Add Us As A Trusted Google Source Waynesboro, Virginia sits at a rare crossroads of natural wonder: the meeting point of Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive, the Blue Ridge Parkway, and the Appalachian Trail. Most visitors come for the sweeping mountain views and outdoor adventure, but the town itself has a few surprises up its sleeve. Beyond the trails and scenic drives, Waynesboro is home to a delightfully eclectic collection of attractions that reward the curious traveler.
Key Takeaways:
- Walk through history inside the Blue Ridge Tunnel, a 4,273-foot marvel of 19th-century engineering that once held the title of longest railroad tunnel in the United States.
- Get lost in miniature worlds at the Augusta County Railroad Museum, where free admission gets you up close to model train layouts in four different scales and a charming collection of railroad artifacts.
- Sip something alive and effervescent at the Blue Ridge Bucha Taproom, where handcrafted organic kombucha has been brewed in the Blue Ridge Mountains since 2010.
- Stroll the Waynesboro Street Arts Trail, a two-hour outdoor gallery featuring 22 murals and sculptures winding through the heart of downtown.
- Spot not one but two larger-than-life fiberglass sculptures by local legend Mark Cline: a towering Muffler Man outside a furniture outlet and a 10-foot cartoon Roadrunner standing guard at an elementary school.
Want to share this infographic?
1. Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail
The Blue Ridge Tunnel Trail offers one of the most unusual hiking experiences in Central Virginia. Constructed between 1850 and 1858, the 4,273-foot tunnel (just over 0.8 miles long) was the longest railroad tunnel in the country when it was completed. It served the railways until 1944, then sat largely forgotten until a coalition of preservationists, historians, and outdoor enthusiasts rallied to save it. Reopened to the public in November 2020, the tunnel is now the centerpiece of a 2.25-mile one-way trail. The hike takes most people between 1.5 and 2.5 hours round trip. Come prepared: bring a headlamp or flashlight, because the interior is almost entirely dark, and watch your step for puddles along the way. It’s equal parts spooky and spectacular.
2. Augusta County Railroad Museum
For a different kind of railroad experience, head to the Augusta County Railroad Museum in Waynesboro, where the passion for trains never went out of style. Founded in 1993 by nine model railroading enthusiasts who started out in a small building on the grounds of a cement plant, the club has grown into a beloved community institution. Today the museum in Central Virginia features operating layouts in four scales (G, O, HO, and N) as well as displays of vintage model trains and railroad artifacts, including a small exhibit dedicated to the Blue Ridge Tunnel. The museum is open Saturdays from 1 to 4 p.m. and on the first Friday of each month from 5 to 8 p.m. as part of Waynesboro’s First Fridays celebration. Best of all, admission is completely free. If you happen to have your own model trains, bring them along on the last Tuesday of the month when the public is invited to run their own engines on the layouts.
3. Blue Ridge Bucha Taproom
After all that railroad enthusiasm, you might need a refreshing drink. People always think about breweries when they hear the word “taproom”, but Blue Ridge Bucha Taproom is another option. Since 2010, Blue Ridge Bucha has been handcrafting small-batch kombucha using the same original SCOBY culture the founders started with: all-natural organic ingredients, fresh-pressed juices, and cold-pressed fruits, herbs, and roots. The result is a lineup of bright, lightly carbonated flavors including Ginger, Black Raspberry, Elderflower Sunrise, Jasmine Grape, Wild Pear, and Bluegrass Bucha. Much like the Iris Inn, Blue Room Bucha is committed to being a sustainable business. The taproom is open Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday from noon to 5 pm. It features both bar seating and a large, covered patio, and welcomes leashed dogs. Order a tasting flight for a two-ounce pour of each flagship flavor plus any taproom exclusives; it’s the most delicious way to make up your mind. It’s a great addition to a culinary tour of Central Virginia.
4. Waynesboro Street Arts Trail
Art lovers will want to set aside a couple of hours for the Waynesboro Street Arts Trail, a self-guided walking tour featuring 22 pieces of public art spread throughout the downtown area. The first 18 stops are all walkable, making it an easy and engaging way to explore the city on foot. Highlights include “The Lovers,” a stunning mural of cranes and lotus flowers created by artist Kimchi Juice for the 2020 VA Street Arts Festival on the tallest wall she had tackled at the time; “Native Osprey Hunting,” a sweeping wildlife mural by self-taught artist Andrew Davis; and a playful Soap Box Derby sculpture that pays tribute to the spirit of friendly competition. Download the Visit Waynesboro app for an interactive guide that brings each piece to life as you walk.
5. Mark Cline Roadside Sculptures
Finally, no visit to Waynesboro would be complete without tracking down two gloriously quirky roadside sculptures by local artist Mark Cline. The first is a Giant Savings Muffler Man, erected in August 2023 outside GHF Furniture Outlet. It is one of a tribe of towering fiberglass figures, 14 to 25 feet tall, that became icons of American highway culture in the 1960s.
The second is a 10-foot cartoon Roadrunner standing on a tree stump outside Berkeley Glenn Elementary School, the very school Cline attended as a child in the 1960s. It was there that he first learned to make papier-mâché, sparking the creative career that would eventually lead him back to honor his alma mater with its beloved mascot. Together, the two sculptures make for a wonderfully offbeat scavenger hunt around town.
Waynesboro may be best known as a gateway to the mountains, but these five quirky stops prove there’s plenty worth lingering for once you arrive. Pack your headlamp, download the trail app, and leave room in your growler. This town has more to offer than meets the eye.
