tours of charlottesville va

THE 10 BEST Charlottesville Tours & Excursions

Charlottesville tours.

• Sightseeing Tours
• Private Tours
• Wine Tours & Tastings
• Walking Tours
• Historical & Heritage Tours
• Ghost & Vampire Tours
• Cultural Tours
• Self-Guided Tours & Rentals
• Beer Tastings & Tours
• Up to 1 hour
• 1 to 4 hours
• 4 hours to 1 day
• 5.0 of 5 bubbles
• 4.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 3.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• 2.0 of 5 bubbles & up
• The ranking of tours, activities, and experiences available on Tripadvisor is determined by several factors including the revenue generated by Tripadvisor from these bookings, the frequency of user clicks, and the volume and quality of customer reviews. Occasionally, newly listed offerings may be prioritized and appear higher in the list. The specific placement of these new listings may vary.

1. Virginia Private Custom Wine Tour from Charlottesville

2. Wine and Culinary Delight Private Tour

3. Private Wine Tours (Minimum 3 & Maximum 6 ) Pickup Maximum 30 Mi

4. Vintage VW Private Wine Tour in Virginia's Countryside

5. The Downtown Mall Food Tour

6. Private Charlottesville Area Wine Tour

7. The UVA Corner Food Tour: Private Walking Food Tour in Charlottesville

8. Charlottesville Challenge Scavenger Hunt

9. Private UNESCO World Heritage Tour

10. Charlottesville Historic Downtown APP/GPS Smartphone Walking Tour

11. Charlottesville Dark History Ghost Tour

12. Private tour from Williamsburg to Monticello World Heritage Site

13. Charlottesville Scavenger Hunt: Centuries of Charlottesville

14. Family Excursion

15. Custom Wine Tour In Black Suburban With Panoramic Sunroof

16. Private Arrival Transfer from Charlotteville Airport (CHO)

17. Private Departure Transfer to Charlottesville Airport (CHO)

18. Boar's Head Resort Off Road Jeep Tour

Keep the fun going with other experiences in the area.

Shenandoah National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour

Scenic Blue Ridge Parkway Self-Guided Driving Audio Tour

Historical Fredericksburg SmartPhone App Self Guided Walking Tour

Haunted Fredericksburg Self-Guided Walking Tour

Murder Mystery Detective Experience Lynchburg, VA

Smoky, Cades, Shenandoah & Blue Ridge Self-Guided Driving Tours

Complete Blue Ridge Parkway Tour Bundle

Private Horseback Experience in Appalachian Mountains

Kayak Rental on Shenandoah River in Luray Virginia

Anytime Ticket

Wintergreen Resort Off-Road Jeep Adventure

Jeep Off-Road Day Adventure - George Washington National Forest

Lynchburg Ghosts Haunted Hills Ghost Tour by US Ghost Adventures

What travelers are saying.

• Private Wine Tours (Minimum 3 & Maximum 6 ) Pickup Maximum 30 Mi
• Charlottesville Historic Downtown APP/GPS Smartphone Walking Tour
• Private Charlottesville Area Wine Tour
• Virginia Private Custom Wine Tour from Charlottesville
• Private UNESCO World Heritage Tour
• Cville Hop on Tours
• Blue Ridge Wine Excursions
• Norm's Executive Transportation
• Monticello Wine Tour & Coach Co.
• Albemarle Limousine
• Rivanna River Company
• Monticello Country Ballooning
• Blue Ridge Balloon
• Wish Wish Wine Tours
• Virginia Blue Ridge Wine Tours
• Boar's Head Ballooning - Private Flights
• Blue Ridge Mountain Guides

Hop On Cville

JOIN THE CRAFT REVOLUTION

And hop on cville, cville hop on tours specializes in customizable tours sold per person. there is no minimum amount in your group required and there are a variety of craft beverages offered on every tour. we are locally owned and operated and we know charlottesville, #drinklocal #explorelocal #ridelocal.

Cville Hop On Tours is a highly rated, quality, and affordable transportation company located in Charlottesville, Virginia.  Our comfortable and clean 14, 18, 22, & 32 passenger buses allow us to provide, both private transportation as well as our public, signature and namesake, Hop On Tours.  Formed in 2016, Cville Hop On Tours has transformed the way locals and visitors alike explore the Charlottesville Craft Beverage Destinations.  We give you the option to choose your destinations so if you prefer wineries or breweries, we've got you covered.  Explore our options below to find the best priced tours in town.

Hotels & Starting Points

I'm all set, take me to the tours

HOTELS & STARTING POINTS

Safety is our #1 goal and to provide our guests with the best experience possible, we offer complimentary hotel pick up and drop off for our 11am tours.   Please select a hotel below to see more information.

Country Inn and Suites

Courtyard by Marriott- Hillsdale Dr

Graduate Hotel

Double Tree by Hilton

Hilton Garden Inn-Pantops

Holiday Inn 29N- University Area

Homewood Suites- India Road

Hyatt Place

Residence Inn Downtown

The Boars Head Inn

The Draftsman Hotel

Three Notch'd Brewing Company @ IX Art Park

Custom Location for Groups of 6 or more

Destinations

I already know which destinations you visit. Take me to the tours so I can book!

DESTINATIONS WE VISIT

We visit a variety of breweries, wineries, cideries, and distilleries.  Join us as we introduce you to our favorites. Want to visit a specific destination? Hover to see which of our Hop on tours stop at each destination.

Each tour offers the flexibility of participants to select their

own  stops along the Hop On Route itinerary. 

Starr Hill Brewery King Family Vineyard Pro Re Nata Farm Brewery Bold Rock at Chiles Peach Orchard Valley Road Vineyards Blue Mountain Brewery

BUS AMENITIES

Each Hop On Bus Comes Equipped With The Following

Air Conditioning

Free WiFi Access

Exclusive Brewery Discounts

Seating for up to 14 

TV Entertainment

Complimentary Water

Phone Charging Stations

Handicap Accessible

Complimentary Snacks

Awesome Funky Tunes

Awesome Driver

Incredibly Affordable

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The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society

Collecting, preserving, and interpreting the history of our community!

Take a Tour

The Albemarle County Courthouse in downtown Charlottesville. Albemarle was carved from Goochland County in 1744. The original county seat was located at Scott’s Landing (now Scottsville) on the James River to the south. After the town of Charlottesville was founded in 1762 — named for King George III’s new bride, Queen Charlotte— a modest wood-framed courthouse was built on this site. It was later replaced in 1803 by a two-story brick structure that still forms the northernmost (or back) portion of the Courthouse. The statue honoring deceased Confederate soldiers was installed in front of the Courthouse in 1909. A decorative fountain for horses is visible on the right. Photo by Rufus Holsinger (1866-1930), November 4, 1912. (courtesy of the Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia).

Explore the Historic Heart of Virginia!

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society offers a diverse variety of experiences that explore the history of Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville. For more than fifty years, we have been the leader in personally guided walking tours of the historic Central Virginia region. You are invited to join us. We can accommodate big groups or small ones, eight-year-olds or eighty-year-olds. All tours can be catered to your schedule based on the availability of tour guides. We look forward to showing you around one of the most fascinating little cities in America! Contact Sterling Howell at [email protected] or (434) 296-1492 to learn more and schedule a tour.

Guided Tour Offerings – NEW – All Tours All Year Round!

Court Square & Environs : A guided tour through the original 1762 core of Charlottesville. Tours begin in front of the Albemarle County Circuit Courthouse and end at the now infamous Market Street Park. Along the way, our knowledgable guides will share a broad overview of local history, from the indigenous Monacan Nation to the removal of Confederate monuments. 1 hour, $8 per person.

