13 Of The Most Welcoming Towns In Virginia
Many people visit Virginia to experience its rich Colonial heritage, unique Southern traditions, and stunning natural scenery. However, you can't undervalue the state's Southern hospitality, predominant in small towns where warmth, kindness, and community pride define everyday life. These lovely destinations house down-to-earth residents who lay out a welcome mat for any strangers coming around with genuine smiles and friendly waves.
Whether grabbing a homemade biscuit at a local diner, strolling through a downtown filled with mom-and-pop shops, or attending a seasonal festival where everyone knows your name by the end of the day, these communities go above and beyond to make visitors feel right at home. From Chincoteague to Luray, these welcoming towns in Virginia make each visit an unforgettable experience.
Smithfield
Smithfield not only welcomes tourists with its tasty hams but also a long lineup of festivals that keep the town abuzz with endless social opportunities. Every Saturday, dozens of regional vendors converge along Main Street for the Smithfield Farmers Market, allowing for heartfelt interactions as tourists search for something nice to buy. Thanks to a vibrant art scene, newcomers can also feel at home inside the Smithfield Little Theatre, where the community often meets up to enjoy musicals, plays, concerts, and similar live performances.
There is always something happening in Smithfield, given the numerous annual festivals it hosts. Vacationers can find great reasons to connect with the residents, including during the Smithfield Arts Festival and the Smithfield VA Wine & Brew Fest.
Cape Charles
This Eastern Shore community charms visitors with its rich maritime heritage, thriving seafood scene, and respectable art scene, which are best experienced during its many annual festivals. The annual ESVA ChamberFest breathes life into the local entertainment landscape and transforms the Cape Charles Shopping District into a party central, celebrating music and community. Cape Charles also hosts the Crabby Blues Festival, which blends delicious blue crab dishes and soothing Blues music to entertain festival goers.
Meanwhile, SailFest Cape Charles offers a fascinating way to experience the region's storied maritime heritage. This fun affair features tours of vintage vessels, sailing excursions, and period reenactments during seven days of activities along the Chesapeake Bay.
Luray
Nicknamed the "Cabin Capital of Virginia," Luray offers plenty of rental cabins for tourists who want to spend a day or two in this beautiful town and explore its charm. Several family-friendly events allow strangers to feel at home in Luray, led by the Page Valley Fair. This beloved annual tradition welcomes families to the Page Valley Fairgrounds for thrilling rides, sumptuous treats, art demonstrations, and kids' activities against the stunning backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Furthermore, you can link up with the locals for the Page County Heritage Festival, which attracts hundreds of crafters for intriguing demonstrations, a steam engine show, live entertainment, and kids' activities. Luray also hosts a fair share of family fun at the Garden Maze at Luray Caverns, which is always jostling with excited guests curious to explore its twists and turns.
Winchester
Home to Shenandoah University, Winchester boasts a vibrant live theater scene, fostering a sense of community as residents frequently mingle and interact. This warm reception is extended to visitors, especially when they join the locals at the Winchester Little Theatre to support homegrown performers. Winchester also hosts multiple produce markets that serve as essential gathering spots. For instance, the Spring Valley Farm Market presents an excellent atmosphere to shop for fresh groceries and interact with welcoming vendors while at it.
The annual Shenandoah Apple Blossom Festival is an unmissable event in the region. Running for 10 days with a lineup of 50 events on the schedule, tourists can look forward to parades, concerts, a carnival, luncheons, dinners, dances, and live entertainment, among others.
Chincoteague
An endless string of fun festivals in Chincoteague makes this Eastern Shore gem one of the most welcoming towns in Virginia. The numerous events expose different attributes of the island's character, such as its love for seafood during the Chincoteague Seafood Festival. This long-held tradition invites vacationers to sample fresh seafood, shop for crafts, and jam to live music. Also, the town's artsy spirit rears its head when it stages the Easter Decoy & Art Festival, which draws talented decoy carvers from around the nation, fine artists, and other creatives for entertaining exhibitions.
The Chincoteague Pony Swim is a crowd favorite and allows enthusiasts to swim alongside the island's iconic herd of wild ponies between Assateague Island and Chincoteague. This summer experience leaves participants with unforgettable memories.
Abingdon
Abingdon stands out for its adorable blend of history, culture, and a robust sense of community. Tourists feel welcomed from the moment they arrive, and the town's genuine spirit is always on display at the Abingdon Farmers Market. This festive gathering of area vendors plants a seed for hearty interactions between foreigners and locals as they shop for assorted produce. The landmark Barter Theatre has long brought the community together by continuously showcasing live concerts and plays, serving as the perfect place to socialize and mingle.
Finally, the Virginia Highlands Festival has been a staple in Abingdon for over 70 years. This long-running jamboree involves arts and crafts exhibitions by regional creatives, food vending, live music, and a slew of kid-centric activities.
