A Weekend in the Shenandoah Valley | the crystal press fashion blog

A Weekend in the Shenandoah Valley

We spent the weekend exploring the Shenandoah Valley: Staunton, Augusta County, Waynesboro and the Beerwerks trail.

Shenandoah valley the crystal press blog
The crystal press Shenandoah valley

Last Friday, we traveled from Richmond to explore the Shenandoah Valley’s Beerwerks trail and had the BEST time. If you are looking for a day trip, one night trip or a full weekend, this is a great option. We’ll take you through all of the places we visited and guarantee that by the end you’ll be planning your next trip!


Murals travel tcp blog
basic city beer co

Basic City Beer, Waynesboro 
“Basic City Beer Co draws a brand from the smolderings and lore of a ‘Lost Town’- Basic City, Virginia: Circa 1899- to reclaim the enduring American Spirit from this pre-prohibition, Industrial era & to Repurpose the Intoxicating Lure of the American Dream.”

basic city beer co staunton

We started off our trip at Basic City Beer after exploring downtown and seeing some of the gorgeous murals as a part of the Waynesboro Street Arts Trail Murals. We LOVED the vibe of Basic City, in its historical industrial warehouse and the beers were great, too. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating & pizzas, too! Bonus points if you can find the mural seen below!

When you visit Basic City for yourself, be sure to taste the Tart Up: Golden Blueberry beer. After trying our beer flights, we both decided that was our favorite!

shenandoah beerwerks trail

Grab a Beerwerks Passport at any of the Shenandoah breweries and keep track of all the breweries you visit along the way.

stable craft brewery

Stable Craft Brewing, Augusta County
“Every detail has been meticulously preserved so that visitors to Hermitage Hill Farm and Stable Craft Brewing get the finest farm and brewery experience possible”

Stable Craft is a working horse farm (Hermitage Hill Farm) transformed into a brewery & restaurant with event space and suites on site where you can stay to get the full farm & brewery experience. Our experience was AMAZING, as was the food and the beer. We enjoyed some delish nachos along with our beer flights and it was the perfect combination. This brewery has stunning mountain views you won’t want to miss, it’s as if every moment was instagram worthy! It is definitely a must-do if you’re a beer lover visiting the area.


Blackburn Inn
“The Blackburn promises a distinct blend of timeless glamour, modern finishes, artful design, and superior hospitality.”

Newly opened in 2018, The Blackburn Inn is a a historic 49 room boutique hotel just outside of downtown Staunton. Originally designed by Thomas Jefferson’s protege Thomas Blackburn, the historic property is the perfect setting for a getaway in the Shenandoah Valley. With a full spa, conference center and 80 acres of gorgeous property, it doesn’t get much better!

We loved everything from the charming Queen Bed rooms, to our facials at the Spa. The location is great for being close enough to downtown to explore, but also far enough away to feel like you’re truly getting away from hustle and bustle.

the blackburn inn the crystal press
Spa Blackburn inn
AKTIV is a local skincare brand sourced & made right in Staunton, VA. The product line is used at the Spa at the Blackburn Inn and we experienced it in during our facials.
BLU point seafood the crystal press

BLU Point Seafood
“We’ve combined our explorations of the beautiful Chesapeake Bay with our love of the New England Shore to bring the freshest seafood available to the Shenandoah Valley “

BluPoint Seafood was an absolute treat. From the cocktails to dessert, we were consistently impressed. We split our two entrees – crab cakes & the shrimp seafood basket – and we were glad that we did because they were both equally amazing!

Does anybody else have the best kind of trouble ordering from a menu that looks too good? We also dabbled in fresh oysters, a cup of Lobster Bisque, and ended our meal with Donut Holes. Don’t think twice, order the Donut Holes.

Blu point seafood the crystal press

Reunion Bakery & Espresso

One of our favorite parts of the trip was the people. We had so many heart warming conversations throughout our Shenandoah Valley experience and we will never forget that! When our conversation with our new friends in Staunton drifted to the subject of Reunion Bakery & Espresso, their eyes would light up with the suggestion of pastries!

reunion bakery staunton

We learned quickly that Reunion has quite the reputation for their delicious pastries and we have to agree. But make sure you get there early because they do sell out fast! From chocolate croissants to quiches, there is something on their menu for everyone. If you love a fancy latte, check out their lavender latte, YUM.

Latitudes Fair Trade

latitudes fair trade
Latitude fair trade the crystal press travel

Latitudes Fair Trade is a store in downtown Staunton that specializes in handmade, artisanal goods from all over the world. We were drawn to the chic mugs handmade in Guatemala and the elevated journals handmade in India.

Not only does Latitudes prioritize helping developing nations but they also have a philosophy that encourages conscious consumerism and green shopping. They are a light in the world of shopping and we admire everything they are doing to improve the world around us.

