Tuesday, March 10, 2009

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Stay in Staunton

This weekend, my husband and I took a little road trip to Maryland and Virginia. In Maryland we stayed with some family before heading to Staunton. There, we stayed at The Stonewall Jackson Hotel & Conference Center. Southern hospitality welcomed us into the spacious lobby and we felt at ease in the richly appointed rooms in hues of beige, red and orange.

This quaint little town, located in central Shenandoah Valley, features over one hundred unique shops, art galleries and restaurants. A major draw of the town is the Blackfriars Playhouse, the only re-creation in the world of Shakespeare’s legendary indoor theater. Run by The American Shakespeare Center, the theater gives its audiences a sense of what it would have been like to actually attend an Elizabethan play. We caught A Midsummer Night’s Dream as well as The Changeling by William Rowley and Thomas Middleton. Although plays run year-round they have limited runs so check the website to see what’s showing.

We stopped at Sunspots Studios to marvel at the beautiful glass suncatchers, vases, and garden stakes that adorned the shop. Visitors can also see a live glass blowing demonstration every day. The artist of the day created a teal hanging globe as well as a orange-hued tumbler, which were not available for purchase since they need a day or so to cool off. Sunspots will be host to the 7th Annual Virginia Hot Glass Festival the weekend of April 25-26 so if you’re in the area, you can catch more demonstrations as well as glass bead and jewelry making sessions. Admission is free.

Local wineries include Rockbridge Vineyard, which opened in 1988, Veritas Vineyard and Winery and Barren Ridge Vineyards that opened in 2002 and 2008 respectively.


Visit Staunton or Virginia's official tourism website Virginia is for Lovers for more information.

Our Trips