How to Spend Spring Break in Waynesboro

Whether you’re on break from college or just planning a spring getaway with your besties or significant other, Waynesboro is a wonderful place to spend some quality time, even without the kids. Here’s how you can have a blast with an "adults only" spring break in Waynesboro. 

Go on a Brewery Tour

Waynesboro falls roughly in the middle of the Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail, which is passport program made up of 17 craft breweries all within an hour drive. Get eight passport stamps and redeem for a free shirt! Start at Basic City Beer Co., where along with sampling some awesome brews, you can chow down on brick-oven pizza and often catch live music. Be sure and check The Foundry's schedule, an 800 person music venue on the Basic City campus, to see who's playing. Nearby Seven Arrows Brewing boasts more delicious beers as well as onsite Nobos Kitchen, which prepares elevated bar food. Relax in the taproom, on the deck, or around a firepit. Stable Craft Brewing also offers tasty beer, agri-pub food, and firepits. Even better, Stable Craft has onsite lodging you can rent if you’d like to make the brewery your spring break home base. Pro-tip: If you finish your passport, bring it to 301 W Main St in Waynesboro Monday-Friday from 9-4:00 pm to get your shirt on the spot!

Challenge Yourself with a Hike

If you’ve been vegging on your couch all winter, it’s time to dust off your boots and hit the trail. Fall in love with the Blue Ridge Mountains as you explore trails in Shenandoah National Park or you can even take a stroll on the World famous Appalachian Trail. You’ll discover stunning views, challenging climbs, and the wonderful joys of fresh air. Spring break lands at the beginning of wildflower season, so bust out your plant ID app and start looking for spring color. 

The 9.6-mile Riprap Trail is a strenuous, but rewarding, trail for spring. Expect to see abundant wildflower blooms and elevated water levels due to spring rain. If you’re looking for something shorter, 1.2-mile Bearfence Mountain is a good option. The steep, rocky trail leads to an overlook with panoramic views of the Valley.

Soak Up Some Art and Culture

Get your art and culture fix by visiting Waynesboro’s galleries. The Shenandoah Valley Art Center hosts multiple rotating exhibits of local and regional artists each year as well as resident artists and a gift shop chock full of local art and more.  The P. Buckley Moss Gallery celebrates the “Valley style” watercolors of Waynesboro artist P. Buckley Moss. Moss’s work depicts Shenandoah Valley scenery and traditional scenes inspired by the Amish and Mennonite communities. Finally, the Russell Museum features paintings, scultures, and more created by Walter Russell, an artist, musician, author, architect, and thinker, who lived in the area from 1948-1963. See his work by appointment only by calling 1-800-882-LOVE.

You don’t have to hang out in a gallery to see the interesting and often surprising art along Waynesboro’s Street Arts Trail. Created during the annual Street Arts Festival, many of the large works appear in public spaces downtown. Download the FREE Traipse app for an interactive, scavenger hunt-style guide that will also teach you about the murals. 

The Wayne Theatre opened as a vaudeville house in 1926 and it has been bringing the arts to Waynesboro ever since. Known best, perhaps, for its musical theatre productions, the Wayne also hosts plays, concerts, a classic cinema series, science and history lectures, and curated art shows in its exhibit hall. Check the schedule for upcoming events.

Enjoy the South River

6.5 miles of the South River flow through Waynesboro, making up the Waynesboro Water Trail. Take a seat in a canoe or kayak to explore the town from a different perspective. No gear? Don’t worry. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and stand-up paddleboards from Rockfish Gap Outfitters. This portion of the South River is also one of only a few urban trout fisheries in the state. Bring your fishing gear and you’ll most certainly be rewarded with a fine catch. If you’re new to fishing, you can get supplies, lessons, and guide service from South River Fly Shop.

Not feeling the water? Enjoy a stroll along the 2 mile South River Greenway. With great views of the river, art, and the city, the paved path is a great way to enjoy the water without getting in!

Try a New Activity

Discover one of Waynesboro's best kept secrets and head into the forge when you attend one of the Virginia Institute of Blacksmithing’s weekend workshops. The artistic blacksmithing classes are designed for all experience levels and explore welding and blacksmithing topics. Learn how to weld, practice shop safety, and use specialized equipment as you create various styles of knives, tomahawks, grilling tools, and much more.

Make Waynesboro Clay Studio offers another way to relax, learn, and be creative. The well-equipped studio hosts a variety of Saturday workshops and classes that are all guided by knowledgeable instructors who will teach both basic and advanced skills. Check the schedule for sessions in wheel throwing, raku, glazes, and hand building. You’ll love the generous studio space, laid-back environment, and patient instructors. 

Make spring break memories by drinking beer and playing games at Bottles and Games. Fill up a bucket with bottles of over 85 different alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, grab some tasty bar food, and get ready to have a good time. Choose from indoor and outdoor games of skill like shuffleboard, cornhole, darts, basketball, video games, and more. Jump on the stage for karaoke, or strap on your spurs and take your chances on the mechanical bull. Bottles hosts dance parties every Friday night.

Even if you’re not angry, a session of smash therapy at Havoc House will put you in a relaxed, spring break-worthy state of mind. Sign up for a session in one of the themed rage rooms and destroy dishes, furniture, and electronics without worrying about who will have to clean up or replace the items. There’s also an axe-throwing area where you can go full lumberjack.

Eat. Drink. Sleep. 

Waynesboro is a walking friendly city! Eat, drink, and sleep all within walking distance of each other. Downtown includes over 10 locally owned restaurants and coffee shops and there are plenty of options for breakfast! Stella Bella and Lucy's is perfect for a leisurely, fancy breakfast, and Weasie's is a diner-style throwback with hearty food and good service. Need a gourmet coffee? The French Press and Farmhaus Coffee Co. both have excellent coffee drinks and great food. Next, have a quick, delicious lunch at Delly Up, Benny Stivale's, or Sam's Hot Dog stand. Pro tip: Delly Up has an amazing selection of craft beer that can be taken to-go and Benny Stivale's has a secret beer garden in the back. 

Dinner in downtown Waynesboro can be anything from a soup to nuts affair to a gourmet burger in a hipster bar. The Green Leaf Grill offers fresh seafood, craft cocktails, and a robust vegetarian menu in a cozy atmosphere with live music most nights. Get take-out or eat in at the Gumbo Hut for authentic Cajun and Creole cuisine. Head to Heritage on Main for a swanky atmosphere and a gourmet meal. The contemporary menu definitely has something for everyone. Feeling a little more casual? The River Burger Bar features awesome burgers, an extensive vegan menu, and great cocktails with a hip, rustic vibe. 

If you need a snack and a drink before or after dinner, you can stay downtown and hit The City Foxes Wine Bar + Market for Virginia wine, charcuterie, and amazing locally sourced paninis. Check out their calendar for upcoming events and live music. 

After your downtown adventures you can walk back to your room at The Bowman House, a historic mansion-turned-B&B that's just four blocks from the city center. Pro-tip: Bring your pup, The Bowman House is pet friendly as well as many local businesses! Also in walking distance of downtown is the budget-friendly Quality Inn. 

Check out a complete list of B&Bs and lodging in Waynesboro.