Central and Western Virginia
We’ve compiled the best of the best in Central and Western Virginia - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Monticello
Thomas Jefferson's home, featured on the back of the U.S. nickel, is well worth the admission and the almost inevitable wait. Arrive early, ideally on a weekday, and allow at least three hours to explore the nuances of Jefferson's life as exemplified by the architecture, inventions, and layout throughout his grand hilltop estate. Monticello (which means "little mountain") is the most famous of Jefferson's homes, constructed from 1769 to 1809. Note the narrow staircases—hidden because he considered them unsightly and a waste of space—and his inventions, such as a seven-day clock and a two-pen contraption that allowed him to make a copy of his correspondence as he wrote it without having to show it to a copyist. On-site are re-created gardens, the plantation street where his slaves lived, and a gift shop.
View Tours and Activities931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902, USA434-984–9800Sight Details
Rate Includes: Mar.–Oct. $25; Nov.–Feb. $20, Mar.–Nov., daily 9–5; Dec.–Feb., daily 10–4 -
2. Ash Lawn–Highland
Standing in contrast to the grandiose Monticello is the modest home of James Monroe, who held more major political offices than any other U.S. president. He intentionally kept it a simple farmhouse, building the home in 1799, two miles from his friend Jefferson's estate. A later owner added on a more prominent two-story section where two of the original Monroe rooms burned down. Though it definitely has a more common feel than Monticello, the small rooms in Ash Lawn–Highland are similarly crowded, with gifts from notables and souvenirs from Monroe's time as envoy to France. Allow a couple of hours to visit Monroe's estate, a perfect way to complete a day that begins at Monticello.
2050 James Monroe Pkwy., Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902, USA434-293–8000Sight Details
Rate Includes: $14, Apr.–Oct., daily 9–6; Nov.–Mar., daily 11–5 -
3. Carter's Mountain Orchard
If apple cider is more to your taste, visit Carter's Mountain Orchard for stunning views of Charlottesville and some of the best apples in the state, or pick your own bushel during the season.
1435 Carters Mountain Trail, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22901, USA434-977–1833Sight Details
Rate Includes: pick-your-own April to November -
4. McGuffey Art Center
DowntownHoused in a converted 1916 school building, McGuffey Art Center contains the 2nd Street Gallery and the studios of painters, printmakers, metalworkers, and sculptors, all of which are open to the public.
201 2nd St. NW, Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902, USA434-295–7973Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Tues.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 1–5 -
5. The Fralin Museum of Art
One block north of the Rotunda, the Fralin Museum of Art (formerly known as the University of Virginia Art Museum) houses art from around the world, including pieces from ancient times to present day.
155 Rugby Rd., Charlottesville, Virginia, 22903, USA434-924–3592Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Tues.–Sun. noon–5, Closed Mon. -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. The Starr Hill Brewery
The Starr Hill Breweryis one of the most well-respected breweries on the East Coast, featuring four house brews—Amber Ale, Pale Ale, Jomo Lager, and Dark Starr Stout—and open for tastings on weekends from noon to 5.
5391 Three Notched Rd., Crozet, Virginia, 22932, USA434-823–5671Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Mon. -
7. University of Virginia
UniversityThe University of Virginia is simply called "The University" by many associated with it, annoying its rivals. Unquestionably, though, it is one of the nation's most notable public universities, founded and designed by 76-year-old Thomas Jefferson, who called himself the university's father in his own epitaph. Even if you're not an architecture or history buff, the green terraced expanse called The Lawn, surrounded by redbrick columned buildings, is astounding. The Rotunda is a half-scale replica of Rome's Pantheon, suggesting Jefferson's Monticello and the U.S. Capitol. Behind the Pavilions, where senior faculty live, serpentine walls surround small, flowering gardens. Edgar Allan Poe's room—where he spent one year as a student until debt forced him to leave—is preserved on the West Range at No. 13. Campus tours (daily at 10, 11, 2, 3, and 4 pm) begin indoors in the Rotunda, whose entrance is on the Lawn side, lower level.
Charlottesville, Virginia, USA434-924–3239Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Rotunda daily 9–4:45. University closed during winter break in Dec. and Jan. and spring exams 1st 3 wks of May, Closed during school breaks, No tours on home football game days -
8. Virginia Discovery Museum
DowntownThe Virginia Discovery Museum at the east end of the downtown mall is full of hands-on exhibits. Children can step inside a giant kaleidoscope, explore a reconstructed log cabin, or watch bees in action in a working hive.
524 E. Main St., Charlottesville, Virginia, 22902, USA434-977–1025Sight Details
Rate Includes: $8, Tues.–Sat. 10–5, Sun. 1–5, Closed during private events, Pay what you want 1st Wed. of month
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