Free Staunton Travel Guide & Mobile App

Plan your Staunton trip with Evendo. Get free guides to top attractions, restaurants, hotels, and bars. Web access or download the mobile app.

Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play Download the Free PDF guide
Staunton

Staunton, Virginia blends Shenandoah Valley scenery with historic streets, acclaimed theatre, presidential history, museums and independent local culture.

Shenandoah Valley Setting

Staunton stands in Virginia’s central Shenandoah Valley, framed by the Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains and shaped by the old roads and railways that connect the valley with Charlottesville, Lexington and the wider Appalachian region. Its compact centre is one of the city’s defining pleasures: brick pavements, steep streets and carefully preserved nineteenth-century buildings lead towards cafés, galleries, bookshops, restaurants and small museums. The surrounding landscape remains close at hand, with farms, forested ridges and the waterways of the Shenandoah Valley providing a spacious counterpoint to the urban streets.
Read more about Staunton

Architecture and Cultural Life

Staunton’s historic districts contain an unusually varied collection of Victorian, Italianate, Romanesque Revival and Colonial Revival buildings, reflecting prosperity that grew from trade, government, education and the railway. The American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse gives the city an important theatrical identity, presenting Shakespeare in a reconstruction inspired by London’s indoor Blackfriars Theatre. The Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum explores the early life of the twenty-eighth US president, who was born in Staunton, while the Frontier Culture Museum interprets the lives and migration of European, African and Native peoples in Virginia’s early history.

A Walkable Valley City

Downtown Staunton rewards unhurried exploration, from the broad civic presence of Beverley Street to quieter lanes lined with galleries and independent businesses. Gypsy Hill Park adds lawns, woodland, sports facilities and a bandstand within walking distance of the centre. Beyond the city, scenic drives and rural communities reveal the agricultural traditions and mountain geography of the Shenandoah Valley. Staunton’s appeal lies in this close relationship between meticulously maintained urban heritage, an active performing-arts scene and the open Virginia landscape beyond its streets.

When is the best time to visit Staunton?

Best: May–June, September · 23–28°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January775
February870
March1390
April1885
May (best)2395
June (best)28100
July29110
August29105
September (best)2495
October1885
November1280
December885

Getting to and around Staunton

How to get there

Staunton lies in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley beside Interstate 81, with US Routes 11 and 250 providing additional road access. Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport, near Weyers Cave, is the closest commercial airport and serves the wider Staunton–Harrisonburg area; Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport is another useful option to the east, while larger airports around Washington, DC, and Richmond are farther away. Amtrak’s Cardinal service stops at Staunton’s historic station, although it operates on a limited schedule rather than as a frequent regional railway. Intercity bus and car travel are generally the most practical choices for exploring the surrounding valley.

Transportation

Staunton’s compact downtown and historic districts are well suited to walking, although several streets and neighbourhoods rise noticeably from the valley floor. A local public bus service operates within the city, but routes and frequency are more limited than in a large urban centre, so a car is useful for reaching the Frontier Culture Museum, rural attractions and nearby mountain roads. Taxis and app-based rides may be available but should not be assumed at all times. Parking is generally easier outside the densest historic blocks, where visitors should observe signs and local restrictions.

Best attractions in Staunton

Staunton’s attractions combine a compact historic centre with institutions that reflect the Shenandoah Valley’s past and present. The American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse presents Shakespeare and other classical drama in an intimate indoor theatre inspired by the original London playhouse. At the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, exhibits explore the president’s childhood, political career and family background in Staunton. The Frontier Culture Museum, on the city’s outskirts, uses historic buildings, interpreters and demonstrations to examine the lives of European, West African and Native peoples connected with Virginia’s early settlement. Downtown streets offer galleries, independent shops and architectural detail, while the Museum of August County History adds local context. Gypsy Hill Park provides open lawns, woodland, sports facilities and a traditional bandstand, and Staunton National Cemetery offers a quieter setting for considering the area’s military history.

Show more attractions

Best landmarks in Staunton

Staunton’s landmarks reveal how administration, education, religion and rail travel shaped the city. The ornate Staunton City Hall anchors the civic centre, while the Augusta County Courthouse and surrounding historic blocks express the town’s long role as a regional seat of government. The red-brick Staunton railway station, now associated with Amtrak’s Cardinal service, recalls the transport links that transformed the valley in the nineteenth century. Trinity Episcopal Church and other historic congregations add architectural and social depth to the central districts, where nineteenth-century commercial façades line the streets. Woodrow Wilson’s birthplace, the Presbyterian manse now interpreted through the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, connects local architecture with national political history. Mary Baldwin University’s campus represents Staunton’s enduring educational tradition, while the Blackfriars Playhouse has become a distinctive modern landmark through its theatrical reconstruction and central cultural role.

