Abingdon

Abingdon is a picturesque town in the south western section of Virginia. It was famously settled by Daniel Boone on his first trek to Kentucky. The town has not changed very much since this time, and people drive from all over the country to see this quaint preserved town. One of the attractions is the Barter, Virginia’s state theater, which rose during the Great Depression. The founder, Robert Porterfield, built the theatre so that people could perform and instead of paying for tickets, the plentiful farmers would trade food. Another attraction is the Virginia Highlands Festival, which attracts its share of families, actors, artists, and performers. The Virginia Highlands Festival takes place during the first two weeks of August, so there is ample time to discover this festival for your enjoyment.

Abingdon is home to one of the best bike trails in the country. White Top Mountain provides the terrain for this awesome experience – bikers start at the peak of the mountain and coast their way down the twists and turns, looking at nature and covered bridges, all at a smooth easy pace. The name of this particular trail is The Virginia Creeper Trail because it took locomotives a long time to creep up this gradient many years ago. Shuttles will take you to the peak, and at the summit you can rent your bikes and enjoy the ride. In addition, you can ride up to the summit in order to take a Hot Air Balloon ride, which is offered at dusk and dawn (be sure to make reservations) and offers stunning vistas of the surrounding countryside.

While the land around Abingdon is sparsely populated, Abingdon is a compact town that serves as the cultural mecca for southwestern Virginia. There are several museums and galleries, such as the Arts Depot and the William King Regional Arts Center. A famous restaurant called The Tavern is located in Abingdon, and King Louis Philippe of France dined here, as well as Henry Clay and Andrew Jackson. The Tavern has barely changed over the years, much like the whole of Abingdon. There are charming restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and activities throughout this town; use our, “Places to Eat”, “Places to Stay”, and “Things to Do” options on our homepage to plan your excursion to Abingdon!




Virginia Tourists Guide - Abingdon, Virginia