Main Street America
If window-shopping is more your speed, small-town Virginia has lots to look at.
Nearby towns
Madison
Population: 300
Madison is the closest town to our cabin and has the closest grocery store (a Food Lion). Other services include a post office and some restaurants. Check out the annual Taste of the Mountains Main Street Festival in late August/early September!
Culpeper
Population: 19,000
Culpeper’s Main Street is quintessential Americana. Enjoy the storefront architecture while you shop local! The town also has the closest movie theater to the cabin.
Charlottesville
Population: 48,000
Perennially named one of the best places to live in America, Charlottesville is home to the University of Virginia, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, excellent dining, and a wide selection of other activities in this cultured town.
Luray
Population: 5,000
Up and over the mountains from the cabin, Luray is most notable for Luray Caverns, a giant underground wonderland where you can take guided tours. Yeah, it’s a tourist trap, but the natural mineral formations are spectacular.
Warrenton
Population: 10,000
If you’re driving to Old Rag from the D.C. area, you’re probably coming through Warrenton. There’s a good selection of big grocery stories and no shortage of strip malls, if you are looking for that sort of thing. Red Truck Rural Bakery is definitely worth the stop, though.
Front Royal
Population: 16,000
Known as the “Canoe Capital of Virginia,” Front Royal is the northern gateway to Shenandoah National Park. The town has a cute Main Street Historic District and lots of Civil War history. Be sure to stop at Spelunkers for homemade frozen custard after your day of exploring.
Even smaller towns
Sperryville
Population: 350
Quiet quaint town with some good restaurants, two small breweries, and a distillery. Also a vibrant art scene with Cottage Curator and Haley Fine Art.
Washington
Population: 125
Home to the world-renowned Inn at Little Washington, this sleepy town is also the county seat of Rappahannock County.
Flint Hill
Population: 200
Home to the fantastic Griffin Tavern and surrounded by several good wineries.
Graves Mountain Lodge
Practically its own town, Graves Mountain Lodge is worth the short trip from the cabin that it takes to visit. The Graves family has been farming in this valley since 1740 and operating this family-friendly resort since 1965. Their 1,100-acre farm has a 55-room hotel, 18 cabins, a swimming pool, hiking and horseback riding trails, fishing streams, and ponds.
Visitors are welcome, especially during one of the lodge’s popular festivals throughout the year, including a huge bluegrass music festival in June, the Madison County July 4 fireworks, a Peach Day Festival in late July, and an Apple Harvest Festival most weekends in October.
Last updated May 1, 2020