About Darden
About Darden - Life in Charlottesville
Life in Charlottesville
Year-round natural beauty, historical sites, spectacular arts and music, and small-city sophistication — Charlottesville has it all.
Centrally located in the eastern foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia, Charlottesville offers something for everyone.
Foodies will enjoy the city’s renowned and high concentration of restaurants, wineries and breweries. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the rivers, lakes and beautiful parks. The area boasts several championship golf courses designed by leading industry architects and a vibrant equestrian culture.
The city’s historic attractions, such as Monticello, the Grounds of the University of Virginia and James Monroe's Highland, have played a unique role in the history of the nation.
Charlottesville: Resources & Things to Do
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Arts & Culture
Chroma Projects
Local art gallery located on the Downtown Mall
View Site >The Garage
A multipurpose space for art, music and film
View Site >IX Art Park
Public, noncommercial, interactive art space, open night and day
View Site >Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Museum
One of the world's finest collections of Australian aboriginal art
View Site >McGuffey Arts Center
An artist-run cooperative art center located near the Downtown Mall
View Site >Muse Paintbar
Studio combining painting instruction with a restaurant and bar
View Site >Second Street Gallery
Art gallery featuring contemporary art and artists
View Site >UVA Ruffin Gallery
Art gallery serving as an active part of UVA's Studio Art program
View Site >UVA Fralin Museum of Art
UVA's main art museum featuring national and international exhibits
View Site >Virginia Festival of the Book
Annual festival featuring renowned authors, writing workshops and more
View Site >Wine and Design Charlottesville
Studio offering art classes and wine for social groups
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Family Attractions
Albemarle County Parks
Albemarle County's numerous parks offer swimming, fishing, boating, picnic shelters and hiking.
View Site >Carter Mountain Orchard
Fruit orchard on nearby Carter Mountain offering fruit picking, recreation and great views of Charlottesville
View Site >Chiles Peach Orchard
Fruit orchard in nearby Crozet, Virginia, offering fruit picking and recreation
View Site >Liberty Mills Farm
Local farm offering a farm market and pick your own, plus seasonal events
View Site >Virginia Discovery Museum
Museum fostering intellectual curiosity and development for children
View Site >Visit Charlottesville: Family-Friendly Activities
Website offering a wide variety of family-friendly activities in the area
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Food & Drink
The Charlottesville area is home to one of the richest food communities in the country. From fine dining to casual eateries of every stripe, the area’s bustling food scene is one of Charlottesville’s finest attributes.
- Visit Charlottesville’s Restaurant Guide: A comprehensive guide to area eateries from the region’s tourism bureau
- C-ville Weekly’s Restaurant Listings: Restaurant listings from the local weekly newspaper
- The Charlottesville Guide’s Restaurant Listings: A list of area restaurant from a local tourism guide
- 43 Things to Eat in Charlottesville: A fun list of great local food from the folks at Spoon University
- The Charlottesville 29: News and a list of “ideal” 29 restaurants in Charlottesville
Wine, Beer & Cider
Virginia is home to roughly 200 wineries, numerous cideries and dozens of craft breweries and the Charlottesville region is home to some of the best. Most establishments welcome visitors for tours and tastings, and many hold events throughout the year.
- Virginia Wine: The state’s official wine tourism site
- Monticello Wine Trail: Information on the wineries located in the Charlottesville region
- Visit Charlottesville Vineyards, Breweries & Cideries: Guide from the region’s tourism bureau
- Darden Wine and Cuisine Club: The student club seeks to educate members about a range of food and drink
- Best Virginia Wineries to Visit: Many local wineries are included in this list from Food and Wine.
- Darden School of Brew: The student club seeks to educate members through hands on brewing experiences and guest speaker events.
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Historic Sites
James Monroe's Highland
Home of the fifth president of the United States
View Site >Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center
Educational center focusing on the historic expedition to the Pacific Ocean
View Site >Michie Tavern
A historic tavern providing food, drink and lodging for 200-plus years
View Site >Monticello
Home of Thomas Jefferson, UVA's founder, author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the U.S.
