Things to do.
Spending your weekend in Manassas? Adding on time for DC site seeing? Below, see a few ideas to help pack your itinerary.
Kara’s love letter to dc
Venture inside District lines.
Washington DC is, without question, Kara’s favorite city in the world. (And she may-or-may-not have told Amit, “If you want to be with me, it’s DC or nothing,” within a mere three months of dating.) DC is filled with cobblestone streets, incredible restaurants, and walkable neighborhoods. And while the bar tabs are eye-roll expensive, the vast majority of historical, touristy spots are free. After being asked by virtually every acquaintance for DC recs when they visit town, Kara finally made a Google Doc. While this hasn’t been updated in awhile, we’ll find time to edit it in the upcoming months.
Things to do in Manassas.
Downtown Manassas is very cute, and there’s plenty of wineries within driving distance. If you’re spending the weekend in Virgina, here’s what we recommend.
Wineries in the region
Going to Virginia wineries is one of our favorite things to do in the summer (hence why we’re getting married at one). Here are our top local recommendations:
BULL RUN
22 min (8 miles) from hotel
If you’re a history buff, go here. Located right next to Manassas Battlefield, there’s a pre-Civil War house on site and other historical artifacts inside (almost like its own mini museum).
SUNSET RIDGE FARM
19 min (10 miles) from hotel
This is, hands down, one of the most beautifully scenic wineries we’ve ever been to. As one of the few (er, only?) lakefront wineries in the area, we almost considered getting married here.
PARADISE SPRINGS
27 min (13 miles) from hotel
Paradise Springs is another absolutely gorgeous winery in the area. On Saturdays and Sundays, you can do a full tour for $30, exploring production, the vineyard, barrel room, and other grounds.
AROMA TASTING ROOM
7 min (3 miles) from hotel
Aroma is a tasting room—not a winery or vineyard. That said, we’re including it because it’s owned by Morais Vineyards, our venue. It’s right in downtown Manassas, so stop by if you’re exploring (only open Fri–Sun).
Eat, sip, n’ toast in downtown Manassas
All of the below (sans Farm Brew) are located downtown within a five-block radius. You might need a reservation for Saturday night, otherwise you’ll likely be fine without.
Restaurants
Zandra’s Taqueria: Tacos and margs, has a great rooftop patio to enjoy drinks and apps.
Monza: An Italian bistro with patio seating.
Carmello’s: Nicer Italian and Portuguese restaurant (think extensive wine list + white tablecloths).
Battle Street Bistro: American / bar food, with outdoor rooftop seating.
Katerinas: Never been, but have been told it’s great Mediterranean food.
bars & breweries
Public House Kitchen and Brewery: Brewery with a pretty extensive menu.
Sinistral Brewing Co: Brewery right in the heart of downtown Manassas.
Heritage Brewing Co: Between downtown and the hotel, offers tours.
Farm Brew Live: Where we’re hosting our rehearsal dinner, and crazy close to the hotel. This place is massive, with multiple eateries on site.
Coffee shops
Grounds Centration Station: Coffee house with great breakfast sandwiches.
Jirani Coffee house: Large coffee shop with good treats.
Honey and Ivy Gluten Free: Gluten-free bakery and coffee house.
Dawn and Dusk Coffee Company: Super small space for grab-n-go coffee.