Things To Do In Glen Allen

Heart of Virginia Wine Trail honors its home state by guiding guests through six wineries—James River Cellars, Cooper Vineyards, Lake Anna Winery, Weston Vineyards, Mattaponi Winery, and Grayhaven Winery. Although not included with this Groupon, the wine ambassadors proffer passports that award patrons tastings at each of the wineries and encourage them to enjoy the scenic countryside while navigating the path in between. Both regular tastings and special events typically include food pairings and a chance to talk to knowledgeable enophiles.

Aikido is an extremely effective form of self defense because its hand to hand technical roots are based on the sword cutting and pinning motions that are found in ken jujitsu and jujitsu arts respectively. Aikido students are trained to subdue an attacker by using locks, pins and/or throws.

Called America's Best New Public Course Under $75 in 2006 by Golf Digest, King Carter’s course of scenic fairways and championship tees challenges ball-smackers of every strength. Up to two golfers can club through King Carter’s par 71 greenery (up to $49 value each), which features up to 6,818 yards of majestic vineyard views. King Carter’s Old World–inspired course design invites golfers with its natural woods, glistening streams, dramatic contours, and sand traps hosting life-size dioramas of The Iliad. Game-day golfers will also receive two small buckets of range balls (a $3 value each) to practice at King Carter’s 20 station tees and short-game area, plus a cart for cruising the fairways. After swinging their way across the well-tended turf, metal-rod-wielders can mend fatigued physiques with a meal fit for a summer camper: chips, a bottle of soda, and a choice of a hot dog, hamburger, or cheeseburger (an $8 value).

Bubbles rise toward the surface of their glasses in a frothy frenzy while all around them oenophiles swirl and sip Central Virginian varietals and Richmond-area restaurants fill the air with the smoky scents of grilled fare. At the second annual Flavor – Beer, Wine, & Food Festival, this fever dream takes shape as more than 40 brews from beer-makers large and small await their fans. While an international team of brewing all-stars such as Yuengling, Sierra Nevada, Sapporo, and Stella Artois flaunt their elixirs, solo operators from James River Homebrewers also appear, answering questions about DIY-distilling and keeping a crowd of drunken yeast under control.

Between sips, guests might stop by the stations of local restaurants including The Halligan Bar and Grill, O'Toole's Restaurant and Pub, and Keagan's Irish Pub and Restaurant. There, bar fare sizzles on grills, waiting to line stomach caverns so that tasters can keep sampling.

Founded in 1889, Preservation Virginia is one of the oldest historic-preservation organizations in the country. Its dedicated team has worked on more than 200 historic places, including landscapes, structures, and archaeological sites. The organization provides visitors with a tangible example of life in the past at a number of historic homes from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, including Patrick Henry's and Chief Justice John Marshall's homes. Historic Jamestowne, the site of the first permanent British settlement in North America, recreates the landscape of the first meeting between the explorers and Native Americans. Due to the work of the organization, visitors still gaze upon a yeoman planter's cottage that dates back to 1740. Preservation Virginia also teaches aspiring laymen during conservation workshops, compiles lists of endangered historic sites, and spearheads tobacco-barn-protection efforts.

The state- and NRA-certified instructors at MMTA Firearms Training Academy put safety above all else. In accommodating students, they facilitate both mobile and onsite training in classes and private lessons. These gatherings take place at locales such as nearby ranges and hotel conference rooms, where the instructors lead courses such as the NRA FIRST Steps Pistol Orientation along with lessons in specialized topics such as rifle shooting, personal protection, and training to become a range safety officer.