4-Day Weekend Itinerary in Staunton 

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Are you looking to get away for Labor Day or another long weekend? Why not head to Staunton for a mix of fun, food, shopping, scenery, culture, and entertainment. Here’s a guide to your four-day weekend in Staunton.

Friday:

Find Your Lodging

Staunton offers a range of lodging experiences. Book an elegant room in a luxurious, historic hotel like Blackburn Inn or Hotel 24 South. The Historic Berkeley Place also offers stylish and modern rooms and suites in a freshly renovated Queen Ann Victorian. The Frederick House’s 20 rooms are spread throughout five historic homes, all within Staunton’s downtown footprint. Travelers with families might prefer budget lodgings like Howard Johnson or Days Inn. 

Eat in Staunton

Hungry from your travels? Head downtown and take your pick of restaurants along Beverley. The street closes to vehicular traffic each weekend, so you’ll be able to sneak a peak at menus before making a decision. We recommend a big, gourmet pizza and a cold beer at Shenandoah Pizza and Taphouse. Nearby Remedy Burger grills up a mean smash burger, and Queen City Bistro is steps away if you’re craving a menu that’s a blend of Southern and Italian favorites.

Friday Night Fun

Start your visit on a memorable note with a 90-minute Ghosts of Staunton Lantern Tour. You’ll learn history, catch the layout of the town, and discover Staunton’s most haunted spaces. If you’d rather stay inside, we recommend trying to solve the secrets in Crack the Code Escape Room. Make sure to end your night on a sweet note with gelato from The Split Banana.

Saturday

Morning in the Wharf

Welcome Saturday with freshly roasted coffee at Crucible Coffee Roasters and sip it as you stroll over to the Wharf parking lot. You’ll meet all the locals at the Saturday morning Staunton Farmer’s Market. Listen to live music, talk to farmers, and taste seasonal fruit and fresh baked goods. If you’re up for more walking, take a free tour with a knowledgeable guide from Historic Staunton Foundation, which meets every Saturday morning at 10, from May to October.

Downtown Afternoon

Stick around the Wharf for the classic car Cruise In (September 1, noon) and then get lunch at Byers Street Bistro, which offers personal pizzas, salads, handhelds, and fun seasonal cocktails. Next, browse  Staunton’s independent shops, galleries, and antique stores for books, artwork, specialty housewares, and unique gifts. Bonfire Begonia sells original artwork as well as beautiful jewelry made with repurposed materials. For other places to buy gifts, try Pufferbellies Toys and Gifts, Made; By the People for the People, The Sparrow’s Nest, Medieval Fantasies, and Baby Opal. Stop in to see a glass-blowing demonstration at Sunspots Studios. Using extreme heat, artisans blow and shape molten glass into globes and art pieces. 

Staunton is a town of unusual museums. Learn about the life and legacy of the 28th President at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum. Get your hands dirty at the Frontier Culture Museum, where costumed interpreters tell the stories of the area’s first settlers. Over 7,000 historic cameras jostle for exhibit space at the Camera Heritage Museum. Finally, little ones will enjoy visiting the Jumbo Museum to see an antique, steam-powered fire engine. 

Saturday Night Life

Unwind with a drink at Redbeard Brewing Company, which serves excellent craft beer. Ciders from Mars presses local apples for its hard cider. Make sure to reserve a table at award-winning chef Ian Boden’s new restaurant, Maude and the Bear, which specializes in seasonal multi-course tasting menus and wine pairings. For a lower-key option, try the Mill Street Grill for steak, ribs, seafood, and pasta, or Taste of India, which serves authentic Indian food. 

There should be a law preventing visitors to Staunton from leaving before seeing a play at the American Shakespeare Center. This season you can catch Macbeth, The Importance of Being Earnest, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors. If you’ve already seen these shows, opt instead to watch a new movie at Visulite Cinemas, where you can sip a beer or glass of wine with your popcorn. Just around the corner, the cantina at Baja Bean stays open late to serve you a nightcap.

Sunday

Sit Down for Breakfast

Latin Soul serves weekend breakfast from 8-2, and the menu includes traditional American breakfast items as well as savory Salvadorean and chorizo con huevos platters.  Zynodoa holds Sunday brunch from 10-2 and features a seasonally-driven menu with delights like cornbread French toast or Virginia lump crab fritters. Accompany this feast with a bloody mary or mimosa. For breakfast classics like eggs and stacks of pancakes, you can’t go wrong with local favorite, Kathy’s Restaurant.

Ride the Rails

Get your tickets early for one of Virginia Scenic Railway’s “Ride & Dine” catered excursions into the beautiful rolling countryside of Augusta County. Trips depart twice daily (Thursday – Sunday). If you would rather stretch your legs, how about a stroll around the 1.3-mile loop at Gypsy Hill Park. Stop to feed the fish and fowl swimming in the duck pond, ride the mini train, and let the kids explore the two playgrounds. There’s even a dog park if your fur posse joined you for the trip.

Other Ways to Get Outside

If your busy schedule allows, build in a time to enjoy the great outdoors. Hike or ride your bike on thetrails at Montgomery Hall Park, or drive over to Shenandoah National Park to cruise along the Skyline Drive and take photos at the scenic overlooks. If you’re near Waynesboro, head underground and hike the Blue Ridge Tunnel rail trail. Todd Lake and Sherando Lake are good choices for paddlers while Star B Stables offers guided trail rides for horse lovers.

Relax Over Sunday Dinner

Start with a glass of wine and a cheese plate at Yelping Dog Wine or The Green Room. For your main course, walk over to Blu Point Seafood Co. for fresh seafood and cocktails. Another good bet for dinner is Pizza Luca, a new Italian-American restaurant that specializes in wood-fired pizza and pasta.

Monday

Get up early and have a healthy breakfast at Cranberries or indulge in pastries and espresso at Reunion Bakery. Next, burn off those calories with one last stroll around Staunton to visit and take selfies with the city’s striking urban artwork. Don’t forget to commemorate your trip with some Staunton-themed treasures. Queen City Games & Gifts has a nice selection.

Grab a quick bite before you set out for home. Try one of the lunch specials made with fresh tortillas at Chicano Boy Taco. Gloria’s Pupuseria prepares authentic Salvadoran cuisine with locally sourced ingredients. If you’d rather munch burgers and ice cream as you venture down memory lane, Wright’s Dairy Rite is an old-fashioned drive-in diner that’s straight out of the 50s. Stop by Nu-Beginnings Farm Store for breakfast or lunch or to pick up some local honey, eggs, bread or baked goods!

There’s plenty to see, eat, and do in Staunton over a four-day weekend. Have fun planning your trip!