Charlottesville or “Cville” for short, is mine and Brendan’s home away from home and our regular escape from the bustling D.C. area. It’s a small to medium sized town less than a 3-hour drive from D.C. with a little under 50,000 permanent residents and is the quintessential “college town”. Cville is home to Shenandoah National Park, the University of Virginia (where Brendan studied undergrad), hundreds of wineries/breweries, and home to an incredible variety of cuisine. We grew to love it so much we even got married here! Any weekend in this Virginia town is filled with wine, good food, and countless activities outdoors.
After years of visiting and finding our true favorites, here are what we consider the gems of Charlottesville:
Places to Stay
- The Jeff Hotel
- The Quirk Hotel
- The Clifton
- This Air BnB
Places to Eat:
- Bodo’s Bagels
- Cou Cou Rachou
- Mudhouse Coffee
- Cake Bloom
- Ivy Provisions
- The Virginian
- Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint
- The Local
- Tavola
- The Alley Light
- C&O Restaurant
Vineyards
- Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards
- Kind Family Vineyards
- Veritas Vineyards and Winery
Breweries
- Blue Mountain Brewery
- Star Hill Brewery
- 3 Notch’d Brewing Company
Visiting Cville (especially, only for a weekend) can seem overwhelming with deciding where to start. After many years of traveling, we have come to realize that less is more, and that always applies to Charlottesville. For wine tastings and breweries, settling into a place for the day feels superior to running to as many tastings as you can before the sun sets. This is our #1 tip when visiting, it will make your time that much more relaxing, we promise.
As for the cuisine, you really can’t go wrong as long as you know what food and vibe you are in the mood for! We never miss going to Bodo’s for breakfast, getting coffee at Mudhouse, or going to dinner at The Alley Light on each of our visits (if that gives you any clues).
If you have a full weekend away in Cville, we recommend boxing one of those days off for wine/beer tastings and a fun dinner along the downtown mall, followed by heading over the Shenandoah National Park with a packed lunch for a quick hike on your second day before leaving. If you have some extra time, definitely check out UVA’s campus and walk along “The Lawn” or drive over to Monticello to see a true Virginia staple. Each morning grab a fun breakfast/coffee at one of the places listed above and you will be set for the perfect weekend!
Accommodations
The Jeff Hotel
110 E Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
We like to think this is the best kept secret of Charlottesville. The Jeff is the perfect boutique hotel with only 8 rooms and a self-check in system that creates a very private experience. They offer suites and studios, with the main difference being square footage. Each room is equipped with a mini fridge, Nespresso machine, large flat screen TV, and a Marshall speaker (our favorite). The Jeff is also centrally located in the middle of the downtown mall, steps away from so many of our favorite restaurants.
The Quirk Hotel
499 W Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22903
The Quirk is a great full-service hotel on Main Street just a short walk away from of the downtown mall. You can enjoy being walking distance to many restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops just right outside of the hotel. We stayed here during our wedding weekend and felt completely taken care of and look forward to staying again! They have 2 restaurants, 1 cafe and 2 bars on sight for your convenience.
The Clifton
1296 Clifton Inn Dr, Charlottesville, VA 22911
Located a 15-minute drive east of downtown Cville, you’ll find this quaint hotel nestled in the countryside. Stay here if you are looking for a tranquil retreat away from the hustle and bustle. With a restaurant and bar on site you will have almost everything that you need for a nice weekend away! In the summer months you will also have access to their outdoor pool area. Brendan and I have only stayed here in the winter, but we still felt like we got ample access to their grounds and amenities. We highly recommend booking far in advance due to their weekends filling up quickly, as The Clifton is a popular wedding venue.
Food
Bodo’s Bagels
Bodos is a total must do when in Charlottesville and is home to some of my favorite bagels. Their bagels are always served hot and fresh (no need to ask for toasting), they have a variety of cream cheese flavors, and have a full menu for breakfast and lunch. Depending on which of their multiple locations you go to, you’ll run into the big college student crowd or small young families coming in for breakfast after their weekend sports games. My go-to order is always a bacon, egg, & cheese on an everything bagel and then splitting half of a plain bagel with their blueberry cream cheese with Brendan. Make sure to also order their cute water cup to go with your order. We always stock up on a dozen bagels and cream cheese to take back to D.C. with us every time we visit.
