You'll spend 2 days/1 night in one of “America’s Greatest Main Streets” by Travel + Leisure. Staunton’s easily walked and compact downtown is the perfect place to sample history up-close while allowing your group some free time to explore on their own.
Day 1: Your journey through history begins with the development of Staunton from frontier settlement to booming 19th Century commercial center to today’s beautifully restored downtown featuring an eclectic mix of architectural styles. Take a “self-guided walking tour” of Staunton’s six historic districts. If you're not up for the walk, ride our downtown trolley—picks up outside our Visitors Center— to take in all of the sights. If time allows, visit the R.R. Smith Center for History and Art, featuring changing art exhibits and research archives.
Insider’s Tip: Staunton Historic Foundation offers free, guided walking tours every Saturday from May through October.
Check into your hotel, and head downtown for a culinary adventure in one of our inviting restaurants, often housed in historic restored buildings. Visit the many unique shops, art galleries, coffeehouses and cafes.
Day 2: Begin your day with a hearty breakfast at a hometown eatery where all the locals meet. Then continue your history addiction at the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library, where you will explore the life and legacy of Woodrow Wilson at his birthplace, museum, and library. You can take a self-guided tour of the museum, where you can see relics of Woodrow’s life including his 1919 Pierce-Arrow limousine.
Then help harvest a crop or feel the heat from the blacksmith's fire at the Frontier Culture Museum, a living history museum with costumed interpreters. Hear the story of the earliest immigrants to America, and the culture they created together.
Insider’s Tip: Don’t miss a thing! Allow 3 to 4 hours when visiting the Frontier Culture Museum which features original farmsteads from Africa, America, England, Ireland and Germany.
Head back to your hotel if you'd like to freshen up, then enjoy dinner and a show. Choose from the area’s many fine restaurants and then take in a show at the Blackfriar's Playhouse, the world's only re-creation of Shakespeare's original indoor theatre.
Amenities
- LGBTQ+ Friendly
Region
Last Updated: 05/15/2017
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1290 Richmond Road
Staunton, VA 24401
