Get out your transitional wardrobe. The blazing heat of summer is softening into drier, gentler fall as temps drop and days get shorter. This magical time of year is made for final swimming hole splashes, hiking, campfires, pumpkin picking, and enjoying the company of friends and community at local festivals. The days when Staunton transitions from late summer to early fall are some of the best the Valley has to offer, and this is how to enjoy them in Staunton.
Camping
Late summer and early fall weekends are made for camping. Exchange your screens for s’mores kits and cherish the memories your family makes “roughing it” in a Staunton-area campground. Walnut Hills Campground is a family-friendly spot for tent or RV camping. You can even rent a cabin. There’s a pool, playground, game room, 9-hole disc golf course, off-leash dog run, and events like foam parties and Friday night movies. Shenandoah Valley Campground has large, comfortable sites for tents or RVs and lots to do, including a heated pool, playgrounds, arcade games, mini golf, a fishing pond, access to the river for wading and tubing, and regular events like live music and movie nights. Natural Chimneys Park & Campground has sites for RVs and tents, hiking trails, a swimming pool, and access to a slow-flowing section of the North River. Sherando Lake Recreation Area and Big Meadows in Shenandoah National Park appeal to nature lovers and serious hikers looking for a home base to explore miles of nearby trails.
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Al fresco dining
Shop & Dine Out in Downtown and Beyond turns downtown Staunton into a welcoming community walking mall from April through October, but the summer and fall transition is peak season. Make plans to connect with friends and share stories and laughter over a leisurely meal that features local flavors. In addition to those restaurants setting up tables on Beverley Street, many other Staunton eateries have open-air spaces for seasonal dining. Or, grab your meal to go and enjoy a quiet picnic in a City of Staunton Park.
Enjoy craft beer and food truck options while you listen to music at Redbeard Brewing Company’s Groovin’ in the Garden series. Upcoming shows include the Judy Chops, Shagwüf, the Findells, and The Norms. And if you like German-themed fun, check the event calendars for Oktoberfest activities at nearby Stable Craft Brewing & Cidery and The Alpine Goat Brewery. True craft beer enthusiasts can also pick up a Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail passport at the Staunton Visitor Center or participating brewery of their choice. After you visit eight breweries on the trail, you can redeem your passport for a free commemorative T-shirt.
Festivals
September 5-6: Mark your calendar for Labor Day weekend when SAArt Center hosts the annual Art in the Park festival in Gypsy Hill Park. Visitors can chat with artists and peruse booths of juried photography, paintings, jewelry, ceramics, wood turnings, and more. The festival also has food, live music, and creative activities for kids.
September 10-13: If you did not get enough fair fun this summer, the Rockbridge Regional Fair & Expo will take over the Virginia Horse Center with music, rides, pageants, art contests, and food.
September 26–27: Grab your wands and house robes and head to the Queen City Mischief & Magic Festival, a home-grown event for fans of the Harry Potter book and movie series as well as all things magical and mystical.
October 10-11: Visit neighboring Waynesboro to enjoy its annual Fall Foliage Art Show.
October 17: Staunton Pride returns to Gypsy Hill Park on October 17 with performances, music, dancing, food, fun activities, merchandise, and health and wellness information.
October 17: The Queen City Word Fest will gather authors, readers, and writers for a celebration of books and storytelling with author panels, workshops, and other literary activities.
Local produce
Tap into the area’s peak seasonal bounty by shopping at the Staunton Farmers’ Market. The market continues until Thanksgiving, but fresh fruit and vegetables are available each week as the farmers harvest their crops. Plus, there is live music, community fun, and the producers enjoy talking about their farming practices and giving tips on how best to enjoy your purchases.
Get the ingredients for fresh apple pies and wholesome family fun when you pick apples at Carter Mountain Orchard. Stick around to admire the view and a plate of apple cider donuts.
If you go all-out for fall decorating, you can pick more than 30 types of pumpkins and gourds in Middle River Farm’s 13-acre pumpkin patch. The farm offers a wagon deal: $40 for as many as you can fit in a wagon and drag to your car. Nearby, Mulberry Hills Pumpkin Patch has pre-picked and pick-your-own pumpkins, other autumnal decorations, hayrides, a corn maze, and farm animals to pet. Troyer Nursery sells a variety of pick-your-own fruits and vegetables that change depending on ripeness and availability. Plan to pick pumpkins and gourds from mid-September through October. After your time in the patch, try to escape the 10-acre corn maze. Families with kids will also enjoy harvesting pumpkins and seasonal games, crafts, and treats at Back Home on the Farm.
You have until the first frost to pick your own bouquets at Harmony Harvest Farm, which grows more than 400 varieties of flowers in its fields and greenhouses.
Outside recreation
Get outside to scan the scenery for the first autumn leaves. The looping trails in Montgomery Hall Park are so quiet and peaceful, you would never know they are inside city limits. Betsy Bell Wilderness Area, another quiet hiking spot in the city, offers views of Staunton from above at two different overlooks. Finally, get your heart pumping with the steep climb from Staunton’s Historic Wharf District over Sears Hill Bridge to Woodrow Park.
You have until October to join one of The Historic Staunton Foundation’s free two-hour Saturday-morning walking tours. Your guide will teach you about the town’s history, answer your questions, and point out the significant buildings and their structural details. You also have until the final weekend in October to board the Gypsy Hill Express mini-train as it loops its track, crossing bridges and chugging through tunnels.
Time is running out to enjoy the city pools, which close Labor Day weekend, but there are still enough warm weekends to spread the beach blankets and spend a day at Sherando Lake or Todd Lake. Eat a picnic and watch the kids build castles on the sandy beaches and splash in the gradually deepening swimming areas. Both recreation areas are surrounded by views of mountains and the George Washington National Forest, which, along with nearby Shenandoah National Park, offers miles of trail to enjoy the transitional season’s palette and wardrobe change.
Cyclists looking to enjoy the season and the back roads and mountain trails around Staunton should visit Bike the Valley, a resource that maps scenic routes in the Central Shenandoah Valley. Visit the site, select type of ride, the location, and the specific ride based on length and terrain.
This time between seasons does not last long. The days are shortening, and before we know it we will have slipped past sweater weather into coat season. Make the most of the late summer and early fall transition in Staunton. Be sure to also check out Virginia Tourism’s fall-themed microsite.
