Omni Homestead, Virginia
We recently had the opportunity to spend a weekend at the Omni Homestead in Virginia for a close friend’s wedding. We opted to drive the eight hours from Birmingham but a lot of friends and family flew to nearby towns and shuttled into the resort. The long day of traveling was well worth the experience we had in Virginia!
The resort itself was wonderful with every detail expertly thought out. The drive into the resort is stunning and prepares you for the beauty that will surround the entire weekend. There are a number of activities that the resort offers so there was no need to leave the grounds.
Friday night began with cocktail hour and dinner at the Shooting Club which has a stunning view of the George Washington National Forest. During the day the Shooting Club offers private lessons and opportunities for sporting clays and skeet shoots. For outdoor enthusiasts, the resort also offers fly fishing, zip lining, and horseback riding.
Within the main portion of the resort there are a number of shops, restaurants, and places to sit in a rocking chair and take in the beauty. We enjoyed breakfast from Martha’s Market, wine out of the Virginia Wine Experience, and happy hour at Jefferson’s. The Homestead offers a “southern social hour” which includes small deserts and coffee in the mid afternoon as well as nightly movies and guests constantly on the porch relaxing.
On Saturday morning, the boys opted for an early morning tee time at the Cascade’s course, which Matthew details here. This is one of two courses on the property with the second being the Old Course. Us girls took to a warm latte on the front porch before shopping and hitting the pool. The Allegheny Springs is the main pool on the property and it has a lazy river, water slides, poolside beverages and snacks. There also is a pool attached to the spa which is apart of the Serenity Garden. We were not able to hit the spa on this trip, but I am sure it is wonderful.
The wedding itself was held on the Casino Lawn which was beautiful and sits right beneath the Omni Homestead tower. Cocktail hour was held right outside the tower as well which made the perfect setting to sip on a cocktail and watch the sunset. The reception was held in the main dining room which holds so many special memories for the bride and her family. The main dining room is where families gather to share meals together, holidays, and so much more. It was stunning in every aspect and the history truly shines through.
The Omni Homestead is America’s first resort and it is over 250 years old. Generations of families have called the Homestead their home away from home and I am so glad that we were able to experience a glimpse of why so many feel at peace here. Summertime at the Homestead was a great way to beat the Alabama heat and be able to enjoy the outdoors but wintertime at the Homestead holds its own magic as well. Guests can enjoy skiing, snow tubing, ice skating, and a stunning Christmas experience.
We absolutely loved our weekend at the Homestead and left saying how we hope to be back someday soon!
