Exploring the University of Virginia and Charlottesville

Exploring the University of Virginia and Charlottesville


	Tours: Admission tours are available and meet at various locations. Call the Office of Admission at (434) 982-3200 for more information. Free guided tours of the Rotunda and Lawn are provided year-round. Tours meet daily (except during the Thanksgiving holiday in November and the three-week holiday break in Dec.-Jan. and the final exam period during the first three weeks of May) at 10, 11, 2, 3, and 4 inside the main entrance of the Rotunda. Call (434) 924-7969 for more information. Tours are accessible to individuals in wheelchairs, and interpreters are available for the hearing impaired. The Rotunda provides brochures with walking tours of the Rotunda, and the Pavilion Gardens.

The University of Virginia Bookstore: The University of Virginia Bookstore, located above the Central Grounds Parking Garage on Emmet Street, is an excellent source of books, souvenirs, and information about the University and surrounding area. The bookstore offers a section on local authors, texts and picture books about Charlottesville and the University of Virginia, as well as U.Va. memorabilia.

Newcomb Hall: The student union, Newcomb Hall, houses snack shops on its lower level and an information desk on the third floor.

Places to Stay: Check out local hotels and motels near the University.

A collection of student shops, bookstores, cafes, and night spots, "the Corner" on University Avenue is the center of student life at the University. Always bustling, the Corner is especially active at noon. Faculty and staff adjourn there for lunch, where they mingle with students. Patrons of the Corner's sidewalk cafes can be found spending time over a good book or simply sipping coffee and people watching.

Named in honor of Princess Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottesville was settled in the eighteenth century on a hill overlooking the Rivanna River. Today, Charlottesville is a small, thriving city that has kept up with the well-cultivated tastes of its inhabitants. The city's population is over 40,000 with a metropolitan population nearing 200,000. There are few places in the United States that combine a picturesque and cultivated countryside that is so rich in historical associations with the proximity of a national park and a wide array of cultural opportunities. In July 2008, Outside Magazine recognized Charlottesville as a top place to live in the country. Read more. In 2008, Forbes Magazine and Money Magazine also named Charlottesville among the top cities in the United States. In their book, Cities Ranked and Rated, Bert Sperling and Peter Sander continue to rank Charlottesville in the top 5% among the best places to live in the United States. Read More. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, the country's largest private, nonprofit preservation organization, named Charlottesville to its 2007 list of America's Dozen Distinctive Destinations, an annual list of unique and lovingly preserved communities in the United States. Charlottesville was selected from 63 destinations in 27 states that were nominated by individuals, preservation organizations and local communities. Read more.

Downtown Charlottesville is the legal, financial, and social hub of the community. It's not unusual to see lawyers walking from their Court Square offices to try their first case of the day. Or old friends meeting for breakfast at one of the local eateries on the Downtown Mall, a tree-lined pedestrian walkway connecting the convention center and ice-skating rink with the city's new municipal amphitheatre. Recently, the mall has undergone a renaissance, as new coffee houses, art galleries, outdoor cafes, an indoor ice-skating rink, a multiplex theatre, and restaurants have brought more people to the area for recreation.

In the quiet times of the day, you can just glimpse the sleepy southern town that was Charlottesville forty years ago. But as the sun rises, the pace of activity picks up considerably, and Downtown Charlottesville moves firmly into the twenty-first century. The restaurants and retail stores on the mall are bustling, as professionals, students, and townspeople stop for lunch or to check their e-mail in one of our many coffee shops with Internet connections.

Theatregoers attend on-Grounds productions by the Virginia Players and the Heritage Theatre Festival or performances by the Four County Players and the Light Opera Society. Music-lovers look forward to the University's Tuesday Evening Concert series or concerts by local bands and symphony orchestras. University students, community members of all ages and visitors to the area enjoy fine art from around the world at the permanent galleries and special exhibitions at the University of Virginia Art Museum. The city also supports a number of art galleries and twenty-six movie theatres.

The area celebrates spring with a Dogwood Festival and Parade, highlighted by blooming azaleas, dogwood and redbud trees. The Virginia Festival of the Book, which brings together readers and writers from around the country for lectures, seminars, and discussions about literature, poetry, and nonfiction, also occurs in early spring.
Summer festivals include the weekly after-work celebration -- Fridays After Five -- a lively concert series at the grassy amphitheatre at the western end of the historic downtown mall.

Summer also brings a Fourth of July celebration and ceremonies at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home.

People at tables

Fall hosts regional crafts fairs to the area, wine tasting tours, and breathtaking scenic drives through the Blue Ridge Mountains to view the fall foliage.

Every winter brings First Night Virginia's New Year's Eve festivities for families, featuring live music, entertainment, and fireworks at midnight.


	Charlottesville and Albemarle County have a combined population of around 117,000, with higher education, tourism, light manufacturing, agriculture, and retail trade constituting their economic base. Over the years, community leaders have done much to preserve the natural beauty and character of Albemarle County. The countryside, especially in the springtime, ranks among the most beautiful sites in the nation. Take a picnic and drive into the countryside; you'll discover numerous Civil War sites and historical markers detailing more than two hundred years of history. Beautiful estates, bounded by split-rail fences and cedar trees, dot the rolling-hill landscape.

The Albemarle County Courthouse: Two blocks north of the Downtown Mall. Built in 1762, the courthouse was the site of a raid by British dragoons hoping to capture fleeing state legislators. Most escaped, though Daniel Boone was captured.

Ash Lawn-Highland: Slightly more than two miles from Monticello. The restored home of President James Monroe, this 550-acre estate features gardens, farm-crafts demonstrations, and a hiking trail. The scene of many special events such as the Summer Festival (opera & musical theatre), the Champagne and Candlelight Tour, and the Colonial Crafts Weekend. (Mar.-Oct.: 9-6; Nov.-Feb.: 10-5; open daily except Christmas, New Year's Day, and Thanksgiving. Admission is charged.)

Montpelier: Located in Orange, Virginia. Montpelier is a 2,750-acre estate that includes farmland, racecourses, a terraced two-acre formal garden, a panoramic landscape, a National Landmark Forest, active archaeological sites, and more than 130 buildings, including the main house.

Charlottesville/Albemarle Convention and Visitors Center: All the information you need, including maps, guides, brochures and more, can be found here! Visitor Center -- Highway 20S at I-64 (Open Mar.-Oct.: 9-5:30 daily and Nov.-Feb.: 9-5 daily) and Visitor Center -- Downtown at the eastern end of the Downtown Mall (Open daily except Sunday: 10-5).

Places to Stay: The University of Virginia Foundation offers two places for visitors to stay: the Boar's Head Inn, a resort just west of the University and the Cavalier Inn, located a block from the Rotunda.

Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport: The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO) is located approximately 8 miles from the University. CHO is a non-hub, commercial service airport offering 60 daily non-stop flights to and from Charlotte, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York/LaGuardia, Washington/Dulles, Cincinnati, and Atlanta. CHO is served by Delta Connection, United Express (Atlantic Coast Airlines), and US Airways Express (Piedmont Airlines). Go.

Airport Shuttles are available. "Van on the Go" provides shuttle service from the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport to U.Va. and the surrounding areas. Go.

Amtrak : The Charlottesville Amtrak Station is located at 810 West Main Street, approximately 2 miles from the University. Find information to help you research your trip, find the best fare, and book your tickets. Go.

Greyhound Bus: The Greyhound Bus Terminal in Charlottesville is located at 310 West Main Street, approximately 2.15 miles from the University and close to the Historic Downtown Mall. Go.

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Last Modified: 19-Feb-2009 16:49:04 EST