If your favorite way to spend a winter day involves curling up with a new book or sharing that experience by buying a book for a loved one, stock up at one of Staunton’s bookstores. You’ll find Shakespeare, Harry Potter, historical and legal texts, works by Staunton’s amazing local authors and everything in between. Though the ease of ordering books from home has hurt many brick and mortar bookstores, Staunton’s book culture is thriving. Make time  to explore Staunton’s bookstores and get to know the bibliophiles who run them!

Barrister Books / 1 Lawyers Row

For 10 years, Barrister Books has been Staunton’s source for old, used, and rare books. Located in a scenic part of downtown near the historic Augusta County Courthouse and the R.R. Smith Center for History and Art, stop in and browse the incredibly organized shelves for your next great read. If you’re lucky, the shop will be featuring an exhibit of work by book or paper artists.

• Open Wednesday – Saturday: 10:30 – 5:30, Sunday: 12-5, and by appointment

Black Swan Books / 1 East Beverly Street

Black Swan Books, which calls itself “just the kind of place…to get lost in – equal parts mystery, relaxation, and treasure hunt,” is conveniently located downtown on Beverly Street. Pop in the next time you’re window shopping and find a collection of carefully curated rare and used books as well as records by local and popular artists. The books are arranged by category, and, yes, there is a children’s section, full of both standard and collectible books. There are places to relax and examine your finds. You might also discover art exhibits, live music, and book or poetry readings/signings.

• Open Wednesday – Saturday: 11-6, Sunday: 12-5

Bookworks / 101 West Beverley Street

Virginia Living Magazine voted Bookworks as one of its “Best of Virginia” indie bookstores. The store, located inside Queen City Marketplace, has an impressive selection including many categories of fiction and nonfiction for both children and adults. You’ll also be able to find newspapers, magazines and books by local authors. If you’re looking for a gift that’s not a book, peruse their selection of greeting cards, puzzles, coffee mugs, and music from local musicians. Bookworks will gladly help you special order anything you can’t find on the shelves.

• Open Monday – Saturday: 9-6
• Newsstand is also open Sunday mornings from 8-9

Pufferbellies Toys and Books / 15 West Johnson Street

Kids and adults alike will find things to fascinate them in Pufferbellies Toys and Books. Don’t get distracted playing in this magical space before you make you way to the book section, though. Mother/daughter team Susan and Erin Blanton use their experience as a children’s librarian and editor to stock a spectacular assortment of  books for children of all ages. You’ll find board books and chapter books, classics, current popular favorites, and delightful new discoveries.

• Open Monday – Friday: 10-6, Saturday: 9-5, Sunday: 12-4

Staunton Books Popup / 13 W Beverley St

Housed in a historic building built in 1895 (that you can explore), Staunton Books Popup sells “nearly new” used books, crafts, cards, and gifts (including lavender eye pillows, book weights, and handmade bookmarks). Browse fiction, non-fiction, philosophy, history, and books for children. “Our shop and interests are eclectic, with an academic bent and an optimistic view of the human experience.” The books are neatly arranged by category and are all available at the same low price: $5 each or 3 books for $10.

• Open Friday-Sunday in “fair weather” 

The Avocado Pit Bookstore / 2621 West Beverley St.

If your tastes lean towards genealogy, military, art, collectibles, technical, or business and stock market, you’ll find plenty of reading material at  The Avocado Pit Bookstore. The store also carries general stock, children’s books, and cookbooks. If somehow you don’t find what you’re looking for, you can make a request or visit TAP’s booth in the Factory Antique Mall in Verona. The Verona site specializes in comics, graphic novels, ghost hunting, and paranormal.

• Open Monday – Saturday: 2-5, or by chance or appointment

Many artisans live and work in Staunton, and many allow you into their creative spaces where you can actually see them honing their skills and creating beautiful things with their hands. After watching them create, you might feel inspired or feel a deep connection to their work. Fortunately, you can purchase their handmade wares to wear, for the home, or as gifts for the special people in your life.  Read below for the best of Staunton’s arts and crafts scene.

