A quick stop at Food Lion for picnic supplies for tomorrow’s adventures before heading to the Clocktower Eats & Sweets, Staunton, VA for dinner. We’ve eaten here before and it was really good. We spent most of the day driving and haven’t gotten much exercise so we’re skipping dessert, but if you come to eat here, definitely check out their very delicious looking bakery section.

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Well… our intentions were good. After a very warm walk around Staunton (pronounced Stanton) we found a gelato shop (The Split Banana) with interesting flavors that looked so delicious we had to try it. They make their gelato by hand, with fresh, grass-fed milk and high quality ingredients.

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Staunton was once nicknamed “Queen City of the Valley” when it was the county seat of the largest county in the world, larger than Germany or France, and even larger than most of the principalities of Europe.

Staunton became a transportation center with the arrival of the Virginia Central Railroad in 1854 and was an important supply base during the American Civil War, twice becoming occupied by Union troops.

Named “One of a Dozen Distinctive Destinations in the United States” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Staunton was also the first Virginia community to receive a “Great American Main Street Award.”

Staunton is best explored by foot, its compact downtown ha over 100 unique shops, art galleries and restaurants.

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