Visit Virginia: Krecek Kakes Bakery & Coffeeshop

We attended a get-together at a relative's home in Virginia, and we never go to anyone's home empty-handed, so we decided to bring a dessert.

After searching for a nearby bakery, we ended up ordering a Lemon & Raspberry Cheesecake from Krecek Kakes Bakery & Coffeeshop.

In fact, it was just about the only full-size dessert they had at such last-minute notice, but it turned out to be perfect.

 

The cheesecake was amazing!  The flavors were not too tart, but were subtle enough to give the dense, rich cheesecake a delightful flavor.

It was definitely one of the best cheesecakes I've ever tried!

Krecek Kakes Bakery & Coffeeshop
105 S Main St

Gordonsville, VA 22942
(540) 832-6606

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Visit Virginia: Paisano's Pizza

We drove from New Jersey to Virginia, stopping along the way at Royal Farms to pick up some of the "Best Gas Station Fried Chicken" for the road.  One of my kids didn't eat much of the food, however, and by the time we got to Virginia, it was quite late, but he was still hungry.  So we decided to get pizza at Paisano's Pizza.

We ordered a medium pepperoni - just enough for 2 people to share.

Paisano's is a very popular chain restaurant throughout VA, MD, and TN, so if you're in one of those states craving pizza, head to Paisano's!

Paisano's Pizza
2012 Eisenhower Ave
Alexandria, VA 22314

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Visit Virginia: Blue Mountain Brewery Restaurant & Brewpub

It was a warm summer's day in Charlottesville, VA, yet the outdoor tables at Blue Mountain Brewery Restaurant & Brewpub were almost all spoken for. If people were willing to sit outside, in the heat, I figured the beer must be good!

Blue Mountain Brewery has two hops fields, one of which is right next door to the restaurant!

And the restaurant is kid- and pet-friendly!

Strawberry Lemonade Shandy

BMB Nachos with Nitro Chili

Mac 'N Cheese

Cheese Pizza

Since we had already eaten a huge lunch, I shared the BMB Nachos - house-made tortilla chips piled high with a Pepper Jack Nacho Cheese Sauce, a Black Bean and Corn Salsa, Salsa Roja, Sour Cream, Jalapenos, and Chili.

Kids items are served with a choice of salad, mini pretzels, sliced apples, applesauce, or French Fries.

I also decided to try a beer cocktail. The Strawberry Lemonade Shandy was made with Kolsch 151, strawberries, simple syrup, and lemonade.

Kolsch 151 is not the kind of 151 I'm used to (e.g. Don Q) - it's actually a light, German-style ale. Since I'm not a huge beer drinker, I didn't really care for the cocktail.

However, I enjoyed the food, and Blue Mountain Brewery is definitely a fun spot to get together with friends and family!

Blue Mountain Brewery
9519 Critzers Shop Rd

Afton, VA 22920
(540) 456-8020

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Visit Virginia: Wright's Dairy-Rite

While we were visiting family in Staunton, Virginia, we were told about Wright's Dairy-Rite, a popular drive-in restaurant over 50 years old, that continues to take orders via speaker or telephone with deliveries made to your car or table.

Even though we had just eaten a fabulous, homemade dinner, we decided to stop by Wright's Dairy-Rite before our long drive back to Alexandria for some sweets.

Funnel Cake Fries

Dipped Cone (Brown Derby)

The menu at Wright's Dairy-Rite is full of typical diner fare - burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches, chili, but the shakes, cones, and desserts are aplenty and hard to resist!  

The Dipped Cone and Funnel Cake Fries are sure to satisfy any sweet tooth.  I especially enjoyed the Funnel Cake Fries - sweet and crispy, and reminiscent of the fair.

If you find yourself in Staunton, visit Wright's Dairy-Rite and take a step back in time!

Wright's Dairy-Rite
346 Greenville Ave

Staunton, VA 24401
(540) 886-0435

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Visit Virginia: Draft Taproom

While in Charlottesville we headed to Draft Taproom, where you can try one of 60 drafts on tap.  You pay for beers by the ounce, so if you're not sure you'll like something, you pour a little into your glass.  If you end up liking it, you can pour more!

Since I'm not a beer drinker, I was only interested in the food.

All American

Classic Buffalo Wings

Fried Chicken Sammy

Pretzel Bites

Tater Tots with Beer Cheese & Chili

Kids Mac `N Cheese

I can't resist tots, so I ordered them with Beer Cheese & Chili.  I could've done without the Beer Cheese.

The Pretzel Bites were really good by themselves (no need to dunk them in the Beer Cheese).

The American Burger was topped with shaved red onion, tomato, American cheese, housemade pickle, and a secret sauce.

I enjoyed how family-friendly Draft Taproom was, although it can get loud if you're watching a sporting event on one of the many flat-screen TVs (a World Cup game was on while we were there).


Draft Taproom
425 E Main St

Charlottesville, VA 22902
(434) 422-5901

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Visit Alexandria: The Creamery

Another day in Virginia...another ice cream stop!  This time it was to The Creamery.

Creators of small-batch, handcrafted ice cream, The Creamery is the oldest continually operated ice-cream shop in downtown Alexandria, according to their website.

OREO

Coffee OREO

Small scoops are $5 and quite generous.

