Virginia
The Heart of Virginia's Highlands
★ NomineeNominee status indicates a town under consideration for certification. Certified towns have completed our full evaluation process and meet all criteria.
Abingdon sits in the heart of Virginia's Blue Ridge Highlands, a small town with an outsized reputation for arts and culture. The Barter Theatre—the State Theatre of Virginia—has operated here since 1933, when Depression-era patrons paid admission with produce. Today it's the longest-running professional theater in the country.
The Virginia Creeper Trail begins downtown, offering 34 miles of gentle rail-trail through some of Appalachia's most beautiful scenery. Bicyclists coast downhill from Whitetop Station while hikers explore tunnels, trestles, and rhododendron-lined forests.
Downtown's Main Street showcases brick Victorians housing galleries, craft breweries, and farm-to-table restaurants. The surrounding countryside offers wineries, Christmas tree farms, and access to Mount Rogers—Virginia's highest peak.
America's longest-running professional theater, the State Theatre of Virginia
34 miles of scenic rail-trail from Whitetop to Damascus
Galleries, breweries, and restaurants in preserved Victorian buildings
Studios, galleries, and the annual Virginia Highlands Festival
Abingdon is located in far southwestern Virginia, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Highlands. Spring rhododendron blooms and fall foliage are spectacular. The Virginia Highlands Festival in August draws artists from across the region.