Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Charlottesville travel guide

Charlottesville Tourism | Charlottesville Guide

You're Going to Love Charlottesville

With a population of 43 475, Charlottesville is a must-see destination in Virginia, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Charlottesville deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Charlottesville

North Downtown is the neighborhood with the most restaurants in Charlottesville. These include popular favorites such as C&O (515 E Water St), Fleurie (108 3rd St NE) and Ten (120 B. East Main Street). If you’re looking for affordable options, Public Fish & Oyster (513 W. Main St) and Black Cow Chophouse (420 W Main St) are great picks.

When to visit Charlottesville

Charlottesville in December
Estimated hotel price
$135
1 night at 3-star hotel
Charlottesville in December
Estimated hotel price
$135
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Charlottesville in July, when the average temperature is 75.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 26.6 °F, with an average temperature of 35.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in September, when precipitation is around 4.5″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Charlottesville, with an average rainfall of 2.7″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Charlottesville

Plane

When flying to Charlottesville, you’ll arrive at Charlottesville Albemarle (CHO), which is located 12 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charlottesville include American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Charlottesville departs from Boston and takes around 3h 17m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Charlottesville. The train journey from Charlottesville to New York takes 6h 54m and costs around $142 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Boston, expect to pay about $72 for a 11h 16m trip. The train station in Charlottesville is called Charlottesville, and is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Charlottesville is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 159 km from Charlottesville. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

You can travel by bus to Charlottesville using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Washington, D.C., the bus ride to Charlottesville takes 354 km and will cost you around $51. From New York, the ticket costs about $58 for a journey of 941 km. The most popular bus station is Charlottesville Barracks Road Shopping Center, located 3.1 km from downtown Charlottesville. Charlottesville Campbells Travel - 310 W Main St is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Charlottesville, you’ll arrive at Charlottesville Albemarle (CHO), which is located 12 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charlottesville include American Airlines, Delta and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Charlottesville departs from Boston and takes around 3h 17m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Charlottesville. The train journey from Charlottesville to New York takes 6h 54m and costs around $142 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Boston, expect to pay about $72 for a 11h 16m trip. The train station in Charlottesville is called Charlottesville, and is located 1.1 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Charlottesville is to pick up a car rental from Washington, D.C., which is about 159 km from Charlottesville. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

You can travel by bus to Charlottesville using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Washington, D.C., the bus ride to Charlottesville takes 354 km and will cost you around $51. From New York, the ticket costs about $58 for a journey of 941 km. The most popular bus station is Charlottesville Barracks Road Shopping Center, located 3.1 km from downtown Charlottesville. Charlottesville Campbells Travel - 310 W Main St is also a commonly used station, and is 0.5 km from the city center.

Airports near Charlottesville

CHOCharlottesville Albemarle
RICRichmond Byrd Intl

Airlines serving Charlottesville

KLM
Good (1,441 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,731 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,689 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,075 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,193 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,091 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,176 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,720 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,523 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,479 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (894 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,635 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,655 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,373 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,139 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,351 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,174 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (382 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,745 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (2,122 reviews)
Show more
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Where to stay in Charlottesville

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Holiday Inn Express & Suites Charlottesville, an IHG Hotel and Affordable Suites Charlottesville. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Charlottesville, with prices from $28 to $800 per night. North Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Charlottesville are about 139% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Charlottesville

Most booked hotels in Charlottesville

See all
Kimpton The Forum Hotel By IHG
4 stars
Excellent (9.4, 176 reviews)
$191+
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Keswick Hall
5 stars
Excellent (9.8, 34 reviews)
$570+
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Omni Charlottesville Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 619 reviews)
$163+
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Boar's Head Resort
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 314 reviews)
$181+
View
The English Inn of Charlottesville
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 1854 reviews)
$102+
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DoubleTree by Hilton Charlottesville
4 stars
Excellent (8, 934 reviews)
$101+
View

Renting a car in Charlottesville

Renting a car in Charlottesville costs $69 per day, on average, or $138 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Budget, Avis and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Charlottesville is the Dollar branch at 100 Bowen Loop, which is 12 km from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at Charlottesville Albemarle.

Expect to pay $3.14 per gallon in Charlottesville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $37.70 and $50.27. Compact (Nissan Sentra or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Charlottesville, while also 53% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Charlottesville costs $69 per day, on average, or $138 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Budget, Avis and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Charlottesville is the Dollar branch at 100 Bowen Loop, which is 12 km from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 1% more expensive than at Charlottesville Albemarle.

Expect to pay $3.14 per gallon in Charlottesville (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $37.70 and $50.27. Compact (Nissan Sentra or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Charlottesville, while also 53% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Charlottesville

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$32/day

Supplier choice

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$32/day

Economy
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