About Barbara Weibel

Barbara Weibel After years of working 70 hours a week at jobs I detested, I felt like the proverbial "hole in the donut" - solid on the outside, but empty on the inside. Searching for meaning in my life, I abandoned my successful but unsatisfying career and set out on a six-month solo backpacking trip around the world to pursue my true passions of travel, writing, and photography. My blog features stories about the destinations I visit, people I meet, the crazy things...Read more here....
  • Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
  • Angkor Wat Cambodia
    Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
  • Hill Tribe Chief Northern Thailand
    Hill Tribe Chief, Thailand
  • Machu Picchu Peru
    Machu Picchu, Peru
  • Franz Josef Glacier New Zealand
    Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand
  • Olympic National Park Washington State
    Olympic Peninsula, Washington
  • Damnoen Saduak Floating Market Thailand
    Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Thailand
  • Maasai Tribe Ngorongoro Tanzania
    Maasai Warriors, Ngorongoro, Tanzania
  • Lion Serengeti National Park Tanzania
    Serengeti National Park, Tanzania
  • Chichen Itza Yucatan Mexico
    Chichen Itza, Yucatan, Mexico
  • Wat Xieng Thong
    Wat Xieng Thong, Luang Prabang, Laos
  • Feast Central India
    Traditional Feast, Central India
  • China Shangahi Skyline Pudong
    Pudong Skyline, Shanghai, China
  • Honeymoon Beach Florida
    Honeymoon Beach, Florida
  • Great Wallof China Jinshanling Beijing
    Great Wall, Jinshanling, China
  • Lake Louise Banff National Park Canada
    Lake Louise, Banff National Park, Canada
  • pura ulun danu temple batur bali
    Lake Temple, Central Bali
  • Galapagos Islands Ecuador
    Galapagos Islands, Ecuador

79 Flares Twitter 2 Facebook 77 StumbleUpon 0 Google+ 0 Pin It Share 0 LinkedIn 0 79 Flares ×

That little idiot light came on in my car yesterday. “Maint Req’d.” I know what it means; the first time it happened I called the dealership because the nowhere in the manual could I find an explanation of the meaning of the light. Turns out that it simply means it’s time to change the oil. I was traveling long distance at the time (on my way back to Florida) and the woman I spoke to said I could wait until I got home to bring it in for an oil change, since I was only 300 miles or so away. This time I’m in Virginia and I think waiting would be pressing my luck. Besides, that little orange light was driving me crazy. I swear it was screaming at me.

Since it was lunchtime, I decided to look for a town with a Toyota dealership or a quick lube place and get the oil changed while I ate. Luck was with me. I pulled off I-81 into Staunton, Virginia since I have long wanted to see this town anyway, and quickly found a Toyota dealership that could fit me in. After lunch I took a quick driving tour of the town and was extremely impressed by what I saw.

Staunton VirginiaStaunton is tucked into a pocket valley at the head of the Shenandoah Valley. The city is built on rolling hills and its picturesque downtown features scores of historic red-brick buildings that house art galleries, shops, and restaurants. Staunton is home to the Blackfriars Playhouse, the only re-creation in the world of Shakespeare’s legendary indoor theatre; the Frontier Culture Museum, a living history museum illustrating the daily lives of Shenandoah Valley’s early settlers; and the Woodrow Wilson Museum and Research Library, which is the only presidential library in Virginia.

Although the town exhibited a mighty pull on me, I had to get back on the road. I have obligations in Atlanta and I must be there tonight. I have camped in Shenandoah National Park and know how beautiful it is; now I know there is a great town to explore the next time I am in the area. Besides, the weather is just getting too cold for my bones. It’s time to get back to Florida for the winter. Shenandoah and Staunton can wait until summer.

Staunton Travel Tips

79 Flares Twitter 2 Facebook 77 StumbleUpon 0 Google+ 0 Pin It Share 0 LinkedIn 0 79 Flares ×

You might also like:

5 Responses to Breezing Through Staunton, Virginia – Wishing I Had More Time

  • If given another time that you visit the place again, please consider sharing it here. I like your post and therefore wanted to learn some more about it. Thanks in advance. =)

  • If given another time that you visit the place again, please consider sharing it here. I like your post and therefore wanted to learn some more about it. Thanks in advance. =)

  • Tiffany says:

    So, I live in this lovely little city of Staunton, Virginia, and you must visit it again someday. It is truly a mystical place. :)
    And plus, we’re a quiet, fun community.
    Thank you for the good comments.
    always,
    Tiffany

  • Tiffany says:

    So, I live in this lovely little city of Staunton, Virginia, and you must visit it again someday. It is truly a mystical place. :)
    And plus, we’re a quiet, fun community.
    Thank you for the good comments.
    always,
    Tiffany

  • Sunofstar says:

    Oct 2011 ~ Our evenings have started getting cooler this fall quicker than in the recent past and the leaves have started to change. Lots of Bed & Breakfast Inns located in and around the downtown area plus the Stonewall Jackson Hotel is located to the left of the Blackfriar’s Playhouse.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>

Follow Hole in the Donut

Free Photography Ebook

Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers
To download your free copy of "Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers," subscribe to Hole In The Donut to receive emails about newly published articles and daily photos (three emails each week)
* = required field

Travel eBooks

Triposs.com

Triposs United States Popular Sights and Attractions

Visit Peru

My Travel Itinerary

I'm currently in Bristol/Bath/Stonehenge/Avebury, United Kingdom

EasyToBook.com

DUBAI HOLIDAYS

Dubai
Holidays

FAVORITE TRAVEL COMPANIES

if you'd like to see the Great Wall, Forbidden City or Yangtze River, contact Beijing Impression. We offer tours in Beijing and other China cities.

Thomson Discount Codes

Punta Cana Hotels

Who Likes Us on Facebook

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

North American Travel Journalist Association

Professional Travel Bloggers Assn.

International Travel Writers Assn.

AWARDS AND HONORS

Top Blogs

Holeinthedonut.com named one of the top 50 travel bloggers








Alltop, all the cool kids (and me)