Show more landmarks

Explore Staunton on the map

Plan your Staunton trip on one map. See where the top attractions, landmarks, restaurants, bars and hotels are, find what's near where you're staying, and book hotels and experiences in a few clicks.

Best restaurants in Staunton

Staunton’s dining scene reflects both Appalachian and broader Southern influences, with menus often shaped by Virginia produce, mountain agriculture and the city’s independent-minded downtown. Restaurants around Beverley Street and the adjoining central blocks range from cafés and bakeries to contemporary kitchens, casual spaces and more formal dining rooms. Visitors may encounter regional staples such as biscuits, country ham, seasonal vegetables, trout and other valley-inspired dishes, alongside American comfort food and international cooking. Craft beverages and locally sourced ingredients feature in parts of the scene, while coffee shops and bakeries give the centre an easy daytime rhythm. Farmers’ markets and nearby farms connect meals with the agricultural character of Augusta County. Dining is generally concentrated and walkable downtown, making it practical to combine a meal with a performance or an evening architectural stroll.

Show more restaurants

Best bars in Staunton

Staunton’s evening life is centred on conversation, food, theatre and live performance rather than a large nightclub circuit. Downtown bars and restaurants provide settings for Virginia beer, cider, wine and cocktails, with activity clustering around Beverley Street and nearby blocks. The American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse is the city’s most distinctive night-time venue, bringing classical drama into the centre and often shaping the rhythm of an evening. Live music and smaller cultural events appear at local venues and community spaces, while cafés and relaxed bars support a quieter late evening. The atmosphere is sociable and locally oriented, and options become more limited outside the compact centre. Visitors should check current programmes and venue arrangements rather than expect metropolitan nightlife or late-running entertainment throughout the week.

Show more bars

Best nightclubs in Staunton

Staunton’s evening life is centred on conversation, food, theatre and live performance rather than a large nightclub circuit. Downtown bars and restaurants provide settings for Virginia beer, cider, wine and cocktails, with activity clustering around Beverley Street and nearby blocks. The American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse is the city’s most distinctive night-time venue, bringing classical drama into the centre and often shaping the rhythm of an evening. Live music and smaller cultural events appear at local venues and community spaces, while cafés and relaxed bars support a quieter late evening. The atmosphere is sociable and locally oriented, and options become more limited outside the compact centre. Visitors should check current programmes and venue arrangements rather than expect metropolitan nightlife or late-running entertainment throughout the week.

Show more nightclubs

Best shops in Staunton

Shopping in Staunton is concentrated in the historic downtown, where Beverley Street and neighbouring blocks contain independent boutiques, galleries, bookshops, antique dealers, gift shops and specialist retailers in restored commercial buildings. The experience is more personal and locally scaled than that of a regional mall, with architecture forming part of the pleasure of moving between shops. Visitors may find Virginia-made crafts, artwork, books, locally produced food and small gifts connected with the Shenandoah Valley, although stock varies among independent businesses. Farmers’ markets and seasonal community markets offer another route to regional produce and handmade goods when operating. Downtown shopping is easy to combine with cafés, restaurants and the theatre, while larger everyday retail areas lie beyond the historic centre and are more convenient to reach by car.

Show more shops

Get your free copy of our complete guide to Staunton, delivered straight to you.

Everything on this page, from attractions and restaurants to essentials and local phrases, in one PDF you can read offline, print or share.

Already have an account? Sign in

By clicking Create account, you accept the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Staunton essentials