Coo Coo Rachou
917B Preston Ave. Charlottesville, VA 22902
This is the most adorable little French bakery and is fairly new to the Charlottesville area! We recently discovered Coo Coo Rachou during our last visit and their pastries are absolutely delicious. Each week they will post on their Instagram their upcoming menu which will typically include croissants, pain au chocolat, homemade English muffins, baguettes and more!
Mudhouse Coffee
Mudhouse is a great stop in the mornings, especially if you are staying along the downtown mall. Picture a cozy coffee shop with the newest indie hits playing in the background, brick walls, original wood floors with the strong scent of coffee filling the room. I am personally not a coffee drinker (Brendan can vouch for their coffee), but their chai latte and other teas are always great. They also have a small selection of pastries and breakfast items to pair with your drink of choice.
Cake Bloom
705 W Main St. Charlottesville, VA 22903
This is an adorable cake shop on Main Street, very close to the downtown mall. They offer cake tastings paired with champagne and other goodies. We got our wedding cake here and it was so delicious! Our favorite flavor is by far their tri-color carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.
Ivy Provisions
2206 Ivy Rd. Charlottesville, VA 22903
A popular lunch stop for unique sandwiches and snacks. We have come here many times on our way out to the vineyards to grab a picnic lunch. In Cville’s peak seasons (Summer & Fall) we recommend ordering ahead of time.
The Virginian
1521 University Ave. Charlottesville, VA 22903
This is a classic restaurant along The Corner, on UVA’s campus, and is the oldest restaurant in Charlottesville! On weekend nights you can find students dancing on the tables all night long and then crawling in the next morning for their delicious brunch. We love ordering their potato cake covered mac and cheese to pair with our entrees.
Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint
109 2nd St. SE Charlottesville, VA 22902
If you are looking for a very casual spot this is it! This is a chain restaurant, but it really doesn’t feel like it! The day after our wedding, this was our #1 choice to help revive us after the full weekend. This is a total dive bar with the perfect burger, French fries, and a local craft beer nothing could be better.
The Local
824 Hinton Ave. Charlottesville, VA 22902
Tucked away in the Belmont neighborhood, The Local is a leisurely walk (30 min) from the downtown mall or a quick drive to get to this cute dinner spot. They have a vast menu with all kinds of options, so it is easy to get pretty much anything you could crave. Reservations may not always be necessary but would be helpful to book just in case.
Tavola
826 Hinton Ave. Charlottesville, VA 22902
In Belmont, right next door to The Local is this amazing Italian restaurant. Brendan loves Italian food, so we are always trying to find the best places and Tavola exceeds all expectations. They have such a wonderful rustic, cozy atmosphere with friendly service and incredible pastas. We recommend making a reservation ahead of time as this is one of the more sought out dinner spots in the area.
The Alley Light
108 2nd St. SW, Charlottesville, VA 22902
This is one of the best date spots in the area and we try to go each time we visit. They don’t have too many tables, so you definitely want to try and snag a reservation ahead of time. If you get lucky, or if you request it, they have an adorable table tucked away in their wine cellar behind the host stand where you will get complete privacy during your meal. One of our favorite dishes is their beef stew.
C&O Restaurant
515 E Water St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Tucked away at the end of the downtown mall you’ll run into C&O’s lantern lit entrance, where you will walk into this adorably cozy old house for dinner. This is another wonderful date night spot in the area, and is also a popular place for special occasions and events. We have spent many special dinners here and always look forward to coming again. We recommend making a reservation ahead of time.