Sunspots Studios & Glassblowing | 202 S. Lewis Street

One of Staunton’s most interesting tourist attractions is Sunspots Studios & Glassblowing, owned by Doug and Caroline Sheridan. You can wander the gallery and select unique and beautiful art glass in the forms of ornaments, vases, jewelry, and even wizard wands to purchase. Visitors are welcome to visit the studio and watch Sunspots staff demonstrating fascinating techniques and creating unique pieces. Would-be artisans can even attempt to blow their own ornaments with guidance from Sunspots staff, of course.  Admire the work of additional artists in May when Sunspots hosts the Virginia Hot Glass Festival. Sunspots is open Monday through Saturday from 10 to 6 and Sunday from 11:30 to 5.

Rachel’s Quilt Patch | 40 Middlebrook Avenue

Three generations of quilters are ready to help you with your project at Rachel’s Quilt Patch. Rachel Brown and her daughter, Kay, are avid quilters and work the fabric shop together, along with granddaughter, Emma Rose, who helps out after school. Rachel’s Quilt Patch sells quilting supplies and notions and gift items like soaps. The store offers regular classes for both beginners and experienced quilters. You can also join clubs and “sew-ins.” Quilters can get assistance with fabric options, stitching, quilt preservation, and even service for sewing machines. Store hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, or by appointment Thursday evenings.

Artful Gifts | 6 Byers Street

For wearable art that is organic and sustainable, make sure you visit Artful Gifts, where fiber artist Lisa Jacenich creates hand-felted clothing out of wool, silk, and other natural materials. You can buy unique and intriguing coats, hats, dresses, blouses, and shawls. You will also find scarves and mittens coaxed out of re-purposed wool sweaters. If you’re looking for an accessory, check out Lisa’s husband Jim’s kumihimo (Japanese braiding), which he uses to create jewelry and belts. The Jaceniches also offer a variety of individual and group workshops, so you can learn some of their techniques to try on your own.

Concepts Created | 515 Middlebrook Avenue

Bryan Black, designer and owner of Concepts Created, has been constructing custom furniture out of reclaimed wood and other materials since 2007. Each piece is created after a detailed consultation with the customer. Skilled handcrafting and attention to detail produce unique pieces that have both beauty and history. Stop by the workshop on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-2 to meet Bryan, check out inventory furniture on sale, and view artwork by other local artists.

Appalachian Piecework | 38 Middlebrook Avenue

Laurie Gundersen is a “utilitarian folk artist” and the driving force behind Appalachian Piecework. Her talents include basket weaving, fabric dying, quilting, and spinning. From her 18th century barn loom she crafts handwoven market bags. From locally-harvested trees she weaves a variety of baskets. Not even the bark is wasted. Appalachian Piecework also offers handcrafted products by like-minded artisans. Stop by to shop Thursday through Saturday from 11 to 6. Restoration requests and custom orders are welcome.

The Potter’s Daughter Studio | 13 W Beverley Street

Jessie Taylor’s The Potter’s Daughter Studio is home to both a pottery studio and a massage therapy practice. Jessie’s pottery is designed to reflect the natural world and her unique artistic expression and is fired in wood or gas kilns.

Cherish Every Moment | 13 East Beverley Street

There’s a little bit of everything and Cherish Every Moment, and most of it is handmade or upcycled. Shop for gifts like one-of-a-kind jewelry as well as lighting and home decor. Cherish Every Moment also assists with interior design and can create made-to-order upcycled furniture and wall decorations. Open Tuesday – Sunday, 11-5.

Bonfire Begonia

Staunton’s Susan Weeks has been designing unique jewelry for 25 years. You can find it in her new storefront, Bonfire Begonia, along with all kinds of other beautiful and eclectic items like paintings, paper mâché, furniture, and work by other artists. You can even sign up for crafting classes. Another great way to appreciate Susan’s jewelry is to subscribe to her take on the gift box trend. Instead of getting mass-produced impersonal products, subscribers will get a one-of-a-kind necklace made from vintage and found materials each month. Each piece is shipped with a handmade greeting card so it can be easily gifted. 

