specific time or place.
4. Waste Waiting Time.
Waiting is an inevitable part of traveling. Waiting for a flight/bus/train
to leave? You can catch up on journaling. Not only that but I’ll write once I get on that train, plane, or bus I’d waited for. Sometimes I’ve even found myself sitting & waiting for a hostel to open or a dorm room to be ready. That’s journal time. I can always find the time to to write at least a little bit.
5. Your Journal Becomes a Reference.
The more I’ve traveled, the more I’ve had relatives and friends ask me for information on places I’ve visited. All I have to do is flip through my journal from that trip to find names, locations, or directions. Oftentimes I’ll also write down advice given to me by other travelers about places I haven’t even been to yet. For example, when I was planning the New Zealand trip I remembered that I’d met a guy in Prague who’d done aWorking Holiday. I then looked through my journals from Europe and found his recommendations.
All in all, I highly recommend journaling while you travel. Even if you’ve never journaled before, traveling is honestly the best time to do it. A travel journal is a unique and personal souvenir that will preserve your trip forever.
Travel
A Few Days In Kathmandu
Kathmandu is a dusty, chaotic, and incredibly fascinating capital city. From the ancient architecture of Bhaktapur to the cafes & shops of Thamel to the religious sites that the Buddha himself visited, there is so much to do and see in Kathmandu. Emmett and I spent a month in Nepal, with Kathmandu being both the first and last place we visited. There is so much to see in the city and I know that we only scratched the surface. Check out our five favorite places in Kathmandu below.
+ Shopping & Dining in Thamel – 1 Day
+ Swayambunath, Boudhanath, & Pashupatinath – 1 Day
+ Bhaktapur – 1 Day
If you have more than 3 days, you could always add an extra day to exploring Thamel or Bhaktapur and throw in a side trip to the town of Nagarkot to see a view of the Everest range. (Just check the weather forecast before going to Nagarkot because it was very cloudy when we made our attempt).
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1. Thamel
Thamel is the primary tourist district in Kathmandu. It has the widest variety and most affordable choices for accommodation in the city. I love Thamel. It’s very much a touristic place but there’s something so endearing about all the alleyways and shops. The best thing to do in Thamel is Shop for Souvenirs. A lot of the shops will sell the same sorts of items, so make sure you ask the price of the product you want at each shop first to compare deals. And don’t forget to barter a little because that’s the expectation most vendors will have of you as a tourist.
On each of our visits to Kathmandu, we stayed at the dorm in the top of the cozy and very friendly Hotel Silver Home for 1,000 NPR ($10 USD) per person per night.
Swayambhunath
Also known as the Monkey Temple due to it’s population of rhesus macaques, Swayambhunath is one of the oldest religious sites in all of Nepal. The whole site is comprised of a set of very steep steps leading up to a hilltop complex of Buddhist temples and shrines surrounding a large stupa. In addition to it’s historical and spiritual significance, Swayambhunath is a great place to do people-watching. There are souvenir touts, locals in prayer, women feeding the monkeys and stray dogs, and plenty of other tourists.
Entry for tourists is 200 NPR per person (about $1.80 USD) and Swayambhunath is about a 30 minute walk from Thamel.
Boudhanath
Along with Swayambhunath, Boudhanath is one of the most significant sites for Buddhists in Nepal. The huge stupa is said to be built around the remains of Kassapa Buddha and is surrounded by a circular courtyard which must be walked in a counter-clockwise fashion as one circles the stupa. It may be difficult to see in photos, but Boudhanath is a maginificent sight to behold. The top of the stupa is estimated to be 118 feet (36 meters) high – if that gives you any indication of the scale. We walked both of the lower rungs of the stupa, taking our time and listening to the tinny sounds of a stereo playing the Buddhist chant “Om Mani Padme Hum.” The stupa is, like most historic sights in Kathmandu, surrounded by a series of shops selling souvenirs and religious artwork.
Entrance to walk the lower level of the stupa is 400 NPR per person (about $3.60 USD).
Pashupatinath
If you’re anything like me, you may be under the assumption that Nepal is a Buddhist nation. Maybe it’s the plethora of Buddhist prayer flags to be found in every souvenir shop in Nepal? Or maybe it’s the fact that the Buddha himself was born in the country? Either way, you maybe be surprised to learn that the majority of Nepali people (a whopping 81.3%!!) follow Hinduism!
Pashupatinath is the oldest Hindu temple in Nepal and is located on the outskirts of Kathmandu. I have a confession to make: Emmett and I were running low on Nepalese rupees and did not purchase passes to enter the complex. Instead, we wandered around the outskirts and watched a Hindu funereal procession from a respectful distance. We spent a while just watching some stray cows eat from a garbage pile as monkeys played in the dirty river that ran through Pashupatinath’s center. The shops surrounding the temple were full of Hindu souvenirs and piles of very photogenic powdered dyes.
Entrance to the Pashupatinath temple complex is 1,000 NPR (about $9 USD) per person.
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is an incredible ancient city about 8 miles (13 kilometers) outside of Khatmandu proper. In fact, Bhaktapur is the most well-preserved ancient town in all of Nepal and is full of beautiful and ornate architecture. However, even after three years, the whole of the city is definitely still reeling from the effects of the 2015 earthquake. . In fact, I have so many good things to say about it that I plan to make a post solely about Bhaktapur very soon.
Entrance to Bhaktapur’s Durbar Square is 1,500 NPR (approx. $15 USD) per person.
Travel
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
1. What countries have you visited?
Other than my home country of the United States, I’ve been to Costa Rica, Panama, China, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu, Singapore, Malaysia, & Nepal. (Also see the Google Map at the bottom of this page).
See Also :Being Vegetarian in Singapore & Malaysia
2. What are your favorite countries?
3. how old are you?
I just turned 30 in Summer 2021! Wow, that sounds old to me. Most of my international traveling was done at 21 (Central America), 23 (China & Europe), & 25/26 (Everything Else).
4. How do you afford to travel?
I work and save money. I’ve been a teacher, a kitchen hand, a sales associate, a social media manager, a receptionist, and a tutor in the US; a fruit-packing factory worker in New Zealand; and a painter, receptionist, and assistant manager in Australia.
5. How much do you spend when you travel?
When my partner Emmett and I spent ten months living and working in New Zealand, our expenses amounted to 31, 000 USD for TWO people. That basically breaks down to $50 per day per person. But that’s in one of the most expensive countries to visit in the world. Some days we spent $0 and on others, we did something extravagant like drop $900 for both of us to heli-hike a glacier.
6. What’s your photography gear?
A Nikon D3300 (currently with just the kit lens) and a GoPro Hero Silver 4.
7. What’s Your Favorite Piece of Travel Gear?
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