Exploring Pet-Friendly Wineries and Breweries Near Love Ridge
From the Monticello Wine Trail and Charlottesville Ale Trail to award-winning breweries and wineries tucked away along scenic Route 151, exceptional sips and pours await just a short drive from our Blue Ridge Parkway Cabins. With dog-welcoming policies and our pet-friendly cabins, there’s never been a better time to bring your furry friend along as you tour vineyards, relax on brewery patios, and experience the best Virginia wine and beer.
Love Ridge and Nelson 151
When you stay at Love Ridge Mountain Lodging, you are less than 15 minutes from the southern end of the Nelson 151 craft beverage trail. This north-south scenic byway parallels the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Rockish Valley and is home to several of Virginia’s most renowned wineries and breweries. Head north on the Blue Ridge Parkway, to Reeds Gap at milepost 14. At Reeds Gap, you can take your pup for a walk on the Appalachian Trail before taking Beech Grove Rd to descend past Wintergreen Mountain. As the road flattens, the Rockfish Valley unfolds. If you’re already feeling thirsty check out Devils Backbone or Blue Toad Cider, both pet-friendly establishments at the crossroads of Beech Grove and Nelson 151.
Once you’ve had your fill, meander north through the Valley and stop by the Natural History Center, great for both kids and pets, with additional trails, and Spruce Creek Park, which has an excellent kids natural playground. Continue your tour north, passing Nellysford, shortly after you can take the option of a little detour off 151 to Hill Top Berry Farm Winery & Meadery. Hill Top began three decades ago as a pick-your-own berry farm and maintains those same roots today as one of the staples of fruit-based Virginia wine and mead. Their property is breathtaking, with endless rows of cranberries, blueberries, blackberries, and elderberries, made into some of the most unique wines you’ll find anywhere, along with decadent honey meads (historically the first and oldest type of wine). Enjoy affordable $5 flights on the covered deck and stroll through the fruit vineyard with your dog, admiring the manicured flowers, rose bushes, goats, sheep, and ducks that add to the charming farm-like ambiance. In a sweet tradition, well-behaved dogs earn treats from the Hill Top crew, making it a memorable visit for all.
Continuing north on 151, if you and your pup are craving a beer pint your stop here is Blue Mountain Brewery. Along with stunning mountain vistas, they are a “farm brewery,” growing hops on site for their bevy of beers, like the citrus-infused Hopwork Orange IPA and clean, crisp, and easy-drinking Kolsch 151. When you grab a table in their designated dog area, your server will provide a rundown of their “Paws Laws,” helping ensure everyone gets along (it’s not uncommon to have 15-20 dogs playing at a time, so the rules help keep everything safe and respectful). While sipping delicious brews, enjoy food that rises above typical brewery fare, including a hot honey chicken sandwich topped with house-made pimento cheese and red pepper honey, house-smoked Memphis-style BBQ, and ten different pizzas (all available gluten-free, as well).
If you are in the mood for wine, bypass Blue Mountain and arrive at Afton Mountain Vineyards. Their 53-acre property has been producing wine since 1978, making it one of the oldest within the now-burgeoning Virginia wine scene. A massive tasting room has windows on all sides, ideal for viewing the serene waters of Baldwin Pond and the densely forested eastern flank of the Blue Ridge, a magnificent view especially during peak foliage weeks during the fall. Although ownership changed hands in the spring of 2024, their pet-welcoming policies, including a designated dog area, continue. Saturday evenings from May through September are particularly lively during their “Afton After Hours,” when local bands provide live entertainment. Afton Mountain encourages picnics, made easy with the cheeses, meats, olives, and crackers in our DIY Charcuterie Kit, complementing their Merlot or Sangiovese excellently.
To complete your loop back to Love Ridge, you might enjoy heading back on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Take the chance to stop along the way to snap some pictures of you and your pup on one of the many overlooks along the parkway.
Love Ridge to the Shenandoah Valley and Waynesboro
On the other side of the mountains from 151, you can enjoy the Shenandoah Valley and Waynesboro vibe at some of the establishments on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail. You shouldn’t miss a trip to Basic City, where well-behaved pups are welcome inside on a leash. Seven Arrows Brewing serves 13 distinct beers in a proudly dog-positive and warm pub atmosphere. It’s another establishment that allows dogs outdoors and indoors, where it feels like a living room away from home – with a fireplace where you can curl up and get cozy on a winter afternoon. Savor frosty pints of piney-hopped Eventide IPA, light and malty Vienna lager, and Fallen Timbers Oktoberfest amber ale while eating fried pickles, onion rings with homemade dipping sauce, and cajun-spiced shrimp and grits. They’re open late on weekends and host live music every Saturday night, perfect for heading out for tasty food and brews after an evening of Blue Ridge Mountain stargazing.
In and Around Charlottesville
Charlottesville, just 40 miles from your Love Ridge Mountain getaway, has a storied winemaking history. Jefferson Vineyards takes its name and inspiration from founding father Thomas Jefferson, who envisioned a Virginia wine industry 250 years ago at his nearby Monticello estate, famously making our revered Monticello Wine Trail (voted the best wine region in the US by Wine Enthusiast in 2023) the “birthplace of American wine.” Unwind with your dog on the Jefferson Vineyards patio deck, where you’ll find thoughtful touches like water bowls and waste bags provided while sampling some of the highest-quality wine in the state, including their flagship and award-winning Viognier white with hints of peach and lemon or the Cabernet made complex by overtones of dark cherry and spices.
Only 11 miles from Jefferson Vineyards in the same lovely and rolling countryside just south of Charlottesville, stop for a tasting at Michael Shaps Wineworks, which grows grapes for an impressive 20 distinctive wines on 40 acres. Their tasting room (go for their $10 tasting flight, which includes a complimentary glass), covered outdoor patio, and sloping grass lawn is dog-friendly, provided you keep them leashed. Shaps learned winemaking as an apprentice in Burgundy, bringing an old-world appreciation for proper grape-growing techniques, showcased in the stellar quality of their vintages.
Three Notch’d Brewing Company is one of 15 breweries along the Charlottesville Ale Trail, elevating Virginia beermaking to a prestigious level. Operated by three friends who got started as homebrewers and opened their doors in 2007, their initial two-beer lineup has since expanded to include everything from the Minute Man Juicy IPA and Mango Wheat to the Emperor of Clouds Imperial IPA (clocking in at an impressive 9% ABV) and rare seasonals like an Apple Crumb amber ale. Dogs are welcome on their outdoor patio, which has heat during the winter, and a grassy area surrounds the property, ideal for walking your pup between pints. Don’t miss their weekly Sunday Pups on the Patio, featuring ½ off appetizers and $2 off beers from 12-8 pm, and a lively social setting for dogs and humans alike. Luckily you don’t have to go all the way to Charlottesville to sample their beers, as they also have a Nelson 151 location.
Plan your Love Ridge getaway and catch a pleasant buzz in the Blue Ridge Mountains with your pup in tow!
Images – ©Virginia Tourism, used with permission.