Gift Shops Offering Handmade and Fair Trade Crafts

If you’re looking for handmade and fair trade crafts, clothing, art, and jewelry by both domestic and foreign artists, make sure to visit Harmony Moon, Latitudes, and Made; By the People, For the People.

Galleries and Fine Art

For fine art like paintings, drawings, sculpture, and juried handcrafts, visit our Art Gallery page. The galleries in downtown are a treat for the eyes and feature work by a number of talented local artists.

Art for Gifts | 20 S. New Street

Stop by the Staunton Augusta Art Center’s annual Art for Gifts sale and exhibition from November 9 – December 30. You’ll discover original, juried fine art and crafts by 60 artists in this holiday shopping boutique. Open Monday-Saturday 10-6, and Sunday 1-4. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Looking for a romantic getaway with your significant other? Couples can unwind and reconnect as they explore Staunton’s unique culture. Plan to share romantic meals, be pampered in luxurious lodgings, sightsee along one of America’s best main streets, and even discover the great outdoors. Best of all, we’ve done the planning for you. Leave your cares behind as you check out our jam-packed romantic weekend schedule.

Day 1:

Check into Your Hotel

Staunton offers a number of dreamy lodging options, but some of our favorites are set in beautifully restored historic buildings. The Stonewall Jackson Hotel and The Blackburn Inn both feature elegant rooms and restaurants on the premises where you can get a drink or delicious meal. The Berkeley House Bed and Breakfast offers an elaborate breakfast, Saturday-afternoon wine and cheese, and packages for lodging and in-room couples massages. For additional ideas, read our blogs on bed and breakfasts and unique places to stay.

Grab a Picnic or Some Takeout and Visit a Winery or Brewery

For one of the best views in Augusta County, take a the scenic drive to Barren Ridge Vineyards for a picnic and some local wine. Reconnect with your sweetie as you sit on the patio and admire the sunset. In-town options include Bedlam Brewing, where you can order a stellar dinner along with your great beer. You won’t be disappointed with the beer-battered fish and chips or one of their gourmet pizzas. Queen City Brewing’s fine tap list is often accompanied by live music and a food truck on Friday nights. It’s also close to Gypsy Hill Park where you can share an after-dinner stroll or feed the ducks together.

Day 2:

Visit a Local Coffee Shop for Some Light Fare

Start your romantic Saturday off right with some light fare at one of Staunton’s coffee shops. Located in downtown Staunton, Réunion Bakery & Espresso offers the caffeine you need to get your day rolling as well as a mouthwatering selection of French-inspired pastries. The shop boasts a charming interior and looks as if it came from a design magazine. Alternately, you might stop in at the By & By, and enjoy espresso drinks, bagels, and grilled sandwiches while checking out the art by local artists adorning the walls. Another good bet is Blue Mountain Coffee, located in the Wharf historic district, which gives you direct access to the Farmers’ Market. Enjoy a wide selection of coffee drinks and light fare such as bagel sandwiches and muffins.

Hit up the Farmers’ Market

Hold hands as you stroll through the Staunton Farmers’ Market and eye the autumn bounty. Surprise your sweetie with a seasonal bouquet, stock up on some snacks for later, or just enjoy Staunton’s welcoming feeling of community.

Explore Our Quaint and Walkable Downtown

Enjoying all that walking and hand holding? Hang onto that feeling by exploring our charming downtown on foot. Take a walking tour with the Historic Staunton Foundation or go mobile and use the Traipse App to customize your own tour with keywords like “shopping,” “history,” or “libations.” Discover more history at the Camera Heritage Museum or the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum. And finally, make sure to check out our wealth of independent shops, galleries, and antique stores. You’ll find a range of wares including gourmet chocolate and olive oil, art-glass ornaments, toy arms and armor, and vintage treasure of all kinds.

