What wine goes with Captain Crunch?
Kidding, kidding…but seriously, if you like wine, you don’t stop going to wineries when you have kids. There are plenty of family-friendly wineries in the Charlottesville area, and it is my duty to test out each one of them! I will be sure to update this list as we visit more local vineyards. Please be responsible and designate a driver to keep everyone safe!
Kid-Friendly
Kid-Friendly wineries welcome children into their facilities & tend to have a table or a room available for them to do activities. The outdoor space at kid-friendly wineries are typically large & inviting for the whole family to enjoy picnics and yard games.
Kid-Tolerant
Kid-Tolerant wineries welcome children into their facilities but don’t have a child-specific area on a regular basis. However, they do not mind those of us that have kids in tow! Of course, as in any case, be sure to supervise them & all will be welcome.
Kid-Opposed
King Family Vineyards is located in Crozet, just off Rt 250. The only time we have visited this winery was during one of their Polo Matches that occur every Sunday from Memorial Day weekend until early October. Quite a crowd comes out for these matches but there is plenty of space! They are free and open to the public but very dependent upon weather so check ahead on their social media accounts or give them a call the day you plan to go. They have tents set up to purchase wine so that you don’t need to head the whole way back to the tasting room each time you need a refill! They open the gates at 10 AM so get there early and bring chairs and pop up tents. It is a fun-filled day with a beautiful backdrop! Also, be sure to pack plenty of water so that you don’t get dehydrated.
Favorite Wine: Crosé
Maybe it is because we chose a 90 degree day to check out a polo match, but this rosé is the perfect way to stay cool! I look forward to returning to try their other wines!
Chisholm Vineyards is located in Earlysville, just behind the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport. They have a spectacular view of the Blue Ridge and plenty of space for kids to run around outside. There is live music and food trucks on Fridays from late-March through Mid-October! On these days, there is a $5 charge per vehicle. They have a pumpkin patch and hayrides in October! If you love being outdoors like us, this is a great winery to choose.
Favorite Wine: I can’t decide!
Every wine on the tasting sheet was thoroughly enjoyable. If I’m unsure which wine I like best, I default to dry red. On our last visit, I came home with their Viognier!
Glass House Winery is tucked away in the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains in Free Union. The main seating area is inside of a large tropical conservatory. They have a deck by the tasting room where you will overlook a beautiful lake. You are welcome to walk down and sit on the dock while sipping on a glass of one of their award-winning wines. There is plenty of indoor and outdoor space here and you are welcome to bring a picnic! They have live music on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon. They sell house-made chocolate right at the tasting bar!
Favorite Wine: Twenty-First
It is a tried-and-true red blend of Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, & Petit Verdot. This wine was named after the 21st Amendment: the repeal of prohibition!
Horton Vineyard is that unique castle-like building on Route 33 heading East toward Gordonsville, North of Charlottesville. Their tasting room is spacious. They have a table for kids to sit at and color. Keep an eye on their Event Calendar because it seems like they are always having a fun, family-friendly event. Some events I have seen in the recent past are “Wizarding Winery”, and “May the 4th be with you”! I always feel at ease here knowing that my kids are welcome. They also have a large list of wines to taste!
Favorite Wine: Norton
If you haven’t tried a Virginia Norton, go do it right now.
This Vineyard is located right in the heart of Barboursville. One of the most beautiful things about this winery is the expansive grounds that it sits on. It is home to the Historic Landmark Ruins of Thomas Jefferson’s Mansion built for Governor James Barbour. You are welcome to walk over to the ruins and see them up close. While I do believe overall that this winery is kid-friendly, I suggest leaving the kids at home if you plan to have lunch or dinner at the Palladio Restaurant. That being said, there is plenty of outdoor space for the kids and everyone is very friendly when they come through the tasting room.
Favorite Wine: Cabernet Franc Reserve
Cab Franc is easily one of my favorite grapes. I have never had a Cab Franc I didn’t like. It is complex, elegant and delicious!
This beautiful winery is located well North of Charlottesville in Madison. We have taken our kids here on a few occasions! We had lunch there for the first time recently while listening to live music on the patio. The inside space is large with plenty of seating. The tasting bar, however, is usually filled to capacity if you don’t arrive early. Sometimes, there may be a wait to get to the tasting bar. There are couches in the front and center of the large room, which Asher usually likes to sit at and play with his little brother. Overall, a very friendly winery!