Currency and Payment
The currency is the United States dollar (USD). Credit and debit cards, including contactless payments, are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, museums and shops in central Staunton, though smaller businesses, markets and rural stops may still prefer or require a physical card or cash. ATMs are available in the city, but international visitors should check whether their bank applies foreign-exchange or cash-withdrawal fees. Card terminals commonly request a gratuity selection in service businesses. Keep a small amount of cash for minor purchases and confirm whether a quoted price includes tax, which is often added at the till in the United States.
Safety
Staunton is a small, generally orderly city, but ordinary precautions remain appropriate. Keep valuables out of sight in parked cars, particularly when travelling with luggage, and take care on the sloping pavements and steps around the historic centre. After dark, use well-lit streets and arrange transport if walking beyond the central districts. Drivers should watch for pedestrians and cyclists on narrow or undulating roads, while visitors heading into the valley or mountains should allow for changing weather and limited services in rural areas. Check local conditions before outdoor excursions and follow posted guidance in parks and natural areas.
Emergency Situations
Dial 911 for police, fire or medical emergencies anywhere in Staunton and the surrounding United States. State clearly that you are in Staunton, Virginia, and provide the street address or a nearby landmark; mobile location information may not always be precise in rural parts of the valley. For urgent medical treatment, emergency dispatchers can direct visitors to appropriate care, including Augusta Health in Fishersville, near Staunton. For non-urgent health concerns, speak with a hotel, accommodation provider or local medical service. International travellers should carry identification, travel insurance details and a list of essential medicines.
Do's and Don'ts
Do allow pedestrians priority at crossings, follow posted parking instructions and observe quiet, respectful behaviour in churches, cemeteries and museums. At restaurants and bars, tipping for table service is customary in the United States, with the expected amount normally calculated from the pre-tax bill and shown on the receipt or terminal. Do not assume that tax is included in a displayed price. Ask before photographing people, private property or sensitive museum displays, and leave no trace in parks or rural landscapes. Because Staunton’s historic buildings are often still in daily use, treat doorways, gardens and residential areas as working neighbourhoods rather than open-air exhibits.
Local Tips
Begin with a downtown walk to understand Staunton’s scale, then use the city as a base for the Frontier Culture Museum and the surrounding Shenandoah Valley. The blocks around Beverley Street, New Street and the historic civic core are particularly convenient for combining architecture, food and theatre. Gypsy Hill Park offers a useful pause between cultural visits, while the city’s hills provide changing views of rooftops and nearby ridges. If attending a performance at Blackfriars Playhouse, plan the evening around the theatre’s central location. Rural drives can be rewarding, but fuel, mobile coverage and opening arrangements become less predictable outside the city.
Eve, your Evendo local guide

From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloHowdy[haw-dee]
GoodbyeSee ya[see yuh]
YesYep[yep]
NoNah[nah]
Please/You're welcomePlease/No problem[pleez/no prob-lem]
Thank youThanks[thanks]
Excuse me/SorryPardon me/My bad[par-dn mee/my bad]
How are you?How y'all doin'?[how yahl doin]
Fine. And you?Just fine. How 'bout you?[just fine. how bout yuh]
Do you speak English?Ya speak English?[ya speak ing-glish]
I don't understandI don't reckon[I dont rekn]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseCan I take a gander at the menu?[can I take uh gan-der at the menu]
I don't eat meatI don't eat critters[I dont eat crit-ters]
Cheers!Cheers![cheers]
I would like to pay, pleaseI reckon I'll settle up now[I rekn I'll set-l up now]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Send help![send help]
Go away!Git![git]
Call the Police!Call the Po-lice![call the po-lice]
Call a doctor!Get a doc![get a doc]
I'm lostI'm plumb lost[I'm plumb lost]
I'm illI feel poorly[I feel poor-ly]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...I'm fixin' to purchase...[I'm fixin' to pur-chase]
I'm just lookingJus' browsin'[jus browsin]
How much is it?How much fer that?[how much fer that]
That's too expensiveThat's mighty steep[that's mighty steep]
Can you lower the price?Kin ya do a better deal?[kin yuh do a bet-ter deal]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?What time's it?[what times it]
It's one o'clockIt's one of the clock[it's one of the clock]
Half past (10)Half past ten[Half past ten]
MorningMornin'[Mornin']
AfternoonAfternoon[Afternoon]
EveningEvenin'[Evenin']
YesterdayYest'day[Yest'day]
TodayToday[Today]
TomorrowTomorrer[Tomorrer]
1One[One]
2Two[Two]
3Three[Three]
4Four[Four]
5Five[Five]
6Six[Six]
7Seven[Seven]
8Eight[Eight]
9Nine[Nine]
10Ten[Ten]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Where's the...[Where's the...]
What's the address?Where's the address at?[Where's the address at?]
Can you show me (on the map)?Show me (on the map)?[Show me (on the map)?]
When's the next (bus)?When's the next (bus)?[When's the next (bus)?]
A ticket (to ....)A ticket (to ....)[A ticket (to ....)]

History of Staunton

Valley Settlement and Staunton’s Founding

The area around present-day Staunton was part of the Shenandoah Valley frontier, where Indigenous peoples had long travelled and lived before increasing European settlement in the eighteenth century. Staunton developed as a community in Augusta County during the 1740s and was established as a town in 1761. Its name honours Lady Rebecca Staunton, wife of William Gooch, who served as colonial governor of Virginia. Positioned along routes through the valley, the settlement became a county seat and administrative centre. Its early importance came less from grand architecture than from location: courts, inns, farms, mills and merchants served settlers moving through one of Virginia’s principal inland corridors.

A Revolutionary and Early National Centre

Staunton’s position gave it a role in the political and military life of revolutionary Virginia. In 1774, the Augusta County Convention met at the courthouse and adopted resolutions opposing British policies, placing the town within the colony’s growing resistance movement. During the American Revolution, Staunton also functioned as a regional supply and administrative centre for the western part of Virginia. After independence, its courthouse, churches, schools and commercial establishments strengthened its role as the principal town of the central Shenandoah Valley. The surviving street plan and several later civic buildings reflect this long evolution from frontier settlement to established county seat.

