Downtown Staunton (Photo by Sam Dean courtesy Visit Virginia)
Many travelers pass by Staunton, hugging the intersection of interstates 81 and 64, on their way to Virginia’s brightest destinations. But the rewards for taking a detour — or for making Staunton a trip all its own — are worthwhile. The quaint city delivers a variety of experiences, from understated shopping and dining to impressive architecture and world-class theater.
Finding Its footing
The seat of Augusta County, Staunton — pronounced STAN-tun by locals — traces its origins to the mid-18th century, when colonists first moved to the Shenandoah Valley. Bordered by the Allegheny Mountains to the west and the Blue Ridge Mountains to the east, the valley offers easy access to outstanding outdoors spaces including Shenandoah National Park.
Staunton gained township in 1761 from the Virginia General Assembly and even served as the state capital for 17 days in 1781, when Assembly members fled from advancing British soldiers during the American Revolution. By 1900, Staunton had seven grain mills and a bustling downtown. Many commercial buildings in the Wharf Area Historic District, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, have been repurposed, with eateries, antique stores and specialty shops filling the spaces. Look closely to find vestiges of Lewis Creek, once crucial to downtown commerce, as it’s been largely diverted underground.
Lodging and Landmarks
Start your trip with a home base; visitors needing overnight accommodations can find historic properties convenient to downtown attractions. In the center of town, the Frederick House hotel occupies five historic buildings, while The Historic Berkeley Place inn stands on a commanding corner lot and features a wraparound porch. Hotel 24 South, known for most of its history as the Stonewall Jackson Hotel, celebrates its centennial in 2024. Renovated in 2005 and renamed in 2020, the full-service hotel has every amenity you’d expect, plus a Wurlitzer organ that still provides tunes for special events.
Steps from these lodgings, you’ll spot fine architecture in your surroundings. Thomas Jasper Collins designed and remodeled more than 200 buildings in Staunton from 1891 to 1911, using a variety of architectural styles that were later adopted by others. A walking tour, developed by the Historic Staunton Foundation in partnership with the City of Staunton, showcases the impressive breadth of the city’s structures, from Romanesque, Colonial, Georgian and Greek Revival to Second Empire, Queen Anne and Italianate.
Shop the Day Away
Downtown’s quaint shopping strips can easily fill your days. Stores typical for a small Shenandoah town — apparel shops, antique purveyors — sit alongside fun additions, such as The Foundry Pop-Ups, a showcase of artisan vendors: the Staunton Olive Oil Company, boasting oils, balsamic vinegars and gluten-free treats; the “gyfte shoppe” of the Medieval Fantasies Co., stocked with Middle Ages-themed items for a modern audience; and the Beverley Cigar Store, where you can slow down your stay with a stogie.
Easy Eats
Start the day with coffee at The By & By or at Cranberry’s Grocery and Eatery, which also carries natural foods. When lunch rolls around, grab a seat at Yelping Dog Wine for their grilled cheese with tomato jam or simply have gelato for lunch at The Split Banana Co. For fine dining, make a reservation at Zynodoa, known for farm-to-table seasonal dishes, or Blu Point Seafood Co. For a family-friendly alternative, try Shenandoah Pizza & Tap House.
The American Shakespeare Center in downtown Staunton boasts a re-creation of the original Blackfriars Playhouse that once hosted new works from the Bard himself. (Photo by Traveling Newlyweds courtesy Visit Virginia)
Must-see Culture
No trip to Staunton would be complete without visits to the Frontier Culture Museum, where early American living is brought to life by historic interpreters, and the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, where you can tour the 28th president’s birthplace and an adjacent museum with exhibits about his early years and presidency. Take a moment to sit inside Trinity Episcopal Church, with a dozen stained-glass windows created at the studio of famed artist Louis Comfort Tiffany.
One of the city’s major landmarks is the American Shakespeare Center, home to the Blackfriars Playhouse, where Shakespeare’s works — and those of fellow writers — are presented in a space designed to mimic the smaller of the two playhouses that hosted his acting company, King’s Men. The space opened in 2001 and has since become a Staunton attraction, drawing audiences from around the country and leading to the creation of a Master of Fine Arts program in Shakespeare and Performance at nearby Mary Baldwin University.
Save the Dates
Staunton Music Festival’s SpringFest takes over the town April 12-14, with presentations and performances celebrating baroque music from around the globe. Concerts will feature vocalists and chamber and orchestra groups using period instruments.
