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10 Reasons To Visit Charlottesville, Virginia

10 Reasons To Visit Charlottesville, Virginia

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Three U.S. founding fathers called Charlottesville, Virginia home, but it’s also the birthplace of the U.S. wine industry. This historic city in Albemarle County has an abundance of wineries, historic sights and boundless natural beauty. Mild-weathered Charlottesville is the perfect place for a weekend getaway or longer. Here are 10 reasons to visit Charlottesville, Virginia.

Sources: VisitCharlottesville.org, Monticello.org, TrumpWinery.com, Keswick.com, ReelingAndRafting.com

Carri Wilbanks
Carri Wilbanks

1. Cheers History

American history buffs will want to set aside a half day for a tour of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s mountaintop home and plantation. There are three tours that will take you through the interior of the house, the gardens and the slave quarters, each lasting about 45 minutes. If you’re short on time, the house tour is the one you shouldn’t skip (you can walk around the grounds on your own afterwards). Don’t forget to check out some of Jefferson’s inventions, including the clock that marks days, hours and seconds with a pulley system.

Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org

2. Wine Down

Winemaking has been a tradition in Charlottesville for more than 200 years, and the surrounding area now produces some of the most acclaimed wines on the East Coast. Tour three wineries located within a few miles of each other: Blenheim, Trump Winery (Virginia’s largest) and Jefferson. At Bleinhem Vineyards, which is actually owned by Dave Matthews, visitors to the tasting room can peer through paneled glass floors into the wine production facility below. Dave Matthews himself designs the labels for the vineyard’s Painted Wines each year, and rumor has it that he occasionally appears, unannounced, to surprise visiting wine lovers.

Carri Wilbanks
Carri Wilbanks

3. Sleep in Luxury

Keswick Hall is a grand mansion where old-fashioned details like brass room keys and oversized claw-foot bathtubs meet modern amenities such as heated towel racks and an infinity pool. The property also boasts a spa, a fitness center with classes, a golf course and tennis courts. Request a deluxe balcony room for a view of the golf course or lush gardens, and don’t miss dinner at Fossett’s, the award-winning on-site restaurant. Pop open a bottle from a local vineyard as you take in the spectacular panoramic mountain views through Fossett’s floor-to-ceiling windows.

Carri Wilbanks
Carri Wilbanks

4. Explore the River

About 30 minutes south of Charlottesville you can spend an afternoon floating down the Saint James River in Scottsville. Reeling & Rafting offers self-guided float trips seven days a week. There are kayak and canoe rentals for the more adventurous, and tubes for visitors looking to kick back. Keep an eye on the riverbank as you float by for deer, blue herons, ospreys and bald eagles. After you’ve spent enough time on the water, enjoy a picnic lunch or book a table at nearby Tavern on the James for delicious American foods like rack of lamb, pulled pork and pineapple, and filet mignon with bacon-wrapped shrimp.

Carri Wilbanks
Carri Wilbanks

5. True Southern Taste

Back in Charlottesville, enjoy dinner at Clifton Inn, a historic mansion-turned-fine-dining restaurant that offers a tasting menu with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients and house-crafted cocktails. The menu is broken down into four categories based on your hunger level: delicate, light, full bodied and robust. A delicate meal might consist of a seasonal vegetable salad and local cheese, while a robust dinner could include a satisfying ribeye paired with mushrooms, caramelized green beans and tomato gastrique.  Four-course meals are $62, five courses run $76, and a chef’s seasonal tasting menu is also offered for $150. Reservations are a must. Clifton Inn is also a boutique hotel if you are looking for accommodations.

visitcharlottesville.org
Charlottesville CVB

6. Catch School Spirit

Experience the madness that is college football in the South and catch a Cavaliers game at University of Virginia. Insider tip: UVA has a longstanding tradition of dressing up for football games, with guys wearing ties and girls in sundresses. But if you’re going to go casual, you can at least represent the team color – orange!

Carri Wilbanks
Carri Wilbanks

7. Peddle the Town

Rent a bike from Blue Ridge Cyclery and explore the beautiful University of Virginia campus. It’s the only North American university designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and famous people such as Tina Fey, Katie Couric, Robert Kennedy and Edgar Allen Poe studied there. The campus is conveniently located near The Corner, a district known for its concentration of boutiques, bars and restaurants. Peddle to the Biltmore, which claims to be the No. 1 college bar in America, and decide for yourself.

Visitcharlottesville.org
Charlottesville CVB

8. Albemarle Cider

It’s not all about wine in Charlottesville. Virginia is also home to 11 cideries, including three in Albemarle County. Family-owned orchard Vintage Virginia Apples grows more than 200 apple varieties, and in 2009 they opened Albemarle CiderWorks. Their first batches of cider were a hit, and they have since introduced new options that have also been received well. Tastings are offered Wednesdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. until 5 p.m.

visitcharlottesville.org
Charlottesville CVB

9. Source Local

When the U.S. was formed, Albemarle County was dominated by agriculture and that legacy continues today. Just outside the city, you’ll find rolling hills and small family farms raising organic crops and free-range livestock. Residents have a strong commitment to shopping local and supporting small farms, and on Saturdays the place to food shop is City Market from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Some special Charlottesville products you need to try include caramels from Gearharts Fine Chocolate made with local cream and butter. For a healthier choice, try fresh juice from Lumi Juice.

Carri Wilbanks
Carri Wilbanks

10. Eat Ethnic

For a small city, Charlottesville offers a surprisingly diverse dining scene. You’ll find everything from Himalayan to South African and Indian restaurants in town. The buzzy spot of the moment is The Shebeen, a South African pub and restaurant that has a lively, fun atmosphere and serves quite a few unique and tasty dishes. I recommend the Cape mussels and curried crab dip for appetizers, followed by traditional South African dishes such as spicy peri-peri chicken or lamb curry potjie, a savory lamb and veggie stew.