Institutions, Education and Reform

The nineteenth century brought institutions that profoundly influenced Staunton’s social and physical development. The Western Lunatic Asylum, opened in 1828 and later known as Western State Hospital, became a major employer and an important, though complex, part of the city’s history of mental-health care. The Virginia School for the Deaf and the Blind was established in Staunton in 1839, creating another influential educational community. Mary Baldwin Seminary, founded in 1842, developed into Mary Baldwin University and helped make the city a regional centre for women’s education. These institutions attracted residents, professionals and families, while the arrival of the railway later accelerated commercial growth.

Staunton in the Civil War

During the American Civil War, Staunton’s location on the Virginia Central Railroad and its position between the Shenandoah Valley and the central Virginia front made it strategically important to the Confederacy. The town supported military supply, hospitals and transportation, and its railway connection linked it with Richmond and western regions. In June 1864, Union forces under General David Hunter occupied Staunton during the Valley Campaign, damaging military and industrial resources before moving east. The conflict altered local commerce and left the surrounding valley deeply affected. Staunton’s post-war recovery was aided by its transport connections and its continuing importance as an administrative and educational centre.

Railways, Prosperity and Civic Architecture

Rail expansion in the late nineteenth century connected Staunton more closely with Baltimore, Washington, Richmond and the wider South, encouraging trade in agricultural products and manufactured goods. Population and commercial confidence grew, and the city acquired the substantial houses, banks, churches, theatres and public buildings that now define much of its historic character. The central business district developed with dense brick construction, while residential neighbourhoods spread along the surrounding hills. Staunton’s architecture from this period records a mixture of local prosperity and national styles, including Italianate and Romanesque influences. The railway also helped establish the city as a practical stopping point in the Shenandoah Valley.

A Modern Cultural Identity

Staunton entered the twentieth century with established schools, hospitals, civic institutions and a distinctive built environment. Woodrow Wilson, born in Staunton in 1856 while his father served as a Presbyterian minister, later became the city’s most internationally recognised son; his birthplace and presidential museum interpret that connection. In the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, preservation efforts revitalised the downtown area, while the American Shakespeare Center made Staunton a notable destination for classical theatre. The opening of the Blackfriars Playhouse in 2001 reinforced this cultural identity. Today, heritage conservation, education, performing arts and regional tourism coexist with the everyday functions of a small Virginia city.

Cities near Staunton

The closest cities to Staunton, if you have time for more than one stop.

Explore more

Virginia
More of the region

Explore more of Virginia

Discover Virginia: A blend of historic landmarks, natural beauty, and vibrant culture perfect for history buffs, nature lovers, and culture seekers.

Explore Virginia
The Evendo app on two phones

Evendo: The Ultimate Travel Guide to Staunton, Virginia

Discover Staunton like never before with Evendo, your 100% free app-based travel guide. Explore attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more with ease.

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities
  • Rich set of information including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details
  • Easy booking for hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences
Download on the App Store Get it on Google Play
More about the Evendo app

Download Evendo, your all-in-one travel guide to Staunton, VA. Explore top attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and book experiences - all for free!

  • History of Staunton and travel essentials
  • Curated local tips for a true local experience
  • User-friendly navigation and 'Near Me' feature
  • 100% free with no in-app purchases
  • Global coverage with information on over 7,000 destinations worldwide

Welcome to Evendo, the ultimate travel guide to Staunton, Virginia. Imagine walking through the charming streets of Staunton, knowing exactly where to go, what to see, and where to eat, all thanks to your personal travel guide, Evendo.

Explore famous landmarks like the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum, the Frontier Culture Museum, and the American Shakespeare Center. With detailed descriptions, stunning images, and local tips, you can immerse yourself in Staunton's rich history and vibrant culture.

Looking for a place to eat? Evendo has you covered. Discover top-rated restaurants such as The Shack, Zynodoa, and Mill Street Grill. Whether you're in the mood for fine dining or a casual meal, our app provides all the information you need, including menus, contact details, and customer reviews.

But that's not all. Evendo also features a comprehensive list of shops, bars, nightclubs, hotels, and tours. Easily book your stay, plan your activities, and navigate the city with our user-friendly interface. The 'Near Me' feature ensures you never miss out on nearby attractions and experiences.

With Evendo, you can also dive into the history of Staunton, access travel essentials, and get curated local tips to make your visit truly unforgettable. And the best part? Evendo is completely free to use, with no in-app purchases or hidden costs. Plus, our app covers over 7,000 other destinations worldwide, making it your go-to travel companion wherever you go.

Get the latest from Evendo

Hand-picked travel deals, new destination guides and trip ideas, straight to your inbox.