Staunton: The Gem of the Shenandoah Valley

Staunton, Virginia — known as the Queen City of the Shenandoah Valley — can best be described as a Hallmark movie come to life. Surrounded by rolling hills and scenic farmland, this fantastically walkable town is known for its magnificently preserved architecture, idyllic main street, and proximity to the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Over the years, Staunton has been recognized as one of the best small towns in America by USA Today, Smithsonian, MSN, Fodor’s, Southern Living, and many more. In 2023, Beverley Street — the main thoroughfare in the heart of historic downtown — was listed as one of the best main streets in the country by Country Living. It only takes one visit to understand the appeal: Victorian architecture, cafés, unique shops, museums, and friendly locals seem to grace every corner. Local trolleys transport residents and visitors alike for only $0.25 each way, a particularly nice touch for those who have spent the day exploring Shenandoah National Park’s 500-plus miles of trails.

A stay in the historic Hotel 24 South, circa 1924, puts you steps away from the visitor center and most downtown attractions — and other sights are only minutes away via car. Spend a day at the Frontier Culture Museum, one of the country’s largest open-air history museums. Hike Humpback Rocks before making a stop along the Beerwerks Trail. Visit a winery after a day spent underground at Grand Caverns, the oldest show cave in the United States. Catch a live performance of Shakespeare at Blackfriars Playhouse, or take a leaf-peeping trip via the Virginia Scenic Railway. The options are endless and may seem overwhelming, but don’t worry: We have organized your trip so you don’t have to. Let us be your guide!

History & Architecture

Boasting 35 properties and districts listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including one national historical landmark, it’s safe to say that Staunton — settled in 1732 — is a history buff’s dream come true. For those into historical architecture, pamphlets for self-guided architectural walking tours are available at the visitor center. Walk or catch a trolley to Trinity Episcopal Church to admire its early Gothic Revival architecture and 12 Tiffany stained-glass windows. While there, you might run into church member Betsy Gaffney — proud mother of Matt Gaffney, the world-renowned crossword puzzle constructor.

Trinity Episcopal Church

“Trinity Episcopal is the oldest church in Staunton, founded in 1746,” said Gaffney. “There are thousands of people buried here, including 17 Revolutionary War soldiers. It was the city cemetery for years before they opened Thornrose.”

One Revolutionary soldier buried on-site is Archibald Stuart, 1757–1832, whose gravestone reads: “When a youth, he fought for his country the war which achieved her independence.”

For those who are more interested in the history of photography, a visit to the Camera Heritage Museum is a must. Founder and curator Dave Schwartz, once taught by Ansel Adams himself, is on a mission to share the fascinating story of photography with everyone who walks through the door.

“Staunton was once the largest city west of the Blue Ridge Mountains and had its first photographer in 1847,” said Schwartz. “Just eight years after photography began, we had a photographer in this town.”

Originally opened in 1946 as Camera and Palette, the store became a nonprofit in 2011 and has since been visited by well-known photographers, representatives of internationally known camera collector groups, and people from over 165 countries and all 50 states. With over 7,000 cameras, accessories, and photos from every era, it makes for a fascinating guided (or self-guided) tour.

Boasting a collection of over 7,000 cameras and accessories, the Camera Heritage Museum is the country’s largest camera museum open to the public.

If you like history delivered to your eyes rather than your ears, the Frontier Culture Museum is only a short drive from downtown. Tour the grounds via golf cart or on foot and visit 11 permanent exhibits, with stops in West Africa, Ireland, Germany, and 1800s Virginia (to name a few). Costumed interpreters show the life and customs of the Indigenous Native American tribes; the arrival of the German, English, and Irish settlers; and the painful journey of the enslaved Africans to the first permanent British colony in North America. Visitors can watch and interact with a blacksmith at an Irish forge, learn how early Virginians cooked and worked the land, visit with farm animals, and simply enjoy the rolling hills and stunning views (just remember to bring comfortable walking shoes)!