Favorite Wine: Quaker Run Cab Franc
This Cab Franc is the perfect balance of a strong, rich taste without the heaviness of a bold red!
This beautiful winery is located off the beaten path in the Blue Ridge Mountains. It is quite a drive up there but worth the view and the wine! They have a spacious indoor tasting room and a large deck outside to relax. As long as you supervise your kids, you are good to go here! They are pet-friendly and have 2 boxers of their own that will greet you at the door.
Favorite Wine: Viognier
This Viognier won me over before I tasted it. The aroma of a great Viognier can tell a story all of its own! Perfect for sipping in a gorgeous location like this!
Montifalco is located in Ruckersville, VA, just North of Charlottesville. Per house rules, they are an Adult-only Farm Winery. Groups of 6 or more require a reservation.
Update: I got to check out this winery recently! It is in an interesting location, inside of a development with an HOA. They have a small tasting room inside but plenty of outdoor seating with a beautiful view. I believe they are going to need to expand that tasting room soon because it is a great place, and have the absolute nicest people running the show! Of course, the wine is delicious as well.
Favorite Wine: Malbec
I love 100% Malbec and I’m always excited to see it! While there more coming out that are 100%, it is usually a grape blended with others. This Malbec stands well on it’s own and I look forward to returning… once I find a babysitter 🙂
While you are in town, be sure to stop by Shenandoah National Park! I have a great list of hikes for all hiking abilities here! and if anything has changed with any of these wineries, please let me know so that I can update my list accordingly!
I love this guide! We often take our kids to wineries when we travel and I appreciate knowing upfront which ones welcome them. We’ll play games with them to help them enjoy it more – I always have a deck of cards and dice in the car. I’ve also found visiting only one winery a day helps too!
Great and informative post! Its nice to know this kind of stuff ahead of time and not finding out the hard way
I really wish I liked wine! LOL! I do want to do a winery tour and when we travel I will see signs for them, but we are always needing to get to our destination so never have stopped.
I need to learn more about wine and maybe I will find some I like.
I love this list! I agree with you that wineries should be family-friendly. Heck, the parents are the ones that need the wine. haha. Seriously though, some of the settings of these wineries are beautiful. Also since horses are my thing, I would be all over that polo match winery.
This is a great guide to know where you can go with the kids! That is really cool!
I had no idea kids could go to a winery. Great info!
wonderful information and a great tour
Love that you rated on the basis of Kid friendly! I have visited tourist spots in the past that were not, and I wish I would have known beforehand.
Wow, this is great. I never knew they had wineries like this. I have strictly thought of them as adult only. Good to know.
This is a great guide for those traveling with children. (Your note about Cap’n Crunch made me laugh.) Your photos are gorgeous!
Cap’n Crunch. 😂Great read.
Wow! I never would have really thought about this concept, but what a great idea for families with kids! 🙂 Thanks!
We don’t drink alcohol but we buy wines for cooking and enjoy wineries that include cooking classes
What a great idea to break it down by if they are kids friendly or now! Awesome post!
What a great post – I love how clearly you rated the wineries on whether they are kid friendly or not. Honestly, we have some great wineries near where I live but we never go because we have kids. Can you please do a guide for Southern California?? 😉
Two of my children were born in Virginia, way back when we lived in Virginia Beach. I knew the climate around Charlottesville was pretty good for grapes, so after reading your article, I need to plan a visit to the wineries! Thanks for the tips!
We brought our toddler and our friends chihuahua Wiggles, to about 6 wineries in Sonoma and Napa this past June. Some definitely we’re more pet and kid friendly than others so it’s nice to know which wineries actually cater to families. We were traveling and didn’t have a babysitter so the kid had to come.
I would like to visit them all. We like our wine. It is nice that they have a kid rating.
Every winery is just as amazing as the other. Wow! What a great informative post. It’s great to know that there are kid friendly wineries. I didn’t know that.
We’ve only been without kids! Can’t wait to go with kids! Thanks for the great ideas!
I would definitely visit them all in 2021. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for this website! We are parents of two littles and also people who want to try out wine and explore VA. Thanks for assisting in the Venn diagram.