Culpeper
Culpeper is a town of over 20,000 people (2020) in the center of Culpeper County in Central Virginia. Culpeper is the literal heart of the county, and has grown rapidly since 2000 when it was home to fewer than 10,000 people.
Understand
[edit]- Visitors Center, 111 S. Commerce Street (at the Train Depot), ☏ +1 540-727-0611. Daily 10AM - 5PM. It provides local information, brochures and assistance.
Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]From Washington D.C./I-66: Take I-66 West to Exit 43A (Rt. 29 South towards Warrenton). Continue on Rt. 29 South for approximately 40 miles to the first Culpeper exit - Business 29. Follow Business 29 for 3 miles into the Town of Culpeper - Main Street. At the third traffic light turn left on to Davis Street and proceed to the end of road to the Train Depot/Visitors Center.
From Charlottesville/Rt.29: Take Rt. 29 North for approximately 45 miles to Culpeper. Take the second exit at Culpeper Business 29. At the fifth traffic light turn right on to Davis Street. Proceed to the end of the road to the Train Depot/Visitors Center.
From Richmond /I-95: Take I-95 North for approximately 60 miles to Fredericksburg exit 130. Exit at 130 - Culpeper/Rt. 3 West. Proceed on Rt. 3 West for 35 miles. At the second traffic light in Culpeper turn right on to Main Street. Proceed to the second traffic light and turn right on to Davis Street. Follow Davis Street to the end of the road to the Train Depot/Visitors Center.
From Harrisonburg /I-81: Take I-81 to I-66 East. Continue on I-66 East to exit 6 at Front Royal - Rt. 522 South. Follow Rt. 522 South for approximately 45 miles to Culpeper. When in Culpeper, make a right turn at the traffic light intersection of Rt. 522 and Main Street. Proceed to the next traffic light and turn left on to Davis St. Follow Davis Street to the end of the road to the Train Depot/Visitors Center.
By train
[edit]- See also: Rail travel in the United States
- 1 Culpeper station, 111 South Commerce St. The station has no ticket agent or QUIK-TRAK machine. Train operators:
- Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1 800-872-7245. Operates trains throughout the United States of America. Routes stopping in Culpeper:
- Cardinal operating three trips weekly between Chicago and New York City with stops in Dyer, Rensselaer, Lafayette, Crawfordsville, Indianapolis, Connersville, Cincinnati, Ashland, Huntington, Charleston, Hinton, White Sulphur Springs, Staunton, Charlottesville, Culpeper, Manassas, Alexandria, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Trenton, and Newark.
- Crescent between New Orleans and New York City via Birmingham, Atlanta, Charlotte, and Washington, D.C.
- Northeast Regional is Amtrak's busiest regional service, connecting Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and the many towns and cities in-between. Toward the east end of the route, some trips terminate at Springfield instead of Boston. Some services also continue south into Virginia towards Newport News, Roanoke and Norfolk on three separate branch routes from Alexandria. Culpeper is on the branch to and from Roanoke.
- Amtrak, ☏ +1 215-856-7924, toll-free: +1 800-872-7245. Operates trains throughout the United States of America. Routes stopping in Culpeper:
By plane
[edit]International airports that service Culpeper include Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD IATA) - 58 miles, Richmond International Airport (RIC IATA) - 86 miles, and Baltimore Washington Int. Airport (BWI IATA) - 105 miles.
Charlottesville Regional Airport (CHO IATA) is 40 miles to the south. Culpeper also has small but growing local airport which receives some charter flights, Culpeper Regional Airport (FAA LID: CJR) - 7 miles north of Culpeper.
Get around
[edit]Getting around the historic Downtown is very easy on foot, by car, or on the Culpeper Trolley (☏ +1 540-825-2456 , ☏ +1 877-777-2708 ). The Trolley runs every 30-40 minutes M-F from 7AM to 5PM, and on Saturdays from 9:30AM to 2:30PM, from various points north and south of town. Fares are $.50 per destination.
Parking around Culpeper can be found in various 2 and 3 hour lots throughout Town. An all-day free parking lot for Amtrak travelers is on the corner of Commerce Street and Wausau Place, a short block from the Culpeper Visitors Center in the Train Depot on Commerce Street.