Downtown Mall:  Take a stroll down Charlottesville’s pedestrian mall and learn about the three local US Presidents, Charlottesville during the Civil War, physical changes to Main Street during the 20th century, and more. 1 hour, $8 per person.

Maplewood Cemetery : A tour of Charlottesville’s oldest public cemetery. We will visit the last resting places of some of Charlottesville’s most interesting deceased characters and discuss how and why cemeteries, burial practices, and mortuary imagery have changed over time and what these changes reveal about society and culture. 1 hour, $8 per person.

Common House Black History Tour:  Created with support from Common House social club, this tour focuses on the history of the local African American community, race relations, and how events in the past continue to affect the city today. While exploring the downtown core of Charlottesville, you will hear stories of enslaved people, free Blacks, individuals and families with complex racial identities, segregation, displacements, and the rise and fall of symbols of hate. 2 hours, $15 per person

Secret Cville:  A not-so-secret tour of the pedestrian mall area highlighting some of the more curious and easily missed parts of downtown. This will be a meandering journey through space and time, side streets and back alleys, revealing secret societies, speakeasies, and other local curiosities. 1 hour, $8 per person.

Pop-up Tours and More : Stay tuned for more updates or contact us for details.

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society Library is among the very best of local history libraries in the country. Created by a committee of Historical Society volunteers, the library opened to the public on October 29, 1974, in the renovated basement of our then headquarters at 220 Court Square. Since that time, the holdings have grown to include over 6,000 individual volumes, 15,000 pamphlets, 300 historic maps, and over 1,000 archived manuscript items. Operated in collaboration with the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library system, the library was officially renamed in 2020 the Margaret Martin O’Bryant Library & Research Collection in honor of her over 35 years of service to the Society.

Collections

In addition to our Library holdings of books, manuscripts and historic maps, our Collections contains thousands of artifacts donated to the Society. These items help to tell the story of Albemarle County and the City of Charlottesville: from papers to portraiture to photographs, clothing, furniture, memorabilia and ephemera, all donated by individuals, families, businesses and organizations throughout Central Virginia over the past 80 years. A sample of artifacts can be found on our Collections webpage. If you would like to donate an historic item to be preserved in our collections or do research in our collections, please contact us.

Copyrights & Reproductions

As curators, librarians and historians, our staff members are responsible for safeguarding the condition of materials in our Collection and for respecting the wishes and interests of authors and donors. We also wish to contribute to scholarship and teaching and want to make the public more aware of the books, manuscripts, and historic items we have. To accomplish these goals, the reproduction of items is often required. If you have a need to reproduce items in our collection or learn what we have, click this link for our policies.

McIntire Library Market Street Park

Downtown Charlottesville 200 Second Street, NE Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

434-296-1492 [email protected]

Research Library Open By Appointment Mon-Fri, 8am-4pm Saturday, 10am-2pm

• Frances Brand’s “Firsts” Collection
• Copyrights & Reproductions Policy
• Become a Sponsor
• Historic Tours
• Online Programs
• Policy & Accountability

Charlottesville   Travel Guide

Courtesy of Picasa | None

12 Best Things To Do in Charlottesville

Updated January 2, 2024

Charlottesville is the perfect place to explore our nation's past (at Monticello or Highland , homes of some of the first presidents of the United States) or our nation's future (at the University of Virginia , where some of the country's

• All Things To Do

Downtown Mall Downtown Mall free

Charlottesville's popular shops, restaurants and ambiance converge in one main area, known as the historic Downtown Mall. Located, as you would imagine, on Main Street, this thoroughfare is home to more than 120 shops, 30 restaurants (many with outdoor seating), art galleries, multiple performance venues and a Saturday farmers market. Stretching for eight blocks, this pedestrian-only area is popular with both visitors and locals, who say it's the perfect spot to shop, eat or simply people-watch.

In the spring, summer and fall, the mall's Sprint Pavilion hosts musical acts like Modest Mouse, Wiz Khalifa and Alabama Shakes. You can also catch free concerts at the pavilion every Friday from mid-April to mid-September as part of its Fridays After Five concert series. The mall's historical Paramount Theater is a great space to catch fine art performances from ballets to operas to musicals to films.

University of Virginia University of Virginia free

A little trivia for you: Did you know the University of Virginia is the only university in the United States to be designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO? And it's not hard to see why – it's a bastion of U.S. education, and it holds an unofficial reputation for containing the country's most magnificent campus grounds. It's also historically significant, as it was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819 as the first nonsectarian (or nonreligious) university in the country. Charlottesville visitors don't just tour UVA as prospective students, they also come just to relish in its spectacle.

Recent visitors gushed about the gorgeous grounds and highly recommended taking a tour. Historical tours begin in the Lower East Oval Room of the Rotunda and are offered daily during the academic school year (except on football game days at the university); hourlong tours start at 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. The university also offers specialty tours which expand on singular aspects of the university's past, such as the history of African Americans. These tours run at various times (guides are all students and therefore the schedule changes to accommodate class schedules). You can request different specialty tours using a form on the school's website .

Monticello Monticello

Monticello is more than just Thomas Jefferson's former living quarters; it's also an architectural masterpiece. First-time visitors are amazed by the majesty of the mansion and the 5,000-acre grounds and frequent guests like to return for in-depth history lessons on the American Revolutionary period, the role of slavery in the prosperity of the United States and more. Over the course of some 40 years, Jefferson incorporated touches of Italian and Parisian architectural styles into the building of his home. He also employed a few custom-made designs to facilitate house operations. Most recommend giving yourself plenty of time to explore all that's in store (a minimum of three hours is recommended). But prepare to pay handsomely – day passes cost $29 for adults online and $33 at the ticket office. Admission for children 12 to 18 is $10 and free for those younger than 12.  

In addition to the guided tour of the first floor of the house (you'll have to pay extra to see the upper floors), day passes also include tours of the gardens and grounds, and a guided outdoor tour detailing the experiences of the 400 enslaved people who lived and worked on the plantation. Visitors interested in a complete picture of life at Monticello will also want to make time for the two-hour Hemings Family Tour, offered daily at 1:35 p.m. The tour aims to tell the story of Sally Hemings, an enslaved woman who bore at least six of Jefferson's children. There is also a digital exhibit within the house, "The Life of Sally Hemings," that relies on the son of Hemings and Jefferson, Madison, to tell his mother's story and provide a broader context about the legacy of race and slavery in the U.S.

Popular Tours

The Downtown Mall Food Tour

from $ 149.00

25+ National Parks Self-Guided Driving Tours Bundle

(4 reviews)

from $ 84.99

Private Wine Tours (Minimum 3 & Maximum 6 ) Pickup Maximum 30 Mi

(21 reviews)

from $ 85.00

Carter Mountain Orchard Carter Mountain Orchard free

According to recent visitors, fall is the best time to visit Carter Mountain Orchard, and it's not just because it's prime apple-picking season. The sweeping views of Charlottesville's autumn colors as seen from the orchard's overlook are not to be missed. In fact, some recent visitors said the views alone are worth the trip to Carter Mountain Orchard.

When you're not ogling the panoramic views, browse the country store for goodies like homemade apple cider doughnuts, apple pies and apple butter. It also sells decorative baskets, ornaments and other home goods.

