{"id":21112,"date":"2024-02-06T18:22:37","date_gmt":"2024-02-06T18:22:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/visitabingdon.org\/?p=21112"},"modified":"2026-02-27T14:04:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T19:04:24","slug":"fall-romantic-getaway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/blog\/fall-romantic-getaway\/","title":{"rendered":"Looking for a Fall Romantic Getaway? Check Out the Small Southwest Virginia Town of Abingdon"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Looking for a Romantic Getaway? Check Out the Small Southwest Virginia Town of Abingdon<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Cradled by the Blue Ridge and the massive Jefferson National Forest, historic Abingdon is an outdoor wonderland. The nearly 250-year-old Appalachian town has a richly colorful past\u2014 and a long history of welcoming visitors. A longtime Cherokee hunting ground, the area was christened Black\u2019s Fort when Europeans began trickling into the region in the middle of the 18th century. It was redubbed \u201cWolf Hills\u201d when, according to local lore, Daniel Boone was attacked by wolves while hunting nearby. For decades the town served as a final outpost for settlers heading westward on the Great Wilderness Road\u2014and featured the very first Post Office west of the Blue Ridge. The town\u2019s name was changed once again\u2014this time, to Abingdon\u2014as a homage to First Lady Martha Washington\u2019s ancestral home, Abingdon-on-Thames, in Oxfordshire.<\/p>

Today, natural wonders and vivid history still abound in Abingdon. Hike, bike, or paddle Southwest Virginia\u2019s vast wild spaces. Take your time wandering the historic streets of Abingdon, discovering the region\u2019s rich cultural heritage, and all the while soaking up the town\u2019s legendary hospitality. After 48 hours in Abingdon, you\u2019ll leave wishing you were staying much longer than just the weekend.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Day One<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Begin at the bountiful\u00a0Abingdon Farmers Market\u00a0(Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.) and\u00a0grab some freshly baked scones or biscuits\u00a0to nosh while you peruse the market\u2019s locally raised produce, baked goods, crafts and handmade delicacies. After the market has piqued your senses, head over to the trailhead for the\u00a0Virginia Creeper Trail\u00a0to get your heart racing too. Hike, bike, or run a stretch of the leafy 34-mile trail, named for the sluggish locomotives that once chugged through town on the way to North Carolina. On the way from Abingdon to the midway point in Damascus, the trail rambles past sunlight-dappled meadows, rolling horse pastures\u2014and for an extended stint, it also hugs the best trout fishing stream in Virginia, Whitetop Laurel Creek.<\/p>

If you didn\u2019t bring your bike, rent a pair of wheels at the\u00a0Virginia Creeper Trail Bike Shop<\/a>, just a few steps from the trailhead in Abingdon. The bike shop can also arrange shuttle transport to accommodate a ride of any length. If you need to break up your hike, ride, or run on the Virginia Creeper, you can always pop into\u00a0Abingdon Vineyards\u00a0for a tasting (or an excuse for a breather). The inviting winery is located just a half-mile from the trail.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Spend the afternoon relishing in some well-deserved, post-trail pampering at the\u00a0Martha Washington Inn & Spa in the center of town. The exquisite accommodation has been hosting guests since 1935. Opt for a private couples massage or just regroup with a round at the inn\u2019s cozy bar. After \u201cthe Martha\u201d\u00a0rejuvenated you, stop in for a flight of regionally sourced, handcrafted hard ciders at\u00a0Tumbling Creek Cider Company<\/a>, then head around the corner to the\u00a0Tavern<\/a>, one of\u00a0the oldest, and according to local lore, one of the most haunted establishments in town. Functioning as everything from a roadside inn to a post office during the Civil War, the Tavern was even converted into a hospital, accepting both Confederate and Union wounded. Today, the Tavern\u2019s bar is still the oldest in Virginia. Peruse the lengthy wine list and be sure to try the brie-filled bread bowl\u2014coated with honey, brown sugar, and toasted almonds. If the place isn\u2019t too busy, you can even ask for a tour. Look for the charcoal bed numbers still adorning the walls of the attic, a lingering testament to the Tavern\u2019s time as a Civil War hospital.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Day Two<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Seize the day with a cup of fresh, locally roasted coffee at\u00a0Wolf Hills Coffee\u00a0before making your way to the spectacular\u00a0Grayson Highlands State Park<\/a>, driving along the Mount Rogers Scenic Byway.\u00a0<\/p>

This beautiful\u00a0winding route that’s worth the trip itself.\u00a0Inside the park,\u00a0head for the overnight backpackers lot. For a scenic out-and-back hike, hop on the Appalachian Spur Trail (which connects to the Appalachian Trail after about a mile). Follow the Appalachian Trail as it rambles through tunnels of Rhododendron, over scenic saddles, and through expansive alpine meadows. Keep your eyes peeled for the park\u2019s illustrious wild ponies\u2014several grazing herds have been roaming the highlands for just over 40 years, first introduced by the National Park Service to reduce the risk of forest fires. When you are ready for a break, stop and linger over the seeming endless views of the rippling Blue Ridge before retracing your steps back to the parking area.<\/p>

Back in Abingdon, recount the highlights of your hike over cherished Appalachian comfort food at\u00a0JJ’s Restaurant<\/a>. After lunch, stroll over to the\u00a0\u00a0Sweetbay Brewing Company. Sample some of the establishment\u2019s outdoor inspired craft beers, like the Creeper Trail Ale or the White Blaze Honey Cream Ale. Learn about the brewery\u2019s commitment to sustainability, including donating excess brewing grain to area farmers to use as animal feed.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Cap off your weekend at one of Abingdon\u2019s most enduring treasures\u2014the\u00a0Barter Theatre<\/a>. Established in 1933, performers like Gregory Peck, Patricia Neal, and Ernest Borgnine have all graced the Barter Theatre\u2019s stage. The venue even famously survived opening in the midst of the economic turmoil of the Great Depression by accepting farm produce in exchange for theatre tickets. Today, the Barter Theatre still showcases performances on two different stages.\u00a0<\/p>

Originally written by RootsRated for AbingdonVA.<\/p>

Featured image provided by\u00a0Jason Barnette<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Looking for a Romantic Getaway? Check Out the Small Southwest Virginia Town of Abingdon Cradled by the Blue Ridge and the massive Jefferson National Forest, historic Abingdon is an outdoor wonderland. The nearly 250-year-old Appalachian town has a richly colorful past\u2014 and a long history of welcoming visitors. A longtime Cherokee hunting ground, the area […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":22627,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[255,265,252,256],"tags":[84,79,78],"class_list":["post-21112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-attractions","category-blog-and-itineraries","category-food-and-drink","category-outdoors","tag-couples","tag-getaway","tag-romantic"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21112\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22627"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=21112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/visitabingdonvirginia.com\/stagingprop\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=21112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}