Go Global for Lunch

Awaken your taste buds by savoring some global cuisine for lunch.  Treat yourself to a scrumptious Indian buffet at Taste of India, where you’ll find a variety of chicken or vegetarian entrees. Alternately, try one of the lunch specials at Chicano Boy Taco. You’ll swoon over the fresh tortillas and you can people watch if you get sick of gazing into each others’ eyes. Check out Staunton’s Global Cuisine for other global favorites.

Unwind with a glass of wine or a pint of beer

You might just want to head back to your room to unwind with a nap and a cuddle, but if you’re still walking around downtown Staunton, stop to flirt over some wine at Ox Eye Tasting Room or Yelping Dog Wine. If you’d rather refresh yourself with beer, Shenandoah Valley Brewing Co. and Redbeard Brewing Company are steps away. For more information on Staunton’s watering holes, check out A Staunton Beer and Wine Tour.

Dinner and a Show (ASC)

Remember all those movies with romantic meals in Italian restaurants? Channel the romance of the Lady and the Tramp noodle scene when you take your love out to a candlelit dinner at Emilo’s Italian Restaurant. Another good bet is farm-to-table fine-dining favorite, The Shack, where you’ll find inspired and creative meals made using seasonal ingredients. If you’re looking for steak, you might enjoy the Mill Street Grill. Follow your romantic meal with a show at the American Shakespeare Center. The fall season includes comedies As You Like It, Emma, and The Man of Mode. If your relationship can handle backstabbing and a little murder, don’t miss Richard III.

SUNDAY

Exchange Sweet Nothings over a Romantic Brunch

New to the Staunton brunch scene, Zynodoa offers inspired southern cuisine in a stylish, metropolitan setting. Their seasonally-driven menu features delights like baked French toast on local bread topped with bourbon peaches, whipped cream, and toasted pecans. Accompany this feast with a mimosa, Bloody Mary, or a Sunny Sunday. For other brunch ideas, check out Staunton’s Brunch Bunch.

Get Outside Before You Hit the Road

If you want to do something really wholesome (and fun!) that looks great on Instagram, head into the county and visit a pick-your-own farm. The Valley boasts apples, grapes, and pumpkins in the fall. Heading north or south? Detour home along the Skyline Drive or the Blue Ridge Parkway. Both offer spectacular views of fall colors and will give you access to hikes in Shenandoah National Park or George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.

Summer’s heat might have stunted your appetite, but now that temperatures have dropped, it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to eat for the season. From delicious seasonal dishes and recipes, to classes and other fun foodie adventures, Staunton is a cornucopia of fall culinary experiences!

Staunton Farmers’ Market

The Staunton Farmers’ Market is always a gustatory treat, but nothing beats fall for agricultural abundance. Shop for in-season fruits and vegetables like apples, pears, parsnips, rutabagas, turnips, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, squash, and pumpkins, of course! Talk to the farmers about how to prepare your bounty or check out a website like Today.com’s Fall Produce Guide for recipe inspiration. If you can’t wait to get home and make your own parsnip cupcakes, just stay at the market and dig deep into a cone of apple cider donuts and a cup of local cider from Blue Ridge Cider Doughnuts. Or indulge yourself with an apple spice, cocoa heaven, guten tag, or 24-carrot-flavored cupcake from Lydia’s Cupcakes. 

Let the Kids Pick

Nothing says wholesome like gathering the family and picking baskets of fruit. Enjoy sunshine, crisp weather, sweet and tart fruit, and bountiful photo opportunities at local pick-your-own farms. Check out Wenger Grape Farms for grapes and information about how grapes are grown. Local apple favorite, Sunrise Orchards, is already out of fruit this year, so if you’re looking for apples, take a scenic drive over Afton Mountain to Chiles Peach Orchard, Carter Mountain Orchard, or Henley’s Orchard.

Fall Treats from Downtown Shops

Check out some rich fall flavors from the Cocoa Mill, which has been using fair-trade chocolate to make gourmet treats since 1993. You won’t want to miss their Rockbridge Vineyard wine truffles or Hub peanut clusters. Another downtown favorite is Staunton Olive Oil, which provides ultra-premium extra virgin olive oils, infused and fused olive oils and balsamic vinegars. Visit the tasting room and try the Neopolitan Herb Dark Balsamic and the Smoked Olive Wood Oil. Wondering what to do with your goodies once you get home? Try an autumnal recipe like butternut squash and red apple pork loin served with cinnamon pear roasted sweet potatoes.

