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, Orzo Kitchen & Wine Bar (416 W Main St) and Red Pump Kitchen (401 East Main Street) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Birch & Bloom (540 Massie Rd) and Birdhouse (711 Henry Ave) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in Charlottesville.

When to visit Charlottesville

Charlottesville in December
Estimated hotel price
$138
1 night at 3-star hotel
Charlottesville in December
Estimated hotel price
$138
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 8 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charlottesville include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Charlottesville departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 54m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Charlottesville. The train journey from Charlottesville to Alexandria takes 2h 05m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $78 for a 5h 16m trip. The train station in Charlottesville is called Charlottesville, and is located 0.7 miles 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 99 miles from Charlottesville. You’ll find branches of Turo and Dollar, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

You can travel by bus to Charlottesville using Greyhound or FlixBus. The most popular bus station is Charlottesville Barracks Road Shopping Center, located 1.9 miles from downtown Charlottesville. Charlottesville Campbells Travel - 310 W Main St is also a commonly used station, and is 0.3 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Charlottesville, you’ll arrive at Charlottesville Albemarle (CHO), which is located 8 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Charlottesville include American Airlines, Delta and WestJet. The shortest domestic flight to Charlottesville departs from Washington, D.C. and takes around 54m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Charlottesville. The train journey from Charlottesville to Alexandria takes 2h 05m and costs around $20 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Philadelphia, expect to pay about $78 for a 5h 16m trip. The train station in Charlottesville is called Charlottesville, and is located 0.7 miles 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 99 miles from Charlottesville. You’ll find branches of Turo and Dollar, among others, in Washington, D.C..

Bus

You can travel by bus to Charlottesville using Greyhound or FlixBus. The most popular bus station is Charlottesville Barracks Road Shopping Center, located 1.9 miles from downtown Charlottesville. Charlottesville Campbells Travel - 310 W Main St is also a commonly used station, and is 0.3 miles from the city center.

Airports near Charlottesville

CHOCharlottesville Albemarle
RICRichmond Byrd Intl

Airlines serving Charlottesville

Lufthansa
Good (7,198 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,372 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,104 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,952 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,896 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,826 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,468 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (806 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,846 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,287 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,590 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,418 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,692 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,093 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (351 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,222 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (10,366 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,312 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,914 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,324 reviews)
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Find flights to Charlottesville

Where to stay in Charlottesville

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Affordable Suites Charlottesville and Sleep Inn & Suites Monticello. 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 116% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Where to stay in popular areas of Charlottesville

Most booked hotels in Charlottesville

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Keswick Hall
5 stars
Excellent (10, 32 reviews)
$677+
View
Omni Charlottesville Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.8, 571 reviews)
$193+
View
Country Inn & Suites Charlottesville-Uva
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 2183 reviews)
$124+
View
The English Inn of Charlottesville
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 1667 reviews)
$103+
View
Boar's Head Resort
4 stars
Excellent (8.6, 308 reviews)
$265+
View
DoubleTree by Hilton Charlottesville
4 stars
Excellent (8, 876 reviews)
$97+
View

Renting a car in Charlottesville

Renting a car in Charlottesville costs $59 per day, on average, or $117 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and Avis 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 8 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 33% cheaper than airport locations in Charlottesville.

Expect to pay $3.52 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 $42.25 and $56.33. Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Charlottesville, while also 54% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Charlottesville costs $59 per day, on average, or $117 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and Avis 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 8 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 33% cheaper than airport locations in Charlottesville.

Expect to pay $3.52 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 $42.25 and $56.33. Compact (Hyundai Accent or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Charlottesville, while also 54% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Charlottesville

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$37/day

Economy

Supplier choice

5 Adults, 5 Bags

$38/day

Supplier choice
Find car rentals in Charlottesville

Charlottesville Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Charlottesville city guide for the best Charlottesville travel tips. To help you organize your Charlottesville trip ideas, this Charlottesville visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.