Retro Hospitality helped secure $30,000 in grant funds, for our clients, The Blackburn Inn & Conference Center and the Dairy Market, through Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Recovery Marketing Leverage Program. The grant is designed to aid in the recovery of tourism related businesses with a focus on generating overnight stays in Virginia.

The Blackburn’s program: Sip, Stay, and Explore couples the Shenandoah Valley’s access to outdoor recreation with award-winning Virginia wine and Staunton’s flourishing culinary scene. The Blackburn serves as the home base for this weekend retreat and includes a private winery tour and tasting at Barren Ridge Vineyards, dinner at one Staunton’s acclaimed restaurants: BLU Point Seafood or Zynodoa, and hiking with proximity to Shenandoah National Park, Blue Ridge Parkway and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.

Charlottesville’s Bite-Sized Adventures: A Foodie Bucket List takes visitors on a culinary adventure through the City of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The foodie itinerary pairs unique culinary experiences together in seasonal guides with the first guide being launched this fall. The Dairy Market, Central Virginia’s newest food hall, is the centerpiece of the multiday itinerary with food-centric experiences ranging from touring local farms where visitors can pick their own produce to tasting Virginia wines at Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard and ciders at Castle Hill Cider to sampling different cuisines.