Charlottesville is a university community, nestled in a valley, with an assortment of cultural opportunities, where life is friendly, the air is clean and ample views of the Blue Ridge Mountains delight the senses. Although we are a small town, we have the luxury of close proximity to large cities, with Washington D.C. being only two hours away and Richmond a short one-hour drive. For additional information please visit the Albemarle County website at : http://www.albemarle.org/ For fine resturants and their current menus please visit: http://www.restaurantdiningmenus.com. CHARLOTTESVILLE: A GREAT PLACE TO LIVE
| Charlottesville/Albemarle
One of the nicest aspects of working at the University of Virginia is its location at the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Central Virginia. The area's mild climate allows outdoor activities year-round. Charlottesville is a small, thriving city that has kept up with the well-cultivated tastes of its inhabitants. There are few places in the United States that combine a picturesque and cultivated countryside that is so rich in historical associations with the proximity of a national park and an array of cultural opportunities. Money Magazine recently named Charlottesville among the top cities in the United States.
The Downtown Mall
Downtown Charlottesville is the legal, financial, and social hub of the community. Recently, the mall has undergone a renaissance, as new coffee houses, art galleries, outdoor cafes, restaurants, movie theatres and a year-round indoor ice skating rink have brought more people to the area for recreation.
Local Activities
Theatre-goers attend productions by the Virginia Players and the Heritage Repertory Theatre or performances by the Four County Players and the Light Opera Society. Music-lovers look forward to the University's Tuesday Evening Concert series or concerts by local bands and symphony orchestras. The city also supports several art galleries.
The area celebrates spring with a Dogwood Festival and Parade, highlighted by blooming azaleas, dogwood trees, and redbud trees. The Virginia Festival of the Book, which brings together area readers and writers for lectures, seminars, and discussions about literature, poetry, and nonfiction, also occurs in early spring.
Summer festivals include the weekly after-work-celebration -- Fridays After Five -- a lively concert series at the grassy amphitheatre at the end of the historic downtown mall. Summer also brings Fourth of July celebration and ceremonies at Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home.
Fall in Virginia includes regional crafts fairs, wine-tasting tours, and breathtaking scenic drives through the Blue Ridge Mountains to view the fall foliage.
Winter is celebrated with First Night Virginia's New Year's Eve festivities for families featuring live music, entertainment, and fireworks at midnight. Skiing is plentiful within 40 minutes of Charlottesville.
The Corner
A collection of student shops, bookstores, cafes, and night spots, the Corner is the center of student life at the University. The Corner is always bustling, but it is especially active at noon. Faculty and staff adjourn there for lunch, where they mingle with students. Patrons of its many sidewalk cafes can be found spending time over a good book or simply sipping coffee and watching people walk by.
Albemarle County & Surrounding Areas
Charlottesville and Albemarle County have a combined population of around 117,000, with higher education, tourism, light manufacturing, agriculture, and retail trade constituting their economic base. Over the years, community leaders have done much to preserve the natural beauty and character of Albemarle County. The countryside, especially in the springtime, ranks among the most beautiful sites in the nation.
The countryside offers numerous Civil War sites and historical road-markers detailing more than two hundred years of history. Beautiful estates, bounded by split-rail fences and cedar trees, dot the rolling-hill landscape.
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