Thursday, December 04, 2008

It's Christmas at the Homestead ...


Grand entrance to the Homestead.


The huge Christmas tree in the Great Hall.


The Great Hall as seen from the balcony.




The Homestead is beautiful at Christmas. Lights, Christmas trees, fireplaces glowing, poinsettias in the Great Hall ... it is a gorgeous sight and provides the atmosphere to put one in the Christmas spirit. SWAC Daughter and I walked around the grounds tonight enjoying the holiday lights and brisk air.

We are here for the annual Republican Advance which promises a jam-packed weekend of meetings, workshops, networking, and an opportunity to talk with activists, candidates, and electeds. I am also looking forward to meeting up with conservative bloggers from throughout the state.

There has been a discussion about the cost of the Homestead. At the price they are giving us for the weekend ... $139 night for Friday and Saturday, $99 night for additional nights ... it is no more expensive than hotels with much less ambiance. The location in the mountains of western Virginia offers a respite from the busy world and an opportunity for families to spend time together in a slowed-down environment.

The Homestead is historic (established in 1766) and the architecture is beautiful. Long hallways and dozens of stairways provide lots of exploring ... and brick walkways throughout the grounds lead to warm outdoor springs and the quaint little town of Hot Springs. There are nearby hiking trails and, for those who want, there are optional activities such as horseback riding, wagon rides, hayrides for families, golfing, skeet shooting, and much more.

For us ... we're content spending time strolling the grounds, wandering the hallways, sitting in the Great Hall talking by the fireplace or enjoying complimentary mid-afternoon tea, playing a game of checkers or chess in the library, or relaxing in our oversized room with the large flat-screen TV, the reading chair, and the internet hook-up.

This is the only way we could afford to visit the Homestead so I thank RPV for bringing us back one more time. My understanding is next year's event will be held in Williamsburg, and it will rotate around the state after that which is fair to those who do not live in this part of the state.

For me ... the Homestead is a wonderful venue for such an event and I plan to enjoy my weekend.

More Homestead Christmas photos ...

Photos by SWAC Girl

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Great Photos Lynn