Great American Small Town Summer

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Staunton is a wonderful example of a great American small town. We’re small (around 26,000 people), walkable, fun, and we’re welcoming to all, whether you’re someone who’s been here for generations or you’re just passing through. In fact, we’re always turning up on those “best of” lists for small towns in America. We’ve been praised by publications like Southern Living, Travel + Leisure, USA Today, and more for our public art, our beauty, our cuteness, our suitability for retirement, our culture, our breathtaking views, our preserved historic architecture, and our food! Here’s a rundown of what makes us shine as a place to spend a great American small-town summer.

The Local Touch

One of the nicest things about Staunton is the small businesses that make it their home. Our downtown shelves are stocked with items carefully curated by shop owners who know their community and customer base. We have tiny markets like Cranberries, bookstores that set up circles of chairs for monthly book clubs (Staunton Books and Tea), and toy stores that let your kids fill wish baskets with items they’ve touched and played with (Pufferbellies). If you’re looking for something to connect you to your own childhood (like Alf trading cards or your favorite Disney movie on VHS), The Tubular Toy Box will help you jump into that nostalgia rabbit hole. 

Staunton also has the best kind of gift shops featuring an “eclectic selection of quirky gifts” and local creative works (Made). Foxtails sells nature-inspired gifts, including a range of adorable felted craft kits. Geek Boutique stocks favorite “geek culture” items, including art, books, toys, comics, trading cards, t-shirts, and collectibles. Southern Christian boutique The Queen Bee has art by local artists, jewelry, decor, and devotional materials. Staunton even has a shop that caters to the health and well-being of man’s best friend: The Well Balanced Paw has toys, pet massage, and baked goods from the “barkery.” 

Staunton’s clothing boutiques include Billy Opal, which sells high-quality modern looks for women and men, while CFO Trading Company caters to men, with fashion and specialty bar ware and other gifts. Bonfire Begonia and The Sparrow’s Nest carry unique, hand-crafted jewelry and accessories. Atlas and Ember is a vintage bridal shop dedicated to connecting today’s brides finely crafted gowns from past eras. 

Historical & Cultural Highlights

History comes to life at the Frontier Culture Museum where costumed interpreters embrace the histories and traditions of the Valley’s early settlers from different backgrounds and time periods. This family-friendly open-air museum offers hand-on experiences. 

The Historic Staunton Foundation leads high-quality walking tours through the historic districts each Saturday morning. One of the cool things you’ll see as you stroll through the downtown area is the interplay of historic buildings and modern street art in the form of large murals and whimsical iron sculptures, including Staunton’s famous watering can and flower garden display that greets visitors as they enter the business district.

Train fans of all ages will love Staunton, too. Pose for photos at the historic train station and climb up the steep steps to the Sears Hill bridge to cross the tracks to Woodrow Park. The Virginia Scenic Railway sends off daily excursions on refurbished passenger trains, and if you have little ones, make memories on the Gypsy Express mini train that’s been looping its track in the park for more than 60 years. Don’t forget to stop in at the Staunton Fire Station to see the Jumbo Antique Fire Engine Museum. “Jumbo” is a beautifully restored 1911 Robinson chemical fire engine, the last one of its kind, serving as a pristine time capsule of early 20th-century Americana.

The Statler Brothers Tribute Monument honors the Grammy-winning country/gospel music group. The band always focused on family and home, and showed their commitment to their hometown of Staunton by hosting massive, patriotic 4th of July celebrations in Gypsy Hill Park. The annual Happy Birthday America celebration carry on the tradition. Make sure you catch the upcoming ShenanArts musical, Some I Wrote: A Musical Story of the Songs of The Statler Brothers, a brand-new show based on Don Reid’s book The Music of The Statler Brothers: An Anthology (on stage in October).

Small Town Tastes

Nothing speaks to the small-town experience more than independent restaurants. 

Newly opened Staunton Bagel treats Stauntonians to fresh bagels that have both the taste and “chew” texture of those you’d get in NYC. Pop into Reunion Bakery for a coffee and pair it with a cruffin, croissant, or even a hunk of focaccia! Magdelena Bake is another top morning destination, serving coffee and a range of sweet and savory delights like pastries and empanadas.

Shenandoah Pizza & Taphouse names its gourmet pies after local people and places. Enjoy a slice over some craft beer and local live music. The Frenchman serves New Orleans-inspired French-Cajun cuisine and brings new life to Staunton’s historic train station. 

