Last-Chance Long Weekend in Staunton

Labor Day Weekend is here, and it would be a shame to spend it doing yardwork or thinking about your job. Even if you’ve already used all your vacation time at the beach, you can probably still sneak away to Staunton over the long weekend! In fact, a last-chance long weekend getaway before the leaves change might help you relax and gather yourself for the fall. Here’s a guide to spending some quality time in the Queen City.

Where to Stay

Staunton offers a range of lodging options. Book a room in a historic space that’s been updated for modern luxury like Barrister’s Row, Hotel 24 South, or Blackburn Inn. 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.

Last-Chance Arts

Staunton’s biggest Labor Day Weekend draw is the 58th Annual Art in the Park art festival, which brings the community together to highlight the work of local and regional artists. Held in Gypsy Hill Park, the juried festival lets visitors chat with artists and purchase their work. The festival also boasts free, interactive activities for kids, and a line-up of food trucks.

Other spaces to enjoy art in Staunton include galleries like Sanaa Design, the CoArt Gallery, Beverley Street Studio School Gallery, and the RR Smith Center for History and Art. Sunspots Studios, a working glassblowing studio, lets visitors watch live demonstrations or try glassblowing themselves. Explore Staunton’s growing outdoor mural scene to combine light physical activity with the discovery of large-scale urban artwork in unexpected locations.

You might think you know the story, but you won’t want to miss seeing a performance of Romeo and Juliet 2025 at Blackfriars Playhouse. The “iconic story of young love—reckless, tender, and all-consuming” is the same, but this rendition of the Bard’s famous play is set in the early 2000s.

Itinerary Stops:

Art in the Park
Romeo and Juliet 2025
Lee McCraw-Leavitt exhibit or Sunday Craft Club at Art Hive

Last Chance Flavors

Staunton restaurants serve dishes ranging from classic American fare like pizzas and burgers to seafood, global cuisine, and regional specialties. Many dishes incorporate local and seasonal ingredients, and since it’s currently harvest time, you’ll find favorite dishes fortified with the fruits of the fields.

Queen City Bistro and Chop House Tavern source many of their food items from local producers and emphasize seasonal flavors in their recipes. Seed to Tail offers home-grown comfort food in a casual setting, and Byers Street Bistro stirs up new cocktails for each season. Maude and the Bear’s multi-course tasting menu brings the region’s best flavors to your plate and pairs them with the perfect wines.

Did you know that Beverley Street closes to vehicular traffic on the weekends for Shop and Dine Out Downtown? To explore dining offerings with eyes and nose, head downtown and take a loop or two before deciding where to pull up a seat and tuck in!

Itinerary Stops:

Stroll through the Staunton Farmers’ Market on a Saturday morning.
Meet the locals, dine alfresco, and listen to music at Shop and Dine out Downtown.
Enjoy a Guided Global Wine Tasting at Accordia.
Have a pint at a brewery along the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail to toast Craft Beer Month.

Last-Chance Night Life

As night falls, Staunton offers several avenues for fun. Head to the Junction cocktail lounge to socialize in an intimate setting over expertly crafted drinks. Redbeard Brewing Company frequently hosts live musical performances and other fun events. Enthusiasts of haunts and history will shiver delightfully as they follow their ghost tour guide through Staunton’s spookiest spaces. If you’d rather stay inside, we recommend trying to solve the secrets in Crack the Code Escape Room. And make sure to end your night on a sweet note with gelato from The Split Banana. Beyond these specific options, the downtown area boasts a variety of restaurants that often extend their hours, providing opportunities for late-night dining and lingering conversations.

Itinerary Ideas:

Queen City Bistro’s weekly weekend late night
SKANK + Uncle Bengine and the Restraining Orders at Ciders from Mars (August 29)
Groovin’ in the Garden with Bloo Lagoon at Redbeard Brewing (August 30)
Dark Tales and Haunts of the Queen City

Last Chance History

Many visitors come to Staunton to connect to the past. Historic Staunton Foundation offers guided and self-guided walking tours through several of the city’s well-preserved historic districts. You’ll learn stories behind the Victorian architecture that defines much of Staunton’s downtown. Explore the life and legacy of the 28th President at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, and get your hands dirty at the Frontier Culture Museum, where costumed interpreters tell the stories of the area’s first settlers. You can even see over 7,000 historic cameras at the Camera Heritage Museum!

Itinerary Ideas:

Guided walking tour of Staunton’s historic districts
Echoes of the Past Guided tour of the Blackburn Inn
Education Station at Woodrow Wilson Museum
See the antique steam-powered firetruck at the Jumbo Museum

Last-Chance Outdoor Fun

If you haven’t visited Shenandoah National Park yet this year, hikes for every experience level and several weekend activities like live music and a night sky program should entice you to lace up your hiking boots this weekend. There’s also still time to lounge on the beach or swim at Sherando Lake and paddle your canoe on the Waynesboro Water Trail. And if you want to start planning next year’s garden, Harmony Harvest Farm can guide you on a tour of their flower fields and give you insider info on growing the best and brightest blooms.

Get your heart pumping on Montgomery Hall Park’s winding network of hiking and biking trails. And while you’re there, play a round of disc golf or a challenge your friends to a pickleball match. Family-favorite Gypsy Hill Park features a duck pond, two playgrounds, a 1.3-mile walking and biking loop, and a dog park. There’s even a skate park, and if you brought your clubs, don’t forget to tee up for a round of golf on the beautiful and challenging Staunton City course.

Itinerary Ideas: