Illustration by Shane Rebenshied
Best Bed and Breakfast
First place: Walden Hall, Reva, WaldenHall.com, 540-509-1440
Nestled in the foothills and surrounded by forest, this bed and breakfast—featuring five suites named after 19th-century poets—is inspired by Henry David Thoreau’s Walden. Guests can enjoy the surroundings by fishing at the two-acre, fully-stocked pond, relaxing by the fire pit with a glass of wine or strolling through the gardens.
Second place: Acorn Hill Lodge, Lynchburg, AcornHillLodge.net, 434-528-0983
Third place: Chestnut Hill Bed & Breakfast, Orange, ChestnutHillBNB.com, 540-661-0430
Best “Do Not Miss” Tourist Attraction
First place: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Richmond, VMFA.museum, 804-340-1405
In October, the VMFA will present Fine Arts & Flowers, a museum-wide exhibition in which members of garden clubs statewide create floral interpretations of works of art in the museum’s collections. Flowers are provided by Strange’s Florist and Garden Center, and proceeds benefit the VMFA on the Road initiative.
Second place: Monument Avenue, Richmond, NPS.gov, 804-644-3041
Third place: Maymont, Richmond, Maymont.org, 804-358-7166
Best Equestrian Event
First place: Montpelier Hunt Races, James Madison’s Montpelier, Orange, MontpelierRaces.org, 540-672-0027
Begun by William duPont, Jr. and Marion duPont Scott in 1929, the National Steeplechase Association circuit event takes place Nov. 3. Seven horse races run throughout the day, following terrier races in the morning. Tailgating, shopping and extraordinary millinery are Montpelier traditions.
Second place: Deep Run Horse Show, Manakin-Sabot, DeepRunHorseShow.com, 804-677-5691
Third place: Foxfield Races, Charlottesville, FoxfieldRaces.com, 434-293-9501
Best Fishing Guide Company
First place: Angler’s Lane, Forest, AnglersLane.com, 434-385-0200
Now in its 19th year of business, Angler’s Lane has recently opened Rivenridge at Piney Forks. The renovated lodge is located on the Piney River between North and South Forks, where guests can enjoy overnight, guided trips to fly fish for native brook trout in the region’s diverse waterscapes.
Second place: Matt Miles Fly Fishing, LLC, Amherst, MattMilesFlyFishing.com, 434-238-2720
Third place: Albemarle Angler, Charlottesville, AlbemarleAngler.com, 434-977-6882
Best Fishing Outfitter
First place: Green Top Sporting Goods, Ashland, GreenTopHuntFish.com, 804-550-2188
In addition to rods and reels, Green Top has an extensive selection of fishing kayaks. The Jackson Kayak line is designed to be maneuverable in a variety of waters, including rivers, rapids, lakes, ponds, inshore saltwater and the ocean. The line’s recent Coosa FD model employs a Flex Drive system that allows for hands-free propulsion.
Second place: Angler’s Lane, Forest, AnglersLane.com, 434-385-0200
Third place: Bass Pro Shops, Ashland, BassPro.com, 804-496-4700
Best Fitness Program
First place: X-Team Fitness, Richmond, XTeamFitness.com, 804-920-8086
X-Team’s no-excuses approach to fitness is now available through an expanded program offering four class times per day. The program begins with an intake session prior to the first workout—in which clients assess their fitness and set goals—and includes nutritional consultation. The class takes place in different indoor and outdoor locations around the city each day to keep interest fresh.
Second place: Zacharias Ganey Health Institute, Richmond, ZGHealth.com, 804-358-1200
Third place: SEAL Team Physical Training, Glen Allen, SealTeamPT.com, 804-262-1894
Best Golf Course
First place: Meadows Farms Golf Course, Locust Grove, MeadowsFarmsGolfCourse.com, 540-854-9890
Bill Meadows, owner of Meadows Farms Nurseries, created the golf course in 1993. He took as inspiration his favorite holes at other courses around the country and combined them with his distinctive landscape design skills. The Waterfall Hole, par 6, is the longest golf hole in the nation at 841 yards.
Second place: Independence Golf Club, Midlothian, IndependenceGolfClub.com, 804-601-8600
Third place: The Country Club of Virginia James River Course, Richmond, TheCCV.org, 804-287-1330
Best Gym
First place: ACAC, Midlothian, ACAC.com, 804-378-1600
In addition to group classes and access to top shelf equipment and pools, ACAC membership includes free mini clinics with the personal training team, which focus on rotating topics each month. Recent clinics have taught obstacle course racing, how to get fit while managing back pain, how to regain core strength after pregnancy and an intro to kettlebell swings.
