Buena Vista, Virginia
Buena Vista is a city of 6,593 people in Buena Vista city, Virginia, founded in 1892.
Why visit Buena Vista
Townapedia lists 10 museums and landmarks, 5 parks and trails, 6 places to eat, 1 place to stay and 6 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Elephant Mountain, Garnet Peak, Cedar Hill and Buena Vista Colored School.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 87°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Buena Vista
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Buena Vista
Buena Vista, called "BV" by locals, is an independent city located in the Blue Ridge Mountains region of Virginia in the United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 6,641. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the independent cities of Buena Vista and Lexington, along with surrounding Rockbridge County, for statistical purposes.
From the Wikipedia article Buena Vista, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do6
Museums and landmarks10
Cedar Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.3 mi
House and farm listed on the NRHP
Buena Vista Colored School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
School building in Buena Vista, United States of America
Buena Vista Downtown Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic district in Buena Vista, Virginia
Chapel Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Glen Maury
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Locust Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Old Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.4 mi
Couthouse in Buena Vista, Virginia
Southern Seminary Main Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Historic academic building in Virginia, US
Springdale
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.5 mi
Historic house near Lexington, Virginia, United States
W.N. Seay House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
Parks, trails and playgrounds5
Restaurants and cafes6
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.5 mi
210 West 22nd street, Buena Vista
Mo-Th 10:00-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:00-01:00; Su 10:00-24:00
Subway
Fast food · Sandwich · 0.8 mi
2522 Beech Avenue, Buena Vista
Mo-Th 09:00-22:00; Fr-Sa 09:00-23:00; Su 09:00-19:00
History
Formerly named Hart's Bottom, Green Forest or Green Valley until 1888, and chartered as a town in 1890, Buena Vista separated politically from surrounding Rockbridge County when granted a city charter on February 15, 1892.
The Buena Vista Downtown Historic District, Buena Vista Colored School, Cedar Hill, Glen Maury, Old Courthouse, Southern Seminary Main Building, and W.N. Seay House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
From the History section of Buena Vista, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay1
Churches and places of worship19
Shopping1
Gas and EV charging3
Schools, colleges and libraries16
Healthcare1
Map of Buena Vista
68 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 23°F | 3.1 in | 2.9 in |
| Feb | 49°F | 25°F | 2.8 in | 4.7 in |
| Mar | 57°F | 31°F | 3.5 in | 2.3 in |
| Apr | 68°F | 40°F | 3.7 in | 0.1 in |
| May | 76°F | 50°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 83°F | 59°F | 4.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 87°F | 64°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 85°F | 63°F | 3.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 79°F | 56°F | 3.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 69°F | 43°F | 3.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 58°F | 32°F | 3.2 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 48°F | 26°F | 3.5 in | 3.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Lexington Hcn (5 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Buena Vista city has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
- 2012-10-29: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
- 2012-07-27: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds (Severe Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Lynchburg Regional Airport (LYH) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 29 miles away.
- Amherst 20 mi southeast, about 32 min by car
- Madison Heights 24 mi southeast, about 38 min by car
- Lynchburg 25 mi south, about 39 min by car
- Forest 25 mi south, about 40 min by car
- Stuarts Draft 27 mi northeast, about 43 min by car
- Timberlake 29 mi south, about 47 min by car
- Staunton 34 mi northeast, about 54 min by car
- Waynesboro 34 mi northeast, about 55 min by car
- Blue Ridge 35 mi southwest, about 56 min by car
- Roanoke 45 mi southwest, about 1 h 15 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Buena Vista, Virginia, Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
- Cedar Hill from the front lawn, Gnupratchett, CC0
- Buena Vista Colored School Nov 12, Pubdog, Public domain
- Old Courthouse Buena Vista VA Nov 11, Pubdog, Public domain
- Locust Hill driveway from Forge Road, Nyttend, Public domain
- W.N. Seay House Nov 12, Pubdog, Public domain
- Glen Maury near Buena Vista, Nyttend, Public domain
- Picture of Chapel Hill, Lexington, VA, Lasmit30, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Southern Seminary Main Building Nov 12, Pubdog, Public domain
- Springdale outside Lexington, Nyttend, Public domain
- Buena Vista Downtown Historic District Nov 12, Pubdog, Public domain
- Southern Virginia University, Carol M. Highsmith, Public domain
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