Getting Settled in Charlottesville
We certainly hope that this is helpful information for your transition to Charlottesville. What you find here is by no means an exhaustive list of each category, but should be seen as a point of departure for getting to town and getting settled. We look forward to seeing you in Cabell Hall soon!
Graduate School of Arts & Sciences Who's Who, Forms, Guides, Publications, etc.
University of Virginia New Grad Guide
Transportation:
- Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport is located off 29N. Airports are also not too far away in Richmond, VA (1 hr drive) & Washington, DC (2 hr drive).
- Charlottesville also has a Greyhound station (#434-295-5131) and an Amtrak station (#800-872-7245), both located off West Main, not far from UVA Grounds.
- Charlottesville Transit Service (CTS) and University Transit Service (UTS) work together to provide bus transportation around the city and the UVA Grounds. UTS provides free rides to students on the UVA Grounds (blue, orange, green, Grounds loop, & Central Grounds shuttle). In addition, a free trolley runs from Downtown to UVA. CTS charges nominal fees for all other city buses.
- Off-campus students with vehicles can purchase a commuter parking pass for the U-Hall lot and take the free UTS bus into the Grounds. (Parking office # 434-924-7231). Or you can try your luck at finding a parking space on Jefferson Park Avenue (JPA), or park in the pay parking garage.
Living Arrangements :
Where to Live:
- Check with UVA Housing for info on grad student dorms and family housing , or consider rentals. Rental options range from apartments, duplexes, and rental homes, to a room or suite with a local resident, or a current student looking for a roommate. Check the following sources for rental info. (*Note: this partial list does not mean an endorsement of one agency over another).
- Blue Ridge Apartment Council
- Also check the online classifieds
of The Daily Progress,
The Cavalier Daily,
and the C-ville Weekly .
-
Rental agencies for local apartments and rental houses near campus include:
- 1800 JPA Ltd (434) 296-1800
- Management Services Corp (MSC) (877) 977-8203
- Offgrounds.com
- Shamrock Corp (434) 979-7307
- Uheights (434) 296-6337
- Wade Apartments (434) 293-9147
- Woodard Properties (434) 971-8860
Notes on living in town:
- Phone: Sprint is the local phone provider (800) 535-0189.
- Electricity: Virginia Power is the local provider (888) 667-3000.
- Recycling Center: Your apartment complex may have recycling facilities. Aluminum & paper recycling can be found in many on-campus buildings. A large recycling center is located off McIntire Rd (need a car to get there). They recycle all the standards (glass, newspaper, aluminum) as well as plastics, cardboard, paperboard/card stock, phone books, & magazines. They also have a clothing and book swap shed.
- Trash Removal: Most complexes have their own dumpster. All other individuals must purchase stickers - available at convenience stores or the supermarket - for roadside pick-up.
Personal Documents:
- Obtaining a Social Security number: Application
S.S. Services
in France
- DMV (for driver's licenses, VA vehicle tags & registration) is located on 250 East, past Pantops Shopping Center. #(866) 368-5463.
Groceries & Shopping:
In addtition to the many specialty shops you will find in town, there are many shopping centers located along Route 29 as you travel north from Charlottesville. Here is a short list to get you started:
Groceries
- Barrack's Road Shopping Center:
Harris Teeter, Kroger's, Rebecca's Natural Foods
- Rt 29 North: Whole Foods,
Kroger's
- Preston Ave: Integral Yoga
Natural Food/Veggie Heaven
- Ivy Rd: Food of All Nations
- West Main: Albemarle Baking
Company
- Market Street Wine Shop
(wines, imported cheeses, tea, coffee, chocolate, & other specialty
items)
- Lucky Seven Foods (convenience store on The Corner)
Supplies, Etc.:
- Rt. 29 North: Walmart, Kmart, Staples, Lowes, etc.
- Barracks Rd Shopping Center: Bed, Bath & Beyond, Barnes & Noble, etc.
- The Corner stores and the UVA Student Bookstore
- Fashion Square Mall (29 North; Belk, Sears, Abercrombie, SunCoast,etc.)
- The Downtown Mall has interesting arts and crafts galleries, & unique stores.
Attractions & Entertainment:
- Charlottesville/Albemarle
Convention & Visitors Bureau: (434) 977-1783.
- Check out the latest C-ville
for entertainment and dining information. Also pick up a Bites: a Taste
of Charlottesville for a breakdown on all the restaurants in the area.
Both are free & available on The Corner, at grocery stores, etc.
- Visit The Corner (University Avenue bordering the UVA Grounds) and The Downtown Mall (a pedestrian open-air area between Water Street & Market Street) for lots of restaurants, shopping, and entertainment options. During the summer, the Downtown Mall hosts Fridays After Five events.
Movies:
- The City of Charlottesville hosts an annual film festival each November.
- The French Department traditionally hosts a Francophone Film Festival during the spring semester.
- Newcomb Hall
- Vinegar Hill Theater
- Regal Cinemas
Food:
As with any city, restaurants in Charlottesville are often changing. For a list of local favorites & the newest places to dine, pick up a copy of one of our free weekly papers - The Hook or C-ville!
Winery Tours: Several in the area, including: White Hall, Oakencroft, Barboursville, Burnley, Jefferson, and Hill Top (for berry wines). Most offer tours & wine tastings. Keep your eyes open for wine festivals!
Outdoors:
- Carter's Mountain Orchard
(near Monticello; apples, cidar, & doughnuts)
- Blue Ridge Parkway & Skyline
Drive are great for scenic drives in the fall to see the changing leaves.
- Wintergreen provides excellent
skiing in the winter (1 hour drive)
- Lots of hiking trails in
the Blue Ridge, including Humpback Rocks and Old Rag Mountain.
- James River tubing (James River Runners in Scottsville, 30 min South; be sure to rent a floating cooler tube)
Indoors:
- Ice Skating (Downtown Mall)
- Swimming (University Aquatic Fitness Center)
Historical Sites:
- Monticello (Rt 53, off I64.
Home of Thomas Jefferson. Free to Charlottesville residents & students
with a paying guest!)
- Old Michie Tavern (Rt 53,
off I64. 1784 tavern and working restaurant) Montpelier (20 North, 45
min. Home of James Madison).
- Ash Lawn Highland (Rt 53, off I64. Home of James Monroe. Free to Charlottesville residents with a paying guest!).
Museums:
- Bayley Art Museum
- Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art
Exposition
- Art galleries on 2nd Street & the Downtown Mall
Out-of-town:
- Washington DC is 2 ½ hours away - take 29 North to Route 66!
- Richmond, VA: Edgar Allen Poe Museum, Canal walking tour, Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Virginia Historical Museum, Museum of the Confederacy, The Valentine, State Capital, lots of historical houses, etc. (1 hour east on I64)
- Staunton: Museum of Frontier Culture living history farms (45 min west I64) -Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, & Yorktown (I64 east, 2 hours)
Submitted by Larkin D. Murphy, 2002 (revised June, 2008)