Shenandoah National Park & Skyline Drive Shenandoah National Park & Skyline Drive

Ask any recent, frequent or past visitor, and they'll tell you the same: Taking the leisurely Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains is nothing short of divine. Stretching for 105 miles north and south along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Skyline Drive is the only public road through the 200,000-acre park. When you're not gazing at the Shenandoah Valley, keep your eyes peeled for wildlife: deer, black bears, wild turkeys and a bevy of other woodland animals are known to cross Skyline Drive, which is why the speed limit is only 35 mph. 

Reviewers gushed about simply rolling down the windows and taking in the breathtaking scenery, but they also recommended pulling off the road to admire the view from one of the drive's 75 overlooks. The scores of fans do offer words of caution, however. For one, you'll have a more relaxing trip if you visit on a weekday. Fill your tank before you enter the park, because gas stations are few and far between. And if you want to hike some of the Shenandoah trails, they suggest you visit in fall when the air is crisp and less muggy. Lastly, there is food in the park, but it's park food in every sense. You'll save your taste buds (and your spare change) if you pack your own goodies.

Highland Highland

Did you know that James Monroe and Thomas Jefferson were neighbors? It's true – and while many travelers delight in learning about Jefferson and his life at  Monticello , few realize that 3 miles south is Highland, the home of our fifth president. The original residence was built in 1793, but was destroyed in a fire in the mid-1800s. Though the structure visitors see today is not the original, it still manages to offer a glimpse into the life of Monroe, his family and the enslaved people that resided on his property and maintained the plantation's crops.

Historians say that Monroe enslaved as many as 250 people in his lifetime, despite supporting abolition. During the property's guided tour, you'll learn about some of the individuals forced to work at Highland. The slave quarters on display today are reproductions of the originals, which remained on the site until the 1920s. Travelers can see the recreated quarters and view demonstrations of chores that were part of the daily lives of enslaved people at Highland. As part of an initiative by William & Mary – Monroe's alma mater and the institution charged with maintaining the property – the biographies of the men, women and children enslaved at Highland will soon be presented, along with oral histories of the descendants.

Jefferson Vineyards Jefferson Vineyards

Jefferson Vineyards is one of Charlottesville's favorite wineries for several reasons. One, its heritage (commissioned by Thomas Jefferson who donated this part of his land to a viticulturist for the purpose of producing wine); two, its size (it boasts 22 acres of vines); and three, its low tasting fee (only $12 to taste eight wines, and you get to take your tasting glass home). Its convenient location, a little more than a mile southeast of Monticello , isn't too shabby either. 

It's for these reasons that travelers highly recommend stopping at the vineyard. When you're not sampling the wine in the tasting room, grab a bottle and park yourself on the outdoor lawn space or indoor seating area for some truly spectacular views. You're also welcome to bring your own picnic. Aside from the quality of the wine, recent travelers were also impressed with the knowledgeable staff, who visitors said provided a wealth of information about the wine and the vineyard's far-reaching history. Reviewers do recommend visiting early, however, as the winery closes its doors early.

Blenheim Vineyards Blenheim Vineyards

Blenheim Vineyards is yet another Charlottesville site where Thomas Jefferson left his mark: TJ and his wife, Martha, regularly sojourned here. In more recent history, Dave Matthews (of the Dave Matthews band) purchased the land in 2000 and later decided to plant vines and thus a popular Charlottesville vineyard was born. Now, travelers make a point to stop at Blenheim Vineyards for its history, its picturesque surroundings and its novelty.

Though Dave Matthews fans are united in their love of Blenheim, they're not the only ones offering praise for this vineyard. Recent travelers highly recommended adding Blenheim to your itinerary. Though reviewers do note that it's smaller than the area's other vineyards, they rave about the views from the tasting room and the outdoor terrace. 

Shenandoah National Park Self-Driving Audio Tour

(59 reviews)

from $ 16.99

Virginia Private Custom Wine Tour from Charlottesville

(470 reviews)

from $ 499.00

Vintage VW Private Wine Tour in Virginia's Countryside

from $ 1300.00

Michie Tavern Michie Tavern

Michie Tavern certainly has nostalgia in its favor. Originally erected in the late 1700s in Earlysville, Virginia, this historic landmark was once the hub for that town's passersby, providing food, drink and a cozy bed if necessary. In present day — and relocated about 17 miles south in Charlottesville — the tavern still serves up southern comfort for its guests in its dining room, with a staff donning colonial garb. It also has a separate pub that serves snacks and locally made wine, beer and cider.

Michie is more of a novel historic house than a foodie sensation. In fact, there are several recent visitors who left unimpressed with their meals, particularly given how much it costs. But according to some travelers, the grounds' general store, gift shop and metalsmith shop are worth your notice and make the trip here worthwhile.

Virginia Discovery Museum Virginia Discovery Museum

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The Corner The Corner free

The Saunders-Monticello Trail The Saunders-Monticello Trail free

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CVILLE TOURS

Call us now, 434-218-2416.

About Cville Tours

We are Charlottesville's first tour operator. Since 2014, our accomplished team of experts have curated the best and most unique experiences in and around Charlottesville.  Our expert guides will allow you to discover our area in a fun and life-enriching way.

Experiences

Central Virginia is known for its history and natural beauty. We have selected the best local crafts to showcase some of that beauty.  Join us to experience Charlottesville like never before.

Group Specialists

We focus our tours and experiences for groups, if you are a corporate client, or a group of friends, give us a call and we can create a custom experience for your group or team.

Allow yourself the chance to truly experience.

• History & Museums
• Outdoor Recreation
• Arts & Culture
• Accessible Experiences
• Winery Lodging
• Wine Shops & Education
• Outdoor Dining
• Group Dining
• Craft Beverages
• Bed & Breakfasts
• Cabins, Cottages & Vacation Rentals
• Hotels & Resorts
• Concerts & Live Music
• Farmers Markets
• Submit Your Event
• UVA Visitors
• Mobile Visitor Centers
• Getting Here & Getting Around
• Visitor Guide Request
• Newsletter Signup
• Black Cville
• Meetings & Groups

Wine Tours & Experiences

Whether you're looking to book a private tasting, transportation to multiple wineries, or an experience that's completely unique, we have everything you need to plan the perfect wine getaway.

On-Site & Private Tours

These wineries offer regular guided tastings or private on-site tours. Many other wineries can accommodate small groups. Please call individual wineries ahead of time to see if they can offer a tour or tasting for your party.

Hazy Mountain Vineyards & Brewery

• Private Guided Tasting: Available for groups of 10 or more with optional food menu.

King Family Vineyards

• Winery Tour & Tasting : A behind-the-scenes glimpse into the vineyard and winemaking programs. Available for groups of 2-12. Tours are not private unless all spots are booked by one party.
• Founders Tasting : A seated, intimate tasting hosted in King Family's private library and led by one of the winery's founders. Available on Saturdays or by appointment.
• Private Reserved Tasting : A pre-reserved offering in the indoor Pavilion with a King Family Associate. $100 or 4 guest minimum.

Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard

• Guided Tasting : An intimate tasting led by a Merrie Mill Associate. You will be guided through each wine with detail in addition to enjoying a thoughtfully selected and paired cheese and charcuterie board. Reserve ahead of time.
• Wine Tasting & Vineyard Safari : A one-of-a-kind tasting experience! Take a vintage safari Land Rover to tour the 12-acre vineyard before arriving at a safari-style tent for a guided tasting of 7 wines and a delicious picnic. The safari is offered seasonally, weather-permitting.

Michael Shaps Wineworks

• Small Group Guided Private Tasting : Visit Michael Shap's Main Tasting Room (1650 Harris Creek Road) for a private tasting for groups of 6-20. Charcuterie can be arranged. Larger groups can also be accommodated for larger events.