Rental cars are available through Enterprise Rent-A-Car -☏ +1 540-829-7800 , 15419 Brandy Rd.
The following companies provide service through Culpeper and surrounding counties: Culpeper Cab Company - ☏ +1 540-829-7922 , serving Culpeper and Fauquier Counties.
See
[edit]
- Downtown Culpeper is the historic central business district of Culpeper, centered on Main and Davis Streets. It features preserved 19th- and early 20th-century architecture, boutique shops, local restaurants, and a vibrant community atmosphere.
- Culpeper County Courthouse (1874)
- Historic Davis Street shops and murals
Do
[edit]- MinuteMan MiniMall, 746 Germanna Highway, ☏ +1 540-825-3133. M-Sa 9AM-6PM, Su noon-5PM. Antique mall open since 1991 with 200 or more vendors and a wide variety of antiques, crafts, and collectibles.
Buy
[edit]Visit the historic Downtown around the area of Main and Davis Streets. Here, the downtown renovations have opened up many unique specialty shops, restaurants, gourmet food and wine shops, and antique stores.
Eat
[edit]- 1 Uncle Elder's BBQ, 129 E Culpeper St, ☏ +1 540-317-5718. M-F 11AM-10PM. Delicious Kansas City-style BBQ in a historical Civil War-era stable.
- It's About Thyme (Thyme in Culpeper), 128 East Davis Street, ☏ +1 540-825-4264, [email protected]. W-Sa lunch: 11AM-3PM, dinner: 5:30-10PM; Su noon-4PM. A sit down restaurant offering broad European fare that has been operating in downtown Culpeper since 1995. Thyme Market, Copper Fish seafood market and raw bar, and Thyme Inn are under the same ownership.
- Frost Cafe, 101 East Davis Street, ☏ +1 540-829-0344. 7AM-8PM. Diner on the corner of Main Street and Davis Street with vintage '50s decor and classic American fare.
- Pinto Thai Culpeper, 179 East Davis Street, ☏ +1 540-445-5776. 11AM-10PM. Authentic Thai restaurant with a large menu, full bar and plentiful seating.
- Raven's Nest Coffee House, 215 East Davis Street, ☏ +1 540-827-4185, [email protected]. 7AM-6PM. Local cafe described as the "community living room" offering both grab-and-go and sit-down service. Small store inside cafe offers coffee beans from Raven's Brew Coffee roasters.
- Miss Minerva's Tea Room (formerly Tea Lace & Roses), 307 South Main Street, ☏ +1 540-444-7896, [email protected]. W-Su 11AM-3PM, occasionally closed for private parties. Traditional tea room with a small gift shop and a long history in downtown Culpeper. The tea room first opened in 2002 on Davis Street then changed ownership several times until it found its new home in the historic State Theater building.
Drink
[edit]- 1 Old Trade Brewery & Cidery, 13270 Alanthus Rd., Brandy Station, ☏ +1 540-729-1740. A rural brewery with a mountain view. Hosts live music and games.
- 2 Mountain Run Winery, 10753 Mountain Run Lake Rd, ☏ +1 703-638-5559.
- 3 Old House Vineyards, 18351 Corkys Ln, ☏ +1 540-423-1032.
Sleep
[edit]Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]- Travel into the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains on the horizon by taking the Blue Ridge Parkway and visiting Shenandoah National Park.
- Explore more American Civil War history at one of the battlefields in Manassas.
Routes through Culpeper |
Charleston ← Charlottesville ← | W ![]() | → Manassas → Washington, D.C. |
Lynchburg ← Charlottesville ← | S/SW ![]() ![]() | → Manassas → Washington, D.C. |
Frederick ← Leesburg ← Jct ![]() | N ![]() | → Locust Dale → Jct ![]() |
Washington, D.C. ← Manassas ← | N ![]() | → Jct W ![]() |
Winchester ← Front Royal ← | N ![]() | → Jct ![]() ![]() |
END ← | W ![]() | → Fredericksburg → Gloucester Courthouse |