Staunton, Virginia, Journey Information

As a full-fledged Virginian, I’ve a particular place in my coronary heart for small cities and cities within the Commonwealth, significantly these close to the Blue Ridge Mountains. A lot of them are residence to world-class music, unbelievable culinary scenes, and unmatched outside recreation — but they nonetheless handle to fly below the radar, typically bypassed for greater or extra well-known locations inside the state. Staunton (pronounced Stan-ten) is a type of locations.

“It has all of the attraction and historical past of a small city and the cultural footprint of a a lot bigger metropolis,” says Nikki West, proprietor and cider maker at Ciders From Mars. “The oldsters who dwell listed here are recognized for being pleasant and customarily very open-minded. We’re particularly fortunate to have a thriving queer group and a vibrant arts scene.” The latter features a venue modeled after Shakespeare’s Blackfriars Theatre and the Staunton Music Competition, an annual 10-day affair that brings almost 100 musicians to historic Staunton.

However that’s simply the beginning of what makes Staunton so particular. It’s additionally a school city — Mary Baldwin College overlooks the downtown space — with an open-air residing historical past museum, eating places helmed by a James Beard Award-nominated chef, and a sightseeing prepare that brings passengers by means of the attractive Shenandoah Valley.

Greatest Motels

The Historic Berkeley Place

Historical past runs deep in Staunton, established as a city in 1761. To expertise a few of its previous first-hand, e-book a room at The Historic Berkeley Place. Every of the eight suites within the mansion, which dates again to the Eighteen Nineties, is uniquely designed, and the handy location places you inside strolling distance of a lot of Staunton’s hottest websites – together with the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum and American Shakespeare Middle’s Blackfriars Playhouse.

Resort 24 South

Jason Stell, govt director of Staunton Music Competition, says he at all times recommends Resort 24 South, because it’s “positioned within the coronary heart of downtown and visitors can park the automobile and simply stroll to the whole lot.” The pet-friendly property mixes historic attraction with trendy facilities — a heated indoor swimming pool, a health middle, and complimentary Wi-Fi — and has two on-site eating places, The 1924 Lounge and Magnolia South.

Frederick Home

One other one in every of Stell’s selects, Frederick Home payments itself as a property that “affords the privateness of a lodge, with the non-public expertise of a bed-and-breakfast.” The 20-room inn is made up of 5 historic homes, all of that are positioned within the middle of historic downtown Staunton, and visitors take pleasure in a hearty, home made breakfast every morning.

Issues to Do

See a dwell efficiency.

The humanities are alive and effectively in Staunton, and lots of vacationers make their technique to this a part of Virginia to expertise its music and theater. The Staunton Music Competition takes place every summer time — the 2025 dates are Aug. 15 to 24 — and hosts dozens of chamber, vocal, and symphonic music live shows in addition to lectures and dinners every day. The competition additionally places on BaroqueFest in April, an occasion that showcases the work and inspirations of J. S. Bach.

Stell additionally recommends “catching a present at Blackfriars Playhouse to expertise the rarity of this theater.” American Shakespeare Middle’s Blackfriars Playhouse is purportedly, as he describes, “the one re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor playhouse on the planet.”

Get your steps in.

A lot of Staunton’s magnificence is greatest skilled on foot. “Go as much as the overlook on Sears Hill for a stunning sweeping view of the town skyline,” says West, who additionally suggests strolling round Thornrose Cemetery if you wish to be “amazed by the historic gravestones and mausoleums.”

Go museum-hopping.

Staunton has a number of museums to take a look at when you’re on the town. The Frontier Tradition Museum is the “largest open-air residing historical past museum within the Shenandoah Valley,” and educates guests on the lives of European settlers, Indigenous Native American tribes, and the enslaved people who lived within the space within the seventeenth and 18th centuries. On the Digicam Heritage Museum, you’ll discover a assortment of seven,000 vintage and modern-day cameras. With a basic admission ticket to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, guests can stroll by means of President Wilson’s Birthplace and take a self-guided tour of the museum’s seven galleries, which element the president’s life in addition to his presidency.

Discover Staunton’s historic districts.

Staunton has not one, however six historic districts: Beverley, the Wharf, Gospel Hill, Stuart Addition, Newtown, and The Villages Historic District. This strolling map is a useful information to every one, but when your schedule is tight — and you may’t see the whole lot — West recommends “strolling down Beverley Avenue and thru the Wharf for a great deal of purchasing and eating choices,” including that there’s “one thing for everybody.”

