Join Our State on a weekend getaway to the Yadkin Valley. Enjoy the scenic beauty as we celebrate wine, food, and festive good times at Shelton Vineyards. Take in the mountain views during a vineyard hayride and Carolina barbecue, discover the small-town charm of Mount Airy, and go on a culinary journey of local autumn favorites at a special chef and winemaker dinner.

October 11-13, 2024

 

Package Includes:

• Two-night stay in Shelton Vineyards’s award-winning Hampton Inn & Suites
• Standard room
• Special welcome dinner on Friday
• Farewell Wine Maker dinner on Saturday
• Wine tasting
• Breakfast daily
• Mount Airy outing on Saturday

 

Highlights Include:

Mount Airy Day Trip

Discover the small-town charm of nearby Mount Airy. Our first stop is at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History where we will discover the natural, historic, and artistic heritage of the area.
You will then have free time for lunch and shopping. The Autumn Leaves Festival will be going on so we can also discover local arts, crafts, music, and food.

Our final stop is the Andy Griffith Museum – one of North Carolina’s most beloved citizens for his work on the Andy Griffith Show and Broadway.

Wine Maker Dinner in the Farm House — a private venue surrounded by the serene vineyards and countryside with breathtaking sunsets.

Shelton Vineyards Wine Maker Ethan Brown and Chef Mark Thrower greet us for a Welcome Reception with wine and hors d-oeuvre before they takes us on a culinary journey of local, autumn favorites during our four-course meal paired with wine.

 

Itinerary:

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2024

3:00 p.m. – Arrive in the beautiful Yadkin Valley for your two-night adventure. Check in at the Hampton Inn & Suites where you will be greeted by an Our State travel guide.

4:00 p.m. – Meet in the lobby and begin boarding the private shuttle to Shelton Vineyards for our evening extravaganza. Located in the Yadkin Valley American Viticultural Area, Shelton Vineyards shares a similar climate and growing season to that of some of the best wine-growing regions in Europe. The vineyard is one of the largest on the East Coast. For more complete details about their wine, please visit sheltonvineyards.com.

We will begin our evening with a Wine Tasting and hayrides through the vineyards.

6:00 p.m. – Our Blue Ridge Mountains Sunset Vineyard Dinner will be at the Gazebo, where we will enjoy long-range views of Pilot Mountain and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The music of Rain Check will delight us as we enjoy our wine, marvel at the views, and get to know our fellow travelers. Rain Check, a Winston-Salem-based acoustic quartet, has found its niche in putting a bluegrass twist on song covers by some of the world’s greatest songwriters from the ’70s on, in addition to an ever-growing list of their own original and an impressive collection of bluegrass classics.

A hearty Carolina barbeque-themed buffet will be on the grill and served with “all the fixin’s.” The classic fruit dessert, sonker, will be featured.

Our shuttle brings us home after the evening for a good night’s sleep before our outdoor adventures on Saturday.

 

 

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12, 2024

Breakfast is at your leisure at the hotel’s dining room from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m.

9:30 a.m. – Our motor coach departs from the front of the hotel for our day in the nearby town of Mount Airy.

We begin our exploration with a warm welcome from staff at the Mount Airy Museum of Regional History and learn about the natural, historic, and artistic heritage of the area.

Enjoy free time for lunch at one of the Main Street cafes (Snappy Lunch, anyone?) and shopping.

The day trip concludes at the Andy Griffith Museum, highlighting one of North Carolina’s most beloved citizens for his work on The Andy Griffith Show and Broadway.

6:00 p.m. – Meet in the lobby to shuttle to our evening’s dining location.

 

Wine Maker Dinner at the Farm House

Shelton Vineyards’s winemaker, Ethan Brown, greets us for a welcome reception with wine and hors d’oeuvres before he takes us on a culinary journey of local autumn favorites during our four-course meal paired with wine.

Ethan Brown
Winemaker

Ethan has spent his entire life in the Yadkin Valley wine industry, getting his start when he was young in his family’s winery and tasting room. He later became their official winemaker when he was 19 years old and has been making wine in North Carolina ever since. Ethan holds an associate’s degree in viticulture and enology from Surry Community College and a bachelor’s degree in chemistry/fermentation science from Appalachian State University. In addition to his passion for enology, Ethan enjoys brewing science and was once a commercial head brewer.

 

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2024

Enjoy breakfast at your leisure at the hotel’s dining room from 6 a.m. until 9 a.m. Please be sure to stop by the Our State table between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. for your departure gift and a fond farewell.

 

Tour Rates:

$1,350 per couple, inclusive of all tax and gratuities.
Single rate: $900

 

For reservations and more information:

Ann Puckett
(336) 366-4724 ext. 120
apuckett@sheltonvineyards.com

 

Additional Information:

What to expect on an Our State trip:

Traveling with a group of Our State readers is an enriching, enjoyable, and safe way to experience new cultures, people, and places. In addition to the informative narration from the tour director and local guides, an Our State host will be available to assist in making your trip successful.

We usually fly to our destination, then travel by a comfortable motor coach with anywhere from 35 to 50 people who appreciate learning about new regions. Your entire trip will be guided, planned, and arranged for your upmost enjoyment. Many activities are things you can only do because you are traveling with Our State. There is some free time built in for you to explore on your own.

You can also choose not to attend an activity if you prefer something different. Please let your tour director know if you are not coming on a scheduled day.

Many meals are included. Where you have meals on your own, suggestions will be provided.

Most of the motor coaches have restrooms but every effort will be made to make regular rest stops.

One of the best parts of traveling with Our State is that you will meet new people, many of whom you will already have much in common with since most travelers read the magazine. Many guests often develop friendships that go on long after the tour is finished. Our State trips are generally filled with dynamic and friendly people.
 

Physical requirements:

Our tours are physically active but not meant to be strenuous.

Please be aware you will be on your feet, walking and standing for much of the day, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions and terrains. There will also be extended time on the motor coach when we travel from place to place. If there are any mobility issues you will need to have an able-bodied traveling companion to accompany and assist you.

Most days are moderately paced with approximately two to three total miles of walking, possibly including some hills and stairs.

We regret that we’re unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs. The responsibility of the Trip Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest. Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

If you have additional questions, please call Our State’s Travel Director Amy Wood Pasquini at 336-286-0600, or email apasquini@ourstate.com.