Plan a fun weekend for your family in beautiful Orange County, the heart of the Virginia Piedmont and home of James Madison’s Montpelier.
Book a place to stay at any of the Inns at Montpelier (www.innsatmontpelier.com). Begin the weekend with a visit to Montpelier, just 4 miles south of Orange.
The guided tour takes visitors through the Drawing Room, filled with art and conversation pieces, and the dining room, where dinner parties were held for distinguished guests, friends, and family. The Presidential Library is filled with books and maps that reveal the brilliant mind of James Madison. Take a self-guided tour of the second floor exhibition The Presidential Detective Story. Then move on to the cellars and the South Yard to peruse the groundbreaking exhibition The Mere Distinction of Colour, which uses slavery to connect the past to the present though the lens of the Constitution, and honestly examines the paradox that is America's founding era.
Explore 8+ miles of walking trails, gardens, and grounds, home to champion native trees, rare flowers, and 200 years of landscaping. Walk to the Madison family and slave cemeteries, the archaeology lab, and Mr. Madison's Temple. Don't forget to stop by the Gilmore Cabin, a freedman's farm, and the restored 1910 Train Depot, as you exit the gates of Montpelier. Visit the website for the latest on Montpelier activities and events at www.montpelier.org/events.
Just two miles from Montpelier is The Market at Grelen, where you can spend the afternoon picking fresh fruit and vegetables. Their 600-acre farm offers breathtaking mountain views and a great assortment of raspberries, blueberries, apples, pears, and peaches.
While in Mr. Madison’s neighborhood, be sure visit Historic Downtown Orange, including the James Madison Museum of Orange County Heritage. The 1909 Orange Train Station houses the Orange County Visitor’s Bureau. For a quick bite, stop by the Lightwell Tavern on Main Street. Enjoy unique shopping opportunities at places like Finders Keepers, Objects on Main, and The Arts Center of Orange. Nearby Gordonsville is another delightful historic community with eclectic shopping and restaurants ranging from fine dining at Pomme to finger licking-good barbeque at BBQ Exchange.
There are plenty of other activities to keep you on the go, including kayaking with Rapidan River Kayak Company, horseback riding at Oakland Heights Farm, and skydiving at Skydive Orange!
For more information about all there is to see and do in Orange County, please visit www.visitorangevirginia.com
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Last Updated: 06/27/2017
What's Nearby
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11350 Constitution Highway
Montpelier Station, VA 229570.02 MI -
11407 Constitution Hwy
Montpelier Station, VA 229570.19 MI
