Virginia to Alabama: Wineries, Breweries, Parks & More
How do you take a road trip from great to awesome? Make it a dog-friendly road trip! We drove to Alabama for Thanksgiving this year, which is a long drive, 11 hours with no stops. But we drive rather than fly so Rummy can join us and it’s so worth it. We didn’t make as many stops on the way as last year’s trip, but it was a great one. While going through my notes for this year’s recap I realized that a lot of my stops are repeats. This was sort of disappointing to me, as I like to share info about new places with you all. But, it just reinforced how great these are.
First Stop: Abingdon Vineyards
Our first stop, and one I was most excited about, was Abingdon Vineyards in Southwest Virginia. I discovered them last year while planning our route and looked forward to returning all year. Seriously, I must have talked about this place to dozens of people throughout the year. This is a great stop for several reasons, the first being location along our travel route and proximity to I-81. Some road trips are all about exploring back roads and the treasures you find on them. This was not that trip, though Abingdon Vineyards definitely belongs on that one as well. This was a long drive and we needed a good stop midway to relax and let Rummy stretch her legs.
The vineyard is roughly a ten minute drive off of I-81, so it’s not a long detour but just long enough that you get to see more of the beautiful Southwest Virginia landscape. Approaching the vineyard, the road winds around and you see its placement along the South Holston River. It’s beautiful and peaceful and just sort of perfect. I don’t know of any other Virginia wineries with a view like this.
Dog-Friendly Tasting Room
While location on our route is primary, access to the tasting room is just as important. Since we visited in November with cold temps, we need the option to bring Rummy inside with us. They have two winery dogs that we met last year. Unfortunately they weren’t there on this visit. But they’re sweet and playful and it’s so great to see dogs included in the family business. And they have a treat jar at the door for visiting pups.
Indoor seating is a must and we mentioned their options in another review that you can check out here. Bottom line, we were very pleased with the indoor seating options.
This View!
After our tasting we headed outside with cheese and a bottle, which we corked and took to go after splitting a glass. Unfortunately we still had to drive… But sitting outside by the river is a really nice break. And Rummy was able to run off leash and burn some energy before getting back in the car for a few hours. She’s so good in the car and we make stops for her to stretch her legs. But being able to zoom, explore and just be free for a bit is such a treat to give her. We love that she can do that in the same place where we can enjoy great wine and cheese!
Abingdon Vineyards is worth a visit on its own for sure. But if you’re only passing through SW VA on I-81, know that this is the perfect dog-friendly road trip stop! Thanks to Diana for a lovely and informative tasting.
Birmingham, AL : Parks and Beer
Once in Alabama we had to visit downtown Birmingham for the beer. Over the last few years the Birmingham brewery scene has really grown and we enjoy trying new ones each trip. But first, a stop at a park so Rummy could burn some energy.
Kelly Ingram Park
We stopped at Kelly Ingram Park on 5th Ave North, which is on the Civil Rights Trail. The location served as an assembly spot during the movement and has some really moving sculptures. I used to walk this park forever ago when I lived in the area and like to take visitors here when I return. Take a look at the website to see photos. My words won’t do it justice. It was a sunny and warm-ish day, so it turned out to be a really nice visit. Great walk for Rummy and powerful art for us to take in.
Trim Tab Brewing
Then it was off to 5th Ave South to Trim Tab Brewing and we can’t say enough good things about them.
First, they allow dogs in the taproom, which is eclectic, fun and comfortable. A mixture of style in the furniture, pops of color and lots of green plants.
There are several (five or six?) large tables seating five, a few (three or four?) smaller tables seating two, a sofa area and probably a couple dozen barstools. We scored some wingback chairs with the legs cut off so we were barely off the floor, which I believe are the best seats in the house. The large coffee table in front had plenty of room for the large spread of food we had delivered through Uber Eats and, against the wall, we had a great view of the entire taproom.
There are also two separate outdoor areas with about ten picnic tables on each. The weather was still really nice in Alabama in late November, so there were actually a lot of people sitting outside. And we saw several dogs both inside and out. The whole vibe here is really cool. Does using the word “cool” make me uncool? Ugh, I think so. But it is. We just really enjoyed ourselves here. And the cool concrete floor was perfect for Rummy.
Also, the Creme Brûlée stout is LEGIT. We bought some cans to take back to Virginia with us and are wishing we’d bought more. Seriously, any Bama readers?? Send some this way and you’ll have a fan for life. No surprise they were voted Birmingham’s best brewery in 2018 and 2019. We’ll be back for sure.
