The smell of fresh cider donuts and cut flowers drifts from the farmers market on a Saturday morning. In the evening, live music spills into the street from breweries, and a variety of productions can be heard from theaters and playhouses. Staunton, Virginia is a small city with a big personality. If you’re searching for things to do in Staunton, VA, you’ve come to the right place!
Starting with lodging, 15 to 20 minutes east (about 12 miles) in neighboring Waynesboro, Cider House Bed and Breakfast offers a farm stay that makes for the perfect relaxing home base during your visit. Choose from four gorgeous rooms in the 1790’s farm house and enjoy farm-to-table breakfast each morning.
Top things to do in Staunton, VA: historic and cultural attractions
American Shakespeare Center and the Blackfriars Playhouse
If you were planning a quick day trip, The Blackfriars Playhouse will quickly have you considering a weekend stay. According to the American Shakespeare Center, it is a faithful recreation of the early modern indoor Blackfriars theater, the London venue where Shakespeare’s company performed, built to period specifications. The house lights stay up throughout the performance. There’s no intermission, no blackout between scenes, just live theater the way Shakespeare intended it.
The American Shakespeare Center programs rotating repertory performances during its regular season, so there’s often something playing no matter when you visit. Check the current schedule and book ahead; weekend shows frequently sell out.
Frontier Culture Museum: where history is hands-on
Most history museums ask you to look. The Frontier Culture Museum asks you to watch, ask questions, and get close! This outdoor living history site spreads across several working farmsteads representing 17th-century England, West Africa, Germany, and colonial America. Interpreters do real work, tending animals, cooking over open fires, and demonstrating period crafts, and they’ll talk with you about what daily life actually looked like for the people who shaped Appalachian culture.
Plan two to three hours here; it’s larger and denser than it looks from the entrance. Hours run 9 AM to 5 PM from mid-March through November, and 10 AM to 4 PM December through mid-March. Be sure to consider holidays. The museum closes on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $12 for adults, $9 for seniors, $11 for students 13 to college age. Buy tickets online to skip the line on busy weekend mornings.
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum
Staunton is the birthplace of the 28th president, and the restored Greek Revival manse paired with a modern museum makes for a surprisingly absorbing stop. Admission runs $20 for adults and $18 for seniors, with youth tickets at $12. Pair it with a walking tour of the Gospel Hill historic district just steps away, and you’ve filled a solid morning before lunch without rushing. Hours run 10 AM to 5 PM on weekdays and 12 PM to 5 PM on Sundays; hours can vary by season, so check the museum site or call (540) 885-0897 before visiting.
Best things to do in Staunton, VA: arts, festivals, and seasonal events
Staunton Music Festival and year-round live performances
The crown jewel of Staunton’s arts calendar is the Staunton Music Festival, a 10-day chamber music event in mid-to-late August featuring over 30 concerts by 80-plus musicians. The 2026 edition runs August 14 through 23, its 28th season. Concerts take place in historic venues like Trinity Episcopal Church and Augusta Stone Presbyterian Church, often with doors open to the street so the music drifts out into warm August evenings. Evening concerts require tickets; daytime noon programs are free. Reach the box office at (540) 800-6012 or online.
The Spring BaroqueFest in April is low-key but genuinely fun, with smaller crowds than the summer festival draws. For something completely free, the Gypsy Hill Park Summer Bandstand Series runs June through August with concerts ranging from bluegrass to jazz to family movies under the stars.
Seasonal festivals that transform downtown
If you can only pick one fall weekend for Staunton VA activities, make it the fourth weekend in September for Queen City Mischief and Magic. This immersive festival turns the entire downtown into a whimsical themed village, with costumed characters, themed shopping and dining, and a festive atmosphere that’s become one of the most talked-about autumn events in the Shenandoah Valley. Art in the Park (September), Art on the Town over Memorial Day weekend, and the Christmas Parade in early December round out the seasonal calendar as solid secondary options.
Practical note: downtown parking tightens significantly during festivals. Arrive early or park on the perimeter and walk in. Staunton’s compact layout makes a 10-minute walk from a quiet side street completely manageable.
Where to eat, drink, and wander in downtown Staunton
Restaurants that justify the reservation
Zynodoa leads the list for farm-sourced Southern cooking with seasonal ingredients and a dining room that fills up fast on weekends. Call ahead or plan on bar seating. Mill Street Grill earns its 4.5-star reputation with prime rib, Cajun chicken, and a bar that stays lively on performance nights. The Depot Grille (open Tuesday through Sunday) offers reliable casual American dining in a beautifully converted train station, a safe bet when you want something satisfying without the wait. For a light meal, try Accordia, a delightful wine bar and bistro offering a seasonal menu exploring European cuisine and an extensive wine selection. With late hours, they’re the perfect stop after a night at the theater.
For a special occasion dinner, Maude and the Bear earned New York Times recognition and serves a full tasting menu Thursday through Saturday only. Reservations are required and book up well in advance; plan this one early and confirm directly with the restaurant about availability. Start any Saturday morning with coffee and a pastry at Réunion Bakery and Espresso before the farmers market opens. It’s the kind of unhurried start that sets the tone for the whole day.
Beverley Street shopping and the Staunton Farmers Market
Beverley Street and its connecting blocks form one of the most walkable independent retail districts in the Shenandoah Valley. You’ll find 17 E. Beverley Antiques for farmhouse-to-Victorian vintage finds, the Staunton Olive Oil Company for tastings and gifts, and a string of boutiques and design shops with no chain store energy whatsoever. Sunspots Studios offers glassblowing demonstrations, primarily on weekdays, with a gallery open for browsing any time.
The Staunton Farmers Market runs Saturday mornings through spring and fall, with local produce, baked goods, flowers, and artisan vendors spread across a walkable stretch. Budget 45 minutes, go without a list, and see what turns up. It’s one of those low-key experiences that ends up being a highlight of the trip.
Outdoor escapes and day trips within easy reach
Local parks and easy walks for every age
Not every outdoor moment needs to be a planned hike. Montgomery Hall Park offers 148 acres of beginner trails, open fields, playgrounds, and picnic areas right inside Staunton, free and uncrowded on most weekdays. It’s a perfect option for a morning walk or a leg-stretch between museum stops, especially for families traveling with younger kids. Natural Chimneys Park, about 30 minutes west, adds dramatic limestone formations and open space that gives everyone room to roam.
If you’re looking for a way to enjoy the stunning scenic views of the area with a bit of elegant comfort, the Virginia Scenic Railway is the way to go. Departing from Staunton and Louisa, guests can relax in renovated passenger cars as the train passes through the hills of the Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge tunnel, and the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. The railway has several unique experiences to choose from including brunch, craft beer and wine tastings, and a murder Mystery dinner experience. Browse their experience packages and book in advance for an unforgettable day.
Where to stay: a smarter base than downtown hotels
For travelers turning Staunton into a full weekend, the best-kept secret in the area isn’t a downtown inn at all. Just 15 to 20 minutes east in Waynesboro, Cider House Bed and Breakfast sits on a working farm in a restored historic farmhouse. Guests wake up to grazing farm animals, sit down to a gourmet farm-to-table breakfast made from ingredients grown or sourced locally, and spend evenings at the fire pit with a glass of hard cider or mead crafted on the property.
