We spent this past weekend in Charlottesville for Family Weekend at UVA, where Owen is a First Year. (Tidbit: They don’t say freshman, sophomore, etc.; instead it’s First Year, Second Year, etc.) It was a fantastic weekend in so many ways, mainly because the four of us got to spend a great few days together, and we got a glimpse into Owen’s college life, which he loves (and we love for him). We also met his friends, went to a football game, joined a BBQ with other families, roamed the gorgeous Grounds (another tidbit: they don’t all it campus) , enjoyed meals out, and went on a beautiful hike amid the fall foliage before we left on Sunday afternoon.
I plan to do a more comprehensive post about visiting UVA sometime. A UNESCO World Heritage Site with significant history and interesting sights, the university is worthy of a visit, even if you’re not looking at colleges.
For now, though, I wanted to do a quick post to suggest Charlottesville as an autumn destination. During our visit this past weekend, I happened to see this Instagram post depicting the backup of cars on Skyline Drive as the masses were out to see fall foliage. Then I saw this one today.
So, I thought it would be a good time to recommend a jaunt to Charlottesville if you want to do some leaf peeping — because it is splendid there. And it still should be this weekend and possibly the following one, too. Just a 2.5-hour drive from DC, you could make it a day trip (we’ve done it, and it’s not bad at all). A good portion of the drive there will give you stunning views of colorful landscapes, and once there, you have many options for places to go to enjoy even more.
We did a really nice hike at Kemper Park, stringing together a few trails for about a four-mile walk in the woods. It’s where Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is located, and while we didn’t visit his estate on this trip, it would make for a great outing to enjoy some history and fall scenery.
Owen is in the Outdoors Club at school and recently joined a hiking trip to Humpback Rocks. You can see early tinges of fall colors in his photos, and those same views are probably spectacular now. He also suggests Ragged Mountain with trails that loop around Charlottesville Reservoir. You can find even more recommended hiking spots here.
If you wanted to make a Charlottesville visit an overnight or weekend trip, there are several good hotels located right in town. We’ve stayed at The Doyle, The Graduate, and Boar’s Head Resort and really liked all of them. And this past weekend, we stayed at a great Airbnb about a 7-minute drive from Grounds. We’ve also enjoyed good meals on the rooftops of both the Doyle and Graduate (along with great views) and at Asado, Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar, The Ridley, Moe’s BBQ, and there are a bunch more restaurants and eateries right on Main Street and along the cute walkable Downtown Mall.
As mentioned, it’s about a 2.5-hour drive, and GPS has taken us on a few different routes there, depending on traffic. No matter which way you go, at least the last third is sure to be lovely.
Have you been to Charlottesville? What are some of your favorite things to do there?
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