Winchester (Virginia)



Winchester is a town in the Shenandoah Valley. The town is a good base for exploring the rest of the valley and a picturesque historical site in its own right. It was the first colonial town in the Valley. It has a wonderful historic district with a nice pedestrian mall. The town is full of excellent restaurants, shops and museums. There is one very old inn downtown with a pineapple sign hanging on the porch, plus there is the restored George Washington Hotel.

Understand
It was home to 28,000 people in 2020.

George Washington spent much of his time in Winchester. The town was important during the French and Indian War, the Revolution, and Civil War. Winchester was also home to country music legend Patsy Cline.

Get in
Winchester is located just off of Interstate 81. Winchester is a 1-hour 15-minute drive (75 miles, 120 km) from Washington, D.C., and a 1-hour 45-minute drive (100 miles, 160 km) from Baltimore.

The closest airport with scheduled commercial service is Washington Dulles International Airport, which is a 1-hour drive (51 miles, 82 km) from Winchester. From the airport, either rent a car or take a taxi to Winchester.

The closest passenger train station is in Martinsburg, West Virginia, a 30-minute drive (21 miles, 39 km) from Winchester.

The closest passenger bus station is in Washington, D.C., a 1-hour 30-minunte drive (79 miles, 127 km) from Winchester.

Get around
The historical downtown can be seen on foot, but a car will allow you to explore the nearby Shenandoah National Park and scenic Skyline Drive.
 * Green Circle - The Green Circle is being developed to allow easy access between the Visitor Center and historic sites by bicycle or on foot.
 * The trolley provides easy access around town.
 * Several Limousine Companies are available for winery tours.

Do




Go next

 * The Shenandoah National Park is about 50 miles south on I-81.
 * Skyline Drive runs parallel to I-81 south into Tennessee.
 * Washington, D.C.
 * Harper's Ferry, Antietam, and Gettysburg are within an easy drive for visiting Civil War Battlefields and learning about the Civil War.