“The interpreters that we have on staff are some of the best around,” said Amanda Lotts, the museum’s visitor services supervisor. “They’re so dedicated and they work so hard to make sure that what they’re telling people and what they’re showing them is accurate. The museum utilizes 188 acres, but it’s actually bigger than that. We have 11 exhibits, and eight of those are actual working farms, so at any given time you can see them planting, harvesting, or any other activity that you would see someone doing in that time period. It’s like you have literally walked back in time. It’s 2 miles if you stay just on the path, and that doesn’t count walking in and around the houses. A golf cart is worth it! It’s $25 for the day, and you have them the whole time you’re here.”

Arts & Entertainment

Like many visitors to Staunton, we were surprised to learn that this sleepy Southern town is home to the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor theater, Blackfriars Playhouse. To learn more, we signed up for a tour of the American Shakespeare Center (ASC), just steps from our hotel.

The history of the company that is now called the American Shakespeare Center started back in 1988, when Jim Warren and Ralph Alan Cohen formed the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express, a traveling troupe that used Shakespeare’s original staging conditions when performing plays.

“Ralph Alan Cohen was a professor of English who specialized in Shakespeare,” said Andrew Knight, tour guide and professor at Mary Baldwin University. “Originally he was the kind of person who thought that Shakespeare was better on the page than the stage, and more enjoyable to be read than performed. He quickly found out he was wrong — Shakespeare’s a lot more fun when you’re actually seeing it performed.”

Even better than seeing it performed is seeing it performed authentically, which is what the ASC has leaned in to since the beginning. The use of universal lighting — keeping the lights on during the performance — is particularly important.

“‘We do it with the lights on’ is our motto,” said Knight, laughing. “Shakespeare’s actors could actually see and interact with their audience, so we like to do that here. We’ve also re-created what’s called thrust staging, when you have an audience on multiple sides of the performers. In our playhouse here we have the audience on three sides of the stage, putting the actors right in the middle of the action.”

Enjoy a live glassblowing demonstration or blow your own ornament at Sunspots Studios in historic downtown Staunton.

In 2001, after partnering with the City of Staunton and aided by private donors, the ASC built the world’s only re-creation of Shakespeare’s indoor playhouse. Since its opening, the Playhouse has welcomed nearly a million guests to over 6,000 performances. Each year is concluded with a performance of A Christmas Carol — in case you’re looking for a unique holiday experience!

For a bit of art appreciation, visitors to Staunton can stop by Sunspots Studios, a gift shop and glassblowing studio owned by Doug and Caroline Sheridan. Attend one of their live glassblowing demonstrations to watch the masters at work, blow your own glass ornament in-studio, and peruse their ever-changing gallery full of art glass made in-house, local jewelry, and much more. Located in Staunton’s historic shopping and dining district, the studio is conveniently flanked by a winery, cidery, and brewery.

“We’re in the middle of good times,” said Caroline Sheridan. “We have the blow-your-own ornament, so let people know! That’s a popular thing; people come here and love to do it year-round.”

For those content to watch, professional glassblower Dan Scogna can be found teaching classes in-studio and working his magic during live glass demonstrations.

“Glassblowing might not be as rare as people might think, but the opportunity to watch it and experience it is pretty rare in the grand scheme of things,” said Scogna. “Sometimes when people try their hand, they suddenly realize that there’s a lot of nuance to the process that hearing about it or watching it on YouTube doesn’t convey. Also, too, I think there’s a lot of satisfaction that comes from doing it. One mom brought her son in every year to make an ornament from kindergarten through college. There’s people who have made it a tradition, and that’s really kind of cool to see.”

Outdoor Recreation

When it comes to outdoor recreation, it’s almost impossible to create a to-do list — this entire area is bursting with natural beauty, just waiting to be explored. Whether you’re strolling around Gypsy Park in downtown or enjoying views of the Shenandoah Valley from the Blue Ridge Parkway, there’s plenty of ways to get your steps in — both above and underground.

Grand Caverns

Grand Caverns, discovered in 1804 and opened to the public in 1806, is the oldest continually operating show cave in the United States. During the Civil War, the cave was visited by both Confederate and Union soldiers, who left 200 verified signatures behind.

Today, visitors get to decide between walking tours or more adventurous crawling tours, for those who don’t mind tight spaces. Looking for a more unique experience? Attend their Subterranean Sound concert series and listen to live music underground!

