Barter Theatre, the State Theatre of Virginia, has run continuously on Main Street since 1933 — one of the longest-running professional theaters in the country, with a full mainstage and Barter Stage II season year-round. The Virginia Creeper Trail starts right in downtown Abingdon and rolls 34 miles southeast through Damascus to Whitetop Station, and Creeper Trail Bike Rental shuttles run daily from spring through fall.
The historic Main Street brick district is walkable end-to-end: the Martha Washington Inn (1832), the Muster Grounds on the Overmountain Victory National Historic Trail, the William King Museum of Art, and independent galleries and restaurants. Heartwood: Southwest Virginia's Artisan Gateway on the north edge of town showcases regional craft, music and food.
The Abingdon Farmers Market runs Saturdays at the Depot April through October, and the Virginia Highlands Festival brings arts, music and heritage crafts to town for two weeks in late July. Bristol Motor Speedway sits about 35 minutes south along I-81 for NASCAR weekends, and the Bristol Birthplace of Country Music Museum makes a good pairing.
There is more within easy reach: The Virginia Creeper Trail from downtown to Whitetop; The Barter Theatre year-round season; Historic Main Street and the Martha Washington Inn; The Muster Grounds and Overmountain Victory Trail; Bristol Motor Speedway 35 minutes south. Seasons run cool and blooming in spring (45–70°F), warm at 65–85°F in summer, crisp with peak Blue Ridge color in fall, and cold with occasional snow in winter.
