Exploring the University of Virginia and Charlottesville

Exploring the University of Virginia and Charlottesville

Tours: Admission tours are available through the Office of Admission and offered year-round, while classes are in session. For information, please call (434) 982-3200.

Free guided tours of the Rotunda and Lawn are also 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 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 2:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:00 p.m. inside the Rotunda's main entrance. 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, the Academical Village, and the Pavilion Gardens.

U.Va. Bookstore The University of Virginia Bookstore: The University of Virginia Bookstore, located above the Central Grounds Parking Garage on Emmet Street, is a prime source of books, souvenirs, and information about the University and surrounding area.

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, known as "the Corner," stretches along University Avenue. The Corner is a hub of student life at the University.

Named in honor of Princess Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottesville was settled in the 18th century on a hill overlooking the Rivanna River. Today the city proper has a population of more than 42,000 with a metropolitan population nearing 200,000.

Charlottesville offers a unique combination of natural beauty, rich historical and cultural attractions, and close proximity to both a national park and the nation's capitol. Charlottesville consistently earns high marks as a desirable place to live; in recent years, it has appeared on top-ten lists of cities published by Money, Forbes, Kiplinger's, and Men's Health magazines as well as AARP and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Visitors flock annually to Monticello, home of the University's founder, Thomas Jefferson, Ashlawn-Highlands, home of James Monroe, and Montpelier, home of James Madison. Other local attractions include University-affiliated and community theater groups, the University of Virginia Art Museum, and such attractions as Art in Place, a city-wide sculpture garden, and First Fridays, a downtown art gallery tour.

Downtown Charlottesville is the legal, financial, and social hub of the community. The Downtown Mall, a tree-lined pedestrian walkway connecting the convention center and ice-skating rink with the city's new municipal amphitheatre, offers restaurants and pubs, boutique shops, coffee houses, art galleries, and a multiplex theatre.

Throughout the year, Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer other events that draw locals and out-of-towners. Each spring the Virginia Festival of the Book brings together readers and writers from around the country for lectures, seminars, and discussions about literature, poetry, and nonfiction. Summer brings Fridays After Five, a weekly concert series held on the Downtown Mall, and a Fourth of July celebration and ceremonies at Monticello.

Fall hosts regional crafts fairs to the area, wine-tasting tours, and scenic drives through the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains to view the fall foliage. Every winter brings First Night Virginia's New Year's Eve festivities, and skiing at Wintergreen, a resort in neighboring Nelson County.

The Albemarle County Courthouse: Built in 1762, the courthouse is located two blocks north of the Downtown Mall. When the British attacked Richmond in June 1781, the Virginia General Assembly made this building its temporary emergency capital. No other courthouse in the U.S. has been used by three early American presidents (Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe) at the same time.

Ash Lawn-Highland: Located approximately two miles from Monticello, this 550-acre estate was the home of President Monroe. The grounds feature gardens, farm-crafts demonstrations, and a hiking trail.

Montpelier: Located in Orange, Virginia, Montpelier was the home of President Madison. The 2,750-acre estate includes farmland, racecourses, a terraced two-acre formal garden, a National Landmark Forest, active archaeological sites, and more than 130 buildings, including the main house.

Charlottesville/Albemarle Convention and U.Va. Visitors Center: For the latest information about what to do in the Charlottesville/Albemarle area and check a calendar of events, visit www.pursuecharlottesville.org.

The U.Va. Visitor Center is located at 2306 Ivy Road in Charlottesville.

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

Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport: The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO) is located approximately eight miles from the University. CHO is a non-hub, commercial service airport offering 50 daily non-stop flights to and from Charlotte, Philadelphia, New York/LaGuardia, Washington/Dulles, Detroit, and Atlanta. CHO is served by Delta Connection, United Express (Atlantic Coast Airlines), and US Airways Express (Piedmont Airlines).

Several airport shuttles are available, as well as hotel shuttles, taxis, and rental cars. "Van on the Go" provides shuttle service from the Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport to U.Va. and the surrounding areas.

Amtrak: The Charlottesville Amtrak Station is located at 810 West Main Street, approximately two miles from the University. For fare and ticketing information, visit 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 Downtown Mall.

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Last Modified: 17-Jun-2011 10:50:17 EDT