“You get to see this wonderland that you don’t get to see aboveground,” said tour guide Anna Finch. “There’s this whole other world that took millions of years to just form, and it kind of shows you the amazing capability of our Earth.”

Fun fact: If water drips on you during a tour, you’ve experienced a “cave kiss” — one year of good luck!

If walking aboveground is more your thing, there are more than 18 trails covering 182 miles in Staunton alone. Outside of town, countless hiking opportunities range from easy to strenuous and feature waterfalls, rolling hills, and dense forest views.

At the northern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Virginia you’ll find Humpback Rocks, 32 minutes from downtown Staunton. Spotting the rocks isn’t hard, as these prominent formations once served as a landmark guiding wagon trains in the 1840s. The best thing about Humpback Rocks is there are hiking options at every level, from the Mountain Farm trail (an easy quarter mile), to a strenuous 2-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail, or the more moderate Catoctin Loop Trail and Greenstone Trails. Enjoy a picnic and a stroll around the outdoor farm museum, or bite the bullet and hike the 2-mile round-trip hike to the rocks for spectacular views of the Shenandoah Valley and the Shenandoah National Park.

Drinks & Dining

If one of the first things that comes to your mind when you think of the Shenandoah Valley is wine, that’s for good reason: The Shenandoah Valley Wine Trail is the oldest and largest wine region in the Commonwealth, and wine lovers can visit over 25 local vineyards specializing in Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Riesling, and Chardonnay.

Oysters Beverleyfeller, BLU Point Seafood Co. Photographed by Lauren Morris.

Barren Ridge Vineyards, only 16 minutes outside of Staunton, offers the quintessential Shenandoah wine-tasting experience. Located in a renovated barn, drinks and nibbles can be enjoyed overlooking a picturesque vineyard with breathtaking mountain views. Be sure to catch their weekly live music events, special wine release parties, food trucks, and vineyard tours by appointment!

For those who would prefer to drink downtown, you don’t have to go far. Visit Ox-Eye Vineyards’ tasting room in the historic Wharf District, cross the street for a visit to Ciders from Mars, and start your journey on the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail at Redbeard Brewing Company. All Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail breweries are located within an hour’s drive from one another — just don’t forget to pick up a passport at one of the 17 locations. Once you’ve collected trail stamps from eight participating breweries, you will receive a commemorative T-shirt!

With all the day drinking, you’ll certainly need some food to soak it all up — and with 30 restaurants in historic downtown alone, there’s plenty to choose from. Kickstart a day of shopping on Beverley Street with a pastry and a warm cup of joe from The By & By or Reunion Bakery. Have a casual lunch experience at Mill Street Grill, a converted turn-of-the-century flour mill, and opt for an upscale farm-to-table dinner at Zynodoa Restaurant or a five-course everchanging tasting menu at The Shack. In the mood for oysters? Don’t let the surrounding hills fool you: BLU Point Seafood Co. offers a great selection of the freshest seafood.

Wherever you pull up a chair, the residents of Staunton are sure to treat you like family — and in this chaotic world, a wholesome community vibe is more than welcome.

“I often hear from people who have moved here that they came once and fell in love with the town,” said Charisa Knight, a 50-year resident of Staunton. “It’s a sweet little town. We have the mountains close by for hiking with beautiful views of the valley. We have a vibrant downtown area that works hard to offer different events to strengthen the community and to attract tourists. Come to Staunton to see for yourself!”

visitstaunton.com

More From Our Mar-Apr 2024 Issue

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• Small Business Spotlight: The Travel Mechanic
• Worth the Drive: The Hackney
• Celebrated Spirits: Matcha-Do About Nothing
• Celebrated Spirits: Hop on Top
• The Depot on First in Knightdale
• Out & About in Wake County: March / April 2024
• Road Tripping for Success
• Staunton: The Gem of the Shenandoah Valley
• Garden Adventurer: Dutch Treat: Keukenhof Gardens
• Erica Chats: Outdoor Adventures
• On Trend: Never Stop Exploring
• Pay it Forward: North Carolina Youth Outdoor Engagement Commission