You won’t be able to resist the flavorful tacos and enormous mission-style burritos served up at Mexican-American taquería Chicano Boy Taco. You can also score delicious Tex-Mex fare at Baja Bean. Make it as spicy as you wish: the cantina is well stocked with beers, wine, and mixed drinks like margaritas!

Big Red Barbecue’s menu is packed with selections like pulled pork and fried catfish, and Kline’s Hog Wild BBQ serves Carolina and sweet-style barbecue and sides. Valley Smokehouse specializes in seafood, barbecue, and steaks. 

Wrights Dairy Rite has been retro since before retro was cool. There’s a big neon sign, an old-school drive-in bay, and inside you order your food from the telephone in your booth. The burger menu features both a “monster” burger and a “super” burger, and you’ll want to stick around for a malted milkshake or a Wright’s Wheelie hot donut topped with ice cream and other toppings.

You can also cool off and get your sweet fix at Split Banana, which makes its own gelato, and Elli Bubble Sweet Tea. Make sure to pass on positive vibes with a message in the Mailbox of Love corner.  

The Corner Pub Experience

Redbeard Brewing and Queen City Brewing are micro breweries that brew their beer right here in Staunton and serve it fresh. If you’d rather have hard cider, Ciders From Mars ferments its offerings with blends of local apples.

Die-hard World Cup fans who intend to watch even though the U.S. team is finished, can watch the action with other fans at the following spots: Byers Street Bistro, The Depot Grille, Bricks Restaurant and Pub, and Brothers Pizza.

From guided tasting experiences at Ox-Eye Tasting Room and Accordia, to lively trivia nights at the Green Room, to long chats with friends over a bottle and a cheese plate at Yelping Dog, wine lovers, too, can find their perfect glass. 

Outdoor Escapes

Nothing fills out a great American small-town summer more than some outdoor fun. How about an overnight adventure toasting marshmallows outside your tent?  Shenandoah National Park has campgrounds, showstopping views, and miles of hiking trails. If you’re more of an RV camper, Walnut Hills Campground’s amenities include outdoor movies, a swimming pool, foam parties, and arcade, and a schedule of themed weekends.

Up for some fishing? We have lots of stocked waters, including Lake Tams in Gypsy Hill Park and lakes in the national forest like Sherando Lake and Todd Lake. Bonus: both have beach recreation areas so your entire family can enjoy time on the water, even those who don’t fish. 

Dreaming of riding into the sunset? Don your 10-gallon hat and giddyup to Star B Stables, where you can take a trail ride on a well-trained horse. If the saddle is too slow for you, Fastrax (Waynesboro) lets you challenge your crew to lasertag and channel your inner speed demon on the go kart track.

And if you want a picnic or a simple day at the park, you can’t go wrong in Montgomery Hall Park or Gypsy Hill Park. Both have swimming pools, places to walk your dog, playgrounds, baseball diamonds, and much more. 

• Check it out: Montgomery Hall pool is having a “Dive-In” movie night this Friday (July 11, 2026) and admission is free! Next week, Gypsy Hill Pool is doing a “Christmas in July” event (July 18, 2026).

Seasonal Community Events

Small towns thrive on summer events, and some of the Staunton highlights include the 73rd season of theater under the stars at Oak Grove Theater and nightly live concerts at Gypsy Hill Park. The Stonewall Brigade Band, which performs on Monday nights from June-August, has been bringing high-energy music like marches, Americana, and movie themes to the stage since 1855. Today’s 85-member ensemble makes up the oldest community band in the country!

The community comes out for the Saturday morning Staunton Farmers’ Market, where more than 30 local producers share their freshest products like fruits, meats, cheeses, and baked goods. Another way the community comes together around food is at Shop and Dine Out Downtown. The streets are closed to vehicular traffic to create a walking mall. People dine in the fresh air and chat with their neighbors. They pop into galleries and gift shops, and enjoy live summer concerts put on by the Arcadia Project.

There’s nothing more American than baseball, and a night watching the Staunton Braves face off against other AA Valley League teams to defend the home-town honor is a good way to cheer, connect with the community, and chow down on snack bar food! The Valley Baseball League has been drawing top collegiate players to its teams since 1953 and many of its players have gone on to play professional ball!

Summertime means carnivals, live music, and all-American fun like funnel cake and drag racing. You can catch all this and more at Augusta County Fair. This year’s schedule is packed with livestock judging, midway rides and games, beauty pageants, sideshow performances, a demolition derby, and live music. July 21-26, 2026.

Pack your bags and get ready to spend your great American small-town summer in Staunton!