Upper Shirley
The James River
Channeling the Old South
About thirty minutes away, on the James River, are several infamous plantations - some of which have been restored and repurposed. Upper Shirley is now a fully functional winery and restaurant, featuring excellent food, lovely vistas, and a relaxing adventure.
This past Sunday we drove over in Cherie's new car. Beautiful day for a drive, we discovered that there is a well built and well maintained bike path all the way from downtown Richmond out to Shirley plantation - and beyond. Well over thirty miles, and not an afterthought, as it has custom bridgework, signage, and has been kept up beautifully. Something like this instills pride for your home town.
The "plantation" is really just a winery with a restaurant. All new building and wine growing setup. Pretty veranda with a view of the river. Really, really good food at reasonable prices. And...Cherie enjoyed the wine so much we brought a bottle home!