Food & Drink
Colonial America’s Favorite Cocktails, From Virginia Distillers
In their mission to recreate the libations of yore, Williamsburg-based 8 Shires Distillery dove deep into historic records—ledgers, ship manifests, journals, and personal diaries—to uncover the drinking habits of Colonial America. Through all their research, one fact stands out: “For the most part, everybody drank all day long,” says general manager Tucker Casanova. All that […]
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A New Experience at the Virginia Scenic Railway
Virginia Scenic Railway Adds Dome Car for Spectacular Valley Views The popular Virginia Scenic Railway just upped its game with a vintage dome car offering breathtaking 360° views of the Shenandoah Valley. The “Shenandoah”—built in 1948 as the “Silver Palace” for the California Zephyr—now gives passengers an unmatched vantage point on three-hour excursions from Staunton. […]
Mom Hiked the Appalachian Trail with 13 Kids in Tow
Nikki Bettis stood on the jagged summit outcrop of Shenandoah National Park’s 4,011-foot Stony Man, awed by westward panoramic views. Her heart swelled with emotion as she turned to watch her 13 kids shoulder their loaded backpacks and fall into a clamorous single-file line heading back to the Appalachian Trail (AT). “We were in an […]
Williamsburg Archaeologists Uncover Secret Garden
In Colonial America, a grand garden was the ultimate status symbol—the 18th century equivalent of a Lamborghini. So when archaeologists at Colonial Williamsburg uncovered John Custis IV’s property, they struck horticultural gold: the remains of a football field-sized garden alongside his Jacobean manor house. Custis, a tobacco magnate and Martha Washington’s first father-in-law, went all […]
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