This is the first is a series of things to do and see just a short drive from Washington DC.

Louden County is home to DC suburbs, Dulles airport, and beautiful rolling hills dotted with horse farms and vineyards. It has great country roads for scenic drives and it is packed with American history.

One good destination is the charming village of Middleburg and we had no trouble finding a pleasant outdoor spot for lunch right on the main street. The Red Horse Tavern’s menu had something for every taste. Since it was chilly out, we opted for a warm comfort food lunch of a crock of onion soup (a bargain at $5) and a grilled cheese sandwich. The staff was great, social distancing and masks in place, and menu through a smartphone scan.

I’m guessing the streets are never this uncrowded on such a nice fall-ish weekend, but it was a great opportunity to stroll leisurely and window-shop the interesting variety of independent shops. No chain stores crowing these streets. The village is also home of The Red Fox Inn & Tavern an 18th-century treasure on the National Register of Historic Places that has been visited by many famous individuals including George Washington and John F Kennedy.

Historically known for fox-hunting, today the area has quite a reputation as DC’s wine country, with more than 40 wineries in the County along the Northern Virginia Wine Trail. Organized into six clusters, many are centered around historic towns such as the vineyards we saw near Aldie and Middleburg. Another group is near the National Historic Landmark village of Waterford, and yet another by a town originally named Harmony (now Hamilton). These days you gotta love the idea of a town named Harmony.

If wine is not your thing, there are also more than 30 craft breweries in the area.

One place I definitely want to visit is the Cider Barn at Mount Defiance. On a hill just outside Middleburg, the Cidery looks like the perfect fall destination (and often food trucks are on-site).

I can’t wait to visit post-Covid and spend some time antiquing, visiting some vineyards, and staying in one of the area’s historic inns.