This past weekend we were lucky enough to experience the quaint little town of Abingdon, Virginia. And let me tell you, it is definitely worth visiting! I don’t know how I have never heard of it before. So today I will be sharing with you all the fun things to do in Abingdon VA!
That way, if you’re planning a trip there soon, you can take some of my advice. Downtown Abingdon is one of the cleanest and friendliest places we’ve ever been to.
We kept saying just how nice everyone was while we were there. And it reminds me of a cute little Hallmark movie town. I definitely want to go back sometime around Christmas because I bet they deck that place out!
We were only there a couple of days, but I will be sharing everything we did to make the trip worthwhile. If you’re a fan of small towns and historic sites, then this is definitely the place for you!
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Antique Shopping
Y’all know one of my very favorite things to do is antique shop. Especially when I am in a new city. So obviously that was number one on our list.
And even though it’s a small town, they do have a few good antique shops around. I was able to find some pretty cool things during our quick little visit.
The first stop was The Antique Barn and this is definitely the biggest one. It’s the perfect place to visit if you’re an antique lover like me! Another good stop is Zephyr Antiques which is right in downtown Abingdon.
That one was also pretty big. There were 4 floors to explore, all filled with so much vintage goodness!
The 3rd antique stop we made was Abingdon Antiques and More. This one was slightly smaller than the other two, but definitely worth checking out as well. Especially since it is within walking distance from Zephyr Antiques.
We actually stopped in Johnson City on the way down to Abingdon and hit up a few stores on our way as well. You may remember I shared all about the best places to antique hunt in Johnson City many, many years ago.
I think it was one of my very first blog posts actually. So as you can see, my love for antiquing has just grown even more throughout the years!
Virginia Creeper Trail
If you are outdoor enthusiasts, then you’ve got to check out the Virginia Creeper Trail! This 34-mile trail is full of beautiful views!
However, I will warn you that Hurricane Helene took out some of the trail. So I think we only were able to bike about 17 miles of it. However, they are working quickly to fix it and it should be back opened in October of 2026.
But even so, this part of the trail was still just as beautiful and so much fun! We did end up renting the e-bikes instead of the regular bikes because this part of the trail is slightly more uphill, but really it’s not so bad. It’s a super easy bike ride if using the e-bikes!
We drove to the bike station, where they haul you and your bikes up to the beginning of the trail. Then, you bike all the way back down to the bike station again.
And from user experience, you may want to wear some old clothes! I did not think about that when we were getting ready to go. I put on some of my favorite workout gear, but we biked the trail right after a rainstorm came in.
So as you can imagine, the mud was insane! We were absolutely covered in it by the time we were done. But, it made for some great memories and story telling!
Definitely wear old shoes and clothes. Thankfully, everything came out in the wash though and wasn’t completely ruined!
Virginia Highlands Festival
While we were there too, we were able to have the unique experience of going through the Virginia Highlands Festival.
And we were lucky to see it because it was the last weekend they were having it. It’s one of the many special events that the town does every year.
This was actually the 76th annual festival! It usually runs for several weeks thought the summer. But there are so many local artists and shops that set up tents where you can browse through.
This is something the whole family would love. There are over 200 individual events throughout the highlands festival. Such as an outdoor excursion at Hungry Mother State Park, a walking tour of historical landmarks, an Antiques & Vintage Market, and Arts & Crafts exhibitors.
So be sure to check out their website if you’re going there during the summer and see just what they have planned the week you are there!
Farmer’s Market
We were also lucky enough to venture into their local Farmer’s Market while we were there too. There were so many booths filled with delicious and super fresh foods.
Straight from the garden! There were also several arts and crafts vendors there too. We tried some cold pressed juice from White Birch and it was literally so good.
So refreshing for a summer day! They also have a cafe downtown too. So if you go and the Farmer’s Market isn’t opened, go check out their store downtown!
Downtown Shopping in Abingdon, VA
As I mentioned above, there are plenty of places to antique shop. But, there are also several little cute, boutique stores to shop in as well.
Abingdon is a thriving arts scene and is also home to Barter Theatre. Which is located right on historic Main Street. They offer a live performance and many other exciting activities almost daily!
One of the unique things about it is that is is longest-running professional Equity theatre in the United States. And the official state theatre of Virginia.
This theatre has actually launches several famous actors careers. Such as Gregory Peck, Patricia Neal, Ernest Borgnine, Hume Cronyn, Ned Beatty, and Kevin Spacey. So Barter Theater is a great place to check out if you love live performances like that!
Where To Stay In Abingdon
We just stayed at a Hampton Inn while we were there this time. But, I tell you what, we definitely want to come back sometime and stay in the Martha Washington Inn.
This historic hotel offers so many modern amenities such as free breakfast, Sisters American Grill, tennis and pickleball, swimming pool and jacuzzi, 18 hole putt putt golf course, town bicycles, and a full spa!
So next time we hit up Abingdon, I definitely plan on staying here! And it’s located right in Abingdon’s historic downtown so you could literally walk to everything!
Places To Eat In Abingdon
I will say that I think Abingdon is the best small town food scene! I was absolutely blown away by the local restaurants in town and all their culinary delights they had to offer.
We tried to fit in as many as we could during our short stay. I will say by fay, our favorite was The Tavern. The food here was phenomenal and I loved how cozy and quaint the restaurant is. It was actually founded in 1779 as well, so there is a lot of historic charm to it. If you go, you have to try the filet! It was to die for!
Another great date night restaurant in the area is Rain. It’s also conveniently located right across the street from The Tavern. But, their food there was also delicious and we had such a great time trying everything out. Their bananas fosters cheesecake was to die for as well!
There are also several other cute stops for lunch in the historic Abingdon area. We went to Delta Blues BBQ for lunch one day and it was the perfect spot. They also had live music outside too so it was a great ambience.
If you’re craving something sweet, The Ice Cream Stop is a super cool place to visit as well. This was once an old filling station so they had a lot of old photos of the building inside. I just loved the history of the building as well.
Another quick place we like to go to is Pal’s. It’s like a better version of McDonald’s in my opinion. We don’t have any around us, so anytime we see one, we always have to stop there for a cheeseburger and fries!
And funny story, the whole reason we came down to Abigndon, VA was because it was close to Bristol, TN. And we were supposed to watch the Bristol Motor Speedway Classic Baseball Game. The Braves were playing and as you know from my last post about things to do in Atlanta, we love watching them!
But, it got rained out so that didn’t actually happen. However, we had a great time eating out instead of being miserable at the game. And we did go to a cool dive bar called JJ’s Sports Bar where they were showing coverage of the Braves too! This place had great appetizers and snacks as well!
Enjoy Abingdon Virginia!
Well as you can see from above, this cute little town is full of so may hidden gems! And the natural beauty of the historic town will take your breath away!
This really was a relaxing getaway for us and we enjoyed every second of it. It’s almost like a smaller Charleston, and y’all know we absolutely love going there!
So if you’re history buffs like us too, you will enjoy seeing all the charm this town has to offer. I would say our first visit here was definitely a success and I am already itching to come back another time.
I hope we can make that happen because Abingdon seriously does not disappoint! And I hope this post gave you some inspiration on all the things to do in Abingdon VA. Have you ever been before?! I’d love to hear your thoughts of the area below!
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