View Site >Montpelier
Home of James Madison, fourth president of the United States
View Site >University of Virginia Lawn and Rotunda
The heart of UVA and a UNESCO World Heritage site
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Music
Charlottesville Opera
Offering opera and musical performances for more than 40 years
View Site >The Jefferson Theater
Historic concert venue on the Downtown Mall
View Site >John Paul Jones Arena
UVA's basketball arena hosts concerts from Taylor Swift to Paul McCartney
View Site >Old Cabell Hall
UVA's principal lecture and concert hall, located on the historic Lawn
View Site >The Paramount Theater
Classic movie theater converted to a concert and performing arts space
View Site >The Southern
Intimate music venue located on the Downtown Mall
View Site >Sprint Pavilion
Outdoor concert pavilion on Charlottesville's Downtown Mall
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Outdoors & Recreation
George Washington National Forest
Home to the Blue Ridge Parkway and popular hikes such as Humpback Rocks
Visit Site >Golf Courses
View a listing of the area's many golf courses
Visit Site >James River Reeling and Rafting
Tubing, canoeing, kayaking and camping trips on the nearby James River
View Site >Observatory Hill Trail
A popular hiking and biking trail adjacent to UVA's Central Grounds
View Site >Old Rag Mountain
One of the most popular hikes and rock scrambles on the East Coast
View Site >Ragged Mountain Natural Area
Nearby natural area featuring two lakes, mature forest and several miles of trails
View Site >Rivanna Reservoir
Home to UVA Rowing and a premier location for fishing and boating
View Site >Rivanna Trail
A combined urban and wilderness trail encircling the city of Charlottesville
View Site >Shenandoah National Park
Home to the Skyline Drive and hundreds of miles of hiking trails along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains
View Site >UVA Athletics
Official home of the Cavaliers. Find out when UVA's national championship-winning men's and women's sports teams will play next.
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Sports Facilities
The University of Virginia offers world-class sports facilities that are available to members of the University community: golf, tennis, squash, rowing, swimming, baseball, lacrosse, polo — you name it.
Visit Virginia Sports Facilities and UVA Intramural-Recreational Sports for the full list.
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Theater & Film
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
Theater offering food, full bar, plus new and classic movie screenings
View Site >Live Arts
Charlottesville's premier venue for live stage performance
View Site >The Paramount Theater
Classic movie theater converted to a concert and performing arts space
View Site >Regal Stonefield Stadium 14 and IMAX
Charlottesville's largest movie theater featuring an IMAX screen
View Site >Violet Crown Movie Theater
Movie theater with a restaurant and bar on the Downtown Mall
View Site >Virginia Film Festival
Annual film festival attracting acclaimed independent films, actors and actresses
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More Charlottesville Resources
From hospitals to grocery stores, gyms to veterinarians, it's important to know the resources of a city. Here we share a wide, though by no means comprehensive, set of resources.
Publications and Guides
- Visit Charlottesville
- C-ville Weekly
- The Daily Progress
- Discover Charlottesville Digital Flipbook
- Charlottesville Guide
Groceries
- Charlottesville City Market
- C’ville Oriental
- Foods of All Nations
- Giant
- Harris Teeter
- Kroger
- Trader Joe’s
- Wegmans
- Whole Foods
Hospitals
Fitness
- ACAC
- Hot Yoga Charlottesville
- Crossfit Charlottesville
- North Grounds Recreation Center (UVA Gym)
- Pure Barre
- Ragged Mountain Running Shop
- Rocky Top Climbing Gym
- University Bike Share
Salons & Spas
Shopping
- Barracks Road Shopping Center
- Shops at Stonefield
- Downtown Mall
- Fashion Square Mall
- Fifth Street Station
Veterinarians
UVA: Home of the Cavaliers
We Play for Victory