Hattie B’s Hot Chicken
This next tidbit isn’t related to dogs at all but it’s so good we have to include it. We ordered lunch through Uber Eats from Hattie B’s Hot Chicken and it was RIDICULOUS. Fried Chicken sandwich, pimento mac n’ cheese side (!!!), crinkle cut fries, extra pickles on the side and peach cobbler to finish. Clearly not counting calories on this trip and sooo worth it. I have no idea what foods that creme brûlée stout should pair with, but this was a pretty perfect lunch. They do have a patio that allows dogs, so go check it out.
Alabaster, AL: More Parks and Beer
Siluria Brewing Company
We also revisited another brewery, Siluria Brewing Company in Alabaster, about 20 miles south of Birmingham. This is the first brewery in Alabaster and they’re really killing it after their first year of business. We visited last Thanksgiving when they were fairly new so it was great seeing it packed on this trip.
First thing’s first- pups are allowed in the taproom and they have their own taproom dog, Grace! And I’m KICKING myself for not getting any photos because Grace is a gorgeous Wheaten Terrier, just like Rummy! (heart is melting here) Rummy met Grace last year so I was really hoping she’d be there this year. The owners saw Rummy and initially thought Grace had gotten out of the office 🙂 They brought her out to say hi and as usual, Rummy wants little to do with other dogs. To be fair, they were doing Trivia night, and the loud voice on the speakers throws Rummy off.
The Trivia night was really fun and they had a food truck outside. They also offer wine now! Again, KICKING myself for not trying it (my friend really enjoyed the Chardonnay). But I was meeting friends I hadn’t seen in years and the night was about friendship, not taking notes. So, sorry for a lame report. But if you take anything way from this, it should be that you’ll be happy and comfortable here.
forgot to take pics this time!
There were four or five other dogs in the taproom that night. All very comfortable and clearly welcomed. As for seating, there are probably a dozen tables, and a separate living room with a sofa seating. They also have a patio with outdoor seating. I knew we’d be back here on this trip and I know we’ll return again on our next. Great local company, super dog friendly and Veteran-owned. What’s not to love?
Beneful Alabaster Dream Dog Park
Another repeat from last year is Beneful Alabaster Dream Dog Park, which is one of the nicer dog parks we’ve visited. Because Rummy is such an odd little dog, we spend little time in the dog park so I have just a few photos. You can read more about it from last year’s recap.
Bottom line, this is a $500,000 dog park opened in 2012 and designed in part by DIY Network star Jason Cameron. It is carpeted with synthetic turf, features separate off-leash areas for small and large dogs, water splash pads, tunnels and hoops, a miniature fetch football field, a walking course and more. There are benches and shade for dog owners. Of course, the buckets for balls, etc are covered in stickers for both Alabama and Auburn universities. So you the get the real feel for Alabama here 🙂
We visited the dog park for a few minutes and saw at least a dozen dogs running, playing and enjoying this amazing park. But again, Rummy is an odd pup and less interested in most “dog things”. We left and went into the greater Veterans Park for a walk around the trail.
Veterans Park
Veterans Park is much more Rummy’s speed. The park has several pavilions for picnics, batting cages and spaces for bikes. But the best part is the two miles of trails- pretty much a large loop around the perimeter which includes ponds, and other things for dogs to explore.
On the loop we passed several families and a few single walkers and never felt crowded. Rummy thoroughly enjoyed walking and exploring and we love that there are beautiful and convenient parks like this to share with her.
Good People Brewing
Our last dog-friendly stop was Good People Brewing in downtown Birmingham. We’ve taken Rummy here several times, but didn’t on this trip. Our only visit was for the Iron Bowl (Alabama vs. Auburn football game). We saw several dogs there, but felt it best to leave her home on this visit. We love Good People because they’re super dog friendly as evidenced by this water station. Dog bowls are provided right along with cups for people. We’ve written about Good People several times so we won’t rewrite it all, but suffice to say it’s still one of our Birmingham favorites and we look forward to taking Rummy again.
Wrapping Up
Last year I took my time for an overnight stop and wineries on the trip home. Unfortunately our schedule didn’t allow for that this year, so we drove. And drove. And drove. Much longer drive on the way back. No fun stops to report, but having Rummy in the car forces us to make more stops to stretch our legs than usual, which is good. And just seeing her little face in the back seat is a much needed pick-me-up as the day drags on.
Want more ideas for a dog-friendly road trip? Check out the categories (hotels, wineries, breweries and more) on our website where we break down access to tasting/taproom and more. Cheers to dog-friendly adventures!