Pippin Hill Farm & Vineyard

• Vintner's Table : A 4-5 course meal of chef-inspired fare for parties of 10 or more. The perfect agritourism experience.
• Estate Tour & Tasting : An in-depth exploration of Pippin Hill's wines, vines, and garden-to-table cuisine for parties of 2-8.
• Group Reservations : Groups of 7+ are required to make advance reservations.

Valley Road Vineyards

• Private Tastings : A tasting of 6 wines led by a Valley Road Vinista. Comes with your own Valley Road wine glass. Must be booked ahead of time.

Specialty Experiences

If you're looking for a completely unique and memorable trip, get outside-the-box with one of these specialty experiences.

Transportation & Tour Companies

Browse our local tour companies to book a day of transportation with multiple stops across the Monticello Wine Trail.

Charlottesville Charlottesville, Virginia 22905 (434) 531-5802 Website

Albemarle Limousine Charlottesville Charlottesville, Virginia 22905

277 Hydraulic Ridge Road, Suite 105 Charlottesville, Virginia 22901 (434) 973-5466 Website

Ambassador Limousine 277 Hydraulic Ridge Road, Suite 105 Charlottesville, Virginia 22901

(434) 960-0678 Website

(434) 299-0790 Website

103-B Free Bridge Lane Charlottesville, Virginia 22911 (434) 990-9070 Website

Camryn Executive Transportation and Limousine 103-B Free Bridge Lane Charlottesville, Virginia 22911

Milton Drive Orange, Virginia 22960 (540) 809-3494 Website

Central Virginia Wine Tours & Transportation Milton Drive Orange, Virginia 22960

Charlottesville, Virginia  (434) 466-8465 Website

Charlottesville Transportation & Taxi Charlottesville, Virginia

The Square, Crozet Charlottesville, Virginia 22932 (434) 422-7660 Website

Crozet Trolley The Square, Crozet Charlottesville, Virginia 22932

1591 Delphi Lane Charlottesville, Virginia 22911 (434) 218-3565 Website

Cville Hop On Tours 1591 Delphi Lane Charlottesville, Virginia 22911

1591 Delphi Ln Charlottesville, Virginia 22911 (434) 218-2416 Website

Cville Travel 1591 Delphi Ln Charlottesville, Virginia 22911

Charlottesville-Albemarle Charlottesville, Virginia 22902 (888) 552-1540 Website

James Limousine Charlottesville-Albemarle Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

(434) 989-9796 Website

Mario's Cab Service

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14 best mountain wedding venues in virginia, interested in seeing more, the perfect charlottesville virginia itinerary , march 26, 2022.

Whether you are visiting Charlottesville for the day, a long weekend, your honeymoon or looking to relocate, there is so much to do here. 

Charlottesville is nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains about two and a half hours south of Washington, D.C. It’s home to the University of Virginia and is the gateway to Shenandoah National Park, Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello (a World Heritage Site), craft breweries and wineries, a huge outdoor music scene, dozens of local restaurants, and a beautiful walking mall. 

Whether you like hiking, wine, food, culture or college sports, there is something for everyone. 

Table of Contents

When to Visit Charlottesville

Charlottesville is beautiful year ‘round, but it really shows off in the spring and fall. 

In the spring, temperatures are mild, cherry blossoms and dogwood blooms come out, azaleas are colorful, tulips are everywhere, and the outdoor farmers market really takes off. You can go strawberry picking or enjoy an outdoor meal on the downtown mall. There are also several great festivals worth attending, like the Tom Tom Founders Festival and Virginia Festival of the Book. 

In the fall, temperatures start to become crisp (a welcome relief after the hot-humid summer days). Everywhere trees begin to turn to orange, gold and red. You can enjoy a free outdoor concert at Sprint Pavilion downtown or a hot apple cider on Carter’s Mountain. Local farms host corn mazes and pumpkin patches and the whole town pauses for big football games. It’s basically a fall paradise! 

What to Do in Charlottesville

This guide will walk you through some of the best things to do in Charlottesville. I’ll also include suggested itineraries for both long weekends and a five-day stay in the area. 

Downtown Mall

The downtown mall i n Charlottesville is one of the longest pedestrian malls in the United States. It spans eight blocks and includes restaurants, bookstores, clothing boutiques, theaters and even a children’s museum. 

Children’s Museum

Let’s start with the youngest visitors. The Virginia Discovery Museum caters to preschool- and elementary-aged children. It’s one of the smaller children’s museums in Virginia and probably wouldn’t hold the attention of older children for more than an hour or two. But if you are in the area with preschoolers, it’s well worth a visit, especially if it’s rainy and you could use an indoor venue.

Fridays After Five and the Ting Pavilion

Fridays After Five is a series of free outdoor concerts held every Friday from the middle of April through the middle of September. They happen at the Ting Pavilion, which is located at the end of the downtown mall (right beside the Children’s Museum). People come, set up picnic blankets, let their kids run around, and dance. Or they visit the pavilion before or after enjoying dinner in nearby restaurants.

Live Music at Vineyards

Throughout the summer months many of the local vineyards and breweries also host free outdoor concerts and food trucks. Usually the concerts happen in the late afternoon or early evening. People bring picnics, their kids, blankets and chairs and spend time sipping craft brews or other drinks. You can find out about these events by checking Facebook or Google events or by following specific vineyards or breweries. Keswick Vineyards, Eastwood Farm and Winery, Pippin Hill, Valley Road, Blue Mountain Brewery, Pro Re Nata, Chisholm Vineyards at Adventure Farm, Hark Vineyard and Glass House Winery all frequently host these types of events. 

Rivanna Roots

Continuing on the live music theme, in 2022 three local groups are starting a new family-friendly outdoor music series called Rivanna Roots. The series will include 11 concerts scheduled on alternating Thursdays and Saturdays starting May 21st. The concerts will take place on the property of the Rivanna River Company and are fundraisers for the Front Porch – a local music school. 

Rivanna River Company

Before you go to a Rivanna Roots concert you may want to spend the day on the Rivanna River. The Rivanna River Company hosts both guided trips and do-it-yourself rentals. You can rent canoes, kayaks, tubes or stand-up paddle boards. Or you can book a guided river trip. Some rentals include shuttle service while others are completely self-propelled. 

Skyline Drive

Skyline Drive is the 105-mile road that runs along the mountain ridges of Shenandoah National Park . Many people choose to take this route on pretty days, enjoying the scenery at a slow pace (the speed limit is mostly 35 MPH), and pulling off at one of the 75 overlooks for panoramic views or a picnic. Skyline Drive is only a 25-minute drive from downtown Charlottesville.

Blue Ridge Parkway

The north entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway starts at the south entrance of Skyline Drive. In other words, Skyline Drive takes you northward through Shenandoah, and the Blue Ridge Parkway takes you southward toward Roanoke, but they are basically the same road. 

Five miles down the Blue Ridge Parkway you’ll get to the parking area for Humpback Rock . Hiking Humpback Rock to see the sunrise is almost a rite of passage for UVA students. The steep .7 mile hike leads to 365-degree views of the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains. Leave 45 minutes for the hike up – there are benches along the way if you need a break along and along. 

If you continue a little farther down the Blue Ridge Parkway you’ll get to Raven’s Roost . Raven’s Roost is probably the most popular sunset watching spot in the area. The views are spectacular but expect crowds and photographers 7 days a week. 

