City of Waynesboro

Welcome to Waynesboro, where good nature comes naturally! Visitors become fellow adventurers and familiar neighbors in Waynesboro, Virginia, where sharing remarkable surroundings and good-natured local spirit has come naturally for centuries. Located at the gateway to the Blue Ridge Parkway, Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park, and the Appalachian Trail, the possibilities for hiking and scenic drives are endless. Waynesboro has a long tradition of warm welcomes and rich cultural amenities to offer those who come to experience the beauty and history of the Shenandoah Valley.

Designated an Appalachian Trail Community and featuring the South River running right through its town center, Waynesboro’s convenient location is just the beginning of its enduring and invigorating charm. Visitors can explore historical sites such as the Waynesboro Heritage Museum or the Plumb House Museum, our piece of Civil War history featuring artifacts from Native Americans and the Civil War period, as well as a summer kitchen and garden. History and art go hand-in-hand, and Waynesboro is definitely not lacking in the art department. A casual stroll downtown will lead you to the P. Buckley Moss Gallery, the Shenandoah Valley Art Center, and the fabulously renovated Wayne Theatre, with a full calendar of world-class performances, movies, and a rotating exhibit gallery. As you stroll, you will also see world-class murals, all part of the robust Waynesboro Street Arts Trail.

If music is your jam, we’ve got that covered with lots of restaurants offering regular live music, free outdoor summer concert series, and our newest music venue, The Foundry at Basic City, an 800 person music hall housed in a historic brass foundry.

Waynesboro is conveniently located at the crossroads of the Skyline Drive, Blue Ridge Parkway and Appalachian Trail, where outdoor activities abound including tons of great hiking trails and overlooks. Just steps from the charming downtown, fly fishers of all skill levels will love our stocked South River, where they’ll have the opportunity to catch trophy trout year-round. Don’t worry if you aren’t an expert fisherman – the friendly staff at the South River Fly Shop will be happy to guide you on an excursion. If fishing isn’t on your adventure bucket list, a float on the 4-mile Waynesboro Water Trail is an exciting way to take in the views from a kayak or canoe. Maybe you’d prefer to view the river from dry land? Then the South River Greenway Trail is the perfect route for you, with easy access from downtown and three of our seven city parks. Waynesboro is also home to the Western Trailhead of the Claudius Crozet Blue Ridge Tunnel, one of the newest and most unique trails in Virginia, which leads visitors through an abandoned railroad tunnel that was originally built in the 1850s.

Hungry for more? We encourage visitors to “Live Like a Local” and enjoy some of our mouthwatering local cuisine while they’re in town. Staples such as the Green Leaf Grill and Heritage on Main Street are tried and true favorites, while the French Press and Happ Coffee Roasters offer visitors quick bites with rejuvenating caffeinated beverages. Waynesboro’s blossoming craft beverage scene offers a variety of local brews that’ll please every palate, from Basic City Beer Co. and The Showroom to kombucha from Blue Ridge Bucha, for a more health-conscious option. A trip to Waynesboro at any time of the year is sure to please, but check out our website for dates of upcoming big events that may tickle your fancy, such as the Fall Foliage Art Show and Riverfest.

Just 30 minutes from Charlottesville, an hour and a half from Richmond, and less than three hours from Washington, D.C., Waynesboro is the ultimate weekend getaway to explore fantastic hiking and biking trails with stunning mountain vistas, all while enjoying the slower pace and charm of a small town.