Not
Home for the Holidays
Taking
the Christmas Spirit on the Road
by
Rosemary Dietrick, Contributing Writer
Give your family the gift of travel
during the holidays. After you�ve trimmed your tree, why not check out the
decorations and festivities beyond your own front door?
The Christmas spirit reigns throughout
the Old Dominion. Out in the heart of Appalachia, Virginians festoon the
Natural Tunnel with multi-colored lights. Over at Abingdon�s Barter
Theatre, Christmas themes take center stage.
Looking eastward to Williamsburg, the
Colonials celebrate a Grand Illumi�nation;
plantation owners deck the halls with greenery. The capital city of Rich�mond
boasts a GardenFest of Lights; up north, candlelight glows at Mount Vernon.
In Washington, D.C., the president lights the nation�s Christmas tree.
If you�re not cheering Santa on the
boardwalk at Virginia Beach, you could be skiing or hiking the Blue Ridge
and looking forward to a spa at the end of the day. At resorts, hotels, and
country inns, enjoy gourmet cuisine and Virginia wines. Whether your getaway
is around the corner or over the mountain, you�ll find a holiday home away
from home in Virginia.
Central Virginia
In Richmond, visitors marvel at the
GardenFest of Lights, where over a half million lights are arranged in
botanical themes throughout the Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens. Holiday
dining at the Robins Tea House and Garden Cafe. (Nov. 28, 2008 � Jan. 12,
2009. Call 804-262-9887; www.lewisginter.org; $.)
Maymont�s Victorian Holidays celebrate
Christmas past with house tours of Dooley mansion and moonlight carriage
rides. (Nov. 20, 2008 � Jan. 6, 2009. Call 804-358-7166; www.maymont.org;
$.)
At the Landmark Theatre, enjoy
performances of the Christmas classic, The Nutcracker, by the Richmond
Ballet with live music by the Richmond Symphony. (Dec. 12-23. Call
Ticketmaster: 804-262-8003; www.richmondballet.com; $.)
Skiers and snowboarders head west to
Wintergreen Resort in Nelson County, where Santa rides the slopes. A
crackling fire awaits apr�s-ski aficionados. Winter packages. (Call
800-926-3723; www.wintergreenresort.com; $.)
Tidewater/Hampton Roads
In this region Santa is both sailor and
surfer. The city of Hampton hosts the 20th annual Holly Days Lighted Boat
Parade along its waterfront. (Dec. 6. Call 757-727-8311;
www.hampton.gov/parks.) At Virginia Beach�s Holiday Lights at the Beach
you get to drive on the boardwalk as you view animated light displays of
jumping dolphins, mermaids, and Christmas scenes. (Nov. 21, 2008 � Jan. 1,
2009. Call 800-822-3224; www.vbfun.com; $.)
At the Virginia Living Museum in Newport
News, visitors experience a new vision of the �Star of Wonder� in the
museum�s Mystery of the Christmas Star in a digital planetarium theatre.
(Dec. 6, 2008 � Dec. 31, 2008. Call 757-595-1900; www.thevlm.org; $.)
Virginia�s favorite tradition is
Colonial Williamsburg�s Grand Illumination: Fife and Drum Corps begins the
18th-century celebration; candles are lit in public buildings and homes; and
fireworks light up the night. (Dec. 7. Call 1-800-HISTORY; www.history.org.)
Eastern Shore
Visit Chincoteague, the land of wild
ponies and saltwater cowboys for an Old-fashioned Christmas Parade with
marching bands and Santa (Dec. 6); browse galleries at Second Saturday Art
Stroll (Dec. 18). Information: Call 757-336-6161;
www.chincoteaguechamber.com.
Holiday festivities in the quaint,
waterfront town of Onancock feature a Christmas Homes Tour (Dec. 13, $) and
Christmas Parade (Dec. 21). Information: Call 757-787-3363;
www.onancock.com.
Shenandoah Valley
Families enjoy special holiday fun at
The Homestead Resort in the Allegheny Mountains: skiing; ice skating;
swimming in an indoor heated pool; dining and dancing New Year�s Eve.
(Dec. 22, 2008 � Jan. 1, 2009. Call 800-838-1766; www.thehomestead.com;
$.)
In Staunton, Gypsy Hill Park�s Holiday
Celebration of Lights (Dec. 1, 2008 � Jan. 9, 2009) draws crowds every
year; a traffic stopper is the ongoing ballgame in lights. Woodrow
Wilson�s Birthday Open House celebrates the 28th president�s Dec. 28
birthdate with free tours and cake and punch at his former home. (Call
Staunton Travel Information Center: 800-332-5219; www.staunton.va.us.)