For a less crowded hike/walk on the Blue Ridge Parkway, consider Cedar Cliffs – a lovely .7 mile moderate jaunt to beautiful west-facing views. 

Saunders-Monticello Trail 

If you want a beautiful trail without leaving Charlottesville then the S aunders-Monticello Trail might be right for you. Parking can be tough as it’s a popular local dog-walking/running/biking trail, so get there early if possible. (There are two parking areas so if the first one is full, continue on the road to find the second one.) The trail takes you two miles up Carter’s Mountain to Monticello. It’s considered wheelchair accessible and is dog friendly until you reach the boardwalk (at which point dog walkers must turn around). 

Carter’s Mountain  

At the top of Carter’s Mountain is an orchard by the same name. Carter’s Mountain is particularly popular in the fall as a place to buy apple cider donuts, pick apples and drink cider. There is often live music on the weekends and food trucks. Bold Rock Cider is located in the bottom of the country store and patrons enjoy a flight or pint on beautiful days. 

Right beside Carter’s Mountain is Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello . Jefferson was the third president of the United States, principal author of the Declaration of Independence and founder of the University of Virginia. He also had more than 600 enslaved people working under him. Monticello is his estate. You may recognize it from one side of the U.S. nickel. The estate showcases his eclectic interests and intellect, and it also, in more recent years, acknowledges and highlights the suffering and contributions of those in bondage. Monticello is the only World Heritage Site in Virginia. 

James Monroe’s Highlands

Down the road from Monticello is the estate of James Monroe – the fifth president of the United States. Highland offers both private and guided tours of the estate. There is also a trail system that can be used free of charge. If there’s been recent rainfall, be aware that the trails have a tendency to be muddy. Highland also hosts events and is a popular wedding venue. 

Montpelier 

For even more early American history, head 25 miles northeast of Charlottesville to Montpelier. Montpelier is the estate of James Madison (fourth president of the United States.) You can take a guided tour of James’ and Dolly’s house at Montpelier. But my favorite activity is to park by the gift shop and explore the  eight-plus miles of walking trails on the 2,650-acre property. 

Market at Grelen

After you visit Montpelier, head over to the Market at Grelen for lunch, fresh ice cream and a pick-your-own farm. During spring and summer months you can pick berries, peaches, apples and plums. In the winter they sell Christmas trees and wreaths. And year around you can buy plants from their nursery and greenhouse. My husband enjoys getting a local beer there, I like the fresh-made ice cream often flavored with in-season fruit, and my toddler heads to the sandbox.

Liberty Mills

After you have lunch at the Market at Grelen head over to Liberty Mills . If it’s fall you can enjoy the country’s largest corn maze, tractor rides and a pumpkin patch. In the spring they have pick your own strawberries and in the summer you can pick your own flowers. It’s a popular local outing for families. 

Hot Air Ballooning  

If adventure is more your style or you’re looking for something totally adult to do, you might try booking a hot air balloon ride. Hot air balloon rides occur mostly in the warmer months and are scheduled around sunrise or sunset. They require specific conditions (if it’s too windy or it might rain, then they can’t fly), but are an incredible way to get a bird’s eye view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Piedmont. 

University of Virginia

The University of Virginia was founded by Thomas Jefferson and the buildings and grounds reflect its history. Take a stroll through the main rotunda and central grounds. Attend a sports match or take in a play. UVA also often hosts speakers and forums that are open to the general public. You can find up-to-date information here.

Farmer’s Market

Charlottesville has two main open-air markets. And they are pretty close to one another. The Charlottesville City Market is located by the downtown mall. It is held on Saturday mornings from May to November. 

The Farmer’s Market at IX Art Park happens year round on Saturday mornings. It’s also held Thursday evenings in the summer months. 

IX Art Park

The IX Art Park i s a quirky indoor-outdoor art space that features big sculptures, children’s art classes, a makerspace, and the locally-owned American Sake Brewery and Three Notch’d Brewery restaurant-bar.​​ It is also the site of The Looking Glass , an immersive art experience, filled with light and whimsy, which takes about an hour to walk through (entrance fee charged for those over the age of 3). The outdoor space is also used for concerts, social dances, a seasonal farmers market, and community-centered activities like the Black Business Expo , Cville Sabroso Latin American food and culture festival, and Hip-Hop Cultural Fest. 

Theater and Live Music

Charlottesville is a hub for live music and local theater. The Jefferson Theater, Ting Pavilion, Paramount Theater and John Paul Jones Arena all host live music events ranging from local artists to big name events. 

Vineyard Tour

This region has more than 40 wineries. So if you love wine it’s a really good place to be! Several companies offer private tours, which is definitely the way to go if you want to really enjoy yourself and not worry about having a designated driver! 

Here are a few to check out: Blue Ridge Wine Excursions , Monticello Wine Tour and Coach Co ., Central Virginia Wine Tours. 

Horseback Riding 

If you want to add fresh air in a saddle to your wine tour, book a horseback riding tour! There are several companies that offer this experience, but essentially they’ll take you through a vineyard (or brewery) on horseback and then you have a wine tasting at the vineyard (or beer tasting at the brewery). Tours are offered at Keswick, King Family, Veritas, Blue Quartz Winery, Devil’s Backbone Brewery and Castle Hill Cider, but they should be booked through one of the tour companies. 

Blue Ridge Tunnel

The Blue Ridge Tunnel is a historic railroad tunnel built during the 1850s. It recently opened as a walking and cycling trail. End to end it’s 2.25 miles long. It’s flat, so it’s stroller and wheelchair friendly but it lacks lights, so make sure you bring flashlights or headlamps. The tunnel is located at the convergence of the southern entrance of Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive, the northern entrance of the Blue Ridge Parkway, the Appalachian Trail, and U. S. Bicycle Route 76. Both Interstate 64 and U. S. 250 cross over the tunnel at Rockfish Gap.

Brew Ridge Trail

The Brew Ridge Trail is a self-guided tour of Virginia’s craft beer and cideries. It starts with Blue Mountain Brewery in Afton and goes south to the Blue Mountain Barrel House (owned by the same company). Eleven stops are recommended in between. 

Bar Crawl Scavenger Hunt 

If you want to take in the local bars without leaving Charlottesville but are looking for something different to do, then try the Bar Crawl Scavenger Hunt! Put together by the company Let’s Roam, the scavenger hunt is self guided and can be done at any time. The Bar Hunt is billed as “one part bar crawl, one part scavenger hunt.” As you bar hop you complete photo, video and trivia challenges with your team. 

Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection of the University of Virginia

The Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Collection is the only collection outside of Australia that is dedicated to Aboriginal Art. The collection features more than 2200 pieces and there are rotating exhibits. Visiting usually takes 20-30 minutes and free guided tours are available twice a day.

If you’re looking for a luxury experience you might consider staying at the Boar’s Head or Keswick Hall. Both offer luxury suites and dining, golf courses and pools. The Boar’s Head also has a full spa experience available, a sports club and private trails. 

Rock Climbing Gym

If you’re ready to work off some of the beer and wine you’ve been enjoying, you might consider hitting up Rocky Top – Charlottesville’s bouldering gym. Bouldering is a type of climbing that does not require ropes. Whether you are an experienced climber or just looking for something fun to do (with or without kids), check it out and get some exercise while you’re at it!

Biking Tour

Virginia has some of the most beautiful road biking terrain on the east coast. And if that’s your thing, or you want it to be your thing, Blue Ridge Cycling Tour can show you Charlottesville by two wheels. They offer everything from winery tours to multi-day road trips to easy around-town jaunts. 