Ashland
25 minutes from Richmond, this Hanover County community guarantees travelers something to keep them socially active whenever they visit. Every fourth Friday between May and September, the downtown district hosts Ashland Fourth Fridays, which allows you to savor farm-to-table eats, shop for crafts, admire paintings, and dance to live musical performances in an electrifying atmosphere. Also, the Ashland Farmers Market happens every Saturday from May through October, providing more opportunities for encounters with friendly local growers.
The Ashland Strawberry Faire is one of the headline events of the year, drawing thousands of people who come to celebrate the strawberry harvest through carnivals, arts and crafts, a parade, a kid zone, and more. Also, the Ashland Train Day pays tribute to the town's railway heritage.
Lexington
This beautiful municipality in the Shenandoah Valley houses a bustling downtown district that is always staging an event or festival. This creates the ideal atmosphere for tourists to feel like they belong through friendly interactions. The more common one is the Lexington Farmers Market every Wednesday, inviting first-timers to purchase home-made and home-grown merchandise. Also, summer's Freedom Food Festival unravels along Main Street, transforming the thoroughfare into a party with food, wines, craft beers, and live entertainment.
The Rockbridge Community Festival is another popular event that takes over multiple streets in downtown Lexington, leading to closures. The activities range from family fun and craft vending to live music.
Urbanna
Urbanna is an inviting village in Middlesex County, known for its small-town charm and welcoming residents. Everyone knows everyone here, and this can be proven every second Saturday of the month during the Urbanna’s Farmers Market. Ecstatic local vendors converge at Taber Park with their diverse produce and crafts, eager to sell to willing buyers. The Town of Urbanna Visitors Center Museum warmly welcomes first-timers with essential information about the town.
The Urbanna Oyster Festival is the main festival in the town and draws at least 50,000 attendees for two days of nonstop fun, celebrating the region's seafood heritage. The affair brings the city to a standstill with craft vendors, local seafood, historical displays, and other activities taking over.
Front Royal
Front Royal is a delightful getaway to the Shenandoah National Park and boasts exquisite natural treasures at every turn. However, the town also hosts a raft of festivals that resonate with tourists, starting with the Front Royal Wine and Craft Festival in summer. This wine and dine affair features delicious samplings of wines, ciders, and food, with live music playing in the background. Fall in Front Royal welcomes the Festival of Leaves, which invites townsfolk to celebrate the changing foliage and spread autumn cheer through arts, crafts, food, and music.
Meanwhile, one of the most awaited family events in the community is the Christmas Parade & Festival. Happening along the main thoroughfare, it floods the area with entertainment, music, vendors, and more.
Staunton
This vibrant town in central Virginia welcomes vacationers to experience its ecstatic live performance scene and share in its infectious vibe. Staunton is home to the American Shakespeare Center's Blackfriars Playhouse, which unites theater enthusiasts with classic plays in a unique indoor venue, making it a popular gathering spot. For families visiting Staunton, the Queen City Mischief & Magic is the perfect event to attend. It celebrates magic in all its forms, with participants dressing in quirky costumes and engaging in little mischief.
Another must-experience occasion comes every August during the Staunton Music Festival. This world-class event attracts over 90 musicians from across the globe for 10 consecutive days of music in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Charlottesville
Virginia's most recognizable college community is an inviting destination any season of the year, a credit to its stacked schedule of fun events and festivals. Some of the most anticipated ones include the Tom Tom Festival, a fun cultural affair connecting friends and neighbors through music, ideas, art, food, and performances. The Virginia Film Festival is another noteworthy affair, considered one of the leading film festivals in the region. This interactive brings together filmmakers, critics, and enthusiasts for a celebration of the industry.
However, those who visit outside the festival period can still experience the town's infectious atmosphere by attending a concert or musical inside the Paramount Theater. This live performance hub presents the ideal setting to mingle.
Berryville
This Shenandoah Valley village is known for its thriving agricultural industry and relaxed rural atmosphere, a far cry from the chaos of the city. On Saturdays, everybody converges along Main Street for the Clarke County Farmers' Market. This vibrant occasion sees locals shopping for baked goods, fresh produce, and handicrafts, inviting vacationers to join in the fun. Berryville comes alive in the fall with a bevy of themed festivals across its multiple farms. For instance, Wayside Farm hosts a fantastic fall festival where families go to play on a corn maze, pumpkin patch, hayrides, and more.
Berryville also holds an annual Clarke County Fair in December, where residents of all ages gather at the fairgrounds to celebrate the town's agricultural heritage. Activities for the event include rodeo shows, thrill rides, livestock shows, and crafts, among others.
Whether swimming with wild horses in Chincoteague or playing magic on the streets of Staunton, these welcoming towns in Virginia encourage tourists to let their guard down and be open to heartfelt encounters in the United States. They extend a warm embrace through local traditions, friendly faces, and a deep-rooted sense of community. It is in these slower-paced, charm-filled places that visitors find unexpected joy and connection, making them the ideal stop for experiencing true Southern hospitality in the Old Dominion.
