As I turn onto Rt. 29, I’m immediately greeted by the Blue Ridge mountains in the distance. With spring’s arrival, the weather-beaten hills are starting to show life with the broadleaf trees turning a beautiful bright green. While I take in the scenery, I continue to be in awe of how Virginia’s landscape can change so quickly, even in a short drive. And as I get closer to town, I get the feeling that LOVE will be everywhere I look, and I can’t wait to find it ♥️.
Lovingston is the county seat of Nelson County and is located about an 1.5 hours west of Richmond. They have three official LOVE signs – one at Virginia Distillery Company, another at Wood Ridge Farm Brewery and the third outside of the HeART of Nelson Artisan Market.
To get my blood pumping first thing, I head over to Fortune Cove Preserve. The 700+ acres offers two challenging hiking trails through thick forests and rocky inclines. The website wasn’t joking when it staid “hikers should be in good condition” (lol)! The trails climb steeply “gaining some 1,500 feet in elevation before reaching its highest point.” I was short on time so I hiked about a mile of one of the trails, but the views and scenery were beautiful, even from where I stopped.
I plan to make it a goal to come back and experience the full trail given how awesome just the first mile was. And a few key reminders when hiking – wear the proper gear, be mindful of fallen branches and rocks, and try to hike with others.
After my cool down, I rewarded myself by heading to the HeART of Nelson Artisan Market. This is a place where local artists shine by selling an array of original paintings, pottery, jewelry and other handmade items that would make the perfect gift for anyone (and yourself). A particular artist’s work kept catching my eye, Beth Mehring. Come to find out, she is the one that designed and painted the official LOVE sign right outside of the store (see pic at the top of the blog).
I left with an original painting by Mehring as a birthday gift for a friend, a pair of earrings by the same artist and a t-shirt with the local LOVE sign on it.
With all of the hiking and shopping my stomach is growling, so I drive straight to Vito’s Pizza Bar and Grill. The smell of fresh dough, spices and cheeses has my mouth watering instantly. The menu offers a nice selection of options – I instantly went for the Caprese pizza with a side salad. The mozzarella, basil and tomato on the pizza melted in my mouth. And the salad with homemade ranch dressing was on point. It was so good I nearly ate everything by myself.
If you have time and are looking for something sweet after your meal, Nelson’s Scoop ice cream shop is right next door. It looked like a great place to grab desert.
Something I don’t think I’ve written much about yet is my love of books, both reading and collecting them. Well, I may have found one of my new favorite spots in Blue Moon Antique Mall and Bookstore. This may be the largest display of new and used books that I’ve been to (thus far). While I was overwhelmed at first (only because I wasn’t prepared for so much goodness), it didn’t last long.
Aisle after aisle books are stacked on almost every subject you can imagine. And while the space is large, they do an excellent job of placing similar genres together to make browsing easy. I left with first editions of the Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins, and 1950’s editions of Little Women and Little Men by Louisa May Alcott – all at reasonable prices.
It’s always 5 o-clock somewhere, right? No matter the time, Lovingston has several places where you can kick back and enjoy various types of beverages. Lovingston Winery is a beautiful farm where you can sample and taste their different wines. The inside is spatial and lovely and the outside provides views of open fields and the rolling hills. I ordered a flight of their reds, which were very tasty. You may also be greeted by their friendly dogs…their corky will ‘talk’ to you when you pet him 🙂
Next stop was the Virginia Distillery Company, where one of Lovingston’s official LOVE signs is located (on Route 29 outside of the distillery entrance). Their website says it best about their spirits – “The most awarded single malt whisky distillery in America, crafted in the heart of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains.” This is another place where there is ample comfortable seating inside and out. I purchased Brett (my husband) the Courage & Conviction Signature Malt whisky, which we will try in old fashions at home.
And my final stop included the last official LOVE sign at Wood Ridge Farm Brewery. As I pulled up I knew immediately this was going to be a fun place. There is so much room outside with different types of gathering places – to include a tiki bar, beach volleyball court and driving range. They also host various events, many (if not all) are family friendly. While I’m more of a wine drinker, I thoroughly enjoyed their Jalapeno Lime brew (jalapenos are grown on site). I can’t wait to bring Brett and friends here to enjoy this diverting place.
Lovingston is a place to love…
Lovingston continues to embrace one of the many things that makes Virginia special – That great surprises can be found in quaint towns. It’s a place where you can easily enjoy the foothills of the Blue Ridge through outdoor adventures, local shopping or indulging in your favorite beverage. When you talk with the residents, you can hear how excited they are about what their town has to offer to everyone. And what better place to find LOVE in VA, than in a town where it’s everywhere, to include its name.
Ready to visit Lovingston? Let’s get you started.
♥️♥️♥️♥️
| Official ♥️ Signs Visited = 44 | Official LOVEworks = 336 |
| Unofficial ♥️ Signs Visited = 27 | Unofficial LOVEworks = 400+ |
| TOTAL VISITED = 71 | TOTAL LOVEworks = 700+ |
Is this your first Leah LOVES Virginia blog post read? Thank you for taking the time to visit. If you’re wondering how this adventure got started, check-out my first blog post and my about page. Want to stay connected? It’s super easy and you’ll only hear from me when a new blog gets posted. You can also follow along by friending me on my Leah LOVES Virginia Facebook page.
Important note: I always do my best to ensure everything I include in my blogs are factual and that I also give credit and use quotations when pulling information from sources. If you believe there is something included here that needs to be addressed, please email me directly as I want to be sure it is fixed. Thank you and happy LOVE sign hunting.
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