CITY SPOTLIGHT:

Your guide to Winchester, Virginia

Winchester Civil War Museum

Know Before You Go: About Winchester

Get a taste of Virginia history and culture with a visit to the "Apple Capital of the World."

You’ll have no trouble keeping the doctor away with an apple a day on your trip to Winchester—the Apple Capital of the World. Known as the Apple Capital of the World, Winchester is home to a wide array of orchards where you can bring the whole family to pick your own apples and enjoy a tasty treat. Plus, you’ll love checking out all the traditional colonial buildings in and around this Virginia town for a taste of local history.

Apple Blossom Time

Spring and autumn provide weather ripe for the apple blossom and harvest festivals, with daytime highs in the mid-70s. Hot summer days invite you to take a splash into one of the area’s water parks. You'll want to bundle up during your winter visit—nights can dip down into the low 20s and days max out in the 40s. On the bright side, you'll find the city's tree-lined streets transformed into a winter wonderland after its 23 inches of average annual snowfall.

So Much to Do

A number of Winchester locations are on the National Register of Historic Places, including the entire Old Town Winchester historic district, where you’ll find interesting shops, outdoor cafes and special events. In addition to hosting the Shenandoah Apple Festival, you can enjoy first Friday art walks, concerts, outdoor movies and seasonal events happening in the district. While you're here, take the kids to hands-on exhibits at the Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, or visit historic sites like George Washington’s Office Museum.

Apples, Apples, Everywhere

While Winchester's apple orchards draw hundreds of thousands of visitors to festivals each spring and autumn, they also make up one of the largest apple exporting industries in the country. Major employers in the area include a budding health care system, Shenandoah University, Navy Federal Credit Union and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

From Here to There

Since Winchester operates a regional airport, you can fly into the Washington Dulles International Airport, 52 miles east of the city, where you can rent a car or book a shuttle. Winchester's public transit system—WinTran—is equipped with wheelchair lifts and runs throughout the city. You can also opt to take a trolley bus that runs several days per week to attractions, shops and restaurants.

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Things to Do in Winchester

Discover presidential history, 18th century artifacts, homestyle restaurants and outdoor adventures.