Historial Tour

The Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society offers year-round guided walking tours of some of Charlottesville’s historic monuments and buildings. Two current offerings include a tour of Court Square, which covers pre-revolutionary to recent history and a tour of Maplewood cemetery: Charlottesville’s oldest public cemetery. 

Taste of Charlottesville Food Tour 

The Taste of Charlottesville Food Tour combines food tasting with a historical tour of downtown Charlottesville. The walking tour includes seven samples at six stops and takes approximately three hours to complete. 

Cooking Class

Have you ever wanted to learn how to make ravioli from scratch? Or roll the perfect sushi? Or always wanted to know how to make dumplings? Then try a cooking class! Charlottesville has two companies who offer cooking classes – the Happy Cook (which is also a cooking store) and Culinary Concepts. 

Swimming Holes and Lakes

In the summer, try cooling off at one of the local swimming holes! The most popular one is Blue Hole at Sugar Hollow in Crozet . It’s a beautiful spot and a short hike to the swimming hole, but it can get very crowded on the weekends. I recommend making it a mid-week jaunt and avoiding it on Saturday and Sunday. 

Chris Greene Lake , Mint Valley Springs Park and Walnut Creek all have dedicated swimming areas with beaches. 

In Shenandoah National Park, White Oak Canyon and Rip Rap Hollow hikes both feature swimming holes. Both are considered challenging and/or longer hikes. 

Where to Stay in Charlottesville 

If camping is your thing there are tons of options in Charlottesville. Shenandoah National Park has five campgrounds . Misty Mountain is a privately owned campground that features a playground for kids, pool and volleyball courts. If you’re looking for something a little more secluded, you can stay on private property through the agencies HipCamp and Tentrr. Airbnb and VRBO both have a strong presence in Charlottesville. You can book anything from private rooms to yurts to cabins to manors and estates through those platforms. 

If you love Bed and Breakfasts check out: 

• 200 South Street Inn
• The Dinsmore House
• Oakhurst Inn
• The Inn at Court Square

If boutique hotels are your thing I recommend: 

• The Quirk Hotel 
• The Clifton 
• The Draftsman

For proximity to the downtown pedestrian mall, The Omni Charlottesville Hotel can’t be beat. It anchors one end of the mall.

Where to Eat in Charlottesville

Charlottesville has an amazing local food scene.This list is by no means exhaustive, but it will give you a good place to start. Almost all of the restaurants in Charlottesville offer vegetarian options, but I’ll put a “V” by the ones I consider especially vegetarian friendly. 

If you’re only visiting for a day or two, here is my shortlist of top ten best local restaurants in Charlottesville. These are every day eateries – for fine dining, scroll down. 

• Bodos Bagels
• Pineapples Thai
• Kanak Indian Kitchen
• Pearl Island
• Otto Turkish Street Food
• Guajiros Miami Eatery 
• Tacos Gomez 
• Jack Brown’s 

Some of these places serve lunch all the time while others have weekend brunch menus. We love Bodos Bagels for quick breakfast sandwiches, Ace has the best biscuits in town, MarieBette for pastries, and Tip Top for diner-country-style breakfast. 

• Tip Top 
• Moose’s by the Creek
• Farm Bell Kitchen
• Ace Biscuit and Barbeque 
• MarieBette Cafe and Bakery 
• Crosby’s Urban Vittals 
• Blue Moon Diner
• Villa Diner
• Peloton Station

Lunch 

Most of the restaurants in Charlottesville that serve dinner also serve lunch, but here are a few that serve what I would call “lighter lunch.” Meaning they focus on salads and soup and sandwiches and do it really, really well.

• Tilman’s 
• Revolutionary Soup (v)
• Riverside Lunch
• Kitchenette Sandwich Shop
• Baggby’s Gourmet Sandwiches 
• The Juice Laundry (v)
• Afghan Kabob Palace
• The Bebedero 
• Brazos Tacos (v)
• C&O Restaurant
• Citizen’s Burger Bar
• Doma Korean Kitchen (v)
• Duner’s Restaurant 
• Firefly (v)
• Fleurie 
• Iron Paffles and Coffee
• Kardinal Hall (v)
• Mahana Fresh
• Marco and Luca’s Noodle Shop
• Maru Korean Restaurant 
• Milan Indian (v)
• Kanak Indian (v)
• Otto Turkish Street Food (v)
• Botanical  (v)
• Pad Thai (v)
• Pearl Island (v)
• Soul Food Joint
• Sultan Kebab
• Vu Noodles (v)
• Albemarle Baking Co.
• MarieBette Cafe
• Kilwins 
• The Pie Chest
• Bowerbird Bakeshop

Coffeeshops

• Shenandoah Joe
• Lone Light Coffeehouse 
• C’ville Coffee

Charlottesville Two-Day Itinerary 

Grab a cup of coffee at Lone Light Coffee and a pastry from Mariebette. Then, if it’s a Saturday in the summer, hit up the Farmer’s Market at IX Art Park. Get some snacks from the vendors and windowshop local art. Visit The Looking Glass Art exhibit. Grab lunch to go from Vu Noodles or Otto Turkish Street Food. By 1 pm meet up with your wine tour guide. Spend the afternoon exploring several different local wineries. Have a late dinner at Kanak Indian Kitchen and an early night in.

Get up before dawn and head to the Blue Ridge Parkway for a sunrise hike at Humpback Rock. Watch the sun come up over the Blue Ridge Mountains. On your way back into town grab breakfast from Bodo’s Bagels. Shower and take a breather before heading back out. Spend early afternoon meandering down the downtown pedestrian mall. Grab lunch somewhere that strikes your fancy, probably one with outdoor seating. Then go to Monticello and take a tour (they close at 5 so get there by 3!) Grab a slice of pizza from Lampo and then meet your hot air balloon tour guide. Watch the sunset from the sky. End the day with tapas and drinks from Bang!

Charlottesville Five Day Itinerary

Day 1: downtown.

On your first day in town I suggest focusing on the city center itself. Walk the downtown pedestrian mall, take in The Looking Glass exhibit, meander through local bookstores and boutiques, catch a show at the Sprint Pavilion or live music at one of the local bars. Get ice cream at Kilwins, burgers at Jack Brown’s and sip drinks on the rooftop of the Quirk. 

Day 2: U.S. History 

Grab a bagel from Bodos and then head up to Monticello to get there when it opens. Take a tour and stroll the grounds. Grab lunch at the historical Michie Tavern. Stroll along the Saunders Monticello Trail in Kemper Park. Then head up to Carter’s Mountain for a glass of Bold Rock Cider and a mid-after apple cider donut. Head out for a hot air balloon ride with Monticello Balloon Company. Have dinner and drinks at Kanak Indian Kitchen or Soul Food. 

Day 3: Shenandoah National Park

Pack a picnic and lots of snacks and head to Shenandoah National Park. Spend the day driving down Skyline Drive. Tackle some short hikes – a few favorites are Little Calf Mountain, Blackrock Summit, Doyles River Falls and Hightop Mountain. Watch the sunset from an overlook. Drink some local beer that you brought with you. Grab dinner back in town at The Bebedero.

Day 4: Vineyard Tour

Have a leisurely breakfast amid locals at Tip Top followed by a walk on the Rivanna Trail. Grab lunch from Riverside Diner then meet up with your vineyard tour guide. Spend the next five hours exploring some of Charlottesville’s best vineyards. After your tour, head downtown and listen to some music at Fridays After Five. Grab dinner on the downtown mall. 

