Not every town has unparalleled vistas, a Cab Franc made at the hands of the same person pouring it, or Dave Matthews and John Grisham walking by as you enjoy lunch at a café on its historic pedestrian mall—but Charlottesville does.
It’s urban and bucolic, historic yet modern. There are boundless hiking trails, wedding venues, wineries, breweries, boutique retail shops, and theaters (not to mention more restaurant seats than there are people to fill them). It’s for the limitless adventurer, the wine-taster, the music-seeker, and the family searching for a new experience..
At Charlottesville Insider, our goal is simple: to showcase Charlottesville by curating our ideas about what makes it unique. Follow our insiders to see what’s new, find exclusive deals, or simply figure out how to spend your day in our favorite city.
Guides
12 TRULY UNIQUE THINGS TO DO AROUND CHARLOTTESVILLE
Charlottesville has wonderfully unique things to do. From horseback riding and wine tastings to pool days and historic tours. Here are our top twelve.
🍷The cooler temps today will make for a perfect outing to a local vineyard!
@eastwoodfarmandwinery has a packed schedule of Sunday fun…
Sunday, August 14th
🧘♀️ Mountaintop Yoga with @salutethesunyoga
10:45AM
💃🏼 @swingcville Dance Lesson 12:30-1:30PM
followed by
🎵 Live Music by @zuzus_hot5
2-5PM
🎨 Paint & Sip with @catelynkelseydesigns 3-5PM
Happy Sunday! 🥂
August 12th, 2017. Five years later we remember and reflect.
Charlottesville photojournalist @ezeamosphotography presents: The Story of Us: Reclaiming the narrative of #Charlottesville through storytelling and portraits, an installation hung in the trees of Charlottesville’s downtown mall, the ground zero and center of hate that descended on our city five years ago today.
Ézé Amos said he wanted to “put a human face” to Charlottesville with the “The Story of Us,” trying to move away from a public perception of Charlottesville as just a hashtag or caricature after the events of August 11 and 12.
“The Story of Us” features 36 photos taken Aug. 11 and 12 and the periods before and after, from a protest on the one-year anniversary of the “Unite the Right” rally to a photo taken July 8 when the Ku Klux Klan hosted a rally in Charlottesville.
On each installation, viewers can scan a QR code linking to a 3-minute recording of the person featured in the photo describing that moment at length in their own words in their own voices.
“I think what we need right now is for us to see ourselves in the type of story we want to see,” Amos said.
Amos hopes the experience inspires viewers to share their stories of what happened on Aug. 11 and 12, 2017.
“Everybody has a different take on what you’ve heard before,” Amos said. “Listen to all of them.”
Thanks to @ezeamosp for helping facilitate the continuation of a much needed conversation in our community, and taking “tangible steps to move us toward true healing and a future defined by the unity and resilience that arose in our resistance.” ❤️🙏
🎷🥁🎺 Whether you’re a Fridays After Five regular or not, don’t miss your chance to see @elbybrass at the @tingpavilion this Friday! Virginia’s best street brass band will no doubt bring the energy and get you up on your feet and dancing!
Elby Brass hails from Fredericksburg, VA, and specializes in hard-hitting funk, sizzling soul, and shout-along favorites. Trust us, this band is so much fun! 😄
👏 Loving this aerial capture of Charlottesville’s historic downtown mall by @aerowingva on 7/14/22!
⚡️ #summerstorms #aerialphotography
🌮🍺 How’s this for a one-stop shop and one-two punch?! 🥊 Grab your cerveza at @rockfishbrew downtown, order directly from the kitchen @the_bebedero and have your fresh to order food brought right to your table at Rockfish!
1) Mexican Lager (Rockfish Brewing)
2) Guacamole and chips 🥑 (Bebedero)
3) Carne Asada (Bebedaro)
🟰💥💥💥
Happy Friday and enjoy your Friday evening in C-ville!
