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.
Activities & attractions in Charlottesville
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 Hamiltons' At First & Main (101 West 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
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″.
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 Delta, WestJet and Air New Zealand. The shortest domestic flight to Charlottesville departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 4h 19m.
Train
Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to Charlottesville. The train journey from Charlottesville to Alexandria takes 2h 05m and costs around $19 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $35 for a 6h 31m 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 Getaround, among others, in Washington, D.C..
Bus
You can travel by bus to Charlottesville using Greyhound or FlixBus. From New York, the bus ride to Charlottesville takes 575 miles and will cost you around $120. From Atlanta, the ticket costs about $156 for a journey of 1165 miles. 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.
Airlines serving Charlottesville
Where to stay in Charlottesville
If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn & Suites Charlottesville-At The University and Econo Lodge North. 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 124% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Where to stay in popular areas of Charlottesville
Most booked hotels in Charlottesville
Renting a car in Charlottesville
Renting a car in Charlottesville costs $88 per day, on average, or $176 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Budget and Hertz 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.
You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 20% more expensive than at Charlottesville Albemarle.
Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Charlottesville is Luxury (Lincoln MKZ or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Hyundai Accent or similar) are, on average, 52% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.
Best car rental deals in Charlottesville
Economy
2 Adults, 2 Bags
$40/day
Standard
5 Adults, 3 Bags
$42/day
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.