Charlottesville in the Spring
Charlottesville, VA is one of our favorite cities in the US. Matt attended grad-school at UVA and we've been heading back yearly every since. While we love to see the city in the Fall, you cannot go wrong with a visit in the Springtime months. We tend to visit in the Spring when Matt's university has a reunion, and the added bonus of seeing the city with friends, make it that much more special. Here is what we do on a long Spring weekend in CHO.
First, stay downtown as there are a handful of really great hotels that will compliment your weekend perfectly. We stay most often at the Residence Inn, since the location is perfect to the Downtown Mall, and the ambiance is quite nice. On the same main road (aptly named, Main Street), there is also a Quirk Hotel where I am dying to stay next. With that being said, we LOVED our stay at The Draftsman the most. This hotel has serious style.
Main Street is my favorite area of the city to window shop and grab a bit to eat. There are so many cute shops and restaurants that line both sides of the road. Head from your hotel towards the campus and you'll have a beautiful view enroute to your final destination. Another great place to shop, and a perfect place for outdoor dinning, is the Downtown Mall. Charlottesville has a great downtown and storefronts are perfect.
Main Street Charlottesville
The Charlottesville Downtown Mall
The Corner Charlottesville
While I don't love to spend a ton of time in the undergrad hangout neighborhood, The Corner, I do love the amazing UVA sportswear shop, Mincers. They have a huge selection of clothes and other fun UVA branded garb. I also like a quick stop at Heartwood Books.
Daily Market Charlottesville
A new food hall opened recently, so we enjoyed wandering around and grabbing lunch one afternoon. There were various restaurant options and plenty of sections, inside and out, where you can sit and eat. The atmosphere is spacious and open and the food options were delicious.
Charlottesville Murals
Another quirky attribute of Charlottesville, is the public art around the city. Murals can be found in the most obvious and most hidden spaces. I see many while driving so can't capture their beauty, but I especially love the ones that pop up while I'm walking around and least expect it.
While a trip to the Charlottesville wineries is a must during any season, it's especially fun to sit outside and enjoy a tasting during these warm (but not too warm) spring months. This region of Virginia is just beautiful in April. Our favorite wineries are Pippin Hill and King Family Vineyards, but there is an abundance of cool wineries to check out in this famous wine region.
Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
King Family Vineyards
Foxfield Horse Races
And speaking of horses...one of the coolest things to do in Charlottesville in the Spring (that you cannot do in the Fall) is to attend the horse races at Foxfield Racing. Our most recent visits have only been as part of a school activity, so the day at the races is complete with a tent for shade and packed with a buffet spread and open bar. No matter how you experience the races, it's a pretty cool affair.
I still think I prefer visiting in the autumn months (if I had to choose), but Charlottesville in the Spring has it's own special enchantment. See some other favorite Charlottesville vineyards here.
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