Latitudes Fair Trade in Staunton is one of three locations. You can also visit them in Fredericksburg and Warrenton.

skipping rock brewery

Skipping Rock Brewery, Augusta County
“Our beer is a reflection of place, as all beers should be, but they also speak to a more enlightened way of life; of worrying less and living more”

We ended our trip at Skipping Rock Brewery with our husbands, which was the icing on the cake of a perfect weekend. Skipping Rock prides themselves on creating quality beers, down to the last detail and you can tell. John and I have passed this brewery on our way to the Homestead countless times and always say we will stop in, but never have. This was the perfect opportunity to try it out and we’ve decided it will be a tradition from now on.

Our favorite beers were the Strawberry & Blackberry sours, but we liked everything we tried! They have an excellent food truck : German Bratwurst and we basically ordered one of everything on the menu. So good.

visit staunton the crystal press
visit staunton the crystal press
visit staunton the crystal press

We truly had the best time exploring a mostly new part of our home state! If you’re looking to plan a trip, we reaaally suggest checking out the Shenandoah Valley. Our trip was inspired by the Travel the Beerwerks Trail Guide, which is a great resource for all sorts of weekend getaways: fishing, wineries, breweries and lesser known travel destinations. Shoot us a DM or leave a comment with any additional questions you might have about this trip!

Thanks so much to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for setting up this trip for us & sponsoring our adventure.

the crystal press shenandoah valley
shenandoah valley the crystal press

20 Comments on A Weekend in the Shenandoah Valley

  1. sarah
    July 1, 2021 at 4:37 pm (3 years ago)

    this looks like such a fun trip! definitely saving for later, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  2. katie
    July 1, 2021 at 5:21 pm (3 years ago)

    beerwerks trail?? count me in! looks like such a fun trip.

    Reply
  3. amanda
    July 1, 2021 at 5:22 pm (3 years ago)

    you two look like you always have the best time! definitely pinning this post to plan a trip.

    Reply
  4. Debbie Yoder
    July 1, 2021 at 5:30 pm (3 years ago)

    What a great place for a fun weekend! Amazing!

    Reply
    • mm
      thecrystalpress@gmail.com
      July 2, 2021 at 10:21 am (3 years ago)

      it really was such fun!

      Reply
    • Juliann
      July 2, 2021 at 9:00 pm (3 years ago)

      Please tell us you’re coming back for more! While you highlighted some wonderful places IMHO you missed out on the best our Queen City has to offer. Gloria’s pupusaria, LUdNCH, Gonzo’s Pollo, Chicano Boys (opening soon in Chesterfield so at least try to get there!), The Shack. Staunton has more master chefs than days in a week! And our Cultural attractions- Frontier Cultural Museum, Blackfriars, historical tours- are worth spending a week also!

      Reply
      • mm
        thecrystalpress@gmail.com
        July 6, 2021 at 10:23 am (3 years ago)

        we will definitely be back!

        Reply
  5. Erin Allen
    July 1, 2021 at 5:51 pm (3 years ago)

    This looks like a fun trip! I’ve been trying to think of some places close by for a quick getaway. Also want to try to the Homestead so badly but $$$$

    Reply
  6. Erin
    July 1, 2021 at 8:43 pm (3 years ago)

    Looks so fun! I keep looking for places for a quick one night getaway and looks like this one would be great!

    Reply
    • mm
      thecrystalpress@gmail.com
      July 2, 2021 at 10:21 am (3 years ago)

      it was SO perfect, you should definitely go!

      Reply
  7. Brenda Cremer
    July 1, 2021 at 11:12 pm (3 years ago)

    This looks amazing, thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  8. Julia
    July 2, 2021 at 2:05 am (3 years ago)

    ahh this looks like such an amazing time! i will keep these places in mind for next time we travel!

    Reply
  9. Stephanie
    July 2, 2021 at 8:35 am (3 years ago)

    You got to visit a lot of my favorite places in Staunton! I stayed at the Blackburn when it first opened, but now they have a spa? I might have to plan a trip sometime soon 😉 And Reunion has the most incredible chocolate croissants. I’m glad you got to go there as well. This whole trip sounds like so much fun. So many great spots and lots of good beer!

    Reply
    • mm
      thecrystalpress@gmail.com
      July 2, 2021 at 10:19 am (3 years ago)

      yessss when i saw the spiral staircase it totally took me back to your photos there!! and YES the spa is GREAT. you will have to go back!!!

      Reply
  10. Sarah Lindner
    July 2, 2021 at 11:48 am (3 years ago)

    Looks like good time and eats were had! Plenty of spots to explore! xoxo, Sarah

    Reply
  11. Leela
    July 3, 2021 at 12:24 am (3 years ago)

    It looks like a beautiful area.

    Reply
  12. Whitney L
    July 3, 2021 at 11:16 am (3 years ago)

    My favorite memory was visiting shannadoah with someone special! I’m glad you got to spend it with the people you love!

    Reply
  13. wen budro
    July 3, 2021 at 10:07 pm (3 years ago)

    I definitely would be in for some beer tastings. This looks like a great place to visit for sure.

    Reply
  14. Stephani
    July 5, 2021 at 11:59 am (3 years ago)

    This looks like such a fun trip!! Hem the food and the hotel looks great!!

    Reply
  15. Greta
    July 12, 2021 at 10:52 pm (3 years ago)

    It looks like you gals had the best time! I’ll have to add this to my road trip list!

    Reply

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