Purcellville

 

For more information, go to Visit Loudoun.

 

Settled in 1764 and named Purcellville in 1853 after Valentine Purcell established the town’s first post office, this bustling Blue Ridge foothills settlement still has something of a frontier feel to it. The low-slung buildings of downtown, including a renovated grain mill turned restaurant, are reminiscent of a western film set.Recent years have seen a spurt of development with new restaurants, BBQ joints, ice cream parlors, coffee bars, boutiques, thrift stores and even a world-renowned whisky distillery. The town is an excellent departure point for the wineries, breweries, farms and hiking trails of the surrounding countryside and mountains.

 

The heart of downtown has several thrift and antique stores including Re-Love It where you can pick up a second-hand Armani jacket or a retro vinyl record player, and It’s Bazaar featuring bargain 70s furniture and a top floor of cast-off coats, costumes and wigs. Don’t miss the three floors of vintage clothing at Nostalgia Boutique in a Victorian on East Main Street a short walk away.

 

Take in an evening game at Firemen’s Field, home ballpark to collegiate summer baseball team the Purcellville Cannons. Hot dogs, burgers, cold beer, cheap tickets ($5 for adults, $2 for kids) and Major League prospects swinging for the fences – what could be more fun? Sticking with outdoor fun, Franklin Park set on 203 acres west of town has it all: swimming, tennis, fishing and ultimate frisbee. There are also multiple ball fields under lights, and the Franklin Park Arts Center hosts a wide range of plays, musicals and exhibitions.

 

When Becky and Scott Harris founded the first Loudoun distillery since Prohibition in 2009, they were complete novices. Fast-forward a decade and Catoctin Creek Distilling Company’s award-winning goods are sold the world over, and Becky Harris is arguably the leading female whisky maker in America. Buy bottles of brandy, gin and flagship Roundstone Rye on the premises and try a craft sampler cocktail at the horseshoe-shaped bar.