COVID-19 has put a wrench in a lot of travel plans this year. For Andrew and I's four year anniversary, we really wanted to go on a trip but didn't want our plans to take us too far from home.
We found the perfect place to vacation within driving distance: Château Élan, a winery resort in Braselton, Georgia. Château Élan is the perfect COVID-19 destination — you never have to leave the massive property! The resort, which was renovated in 2019, features seven restaurants, a winery, tennis, golf, a pool, cooking classes, a spa, a fitness center and more.
Only a seven hour road trip from Gainesville, Florida, we hopped in the car early on a Thursday morning for our three-night trip to the Peach State.
DAY 1
We checked into our room around 4 p.m. and Andrew immediately had to hop on a Zoom meeting. I used that time to lounge in the GORGEOUS lobby with a new book — such a relaxing way to kick off vacation.
After Andrew's meeting, we took the short stroll from the hotel to the winery. We grabbed a glass of wine and explored the magical vineyard filled with grape vines. It was a surprisingly cool night for the end of August, so we sipped wine outside at a café table until we grew hungry.
For the first meal of our trip, we ate at Louis' House of Bourbon, which was conveniently right down the hall from our room. First of all, I loved the vibe at Louis' — think upscale sports bar with dark walls and modern touches. The food and drinks were just as good as the ambiance! We both had beers and split a pretzel appetizer, shrimp tempura and a burger — all delicious.
After dinner, we made our way downstairs to Versailles Restaurant & Bar for a nightcap and some dessert. Of course, I had to end my night with some coffee & Bailey's — my FAVORITE.
DAY 2
We had a slow first morning at the chateau. We sat by one of the fireplaces in the lobby and enjoyed coffee, tea and pastries (the apple tart is a MUST) from Le Petit Cafe.
Even though it was a gloomy day with rain in the forecast, we spent a few hours down at the pool. The overcast north Georgia weather was actually a nice break from the Florida summer heat.
Tip: The pool drinks are pretty pricey. Sneak your own drinks in your pool bag instead! I had one drink from the pool bar (I can't resist a good umbrella drink), but the rest of the time I drank our own White Claws.
The best part of vacation? Not being on a schedule! We soaked up the down time we had on this getaway and spent a lot of time relaxing, which included a lot of naps in the comfy hotel bed.
We took an after-pool nap and got freshened up to go drink some more wine. We drank our way through two bottles of wine and talked for hours in the coziness of the onsite winery. Time seemed to slip away like a bottle of wine! Then we got hungry, so we went next door to Paddy's Irish Pub — right up our alley!
At Paddy's, we split potato skins and a reuben — BOTH FANTASTIC. Like we couldn't stop talking about how good they were. Spoiler alert: We went to Paddy's again the next day because it was just THAT great.
After we were hyped up from our great dinner, we didn't want to call it a night. We went back to Louis' again and had cocktails and the BEST chicken wings (seriously a must try).
DAY 3
There's nothing like a productive Saturday morning, even on vacation! We both got up early and went to the resort's fitness center. (Note: During COVID-19, you have to book a time to go to the gym.) I was super pumped to go to the gym because they have a Peloton bike! It was my first time on one and it was SO FUN and set my mood for the rest of the day. Highly recommend checking it out for your weekend workout.
After our gym sesh, we grabbed coffee, ate pastries and lounged around until lunch time. We were literally waiting at Paddy's doors for them to open. More potato skins please! We also had a mid-day dessert at Paddy's — a bread pudding with chocolate chips and coconut glaze that was literally one of the BEST desserts we both have ever had! YOU NEED IT.
Then came the activity we had been waiting for... WINE TASTING! At the winery, we got to try seven Château Élan wines. It was so fun to try all the varieties of wine they have. Andrew and I both chose different wines so we could taste as many as possible. Then we bought six bottles to bring home with us!
My favorite Château Élan wines:
Tropical Breeze
Spring Blossom
Autumn Blush
Moscato D’Asti D.O.C.G
Dolce Rosso
Tip: If you are staying Thursday to Sunday like we did, try to do the wine tasting on Friday. We did ours on Saturday and it was PACKED.
We ended our Saturday at Versailles Restaurant & Bar for a fancier dinner. I had the filet mignon and it was amazing. Seriously so tender I could cut it with a spoon.
DAY 4
We were so sad to leave Château Élan (even though our wallets and livers were ready to go — HA)! We had a relaxing weekend but definitely would go back when we have a bigger budget. Plan for it to be an expensive weekend.
Things I would do differently next time:
Plan to play some golf and/or tennis
Go with more money to spend
Take a wine tour
Go to the spa
Visit somewhere off of the property
Stop in Atlanta for longer
On our way back to Gainesville, we took a pit stop in Atlanta, which is only 45 minutes from Château Élan. We ate at The Nook (yummy tater tot specials) and took a stroll through Piedmont Park. The perfect way to end a relaxing weekend.
Overall, it was a great trip! Château Élan should be on everyone's list of places to visit for a weekend getaway. I can only imagine how beautiful it is in fall!