7 Best Virginia Towns For A Weekend Trip

Virginia has the kind of range that makes a weekend trip feel like a real getaway. The southwest corner is deep Appalachia, with mountain music, trail towns, and theaters that have been running since the 1930s. The Eastern Shore is flat, quiet, and built for long beach days on the Chesapeake Bay. In between, caverns, national parks, and riverfront towns fill the gaps. These seven are among the best for a short trip, whether you're coming from inside the state or just across the border.

Abingdon

Abingdon's historic district covers about 20 square blocks and functions as both a culinary destination and an arts hub. The Barter Theatre, founded in 1933, is one of the longest-running professional theaters in the country and stages a rotating lineup of comedies, musicals, dramas, and Appalachian plays throughout the year. The William King Museum of Art displays contemporary Appalachian work alongside fine art from around the world.

For food, Jack's 128 Pecan serves American dishes like meatloaf, grilled ribeye, and parmesan-crusted salmon. The Martha Washington Inn & Spa, in a building dating to 1832, offers a pool, jacuzzi, tennis and pickleball courts, and a fitness center for those looking to make a full weekend of it.

Galax

Galax bills itself as the "Old-Time Music Capital of the World," and the downtown backs that up. The Rex Theater hosts live folk, bluegrass, and theater productions, and the Blue Ridge Music Center offers free sessions highlighting the stories and songs of local mountain musicians. For outdoor time, Matthews State Forest covers 566 acres of hardwoods and white pines with trails for hiking, biking, birdwatching, and horseback riding.

Fiddlers Roost Bed & Breakfast, with seven cabins featuring hot tubs, fireplaces, grills, and picnic tables, makes for a comfortable base after a day of music and trails.

Damascus

Damascus sits at the midpoint of the 34-mile Virginia Creeper Trail, which runs from Abingdon through Damascus to Whitetop along a former mountain railroad route. The 17-mile section between Damascus and Abingdon is one of the most popular stretches for bikers, with rolling hills and valley views the entire way. Nearby, the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area features spruce-fir forests, mountain peaks, trout streams, and hundreds of miles of trails.

The Damascus Brewery, with a large rotating tap list, is a reliable spot to wind down after a ride. The Damascus Old Mill Inn sits along Beaverdam Creek and Laurel Creek, with views of a historic mill waterfall.

Cape Charles

Cape Charles is a Victorian-era coastal community on the Chesapeake Bay, recognized by Coastal Living as one of America's Happiest Seaside Towns. Cape Charles Town Beach is one of the few free public beaches on Virginia's Eastern Shore, with calm bay water and a wide stretch of sand. Poseidon Watersports offers paddleboard, kayak, and boat rentals for those looking to get out on the bay.

Mason Avenue is the main commercial street, with galleries like Lemon Tree Gallery and Studio and At Altitude Gallery worth browsing. The Baywood Bed and Breakfast, a waterfront inn with bayfront balconies and full breakfast service, is a good pick for a weekend stay.

Luray

Luray sits between the Blue Ridge and Massanutten Mountains and serves as one of the primary gateways to Shenandoah National Park, which covers nearly 200,000 acres and offers over 500 miles of trails through habitat for bears, deer, and a wide range of bird species. In town, Luray Caverns is the main draw, with guided tours through chambers that reach up to 10 stories high and feature impressive limestone columns and formations.

Gathering Grounds Pâtisserie & Café on Main Street is a good breakfast and lunch stop before heading outdoors. The Mimslyn Inn offers rooms in a historic manor house and charming cottages for an overnight stay.

Big Stone Gap

Big Stone Gap is a small mountain town in the far southwest corner of Virginia with a strong local arts scene. The June Tolliver House and Folk Art Center includes a small outdoor theater and a gift shop stocked with work from local artisans. The venue is closely tied to The Trail of the Lonesome Pine, an outdoor drama based on the novel by John Fox Jr. that has been staged here for decades. Public art is scattered throughout town, with several large-scale murals adding color to the downtown streetscape.

Bullitt Park offers a greenbelt walking trail, picnic shelters, sports courts, and a playground. For camping, Jessie Lea RV Park & Campground provides spacious campsites and RV hookups with picnic pavilions.

Occoquan

Occoquan is a small riverfront town about 40 minutes south of Washington, DC, making it one of the more accessible weekend getaways in Northern Virginia. The Occoquan River runs through the center of town, and a free kayak ramp beneath the Route 123 bridge provides easy water access for anyone bringing their own boat. River Mill Park has a paved trail along the water for a quieter alternative.

Madigan's Waterfront, a locally owned seafood and steak restaurant in the historic district, is one of the better dining options. For lodging, the Hampton Inn Potomac Mills in neighboring Woodbridge is about five minutes from downtown and offers comfortable rooms with complimentary breakfast.

Weekend-Ready Virginia

What makes these seven towns work for a weekend is that none of them require a long buildup. Abingdon's theater and restaurant scene is walkable in an afternoon. Damascus puts you on one of the best bike trails in the state within minutes. Cape Charles gives you a free beach and a gallery street with no crowds. They are small enough to feel like a real escape and stocked enough to fill two days without repeating yourself.