Day 5: Last Day 

Start your day at the Farmer’s Market or at Albemarle Baking Company. Get some snacks and treats and then head over to the Rivanna River Company to pick up tubes. Spend two hours lazily floating down the river. Grab lunch from Tacos Gomez. Clean up and then head out for a Taste of Charlottesville walking food tour. End the night with some live music and local beer at Peloton Station. 

I hope this guide was helpful as you visit Charlottesville! 

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Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

This is monticello.

Home of the author of the Declaration of Independence . A  World Heritage Site ,  historic house and plantation , museum , research institute ,  presidential library,  and private, non-profit organization .

Experience Monticello

Calling all Kids!

Summer adventure camps.

Join us for a ton of fun this summer with history, science, games, puzzles, crafts, gadgets, and more at our half-day camps in June and July. Scholarships available.

Latest Podcast

The life and "happiness" of martha wayles jefferson.

Jefferson described his marriage to his wife, Martha, as ten years spent "in unchequered happiness." While evidence points strong mutual affection, Martha Jefferson's life had its share of tribulation and tragedy.

New Resource!

Monticello collections database.

A rich and varied collection of objects including art, furnishings, personal items, books, and manuscripts.

Thomas Jefferson And...

Learn more about different facets of Thomas Jefferson’s life, achievements, and pursuits.

An emotional experience

The life of sally hemings exhibit.

One of the most famous African American women in U.S. history . . . and one of the least known.

Declaration of Independence

See a rare engraving of the Declaration and learn more about how it went from the tip of Jefferson's quill to an international icon of democracy.

Iconic images and breathtaking vistas

The best views at monticello.

From the "nickel view" of the main house to Jefferson's favorite outdoor reading spot.

New Blog Post

Roundabout with jane kamensky.

April 25 marks 100 days on the mountaintop for our new president, Dr. Jane Kamensky! Get a behind-the-scenes look in today’s blog.

Livestream, April 25, 4:30 pm ET

This is our home: slavery and struggle on southern plantations.

Join us for a book talk with historian Whitney Nell Stewart and Andrew Davenport, Director of African American History & The Getting Word African American Oral History Project at Monticello.

What's Happening

Step into the fascinating and complex world of Monticello, Thomas Jefferson’s mountaintop home and plantation.

Spring at Monticello

Visit Now for Beautiful Blooms

CHP May Open House

Painting and Sketching In the Garden

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, thomas jefferson.

Get to know Thomas Jefferson—author of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, third president of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia.

". . . the boisterous sea of liberty is never without a wave." -1820

An Architectural Icon

The house and gardens.

Monticello is the autobiographical masterpiece of Thomas Jefferson—designed and redesigned and built and rebuilt for more than forty years. Its gardens were a botanic showpiece, a source of food, and an experimental laboratory of ornamental and useful plants from around the world.

"All my wishes end, where I hope my days will end, at Monticello." -1787

Slavery at Monticello

Thomas Jefferson enslaved over six hundred people throughout his life. Learn about the men, women, and children who lived and labored on this plantation.

"... but this momentous question, like a fire bell in the night, awakened and filled me with terror." -1820

A Solid Foundation

Research and education.

Research and education is the beating heart of our work at Monticello. Learn more about our vibrant community of historians, scholars, archaeologists, educators, restoration and conservation teams, curators, librarians, and more.

"I cannot live without books" -1815

A Rich Gallery of Contnet

Livestreams, videos, and podcasts.

Check out our regularly updated collection looking at all aspects of the worlds of Thomas Jefferson, the larger Monticello community, and the work of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation

Quoting Thomas Jefferson

Real or imagined find a jefferson quote here.

Thomas Jefferson is one of the most frequently quoted (and misquoted) figures in American history. Search this extensive collection of quotes by and about Thomas Jefferson—all fully verified and cited by the editors of the Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Retirement Series.

ADDRESS: 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway Charlottesville, VA 22902 GENERAL INFORMATION: (434) 984-9800

The University of Virginia

Search form, you are here.

There are many ways to experience the University of Virginia. Prospective students can attend an information session or spend the night on Grounds . Alumni can take advantage of career services and participate in a range of events , including reunions. History enthusiasts can take historical tours offered through the University Guide Service (and at Monticello ). Parents, prospective faculty and families can do all the above, plus enjoy walking tours and attend a variety of cultural events happening across Grounds and within the greater Charlottesville community.

Location, Maps and Accommodations

This is Charlottesville

The University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia , approximately 120 miles southwest of Washington, DC. Please review our maps and our parking instructions before making your trip. Charlottesville has many lodging options, including The Forum Hotel , the Colonnade Club and the Boar's Head Resort . Visit the Charlottesville Visitor's Bureau for a full list of available accommodations.

Additional Information

• (434) 293-8000
• info@highland.org

Open from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

• Highland Rustic Trails
• Group Programs

Hours of Operation Highland is open daily from 9:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. for general admission. Private guided tours may be scheduled in advance for 9:00 a.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. General Admission Ticket General admission to Highland includes...

Group Tours

Highland offers a variety of engaging group tours for adult and student groups. Our programs are facilitated by a Highland educator either in-person or via Zoom. Click to to learn more about our adult and student programming. School Groups Adult...

Highland and Slavery

Slavery was ingrained in the fabric of the early United States and was central to the operation of Highland. Scores of enslaved women, men, and children lived on the property between 1799 and 1865, with 53 unfree people at Highland...

We want your opinion!

Highland is pleased to launch a new survey to better serve our guests. Your feedback...

Virginia Festival of the Book at Highland

We are pleased to announce that Highland will host author and cidermaker Diane Flynt to...

Happy New Year!

A new year means new exhibits, projects, and a continued dedication to public history. Follow...

Discover James Monroe’s Highland

Historical Tours

Emily Sumlin (CLAS '20) tells visitors about the Academical Village on a tour. (Photo courtesy of Caitlin Krienheder | Cavalier Daily) 

Guide to the Most Scenic Drives in Charlottesville

• July 19, 2023

Lauren Critzer

Discover charlottesville: an insider’s guide to the most scenic drives.

Are you craving for a scenic escapade that beguiles your senses, calms your spirit, and leaves you yearning for more? Discover Charlottesville, a quintessential Virginian haven that is not just about historic landmarks and vineyard hopping. Today, I invite you to embark on a picturesque journey through the most scenic drives in this charming part of Virginia.

Journey into Jeffersonian Landscapes

The very first leg of our picturesque journey begins with a drive to Monticello, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hop onto Virginia’s Route 53 or Thomas Jefferson Parkway to soak in the beauty of Jeffersonian landscapes. Here’s what awaits you on this scenic drive:

The Rivanna River’s picturesque views : Traverse this scenic route as you take in the tranquil beauty of the Rivanna River ensconced amidst lush Fluvanna woods. The drive is particularly striking during spring where wildflowers bloom along the roadside and the forests bristle with new life. Fall offers stunning vistas of colorful foliage stretching out as far as the eye can see.

The Michie Tavern : Halfway through the journey, make a pit stop at the 18th-century Michie Tavern . Here, you can take a breather and savor Virginia’s traditional southern fare. Do not miss out on their famous fried chicken and an impressive variety of local brews.

The Monticello tour : Upon reaching Monticello , prepare to be mesmerized by the plantation house that was designed and inhabited by Thomas Jefferson. The refined architecture encapsulates Jefferson’s intelligent design and stands as a testament to his intricate understanding of aesthetics. Don’t forget to explore the vegetable gardens and vineyards surrounding the property.

