Exploring Waynesboro, Virginia: A Scenic Stop Along the Blue Ridge Parkway

A group of local artists established the Shenandoah Valley Art Center (SVAC) in 1986 to find a space where arts could exhibit their work and collaborate. SVAC is the only community arts center in the area and is Waynesboro’s only full-time art gallery. There are up to 10 primary exhibits annually as well as nine exhibits by SVAC members and a handful of community exhibits that are displayed. The center also offers art classes for children and adults; as well as summer camps and workshops. SVAC also has an artist in a residency program and provides studio space.

126 S. Wayne Avenue, Waynesboro, Virginia, 22980, Phone: 540-949-7662

The Wayne Theatre is a historic performing arts center that first opened in 1926 as a vaudeville house. The theatre was reopened to the public after a massive restoration project in 2016 with a mission to foster artistic, cultural, and education opportunities in Waynesboro and the surrounding area. Thousands of children have participated in the Arts Education Program, and the theater also is home to an Exhibit Gallery that features rotating and traveling exhibitions related to the arts and pop culture. A full show schedule of plays, musicals, and concerts performed at the Wayne Theatre can be found on their website.

521 West Main Street, Waynesboro, Virginia, 22980, Phone: 540-943-9999, (website link)

What to do if you are traveling with kids:

Offering Waynesboro residents and visitors a brilliant outdoor recreational facility, the Ridgeview Park covers 85 acres along the banks of the South River. You can be as busy or as relaxed as you wish – there are shady benches along the river to just sit and appreciate nature, while the Serenity Garden is a great option for garden enthusiasts. If you want a little more action you can try your luck at fishing from the pier, play a game of tennis or soccer or set off on foot to explore the nature trails. There is also a large outdoor swimming pool and the Woodland Shelter where you can enjoy a picnic or barbecue.

Ridgeview Park, 413 Port Republic Road, Waynesboro, VA 22980, 540 942 6735

The Wildlife Center of Virginia is a treatment center and emergency medical center for wildlife including reptiles, mammals, amphibians, and birds. More than 75,000 animals have been treated at the Wildlife Center, and those cases have been used to educated nearly more than one million children through school programs at the center. There are also professional training programs for adults who wish to become wildlife rehabilitators or veterinarians. The center has a mix of indoor and outdoor spaces. The outdoor spaces include a bear enclosure, flight pens, and homes for animals that cannot be released back into the wild because of their injuries. The Center is not open to the public, but there are several open house days each year.

1800 South Delphine Ave, Waynesboro, Virginia, 22980, Phone: 540-942-9453

Activities and Attractions for Couples and Singles:

Visitors to Waynesboro are always welcome to come and learn about the fascinating history of the city at the Waynesboro Heritage Foundation Museum. The museum is housed in an historic bank building which dates back to 1908. Most visitors will want to start their self-guided tour by watching a short orientation video in the nTelos audio-visual room before moving on to view the galleries. The museum has an extensive collection of thousands of textiles, photos, documents, maps and railroad artifacts which appear in both permanent and rotating exhibitions. The heritage foundation is also currently setting up a research library where interested parties can further their knowledge of Waynesboro.

Waynesboro Heritage Foundation Museum, 420 W. Main Street, Waynesboro, VA 22980, 540 943 3943

Stable Craft Brewing began as Hermitage Hill Farm and Stables in 2006 where Tennessee Walkers were raised on a horse farm. The owners decided to revamp their property into an upscale events venue that preserved the rural landscape and provided rustic elements to any formal event or gathering. A tap room and agri-pub brewery were added on to the property to create Hermitage Hill Farm and Stable Craft Brewery. The agri-pub serves craft beers created on site and farm to table style pub food where most ingredients are grown right there at Hermitage Farm. They offer multiple varieties of mac n cheese, skillets, burgers, sandwiches, and appetizers. An outdoor courtyard is available for seating and also features a fire-pit and sand volleyball court.

375 Madrid Road, Waynesboro, Virginia, 22980, Phone: 540-490-2609

Ming Garden began in 1994 as a small family-owned restaurant that served traditional Chinese food takeout only. The food became so popular that the family added a dine-in buffet and reopened in 2006 after major renovations. The restaurant relocated to its current space in 2008, where they are now able to offer more than 100 menu items daily. New Ming Garden Buffet and Grill has been named The Best Chinese Buffet in Augusta County numerous times and is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner.

316 Federal Street, Waynesboro, Virginia, 22980, Phone: 540-942-8800

The P. Buckley Moss Gallery is a gallery owned by the artist of the same name. Patricia Buckley is an artist of Irish and Italian descent who was born in America in 1933. Her artist's gifts were recognized as early as elementary school. She was enrolled in an all-girls public school for the Fine Arts and went on to attend Cooper Union for Advancement of Science and Art in New York where she specialized in fine art and graphic design. She moved to the Shenandoah Valley, where she was inspired by the landscapes, Amish lifestyle, and pastoral scenes.

329 West Main Street, Waynesboro, Virginia 22980, Phone: 540-949-6473