Baby, it’s cold outside. But Winchester knows how to keep you warm, outside and in. Here is a baker’s dozen of ways to fight off the chill and stay warm while wandering Winchester this winter.
- Order the Green Chicken Curry from Amy’s Asian Kitchen, featuring coconut milk, sweet potatoes, carrots and curry sauce with a side of rice—and currently holding the title for “spiciest food” served at this local restaurant fave. Customize the level of spice (and heat!) you desire, from mild to medium spice to spicy. And of course there’s always Amy’s chili oil on the side.
- Get the blood pumping with a hike on the quarter-mile paved Fort Trail at Fort Boonesborough State Park. Or follow the Pioneer Forage Trail of about the same distance that runs along a stream early settlers named Spring Run Branch.
- Stop by the Tasting Room at Harkness Edwards Vineyards for a bottle of Fable, a luxurious wine described as weaving “a tale of deep, dark fruits and delicate spice, offering a harmonious medley of black cherry and ripe plum and a whisper of vanilla on the palate.” The winery’s newest red blend, it is a Crimson Cabernet and Vidal Blanc blend, sure to keep you warm.
- Visit the Quilt Room at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum and see the quilts beneath which freezing Winchesterites of more than 100 years ago burrowed, including one using material from a wedding dress worn by a Bush descendant at Fort Boonesborough in 1790.
- Stay warm in a soft and snuggly sweatshirt from Hamilton Brooks Design—and have it personalized with beautiful custom embroidery. The shop also has Winchester- and Kentucky- branded warm-weather items in stock. Items can be shipped, or order a sweatshirt, hat and/or scarf with personalization online and wear on your visit to Winchester.
- Take a tour at Creative Coffees Roastery. Smell the Arabica beans as they roast to perfection. Sample a cuppa. And pick up a bag of Signature Roast to take home.
- Cozy up to the fireplace in the dining room at Loma’s at the Opera House and linger over the restaurant’s version of the classic Kentucky Hot Brown, this one doused in a house-made smoked gouda mornay sauce and topped with candied bacon, tomato slices, shredded cheddar and scallions.
- Cuddle up with a faux fur throw from Eve’s Uniques. It’s so soft and comfy you will not want to leave its cozy warmth.
- Pull out your passport for a journey along the Kentucky Moonshine Trail that includes a trail stop right in downtown Winchester at Regeneration Distilling Co. Crafting premium Kentucky whiskey and moonshine, this farm-to-bottle distillery sources seasonal grains directly from its partners at nearby Mt. Folly Farm.
- Buy tickets to a show guaranteed to melt you heart: “Junie B. Jones The Musical, Jr.” takes the stage at The Leeds Center for the Arts on select dates from Friday, February 21, to Sunday, March 2.
- Check into the Cozy Cottage for a winter weekend and snuggle up in 500 square feet of tidy comfort located within walking distance of historic downtown Winchester.
- Browse Mason on Main in downtown Winchester for the perfect vintage lamp to add style, warmth and ambience to a space in your home.
- Bite into a fresh-from-the-oven glazed donut from Frank’s Donuts or choose among fan faves like cinnamon sugar or devil’s food donuts, apple fritters, bear claws or chocolate twists.