There’s a different kind of buzz in Ashland when September arrives.
Suitcases are unpacked. Dorm rooms come to life. Families fill the sidewalks. And Randolph-Macon’s signature black and lemon seems to pop up everywhere you look.
The Yellow Jackets are back. And we love it.
Explore Ashland and Save
Here’s something every Yellow Jacket should know: your R-MC ID can unlock discounts around Ashland!
It’s an easy way for students to venture beyond campus, discover a new lunch spot, find a favorite coffee order, or explore more of the community they now call home.
Find participating Buzzz Bucks businesses on the Visit Ashland VA app to explore the full list and map.
Campus to Downtown in Minutes
One of the best parts about visiting Randolph-Macon is how easily the campus connects to the rest of Ashland.
Ashland/Hanover Visitor Center
Take a walk toward Railroad Avenue and you’ll find locally owned restaurants and shops, public art, historic buildings, and trains rolling right through the heart of town. Stop by the Ashland/Hanover Visitor Center, meet our welcoming staff, snap a family photo, and find a bench along the tracks to watch the trains pass.
A quick rail-safety reminder: Ashland’s active railroad is part of what makes our town unique, but the tracks are never a place to walk, stand, or take photos. Always use designated crossings, obey signals and crossing gates, and look and listen for trains in both directions. Learn more about how you can stay safe around the tracks.
Eat Along the Tracks
Seeing your Yellow Jacket is a perfectly good excuse to take them out for a real meal.
Grab lunch at The Caboose Market & Cafe, Homemades by Suzanne, or Ash & Olive, then wander downtown before heading back to campus.
If you’re staying through dinner, make a reservation, slow down and turn your campus visit into an evening in Ashland. Iron Horse Restaurant puts you right alongside the tracks for a meal that comes with a distinctly Ashland view.
Make Ashland Part of your RMC Tradition
Photo Credit: Randolph-Macon College