Local Recipe Gold

Have you ever tried a cinnamon pickle? Take a drive to Meadowcroft Farm to gorge yourself on the view and tickle your palate with their many varieties of jams, pickles and relishes. All products are handcrafted without artificial preservatives from fruits and vegetables grown on the farm. Check out their recipe page for ideas on how to eat their products (besides out of the jar with a spoon). And if you want to make apple or pumpkin pies this fall, The Cheese Shop in Stuarts Draft should be a no-brainer. It specializes in bulk items like flours, spices, nuts, snacks, and cheese, all at very reasonable prices. We won’t judge you for the sacks of snacks you buy. Check out their recipe page for ideas using their local cheese.

Dine on the Season

Staunton has so many fine eateries specializing in creative and seasonal farm-to-table fare, it’s difficult to walk downtown without salivating. Feeling like pie? Check out something delicious and unusual, like Concord grape, from Firkin Pie Company, known for both savory and sweet crusted masterpieces. If you’re strolling west along Beverley Street or exploring historic Thornrose Cemetery, visit the Anne Hathaway Cottage Tea Room for tea and a selection of light meals, including a Victorian high tea. After a morning at the park, try Mike Lund Food & LUNdCH’s stover salad. It includes roast beets, spiced pecans, and shaved fennel and apple, with bleu cheese and an herb vinaigrette. A good bet for dinner is Zynodoa’s local and seasonal Autumn Olive Farm slow-roasted pork. This comfort food feast is served with southern-style cabbage slaw, baked beans, and Highland County maple barbeque. If you’re dining at The Shack, plan to bookend your main course with seasonal treats. Warm up your palate with butternut squash pierogi topped with with soubise, chili, and pecans. Finish with the chocolate cremeux, which includes smoked apple butter, and a peanut & oat streusel.

Classes

Homemade Brie at Creambrook Farm:  October 13

Want to spend a cheesy afternoon learning about curds and whey? Sign up for a cheese making class at Creambrook Farm and learn how to make the best, butteriest brie… at home. Sample brie-like cheeses, then learn the chemistry of milk, cream, and the special mold spores that make the magic happen. Veteran cheese maker, Louella Hill, will teach you to ripen, churn, and drain the curds. You’ll take home your cheese and a reusable cheese form so you can create brie any time you want.

Group Cooking Classes at Blue Oregano

Gather your besties, put down your phones, and take a customized cooking class with Blue Oregano Culinary Services in Waynesboro. Enjoy wine and a gourmet dinner that you and your friends prepare under the guidance of an experienced chef. Blue Oregano also offers cooking classes for children ages 10-17.

Happenings

Octoberfest:  October 6

Don’t miss Oktoberfest at the Frontier Culture Museum. Kick up your heels to live music, eat traditional food, and drink good beer. Tour the museum to see how past residents of the Valley celebrated their harvests. Interpreters will show you how people prepared food and entertained themselves before Netflix.  Make sure to stop at the German farm, relocated from Hordt, Germany, for demonstrations on how they brewed beer in the old days. $12 Admission fee for adult, $7 kids 6+, kids 5 and under and museum pass holders are free.

Moriarty Release:  October 8

If you’re looking for another beer-centric celebration check out Moriarty Day at Redbeard Brewing Company. It’s the day they release their latest edition of Moriarty, a barrel-aged Imperial Stout. This year’s pour has been settling in Bourbon barrels from Heaven Hill and Buffalo Trace.

Farm Day at Creambrook Farm:  October 20

Just a short drive south of Staunton, Creambrook Farm is home to 100% grass-fed Jersey dairy cows, and you can meet them at Farm Day and learn about the production of milk and other dairy products. Enjoy other family activities like petting calves, touring the farm on a hayride, tasting fresh milk, or eating a picnic. Food will be available for purchase. $10 Admission fee for persons over 5.