Drink Local! Northern Virginia is ripe with wineries, cideries, breweries, and distilleries. Here’s a look at some of our favorite tasting rooms and taprooms — and what to pick up when you visit.
Just because you have kids in tow doesn’t mean you can’t get your beer on — in moderation, of course. These family-friendly breweries welcome well-behaved children, with games and activities designed for the school-aged set while Mom and Dad can relax and sample a flight.
The Farm Brewery at Broad Run in Haymarket has installed a playground for kids to burn off their endless energy, while parents can enjoy a Blonde Ale or Mosaic Dreams New England IPA and listen to live music under the outdoor pavilion. (Parents with kids over 12 can also try their hand at axe throwing in a dedicated barn.) 16015 John Marshall Hwy., Broad Run
Lost Barrel Brewing in Middleburg used reclaimed wood for its Bale House and loft — but the outside area is just as inviting. Challenge your kids to a game of cornhole, ladder golf, or Spikeball while you sip a Nitro Stout or Stratazacca Double IPA with tropical fruit flavors, and the kids try a cinnamon apple mocktail or mango lemonade. 36138 Little River Tpk., Middleburg
Set on 63 acres in Lucketts, Vanish Farmwoods Brewery gives families plenty of room to spread out, with a massive taproom, outside picnic tables, food trucks, live music, pop-up shops, and boutiques. The staff encourages guests to bring the whole crowd; there’s a playground for kids, and sports balls are allowed to be used in the adjacent field. Parents can try the unexpected Backwoods Bonsai, a lager brewed with Japanese rice. 42245 Black Hops Ln., Leesburg
Veteran- and family-owned farm brewery Harvest Gap Brewery at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Purcellville is also a working beef cattle and grain farm. The Virts family has lived and farmed in the area for more than 260 years. In addition to the main timber frame taproom with a wraparound porch, there are lots of activities outside for kids of all ages, including a basketball shooter challenge, hay bale tube slide, and bouncy pit, as well as cornhole and other games. And each fall there’s a maze where you can get lost amid the rows of corn. Try the German-style Devil Dog Helles Lager, Holler House IPA with citrus aromas, or the crisp Stud Light. 15485 Purcellville Rd., Purcellville
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- Heading to these Popular Wineries? Here’s Where to Eat Nearby
Feature image courtesy Lost Barrel Brewing
This story originally ran in our December issue. For more stories like this, subscribe to Northern Virginia Magazine.