Go to Shenandoah Nationwide Park.

A gateway to Shenandoah Nationwide Park, Staunton is only a 25-minute drive from the park’s closest entrance, Rockfish Hole. Throughout the park, you possibly can head down the 105-mile Skyline Drive, stopping to admire the completely different viewpoints or venturing out from one of many close by trailheads.

Greatest Procuring

Staunton Farmers Market

“If potential, be right here throughout the Saturday morning farmers market, so roughly April to October,” says Stell. Positioned within the Wharf Parking Lot in historic downtown Staunton, the Staunton Farmers’ Market options distributors promoting contemporary bread, native cheeses, contemporary doughnuts, fruit, and extra.

EccoHollow Artwork and Sound

“EccoHollow Artwork and Sound is the very best report retailer on the town,” says West. Right here, she says, you’ll discover “tons of cool new and classic data,” in addition to a rotating roster of refreshed tools and equipment.

Barrister Books

“I really like books, so I make some extent to periodically peruse the holdings at Barrister Books,” says Stell. The store focuses on shopping for and promoting outdated, used, and uncommon books, and it’s the right cease as you’re meandering round downtown Staunton.

Greatest Eating places

Gloria’s Pupuseria

“The very best informal eating expertise in Staunton is, palms down, at Gloria’s Pupuseria,” says West. “Their made-from-scratch El Salvadoran meals is genuine, scrumptious, and naturally gluten-free. As somebody who lives with celiac illness, this restaurant is my protected house and my absolute favourite spot on the town to seize lunch, dinner, or a spicy margarita.”

Queen Metropolis Bistro

Queen Metropolis Bistro tops the listing for each West and Stell.  “They’re a more recent addition to the Staunton meals scene however have made a giant impression,” says West. Stell provides you could count on “glorious” meals, “no exceptions,” and West confirms the Beverley Avenue eatery has a “improbable brunch menu and engaging, inventive cocktails.”

Pizza Luca

Stell says it’s “powerful to decide on” his favourite eating places in Staunton, “as a result of there are virtually as many eating places as church buildings on this little city,” however he says the “nice pizza, energetic vibe, and outside eating” at Pizza Luca shouldn’t be missed.

Maude & the Bear

“The very best advantageous eating institution needs to be Maude & the Bear,” says West. Just lately shortlisted as a Greatest New Restaurant semi-finalist within the 2025 James Beard Awards, Chef Ian Boden’s latest spot serves a tasting menu from Thursday by means of Saturday, though visitors of the inn-restaurant take pleasure in a multi-course breakfast as effectively. “You will must make reservations effectively upfront, nevertheless it’s price it,” says West.

Greatest Time to Go to

“There isn’t any dangerous time to go to Staunton, nevertheless it’s exhausting to beat fall,” says West. “The autumn foliage is so stunning, and each September, the entire metropolis magically transforms to host our annual Queen Metropolis Mischief & Magic Competition.” You can too see the array of autumn colours from the Virginia Scenic Railway’s excursions — the Alleghany Particular and the Blue Ridge Flyer — each of that are infinitely extra stunning within the fall.

In keeping with Stell, spring in Staunton offers technique to “blooming dogwoods and backyard excursions,” and summer time is the definitive greatest season for anybody concerned with music. Dwell performances are plentiful, from the summer time live performance sequence in Gypsy Hill Park to the varied venues used throughout the Staunton Music Competition.

Methods to Get There

Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD) is technically the closest airport to Staunton — only a 25-minute drive away — nevertheless it solely gives day by day round-trip flights to Charlotte Douglas Worldwide Airport (CLT) through Contour Airways. Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO) and Roanoke-Blacksburg Regional Airport (ROA) are different choices for vacationers, however you’ll have to lease a automobile to drive the respective 45 and 87 miles to Staunton.

Alternatively, you possibly can take the prepare. “The Amtrak prepare comes proper into the Wharf, so that you don’t even have to drive to get right here,” says West; Amtrak’s Cardinal runs between New York and Chicago and makes stops in Staunton in addition to close by Charlottesville.

Methods to Get Round

Even in case you take the prepare to Staunton, you should still need a automobile to discover the encompassing space. “Should you do drive, we’re conveniently positioned near scenic and historic Skyline Drive inside Shenandoah Nationwide Park, in addition to the George Washington Nationwide Forest,” says West. “Each are nice places for outside recreation.”