Each year around the holidays, two of my best friends and I take a random day off from work together. We make fun, low-key, somewhat holiday-related plans, and just enjoy spending the day together. With all of the usual hustle and bustle of the holiday season, it's nice to be able to take a break and relax, have fun with friends, and rediscover the joy and magic the season can bring! We've been going strong for five years now, and each year we pick a different place in the area to explore and take in the holiday décor. In years past, we've explored DC - the White House, the National Christmas Tree, fancy hotels in the city, the Library of Congress, and the botanical gardens (perhaps a post for another day!). We've also visited Old Town Alexandria, with classic décor on cobblestone streets (and you can read more about our latest trip there in this blog post). One year we went to Middleburg, Virginia for some small town Christmas charm (perhaps we'll do a blog post on this, too!). This year, we decided to keep the small town theme and explore a new (to us) place, in historic Old Town Warrenton, Virginia. Our plan was simple: afternoon tea, window shopping, drinks and merriment - all with a little historic flair - and Warrenton delivered! The town itself dates back to 1810, but the settlement in the area started in the 1700s and the first courthouse there was built in 1790. The area flourished with the addition of a railroad in the 1850s, then was in the midst of a number of nearby battles during the Civil War, during which its churches and schools were used as hospitals. I think overall the town offers a good mix of feeling traditional and charming (you can see some of the original buildings, like the Fauquier County Courthouse and the Old Jail), but with a modern flair (great restaurants and shops, and even a co-working space!). We started at Gateau Bakery & Tea Room for afternoon tea. The ambiance was perfect - cozy and classy - and the refreshments were delicious! We appreciated the many different menu options for those with food allergies - we were each able to choose an individual menu that worked for us, and they had both gluten free and vegan options. We also loved the attention to detail - like how the sandwiches on the "Christmas Tea" were cut into little trees! Unfortunately it looks like they’ve closed the tea room for now, but the bakery is still open! Based on the treats we had with our tea, we definitely recommend trying it. After tea, we took some time to explore the town and window shop at a few of the local stores. I really loved the eclectic mix of gifts at Latitudes Fair Trade store. They had some really pretty flowers made out of felt. I was tempted to buy a whole bouquet!
Overall, this town was a nice escape from city life, but still offered plenty of good options for food and fun - great for a day trip. Let us know if you check it out, and enjoy your adventure!
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