The 8 Can't-Miss Towns In Virginia
Virginia's most memorable stops are often built around one place or event. Bedford's National D-Day Memorial honors a town deeply affected by June 6, 1944. Cape Charles gives visitors public access to the Chesapeake Bay. Culpeper puts the Brandy Station Battlefield within a short drive. Urbanna turns its waterfront heritage into an annual oyster festival. The eight Virginia towns below each give travelers a clear reason to stop.
Bedford
Twenty men from Bedford County died during the D-Day assault on Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. The National D-Day Memorial commemorates their sacrifice and the Allied invasion of Normandy through the Overlord Arch, an English Garden, and sculptures representing the landing at Omaha Beach.
Thomas Jefferson designed Poplar Forest as a private retreat west of Bedford. Tours cover the octagonal house, archaeological work, and the property's ongoing restoration. Liberty Station occupies the former Norfolk and Western Railway depot on Railroad Avenue, while the Sharp Top Trail at Peaks of Otter climbs 1.5 miles to a rocky summit above Abbott Lake.
Big Stone Gap
Big Stone Gap has appeared in the work of two Virginia authors. John Fox Jr. wrote The Trail of the Lonesome Pine while living in town, and his former home contains period furnishings, manuscripts, and exhibits about his work. Adriana Trigiani later set her novel Big Stone Gap in the community.
The June Tolliver House, built in 1890, was the boarding home of June Morris, the local woman who inspired the heroine of Fox's novel, and it stands near downtown on the National Register of Historic Places. During summer, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine Outdoor Drama brings Fox's story to the Barbara Polly Theatre. Southwest Virginia Museum Historical State Park occupies a 19th-century stone mansion in Big Stone Gap and interprets the history of the surrounding region.
Cape Charles
Cape Charles Town Beach runs along Bay Avenue, where public access points lead to shallow Chesapeake Bay water and views of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel.
Mason Avenue holds the town's main commercial district. The Book Bin sells new and used books, while The Shanty serves seafood near the harbor. Cape Charles Museum and Welcome Center occupies the former power plant and traces the railroad's role in the town's development. South of town, nine concrete ships form a breakwater at Kiptopeke State Park near the former Chesapeake Bay ferry terminal.
Clarksville
Buggs Island Lake, also called John H. Kerr Reservoir, covers more than 50,000 acres near Clarksville. Bass, crappie, and catfish bring anglers to the water, and Clarksville Marina rents boats for lake days.
Virginia Avenue passes the Clarksville Regional Museum, which documents the local tobacco trade, railroads, and construction of the reservoir. Cooper's Landing Inn & Traveler's Tavern serves dinner inside an 1830s home near the lake. The Panhandle Trail at Occoneechee State Park runs for about 2.5 miles through wooded terrain, and the park beach gives swimmers access to the reservoir. Each October, Lakefest takes over Virginia Avenue with juried artists and live music.
Culpeper
Culpeper's former train depot now houses the Museum of Culpeper History. Inside, exhibits cover the Culpeper Minutemen, local agriculture, and the Civil War. Brandy Station Battlefield sits 10 miles north of town, where the Fleetwood Hill trail crosses ground used during the June 9, 1863, cavalry battle.
East Davis Street has the State Theatre, antique stores, and restaurants in restored commercial buildings. The theater opened in 1938 and still hosts films, concerts, and stage productions. Far Gohn Brewing Company pours beer from a former grain warehouse nearby.
Lexington
A walk through Lexington puts visitors between two historic campuses. Lee Chapel and Museum stands at Washington and Lee University, with exhibits on the school's past and Robert E. Lee's years as university president. Across town, Virginia Military Institute Museum displays uniforms, weapons, and documents connected to the school's cadets and alumni.
Main Street runs through the historic district, where The Palms Restaurant occupies a former bank building. Concertgoers gather at Lime Kiln Theater, where a former limestone quarry now serves as an outdoor venue with a stone stage beneath mature trees.
Wytheville
Edith Bolling Wilson spent her early years in Wytheville before she became first lady after marrying American President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Her childhood home now operates as the Edith Bolling Wilson Birthplace Museum, with exhibits on her upbringing and time in the White House.
The Big Pencil stands 30 feet tall on Main Street, marking the former site of the E. H. Stewart Pencil Company. Wohlfahrt Haus Dinner Theatre pairs musical productions with a multi-course meal. Crystal Springs Recreation Area has wooded paths, picnic tables, and overlooks that look across the surrounding ridges.
Urbanna
Urbanna's waterfront follows the edge of Urbanna Creek, where boaters can reach the Rappahannock River and Chesapeake Bay. The public landing on Virginia Street has space for kayaks, small boats, and a view of the creek traffic.
Built in 1766, the Museum in Urbanna once served as a Scottish factor store. Its exhibits trace colonial trade, shipbuilding, and the town's maritime economy. The Historic Urbanna Walking Tour passes churches, homes, and the old courthouse green. Near the center of town, Urbanna Seafood Restaurant serves crab cakes, fried oysters, and soft-shell crabs. November brings the Urbanna Oyster Festival, with parades, oyster-shucking contests, and food stands along Virginia Street.
Plan Your Route Through Virginia
A trip through these towns could include a D-Day memorial in Bedford, a summer show in Big Stone Gap, a ferry-era beach at Cape Charles, or a plate of local oysters in Urbanna. Their attractions differ, but each gives travelers a clear reason to pull off the highway and spend a few hours there.