Second place: Gold’s Gym, Fredericksburg, GoldsGym.com, 540-368-0032
Third place: Midlothian Athletic Club, Richmond, MACRichmond.com, 804-330-2222
Best Historic Site
First place: Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond, HollywoodCemetery.org, 804-648-8501
Alongside the final resting places of presidents and Confederate generals, visitors can view the oldest feature of Hollywood Cemetery—the James River. Construction on the second overlook of the river, sited near the Chapel Mausoleum, was completed early this year. Friends of Hollywood has also recently begun an initiative to restore the stained glass windows in the mausoleum.
Second place: Monticello, Charlottesville, Monticello.org, 434-984-9800
Third place: James Madison’s Montpelier, Montpelier Station, Montpelier.org, 540-672-2728
Best Hotel
First place: The Jefferson Hotel, Richmond, JeffersonHotel.com, 804-788-8000
Sunday brunch at the Jefferson is served in the rotunda lobby with a new menu each week. Hosted by TJ’s Restaurant, the Champagne brunch features a fresh seafood display, mini desserts, a made-to-order omelet station, a carving station, spoonbread—a Jefferson favorite—and fresh-squeezed orange juice for the mimosas.
Second place: Craddock Terry Hotel & Event Center, Lynchburg, CraddockTerryHotel.com, 434-455-1500
Third place: Quirk Hotel, Richmond, DestinationHotels.com, 804-340-6040
Best Hunting Outfitter
First place: Green Top Sporting Goods, Ashland, GreenTopHuntFish.com, 804-550-2188
The newest gear includes a line of riflescopes from Nikon. The Black FX1000 scopes are competition-grade, the first focal plane optical systems to feature high-speed turrets and Nikon’s signature sharp-resolution optical glass. Waterproof and made of aircraft-grade aluminum alloy, the scopes are built for durability and precision.
Second place: Cabela’s, Henrico, Cabelas.com, 804-340-7300
Third place: Dance’s Sporting Goods, Colonial Heights, DancesSportingGoods.com, 804-526-8399
Best Hunting Preserve
First place: Orapax, Goochland, Orapax.com, 804-556-2261
Orapax sits on 700 acres of rural land just 30 minutes outside of Richmond. There, sportsmen and women can participate in upland hunting for quail, pheasant or chukar, tower release mallard hunting, pheasant ring shoots or even bass fishing. For those without their own bird dogs, professional guides and trained dogs are available.
Second place: Rose Hill Game Preserve, Culpeper, RoseHillGamePreserve.com, 540-827-7484
Third place: Rasawek Hunting Preserve, Goochland, Rasawek.com, 804-467-9000
Best Outdoor Adventure
First place: James River Park System, Richmond, JamesRiverPark.org, 804-646-8911
There is no shortage of opportunity for outdoor activities at the James River, with class I-V rapids for rafting or kayaking, three rock climbing sites and more than 40 miles of hiking and biking trails. In November 2016, the T. Tyler Potterfield Bridge was opened, connecting Brown’s Island to Manchester for pedestrians and cyclists.
Second place: Riverside Outfitters, Richmond, RiversideOutfitters.net, 804-560-0068
Third place: Old Rag Mountain, Sperryville, NPS.gov, 540-999-3500
Best Resort
First place: Wintergreen Resort, Wintergreen, WintergreenResort.com, 434-325-2200
Recent renovations to the Mountain Inn include an expanded dining space in the Terrace Café (formerly the Gristmill). Though the resort is popular for skiing in the winter, it keeps just as busy in the summer with tennis and golf camps, a Memorial Day weekend Blues and Brews festival, Fourth of July fireworks and a summer music festival.
Second place: The Inn at Willow Grove, Orange, InnAtWillowGrove.com, 540-317-1206
Third place: Boar’s Head, Charlottesville, BoarsHeadInn.com, 434-296-2181
Best Retirement Community
First place: Westminster Canterbury Richmond, Richmond, WCRichmond.org, 804-264-6256
One of the ways residents stay engaged is at the community’s theater, which is designed specifically for seniors with larger seats and aisles. There, they enjoy more than 70 free programs each year, ranging from lectures to performances presented by companies both local and from all over the world. This year, Westminster Canterbury is expanding care and taking it off campus with its At Home hospice program.
Second place: Cedarfield, Richmond, Cedarfield.org, 804-474-8800
Third place: Brandermill Woods, Midlothian, BrandermillWoods.com, 804-744-1173
Best Summer Camp
First place: Passages Adventure Camp, Midlothian, PassagesRVA.com, 804-897-6800
In its 26th summer this year, Passages introduces a new camp: Surf n’ Turf. Campers begin with trail running on Belle Isle in the morning—the goal is that campers will be able to run the distance of a marathon by the end of the week—and in the afternoon learn how to stand-up paddleboard in the James River.
Second place: Passion Academy Performing Arts Camp, Richmond, PassionAcademy.net, 804-412-8102
Third place: Richmond SPCA Critter Camp, Richmond, RichmondSPCA.org, 804-521-1300