Vineyards
Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyards
5022 Plank Rd, North Garden, VA 22959
The creme de la creme of Charlottesville wineries is Pippin Hill. You can find delicious wine no matter where you go in Charlottesville, but if you are looking for an entire experience this is your place! Our favorites off their wine list jump between their Petit Verdot or Viognier (both Virginia wine staples) and their Chardonnay.
Our move at Pippin is to either get a reservation on their veranda (our favorite) for lunch or to bring a picnic blanket to sit on their lawn (no reservation required). Reservations open up 60 days out for their veranda or inside the tasting room, and estate tastings (disclaimer: Pippin does not allow outside food). We recommend arriving as soon as they open at 11:00 am if you are sitting on the lawn due to their parking lot filling up quickly. If you have a reservation no need to come earlier unless you want to! Either way, you can enjoy your afternoon ordering their food and bottles of wine, watching the day go by with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the backdrop.
Pippin knows how to please their guests, and their food is no exception. They have their own vegetable gardens with seasonal ingredients that they use on their ever-changing menu. Our favorites are the grass-fed beef sliders, heirloom tomatoes & burrata, and hummus platter.
Pippin, in addition to being an incredible vineyard, is a very special place to Brendan and me because we got married here! We knew this was the place we were meant to get married, after years of visiting and falling in love with their wine, food, and ambiance. It felt so special to bring all of our favorite people to truly our favorite place. You will not find a more perfect place to spend time on your weekend away.
King Family Vineyards
6550 Roseland Farm, Crozet, VA 22932
King Family is a Charlottesville wine staple and a big favorite of ours. It’s the perfect place to bring a picnic blanket and your favorite snacks to relax for the entire afternoon. A big draw to King Family is their polo field and weekly polo matches throughout May-October. Picture an extensive field with the Blue Ridge Mountains and King Family’s staple green and white barn in the backdrop. Our favorites on their wine list are the Meritage Red Blend and their Crose rose wine.
King Family sells limited food (cheese & crackers) so if planning on spending your afternoon there, you definitely want to plan ahead. Sometimes on the weekends they will have a food truck on their property but otherwise, we recommend stopping at Greenwood Grocery for picnic supplies and sandwiches. It’s a small store with specialty groceries, wine, beer, and a great deli counter with one-of-a-kind sandwiches.
Veritas Vineyards & Winery
151 Veritas Ln, Afton, VA 22920
If you want to feel like you’re tucked away in the Virginia mountains, Veritas is a perfect stop on your weekend in Charlottesville. This was our first winery experience in Virginia, and it quickly became one of our favorites. Reservations are needed for guided wine tastings, indoor/outdoor tables with food service, and their seasonal fire pit tastings. But, without a reservation you can still spend time on their lawn or inside their tasting room for walk-in wine tastings and ordering off of their menu. Veritas allows outside food, so a homemade picnic is also a fun option! For their wine, our all-time favorite wines are their White Star and Red Star blends, they are both perfect easy drinking wines.
Breweries
Blue Mountain Brewery
9519 Critzer Shop Rd Afton, VA 22920
Charlottesville Activities
If you somehow get tired of drinking Virginia’s wine all weekend long, you don’t need to venture too far to find other great activities in the area! If you head over to the University’s campus you can find a wonderful place to walk around and view all the beautiful old architecture and learn about UVA‘s history. You will find the famous Rotunda on the lawn at the center of campus and not far from there is The Corner, filled with tons of restaurants and bars for students and visitors. Our favorites over here are Boylan, The Virginian, Bodo’s Bagels, and the local UVA merchandise shops.
Outside of UVA, you can drive about an hour north of cville and run into Shenandoah National Park for a day (or weekend) filled with hiking and exploring the Blue Ridge Mountains. Another great option is to drive along Skyline Drive and enjoy the views from plenty of overlooks. This is especially beautiful in the fall. Our favorite hike in the park is Old Rag, which is a 9.4 mile circuit up to see an incredible view of the park. It is difficult hike, so we recommend bringing plenty of water and food and plan your daylight hours accordingly. Another great option is hopping on to the Appalachian Trail for as much distance as you like.