With over 20 flavors to choose from, my kids stuck to OREO ones.

They enjoyed the ice cream, and it was the perfect way to end a warm evening in Alexandria!

The Creamery
110 King St

Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 549-4527

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Visit Alexandria: Hen Quarter

I love Southern food, so I was very eager to try out Hen Quarter while we were in Alexandria, VA.

Belly Pops

Southern Fried Pickles

Fried Green Tomatoes

HQ Burger

I enjoyed all the starters, with my fave being the Southern Fried Pickles. Some of the best I've ever tried!

The Fried Green Tomatoes were topped with a smoked mozzarella, and a vibrant Sea Island pea salsa.

The Belly Pops - skewered smoked pork belly bruleed in rosemary sugar and served in a fig gastrique - were pretty tasty.

My husband loved the HQ Burger - a beef patty consisting of short rib, brisket and chuck, topped with crispy onions, pimento cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.

Kids meals are all $6.95 or less, and come with a drink.

Kids MAC

Fried Cracklin and Fries

For dessert, we opted for the Bourbon Pecan Pie.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

They forgot to put the whipped cream on, which was fine, because the pie was already sweet enough as is.

The food and service were both great.  Definitely visit if you love Southern food!

Hen Quarter
801 King St,
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-684-8969

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Visit Alexandria: Pop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream

One of my favorite spots for ice cream that we visited while in Virginia was Pop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream.

This charming ice cream shop offered over 60 flavors!  That's right - more than 60!

Cleveland Brownie

Cookie Dough

Bubble Gum

Pop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream also offers some amazing-sounding sundaes, but it's hard to go wrong with any one of their creamy, delicious homemade ice creams!

Be sure to stop in if you love ice cream as much as our family does!

Pop's Old Fashioned Ice Cream
109 King St

Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 518-5374

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Visit Virginia: Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town / Duke Street

While in Virginia, our family stayed at the Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town / Duke Street.

I'm a huge fan of Residence Inn and the large suites, complimentary breakfast, and Residence Inn Mix, and the Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town / Duke Street delivered on all of those facets.

Our family stayed in a 2-Bedroom Suite, which was perfect for our family.

The suite included a living room with a pull-out sofa bed, a full kitchen, three flat screen TVs, 2 bathrooms, and 2 rooms each with a queen bed.

The 240-suite hotel renovated their rooms in 2016, and the lobby and public space has been completely refreshed.

This space is where guests can enjoy their complimentary breakfast, as well as drinks and bites from the Residence Inn Mix.

Every morning we'd get our fill of eggs, meats, pastries, cereals, and fruit, and on select evenings we were able to try out different wines, beers, and tasty eats!

One of my favorite things about the Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town / Duke Street is the location.  It's just a short walk away to historic King Street, which is at the heart of Old Town Alexandria and is lined with an abundance of shops and restaurants.

The hotel is also very close to the King Street Station, making it simple to catch the Metro to Washington, DC.

I would definitely choose to stay at Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town / Duke Street again - the spacious suites are great for large families; the complimentary breakfast and Residence Inn Mix, along with the full kitchen, enables families to save money on dining out; the location is ideal!

Residence Inn Alexandria Old Town / Duke Street
1456 Duke St

Alexandria, VA 22314
(703) 548-5474

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Visit Virginia: George Washington's Mount Vernon

Just a short drive from Alexandria, Virginia is George Washington's Mount Vernon.

The former home of George and Martha Washington is currently owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States.

When you buy a ticket to Mount Vernon, you are given a ticket designated with the time your mansion tour starts.  Before or after your tour, you are free to roam the vast grounds of the area.

We decided to explore the property before our tour, so we walked through the gardens, a farm, and even went to the wharf along the Potomac River.

We also visited the Slave Memorial & Burial Ground, Washington's Tomb, and a Slave Cabin.

My kids loved seeing all the different animals on the property!

As I mentioned, the property is vast, and it was a bit of a challenge to walk such far distances on a very hot summer's day.  We were up for the challenge, however, and even strolled along the Forest Trail, which offered a few fun interactive stations the kids enjoyed.

Fortunately, there is a shuttle that stops at a couple of points throughout the property for those who choose not to walk.

When it was close to our designated tour time, we lined up, and waited for entry into the first part of the tour (no photos are allowed in the mansion).

The tour is approximately 15-25 minutes long, and we were allowed access into certain areas of the mansion, while different guides explained what the various rooms were.

We got to see ornately decorated bedrooms, a bright-colored dining room, and a fabulous "New Room," which served multiple functions (dining room, receiving room, etc.).

Throughout the mansion we saw the Key to Bastille, a fan chair Washington used to keep cool in his study, and other neat artifacts.

I especially enjoyed seeing the different styles of decor and architecture throughout the rooms.

Outside of the mansion are several outbuildings.  The tour ends in one of them, the kitchen, and this is the only area of the tour we could take photos.

Other outbuildings include a spinning house, barn, smokehouse, and wash house.

A visit to George Washington's Mount Vernon was an intriguing and educational look back at history and life during that era.  

For tickets or more information, click here.

George Washington's Mount Vernon
3200 Mount Vernon Hwy

Mt Vernon, VA 22121

Mahalo to the sponsor for the complimentary tickets.

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