Community Life

Charlottesville:  The Best of Everything

But Have You Seen It?
With a population of 110,000, the Charlottesville area combines small-town charm with the attractions of a much larger metropolitan area - movies, lectures, bookstores, boutiques, concerts, and fine dining.  Minutes away are some of the most beautiful mountains, rolling farmlands, and free-running rivers and streams to be found anywhere in the United States.  This unbeatable mixture of lively urban scene, rural warmth and ambiance, and stunning landscape helps explain why Charlottesville consistently ranks among the nation's best places to live.

Here are just a few of the reasons why you might choose to spend the next year in Charlottesville:

Forget all your troubles, forget all your cares ...
and go downtown! Charlottesville's historic Main Street has been transformed into a bustling pedestrian mall - a place to stroll, browse, people watch, eat a slice of pizza, listen to music, or feast on a variety of meals.  Within seven blocks, there are clubs, bookstores, shops, galleries, antique dealers, movie theaters, coffee bars, outdoor music venues, an ice-skating rink, and more.

Only a few blocks away, West Main Street has become a popular place to find live music, gourmet food, barbecued wings, and funky furniture stores.

Head for the Hills
The Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway meet at the top of a mountain pass less than 20 miles west of Charlottesville.  Spectacular views abound here year-round and are a magnet for hikers, cyclists, climbers, campers, canoeists, and other outdoor enthusiasts.  Forgot your gear? Check out the U.Va. Outdoors Club to rent equipment.

All the Pretty Horses
Central Virginia is horse country. Polo and equestrian events dot the calendar, and the running of the Foxfield Races each spring and fall draws thousands to the grassy course west of town, not only for the steeplechase meet but also for a day of picnicking and tailgate festivities.  Each November, the Montpelier Hunt Races are held at James Madison's home in Orange County northeast of Charlottesville.

And the Oscar Goes to ...
In mid-fall, cinema fans, filmmakers, and celebrities (Anthony Hopkins and Roger Ebert, for instance) come to Charlottesville for the Virginia Film Festival, four days of screenings, premieres, commentary, and provocative seminars held at the University and locations throughout the city. Year-round, you can see first-run art and foreign films at movie houses downtown and at multi-screen theaters around the area.  And that's to say nothing of the new movies, documentaries, and classic films shown each week at Cinematheque in the University's Newcomb Hall Theater.

Virginia Is for Book Lovers
Each year in March the Virginia Festival of the Book brings poets, writers, critics, and publishers to Charlottesville each spring for a celebration of the printed word.  Residents of this book lover's town buy more books per capita than almost any other city in the country.

I'll Meet You on the Corner
That's the shopping and dining district conveniently located across from the northeast corner of the University.  You can stroll over to the Corner between classes to pick up another Virginia t-shirt or pair of running shoes, eat a Gusburger (the Corner's most famous fast food), buy a present for a friend or find a book to read over a cup of coffee.  You can also have your bike repaired, your hair styled, and your clothes altered.

Get out of Town!
If you really want to get out of town (but why would you?), Charlottesville is only 100 miles southwest of Washington, D.C., and 70 miles northwest of Richmond, Virginia.