Winchester�s Museum of the Shenandoah
Valley offers Glen Burnie in holiday finery and a night of music. Historic
House Tours (Saturday, Dec. 6 through Dec. 14; from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., $. No
tours Dec. 8; museum closed). Get in the holiday mood with Galleries at
Night (Dec. 14; from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.). Dance to the classic big band sounds
of the �30s, �40s, and �50s performed by the Yesterday Swing
Orchestra. (Call 540-662-1473; www.shenandoahmuseum.org; $.)
Blue Ridge Highlands
Who needs Broadway? Over in the
mountains, two legendary theatres present top-drawer entertainment. In
Abingdon, catch a performance of Another Night Before Christmas, a comedy
with music, at the Barter Theatre (Dec. 26-28 on Stage II) or Miracle on
34th Street (Dec. 21-28.) Information: Call 276-628-3991;
www.bartertheatre.com; $.
In Marion, the Lincoln Theatre, one of
three existing Art Deco Mayan Revival theatres in America, features the
big-band style of the Guy Lombardo Orchestra with Al Pierson (Dec. 13).
Bluegrass and Celtic Christmas music takes over with Song of the Mountains
(Dec. 20). Information: Call 276-783-6093; www.thelincoln.org; $.
Right next door you can stay overnight
at the award-winning, recently restored General Francis Marion Hotel. The
successful preservation of its �roaring twenties� decor has won kudos
from National Geographic Traveler. (Call 877-783-4802; www.gfmhotel.com; $.)
Heart of Appalachia
In the true spirit of Christmas, The
Carter Family Fold at Hiltons invites country music fans to a community
concert (Dec. 20); admission free with donation of canned goods for the
Second Harvest Food Bank. Features Christmas music, holiday cooking, and a
hoedown. (Call 276-386-6054; www.carterfamilyfold.org.)
Even Natural Tunnel, hidden in the
mountainous folds of southwest Virginia, gets gussied up for the holidays.
Colored lights and carolers enhance chair-lift rides at night. Program
begins Nov. 28 and 29; continues for all Fridays and Saturdays in December.
(Call 276-940-2674; www.coveridge.com; $.)
Northern Virginia
The sound of bagpipes and the scent of
heather fill the air as Scotsmen in colorful tartans march down the streets
of Alexandria�s Old Town during the annual Scottish Walk Parade (Dec. 6).
Information: Call 703-549-0111; www.scottishchristmaswalk.com.
Christmas at Mount Vernon hosts visitors
(Nov. 28, 2008 through Jan. 6, 2009) with festivities reflecting the
Washingtons� holiday hospitality: themed Christmas trees; 18th-century
dances; a tour of the rarely seen third floor; Martha
Washington�s retreat after the death of her husband; and a gingerbread
replica of Mount Vernon created by former White House pastry chef, Ronald
Mesnier. On the grounds, don�t miss the exotic Christmas camel. (Call
703-780-2000; www.MountVernon.org; $.)
Gray Ghost Holiday Open House in
Amissville invites wine lovers to enjoy food and wine while gathering around
the �world�s largest cork Christmas tree.� The winery�s name honors
the redoubtable Confederate Colonel John Mosby. (Dec. 6-7. Call
540-937-4869; www.grayghostvineyards.com; $.)
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., kicks off the holidays
with the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony on the Ellipse.
Throughout the season are music concerts, displays of operating model
trains, and 56 Christmas trees representing American states, territories and
Washington, D.C. (Date: TBA � usually, the first Thursday in December.)
Information: Call 202-789-7000; www.washington.org.
Hear Santa sing at the NSO Pops: Happy
Holidays! Let time-honored seasonal classics warm your heart for the
holidays. A Kennedy Center tradition with Marvin Hamlisch conducting the
National Symphony Orchestra. (Dec. 11-14. Call 800-444-1322;
www.kennedy-center.org; $.)
Trip Tips
Lodging information available at Bed and
Breakfast Association of Virginia (www.innvirginia.com). Most wineries
schedule a holiday Open House in November and December. A winery guide can
be obtained from Virginia Wine. (Call 804-344-8200; e-mail:
[email protected]. Visit www.virginiawines.org.)
Virginia Tourism Corporation: Call
1-800-847-4882; visit www.virginia.org