🌺 Maui or Nelson County, Va?! 🌴
🌅🥂 No matter the season, you can always count on killer evening views of the Blue Ridge Mountains @knightsgambitvineyard. It’s tough to beat a glass of wine in their shaded picnic area or covered deck watching the sun set over the horse pastures at this family-owned winery in Albemarle County. Last Saturday we enjoyed live music, and food by @fireflyfoodtruck. This Saturday look for music by @maxmandu and pizza by @slice.versa to go with your wine and views!
🎸🔥 Don't miss @thebaronsmusic performing live at @prorenatabrewery this Thursday! If you don't know The Barons yet, check them out in Crozet while you can! More on the Barons…
🎶 “Hailing from historic Charlottesville, Virginia in 2016, The Barons confront youthful themes of love and fear into their ethereal, booty shakin' rock n’ roll music. Fresh into their twenties, The Barons are frontman Peyton Alley, lead guitarist Josiah Ragland, bassist Kirtland Gray, and drummer Mathes Glymph. With extensive touring in the US college circuit and supporting the tours of top Billboard artists (i.e. Judah and the Lion, Catfish and the Bottlemen, Barns Courtney, The Aces, etc.) behind their back, The Barons have quickly developed their arena potential.”
”The Barons are Charlottesville, Virginia's most intriguing musical export since the Dave Matthews Band.” - Kent Romska (iHeart Radio)
@davematthewsband 🫶
🥂🍕🎷 Tomorrow’s outing idea…Sunday Blues & Jazz at Merrie Mill Farm and Vineyard!
🎶 Paulien sings from 1-4pm: unique, dreamy…it’s a whole vibe you don’t want to miss as Dutch musician @paulienmusic will serenade you in French.
🍕 @philosopherstonepizza will be there to keep you full and happy as “Sam the pizza man” will fire up delicious pizzas in his mobile wood burning pizza oven 1-5pm.
🧘♀️🍾 This Sunday head to @potterscraftcider at 10am for “Vinyasa and Views” with @flydogyoga! Get your stretch on in the morning sunshine and follow it up with a glass of Potter's cider! Sign up through Fly Dog!
🍹🍸 Check out this colorful lineup of summer cocktails by @vitaespirits! If you haven't been yet, Vitae's downtown tasting room is the perfect spot for a cocktail after work in their bright, comfortable space right on the downtown mall. Enjoy one of their thoughtfully crafted cocktails made with award-winning spirits distilled right here in Charlottesville. Vitae Spirits Distillery prides itself on taking basic raw ingredients and turning them into faithful expressions of their botanical origins.
Not only can you grab a cocktail at Vitae’s bar, they also offer tastings and tours, can supply your home mixology needs with to-go spirits and mixers, have some great gift ideas, as well as offering mixology classes and distillation workshops!
@vitaespiritsdowntown neighbor local favorites @petitemariebette @shopatdarling, and @southerncville. C-ville makes it soooo easy to support local! 🙌
🖼 We stopped by the relatively new @phaetongallerycharlottesville on Charlottesville’s downtown mall, right above @theliverystable in a beautiful light-filled space, and learned about some exciting upcoming shows, classes and workshops. Give them a follow to stay up to date on their happenings, which pick back up in full swing this fall!
🎨 @ktownsendart (first image), the gallery's latest exhibiting artist, will be teaching a workshop Sept 19-21 "Creating Your Own Second Nature – Painting Nature Inside the Studio & Fun with Acrylic Color".
🎨 Kristopher Castle (second image) will be teaching a workshop Nov. 2-4 "Outside In: Figure in Landscape 3-day workshop" while his “Curriculum Vitae" exhibition will be on display in the gallery Oct. 28-Dec 2. We got a sneak peek of his work in progress, an exciting and thought-provoking modern look at Jefferson’s Academical Village.
Also stay tuned for...
🧶Oct 11 - Guest instructor @lorilee.beltman hosts a special knitting retreat!
🖼 Dec 8-Jan 20 - Don’t miss the beautiful works of @catewestzahl (third image) in her exhibit this winter!