Winchester, VA is an enchanting city in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It's steeped in history and culture, and boasts a lively downtown area that’s home to many unique shops, restaurants and bars. The gorgeous views of the Blue Ridge Mountains provide a picturesque backdrop for activities such as hiking, fishing and camping. Winchester is also popular among Civil War enthusiasts who come to explore its numerous historical sites. Visitors can tour battlefields such as First Manassas and Second Winchester, visit the Stonewall Jackson House or take a walking tour of historic Old Town Winchester. There are plenty of friendly locals who offer up their knowledge about the area’s history and culture, making this one of the most welcoming cities in Virginia. Reviews of Winchester often note how much there is to do from learning about its past to finding unique places to eat or shop. Its natural beauty has earned it many accolades over the years from being named one of America’s Best Small Towns by Smithsonian Magazine to being listed on Livability's Top 10 Small Southern Towns to Visit list.
based on 17 ReviewsGet to know Winchester with the latest comments and reviews from people who live in or have visited Winchester
Not the best place to live in. - 4/30/2020
I have lived in Winchester for 13 years and I find the locals to be rude, unpleasant and loud. Women worse than men... that's not to say all is bad, the city has some charming neighborhoods and some of the newer neighborhoods has more polished
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Stay Away - 8/17/2016
Worst place I have ever lived. My neighbors hate jemmy since I am not a clone. They do not respect other people's property.I put up a fence and the same day the contractor set the posts the neighbors called the city saying my posts wee too high. The city agreed with me that the posts woudl be cut down the next day. if you do not own your house they hate you too. They treat renters worse than dirt, especially if you do not have carbon copy 1950s era exterior door colors. They forget the historic district has many doors with bright red, bright purple, bright blue ,etc. I'd rather have stayed in Newark, NJ . I am a white person and my African American neighbors in Newark were friendly and respected me, than move to Winchester .I plan to move as soon as I raise the money to move and never return. The city actually had a statement in their strategic plan that "Renters are a problem." In a neighborhood watch meeting I attended a Representative of the police made the same comment.The
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Winchester is a VERY CONSERVATIVE backwards commun - 12/21/2014
I would have to say I agree with much of what another individual wrote: it's like going back in time or living in a place that refuses to adapt to cultural diversity. I am not of the Christian faith and I have lived in this area for about 9 years now. After much discrimination and discussions with teachers, county school officials, etc. I was basically told that 'cultural change takes time and I might be better off somewhere else." This is a very conservative, religious (but fairly backwards), small town feel with a lot of camo-wearing hunters. I can't count the number of times I have been sitting with my two children at a restaurant and had to listen to hunting stories (with kids also as their parents bring them out hunting). The areas are fairly segregated and population is tight-knit and rude (the locals). If you were going to have to move then I would suggest the new subdivision of Snowden Bridge because it's the most diverse and many commute to Northern Virginia. With
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Quality of Life - 8/21/2014
I have lived in Winchester for about 40 years now. It is a very nice area in the Northern Shenandoah Valley. Our claims to fame would be the birthplace of Patsy Cline, The Apple Blossom Festival, MANY civil war battles, and the self-proclaimed "Apple Capital" of the world. Good schools. Only about an hour from northern virginia area and DC. We do have 4 seasons with humid summers and a good amount of snow in the winter. Great place to raise children. We have rivers, lakes and
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Stay Away!! - 8/2/2014
I have lived here(renter) since 2010. A big mistake! The city has a rising illegal drug problem and a rising assault rate. I have had property stolen from my residence two nights in a row.
The latest snobbery is a remark made by an official of the Winchester Police Department that "Fr enters are problems."
I would now rather be homeless in any place other than living in Winchester. When I raise the funds I Will leaver Winchester--
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Things we wish someone would have told us before w - 9/20/2012
As a military brat, I have lived all over the world in all kinds of different climates and cultures. My finance and I relocated to Winchester to attend the local university. Our move was dependent upon us securing a place to live. Four months before we planned to move, we flew up, stayed for a week, and explored. We found a place that was in our budget range and in a location we thought would be best for our lifestyles - we're both professional musicians (opera and jazz). While driving across the country to set up our new home - from Texas - our realtor called us to tell us the house was leased to someone else. Our realtor was working with another company and no one had ever mentioned that anyone else was interested in the home. We didn't think anything of it at the time and figured we would just give it the old college try and find a new place. We are an interracial couple - Puerto Rican(f) and White(m). Although we had excellent references, credit history - on both sides, and were
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Don't be afraid to keep looking - 7/24/2011
Winchester used to be a great little town with perhaps an unhealthy emphasis on its self-perceived historic importance, but it is now being dragged into the 21st century unwillingly and the results are decidedly mixed. The population in this area continues to grow at an alarming rate. I've been a frequent visitor to see lifelong friends who live here, one of whom is an environmental engineer, who predicts dire times ahead for the area as far as fresh water supply. Unchecked development in the county has stressed the local water table to its max and yet development continues. The county supervisors ignore the problem as long as property tax rolls grow. Disaster looms on the horizon.
That said, this area has the finest regional library system (www.handleyregional.org) I have ever seen. Schools are adequate but offer little encouragement for personal growth. Too much emphasis is placed on minimum competency rather than maximum potential achievement. Your son or
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Varies year to year - 2/8/2010
Bad winter this year with lots of snow. Summers are variable, but there have been some nice ones lately. Spring & fall are usually the
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Safe place to live - 1/2/2010
Winchester is like living in Mayberry. Very safe place. Like anywhere else, there is crime here, but you can sleep easy and not worry about your
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