The Best Things To Do In Farmville, Virginia

Farmville is a postcard-perfect small town with Main Street charm that captivates visitors and students alike. Farmville is home to the High Bridge Trail and Longwood University, which educates some 5,000 students, but there's so much more to see and do in this Virginia town. 

Stroll Main Street for an eclectic mix of boutiques, coffee shops, art museums, breweries, and taco shacks. There’s a little something for everyone in Farmville, even outdoor adventurers, thanks to Farmville’s close proximity to three state parks, including Twin Lakes State Park and Sailor’s Creek Battlefield State Park. Here’s what to do when you find yourself in Farmville. 

What to Do

High Bridge Trail State Park, a 31-mile linear park, is a major draw in Farmville, particularly for outdoor enthusiasts. The High Bridge Trail, a crushed limestone rail-trail that spans from Pamplin to Burkeville, is suited for hikers, horseback riders, and bikers. The rail-trail was once a railway and was part of the South Side Railroad, dating to the mid-1800s. 

At 2,400 feet long, the dramatic High Bridge is the longest recreational bridge in Virginia, spanning across the Appomattox River. High Bridge is less than five miles east of downtown Farmville on the rail trail, making for a perfect two-wheeled adventure from Main Street. Bring your own bike or rent one from The Outdoor Adventure Store, which sits adjacent to the High Bridge Trail. 

After a bike ride, order a cuppa at Uptown Coffee Café or settle in on the outdoor patio at Three Roads Brewing Company with a pint of High Bridge, the brewery’s flagship lager. Before you do, snap a selfie with the railroad-themed LOVE sign next to the rail-trail at Main Street. For those who prefer to walk, the High Bridge is just 0.3 miles from the nearby Camp Paradise parking lot. 

The Robert Russa Moton Museum is a one-time high school, now historic landmark, that tells the story of a 1951 student strike and walkout that helped jump start the Civil Rights era. The students’ actions significantly impacted the groundbreaking Brown vs. Board of Education case that led to a Supreme Court decision in favor of desegregating public schools in 1954. 

The Moton Museum is considered by many to be the birthplace of the student-led Civil Rights movement, certainly in Virginia. The museum is also a stop on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, which features more than 130 sites, including churches, schools, and memorials, across 15 states. 

For a little retail therapy, you’re covered in Farmville. Main Street is brimming with funky boutiques and eclectic shops, like The Sassy Sisters, Blake & Gray, Penelope, and Southern & Wild. At Green Front Furniture, you’ll find 12 historic buildings chock full of rugs, mirrors, clocks, and home decoratives of all kinds across 900,000 feet of showroom space.  

At the Longwood Center for the Visual Arts, an art gallery affiliated with Longwood University, rotating exhibitions and permanent collections draw in visitors with areas dedicated to African art, Chinese art, and American art, as well as collections focused on contemporary art and decorative art. There are also collections specific to Virginia artists. 

Where to Eat

Farmville may be a rural college town, but when you’re ready to eat, you’ve got delicious options in Farmville, starting with North Street Press Club, which boasts live music, game nights, global flavors, and chill vibes. The menu features a mix of salads, sandwiches, and tacos, as well as poke bowls, pad thai, and vegan grilled cheese sandwiches. The burger menu has more than a half-dozen burgers named for celebrated newscasters and journalists, like Walter Kronkite and Al Roker. 

For Southwestern cuisine, take a seat at one19, a popular in-town restaurant that describes its approach to food as “tastefully off center.” Look for flights of salsa and house-made tortilla chips, as well as 119 different tequilas and mezcals, a nod to its street address at 119 North Main Street. Another favorite for Mexican food is Bandidos.  

At Taproot Tavern, an elevated menu features crispy brussels sprouts, charred tomato bisque, rainbow trout, and lemon herb chicken. For breakfast, look to Uptown Coffee Café or Walker’s Diner, which is a tradition in Farmville for pancakes, omelets, and breakfast sandwiches. 

Where to Stay 

Stay the night or the weekend at the Hotel Weyanoke, a historic 70-room boutique hotel across the street from Longwood University. Originally built in 1925, the hotel underwent extensive renovations and reopened in 2018. Great care was taken to preserve the hotel’s historic charm and mid-century modern décor, including original marble flooring and circa-1925 chandeliers. The hotel also features modern amenities, like a seasonal rooftop bar and electric car charging stations.

Outdoor lovers, book a stay at Sandy River Outdoor Adventures, which is less than 10 minutes by car from Main Street. Here you’ll find luxe log cabins and glamping tipis with kitchenettes, bathrooms, and fire pits, even memory foam beds. At the on-site Adventure Park, tackle 20 ziplines and more than 60 treetop obstacles, like tight ropes, cargo nets, and swinging bridges.