3-Day Abingdon Itinerary: Discover one of Virginia’s Best Small Towns
Abingdon is one of Virginia’s most underrated small towns. It oozes Southern charm and warm hospitality. What brought us here? The foodie gems and the great outdoors! It boasts all mom & pop establishments. No chain restaurants here. Plus, it offers some incredibly unique hikes and is home to one of the best premium rail trails, the Virginia Creeper Trail. Follow my 3-day Abingdon itinerary to get the most out of your long weekend Virginia getaway.
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FRIDAY: VIRGINIA CREEPER TRAIL
9 AM: Meet at the Virginia Creeper Bike Trail Shop. Get fitted for your bike rentals and hop on the bike shuttle to Whitetop. Arrive at Whitetop around 10:30 am. Cycle the Virginia Creeper Trail for 34 miles from Whitetop to Abingdon or just go halfway and stop in Damascus. Fantastic ride through dense forests, over cool bridges, next to babbling creeks, across rolling farmlands, and by quaint towns. Incredibly scenic! Finish up around 4 pm.
8:30 AM Breakfast: Before your bike ride, go to The Girl & The Raven for some great coffee and the best breakfast sandwich, The Big Pimp.
1 PM Lunch: Mojo’s Trailside Cafe for a quick sandwich and bathroom break.
4:30 PM Dinner: Since you end your bike ride in Abingdon, pick up some perfectly seasoned lamb gyros at Greeko’s Grill & Cafe and some amazing desserts from Anthony’s Desserts. Throw them in the fridge in your Airbnb while you shower up after the bike ride. Then bring your picnic dinner to enjoy at Abingdon Vineyards, located right next to your Airbnb. Check beforehand for the live music schedule.
Overnight: Old Alvarado Station Airbnb, an adorable farmhouse chic Airbnb that was renovated from an old building right off the Virginia Creeper Trail.
SATURDAY: THE GREAT CHANNELS
8 AM: Swing by Abingdon Farmers Market to check out the goods. I recommend grabbing a coffee at the Wolf Hills Coffee station and pairing it with a freshly made blueberry scone or whatever deliciously made baked good that is served that day. Yum.
10 AM: Start your 6.6-mile hike to the Great Channels, which is an incredibly unique hike. It’s about a 40-minute drive from Abingdon. The reward at the end of the hike is navigating your body through a towering maze of moss-covered sandstone channels and crevices. So cool. Finish up by 1 pm and back to your Airbnb by 2 pm to shower up.
5 PM: Walk around the historic town of Abingdon and get pre-dinner cocktails on the outdoor patio at The Tavern, the oldest bar in Virginia!
Breakfast/lunch: Abingdon Farmers Market
7 PM Dinner: Enjoy some Southern classics like fried green tomatoes with pimento cheese at 128 Pecan. The chili rubbed salmon and cheddar grits are also fantastic.
Overnight: Old Alvarado Station Airbnb
SUNDAY: HIKING WITH WILD PONIES ON THE MOUNT ROGERS HIKE
12:30 PM: Sleep in and drive 1 hr to Grayson Highlands State Park, home to the wild ponies! Start the hike around 12:30 pm. You can hike as little or as much as you want. If you are feeling your Wheaties, try to hike the full 10.5 miles roundtrip to Mount Rogers, the highest summit in Virginia! It is epic and at times you will think … am I in the Scottish Highlands or the Pacific Northwest? And of course, there is a high likelihood you will hike right beside the star of the show, the wild Grayson Highland pony. Finish up by 5 pm. Back to Abingdon by 6:15 pm.
10 AM Breakfast: Grab breakfast and a cold-pressed juice at White Birch
11 AM Lunch: Drive 10 minutes from White Birch to Harvest Table Restaurant to grab a pimento cheese bacon sandwich to enjoy later on your hike.
6:30 PM Dinner: Swing by on your way back from the hike to grab takeout from Greeko’s Grill & Cafe to enjoy back at the Airbnb. I promise you will sleep well tonight after those 10.5 miles.
* FYI – Most restaurants are closed on Sunday.
Overnight: Old Alvarado Station Airbnb
Who Will Like This Abingdon Itinerary
- Outdoor lovers
- Foodies
Best Time to Go to Abingdon
The best time to visit is from May-October. I prefer May and September when temperatures are a little cooler. I hate being hot.
Airbnb Booked for This Abingdon Itinerary
- 3 nights
Cocktail/Dinner Reservations Booked in Advance
- The Tavern
Top Tips for This Abingdon Itinerary
- To do this 3 FULL DAY Abingdon itinerary, you need 5 days if traveling from northern Virginia. You will arrive on Thursday night and leave on Monday morning. This will leave 3 full days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) for all of your outdoor and foodie adventures. Less PTO days are needed if you pick a holiday weekend, but the tradeoff is more crowds.
- Be flexible. With 2 hikes + 1 bike ride, this is a great outdoor getaway. The weather may not play nicely, so be prepared to adjust. The proposed itinerary here did not happen according to our plan. For example, we were planning to do the Great Channels on Saturday but the forecast was showing rain. We adjusted and did the Great Channels hike on Thursday afternoon along the way of our road trip to Abingdon from northern Virginia.
- If you go to Abingdon Vineyards on a day they have live music, expect a lot of crowds so arrive early to get a parking and seating space! When we drove by to check it out, it was packed with no parking available. Although our Airbnb was close by and we could have walked over, we would have had to walk on the road with cars flying by. It would be great if someone would construct a pedestrian/biking path to the vineyard. Hint hint.
Our Old Alvarado Station Airbnb off the Virginia Creeper Trail
Questions about our Abingdon itinerary? What else is worth checking out?
Let me know in the comments below!
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