Staunton’s Wharf: Top Things to See and Do

---

The Wharf Historic District shines as one of Staunton’s busiest and most vibrant neighborhoods. Once a quiet meadow, it was developed for business when the Virginia Central Railroad came to town in the 1850s. Along with warehouses and hotels, this district once featured saloons, distilleries, liveries, brothels, and a dispensary of a patent medicine that claimed to “cure all ills.” It’s now home to a wealth of independently owned businesses and restaurants. Here’s your guide to everything you must see and do in Staunton’s Wharf.

How to Start Your Day

If you’re in the Wharf on a Saturday morning from April to Thanksgiving, you can’t miss the producer’s only Staunton Farmers’ Market. The market springs up in the Wharf parking lot and bustles with local producers selling the freshest local fruit, produce, meat, cheese, cut flowers, baked goods, and more. You’ll get to chat with the producers, greet your neighbors, and listen to weekly musical groups playing live.

Next, stroll over to Crucible Coffee Roasters and enjoy the friendly vibe and the coffee drinks made with artfully roasted beans.

WHERE TO PARK

Please excuse our progress! Did you know the Wharf is within walking distance from most points of interest and districts in downtown Staunton? However, vehicle parking is still an option. Currently, parking for the Wharf is undergoing an upgrade. During this time, parking in the Wharf Parking Lot is free and accessible from Byers Street via Lewis Street. Parking is free all weekend and every weekday after 5:30 in the Johnson Street Garage. During the Farmers’ Market, the simplest option is parking in the Johnson Street Garage. Check out the infographic below to know what to expect.

Where to Walk

Despite a history fraught with fire, flooding, and war, much historic architecture remains in the Wharf District. Look for the Beaux Arts-style Augusta County Courthouse and the Bungalow-style C&O Train Station. Many of the Wharf’s buildings are protected by the Historic Staunton Foundation and the area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. For a detailed description of the historic architecture in the district, take our walking tour. 

Climb up to the recently-restored Sears Hill Bridge that crosses the tracks and delivers walkers to Woodrow Park, a small greenspace with big views of Staunton. From here you can also see the railroad water tower. Nearby, Landes Park is easy to miss, but it offers a chance to walk under the railroad trestle and look at the creek.

Another great way to see some scenery is to hop aboard a Virginia Scenic Railway excursion. These three-hour trips depart Staunton from the historic train station and roll gently through the countryside toward the Blue Ridge Tunnel to the east or the Allegheny Mountains to the west. Choose between a seat in the traditional dining car or the new dome car, which offers panoramic views and boxed meal or café dining with bar access.

Where to Eat

For such a compact area, the Wharf district offers a surprising variety of global dishes. Taste of India boasts a big menu of authentic Indian food that’s always rich, delicious, with a spice level suited to your needs. Latin Soul serves cuisine inspired by the owners’ Central American and African-American heritage. Menu items include pupusas, Mexican street tacos, ceviche, yuca fritta and fried plantains as well as shrimp and grits, chicken-fried steak, and homemade meatloaf. Load up on fresh Mediterranean flavors when you design a bowl at Helios Mediterranean. Pick your base and protein and then make the flavors sparkle with your choice of toppings, dips, and dressings.

If you’re looking for traditional American fare, the Wharf’s restaurants serve that, too. Head to Byers Street Bistro for drinks, tasty appetizers, stellar sandwiches, pizza, and burgers. Enjoy the welcoming atmosphere inside the updated warehouse space or people-watch as you dine on the shaded brick patio. Nearby, housed in a cool, brick building that was once a flour mill, Mill Street Grill dishes up a wide selection of choices including steak, ribs, seafood, and pasta. Start your meal with a drink at the bar!

Everyone raves about the casual atmosphere, comforting food, and kid-friendly service at The Depot Grille. Look for favorites like seafood and steak, or opt for pasta, salads, or sandwiches. Pose for selfies by the historic bar or the caboose parked outside. 

Where to Shop

If you’re shopping for unique gifts, you can’t go wrong in the Wharf district. Make your home special by picking up some treasures at Eclectic Retro, where you’ll find a mix of furniture and décor as well as vintage clothing and accessories from all your favorite decades. Serious collectors of antique furniture and art will love the selection at O’Brien’s Antiques & Art, which deals mostly in furniture, folk art, and decorative arts from the 18th and early 19th centuries. 

Spoil someone you love with artisan bath and body products from Essentially Zen. Choose from great-smelling essential oil soaps, soy candles, body frosting, and more. Pufferbellies Toys & Books carries a large, and well curated selection of toys, games, and books for all ages. You can score new and vintage toys, comics, and collectibles from decades past at the Tubular Toy Box. Meanwhile, gamers will find supplies for all kinds of tabletop fun at The Dragon’s Hoard. And if you like having fun outside, Wilderness Adventure stocks your favorite brands of outdoor gear, clothing, accessories, and a huge selection of shoes.

Housed in the historic 1929 Klotz building, Sunspots Studio displays and sells incredible art glass. Make sure to slip into the studio to watch the artists manipulate molten glass into globes, vases, and much more.

Don’t leave the Wharf without thinking about your pet. Give them a treat or a pet massage from the Well-Balanced Paw.

How to Spend the Evening

The Ox-Eye Vineyards Tasting Room serves estate-grown, food-friendly wines. Stop in to relax over a tasting or a glass. Nearby, Ramulose Ridge opens on weekends to pour its award-winning wines. Take a seat inside or in the courtyard next to the fountain. Pair your wine with a cheese board or cookie. If you’re in the mood for cocktails, kick back in style at The Junction, where the atmosphere is equal parts laid-back and fancy. The beautiful space is saturated with color, softly lit, and invites guests to sink into cushy sofas and plush armchairs. The menu boasts of handcrafted cocktails, as well as beer, wine, and specialty non-alcoholic cocktails.

Redbeard Brewing Company specializes in small-batch craft beer. While you’re sipping, enjoy nightly events like live music, movie nights, and karaoke. Ciders from Mars presses local apples into hard cider and hosts weekly trivia games, live music, and community events like speed mingling, and book release parties. 

The SolArt Center supports artistic expression through art, music, theater, film, and story. The event schedule includes a variety of live music, open mic and improv nights, goth nights, punk markets, and much more!

Gather the gang and pool your brainpower to solve one Crack the Code Escape Room’s puzzle rooms. The five rooms vary in difficulty, from the family-friendly Crazy Cat Lady room that boasts a missing kitten mystery and a 70% escape rate, to the challenging Stuck in XMas loop that only rewards 53% of attempts with victory. And if your group isn’t afraid of the dark, try a Staunton Ghost Tour. Your knowledgeable guide will lead you to several of Staunton’s most haunted locations, including the American Hotel, which was a hospital during the Civil War. You’ll experience some shivers, learn some history, and get a taste of the secrets buried in quaint, Victorian-era Staunton.

Where to Stay

If you’re coming to Staunton for the weekend, you might want to take a few steps outside of the Wharf District and stay at the newly opened Barrister’s Row. This boutique hotel is made up of seven luxurious suites in an 1843 office building tucked behind the historic Augusta County Courthouse. Each renovated suite has a private entrance and combines historic details with contemporary modern luxury.  

Another good bet is Gibson’s Warehouse, a four-suite loft lodging in a 1905 TJ Collins-designed warehouse. The building originally stored farm equipment. Now, it’s comfortable and industrial cool, with fully-equipped kitchens, living spaces, and king-sized beds. 

For such a small footprint, Staunton’s Wharf Historic District packs in a lot of chances to have fun!