Breathtaking Beauty along the Blue Ridge Parkway

Your next journey awaits along the magnificent Blue Ridge Parkway . Connecting Shenandoah National Park to the north with Great Smoky Mountains National Park to the south, this 469-mile scenic drive releases you into nature’s wild embrace.

Sweeping vistas and mountain views : As you wind through the verdant expanse, stop by the scenic overlooks that are strategically placed along the route to offer spectacular panoramas of the Appalachian Mountains. Each turn uncovers a new view, like the ribbon of the celestial blueness of the Blue Ridge Mountains unfolding across the horizon during different times of the day.

Humpback Rocks : Stop at Humpback Rocks , a striking rock outcrop known for its picturesque views. Take a short hike to the top for an uninterrupted panorama of the Shenandoah Valley and the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Drive into History on James Monroe’s Highland

Your next scenic drive invites you to immerse yourself in history whilst basking in the beauty of nature divinely sprawled around the James Monroe’s Highland . Here’s what awaits you:

Serene landscapes : Draped against the majestic backdrop of the Southwest Mountains lies a tranquil scenic route leading to a world steeped in history. This route draws in leaf-peepers during peak fall when trees are ablaze with autumn’s finest colors.

Historic James Monroe’s Highland tour : Explore the property where our fourth president resided. Be sure to visit the Guest House, one of the oldest extant presidential dwellings, and stroll through the beautifully manicured gardens.

Skyline Drive: Nature at its Purest

Extend your journey to Skyline Drive in the adjacent Shenandoah National Park. This delightful drive, running 105 miles along the crest of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is also known as heaven’s highway for nature lovers.

105-mile scenic drive : Discover lovely panoramas of the Shenandoah Valley as you wind around the mountaintops of the national park. The vistas change with the seasons and are always a thing of beauty, from vibrant wildflowers in the spring to a riot of autumn colors in the fall.

Wildlife spotting : Don’t forget to keep your eyes open for the abundant wildlife that makes Shenandoah their home including white-tailed deer, black bears, wild turkeys, and a plethora of bird species.

Magical Meanderings Along Rt. 151

The next stretch of our picturesque route offers a treat not just for the eyes but also for the palate! Discover a hidden culinary paradise as you embark on the Route 151 journey.

Brew Ridge Trail : There is an old saying, “In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is freedom”. Experience the essence of this phrase as the Breweries along the Brew Ridge Trail offer plenty of both. Make a well-deserved pit stop at the Devil’s Backbone Basecamp Brewpub and Meadows or the Blue Mountain Brewery.

Local wineries : Wineries and vineyards, including the esteemed Veritas Vineyard & Winery and Afton Mountain Vineyards, stretch across the landscape. Treat your taste buds to Virginia’s finest wines and enjoy the vista that extends beyond sprawling vineyards.

The Rural Bliss of Ivy Creek Natural Area

Finally, unleash your love for Mother Nature amidst the charming rural landscapes of the Ivy Creek Natural Area .

Network of trails : A robust network of trails winds through diverse habitats, providing a variety of scenic perspectives. The changing light from sunrise to sunset paints different hues, ensuring that each drive through this route is unique.

Rich wildlife : Keep your camera ready for some amazing wildlife shots! This natural sanctuary is home to foxes, eagles, and a wide variety of butterflies.

In essence, Charlottesville’s scenic drives string together panoramic views, spectacular landscapes, and rich culture that will leave you spellbound. The city encourages not just a journey, but a story told through the whispering winds of the mountains, blended with the historical recounts of architectural marvels, creating a perfect symphony for a discerning traveler. Discover Charlottesville, the city that beautifully merges the journey with the destination and remember, in every journey, the heart finds a home!

I was born in Charlottesville, Virginia and after college, I moved to San Francisco to explore new opportunities and broaden my horizons. I fell in love with the city's vibrant culture and unique atmosphere, but eventually, I moved again, this time to Austin, Texas.

As much as I loved living in different parts of the country, having a baby boy brought me back to my hometown in Charlottesville, where I now live with my husband, our little one, and two furry friends. I enjoy going to wineries, taking my pups everywhere, and spending quality time with my family.

• Previous Guide to the Best Sushi in Charlottesville
• Next Guide to Charlottesville’s Natural Wonders

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Guide to Charlottesville’s Beautiful Public Gardens

Guide to the Best Seasonal Events in Charlottesville

Guide to Charlottesville’s Historic Landmarks

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Explore the vineyards and wineries of the Blue Ridge Mountains and neighboring counties. Select your venues and personalize your wine tour experience.

Like the wine industry, the breweries are plentiful in Central Virginia. Our tours are fun and you’ll want to go again and again.

Ladies, get your matching bridesmaid outfits, princess crowns, and Bluetooth playlist ready to take a custom tour of the city. You can choose from wineries, breweries, distilleries, or anything really. We’ll make it enjoyable.

There are fewer distilleries to choose from, but the 151 and Charlottesville areas have a few standouts. You can come with a destination, or we can make recommendations.

Charlottesville Winery & Brewery Tours + Shuttle Services

Whitmore Merrick

Of course, like most young boys, I fell in love with Matchbox cars, Big Wheels, go-karts, and just about any racing video game. Although my father was long-distance, the first thing I can remember him teaching me is how to drive. First, my father would allow me to drive with him, and by the age of 14, I was driving on my own. I was one of the first of my friends to get my driver’s license and have access to a vehicle, so of course, I became the designated driver! Driving professionally never crossed my mind until a friend of mine introduced me to driving a cab. Being a local resident of Charlottesville and my love for driving drove me to not only become a driver but own a few cabs in the City of Charlottesville Yellow Cab Company. After years of shuttling folks to work, airports and outings, I decided to step it up a notch and earn my Commercial Driver’s License after getting the opportunity to attend a program called “Go Driver” funded by the City of Charlottesville Economic and Development Department. After obtaining my CDL license, I was employed by Charlottesville Area Transit serving public transit for three years. Picking up part-time work with limo companies and Crozet Trolley helped me learn the business and earn enough money to purchase a small 12-passenger vehicle. And that is where your adventure starts!

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If you ‘re looking for a unique and exciting way to tour some of Charlottesville ‘s best win eries , breweries , and dist iller ies , then look no further than our transportation company ! We offer tours of all the best that Charlottesville has to offer , and we promise you ‘ll have a great time !

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We provide free pickup within a 15-mile radius of Charlottesville. Otherwise, a one-time fee of $150.00 is required upon pickup.

Mountain Resorts (Wintergreen And Massenutten) we drop off at the front gates only. 

Don’t see what you’re looking for or the day you want to reserve is booked, please give us a call (434) 257-7677 to discuss a customized package to fit your travel needs or find alternate tour partners.

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We know that this is not ideal, but we hope you understand that we have to make these policies in order to keep our prices low. We appreciate your understanding and we hope you will still consider booking a trip with us in the future.

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Experience Charlottesville with Food Tours  by Charlottesville G UIDE

Food Tours by Charlottesville Guide is a venture of Charlottesville GUIDE,

a leading hospitality service founded by UVA students in 1984. 

The Corner Food Tour

Pretend you're in college again

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The Corner as UVA students do!

Flavor, variety, bustle, and personality are all hallmarks of the food scene here, and we'll introduce you to 5 of the best!

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Discover the heart of

Charlottesville's bustling food scene!

Style, variety, and local flavor are all central elements of The Downtown Mall and its vibrant restaurant community. We'll introduce you to 5 of our faves!

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House Districts 7 and 10 aren't the only Va. Congressional races with contested primaries

With the filing deadline passed and campaigns ramping up on their spending, the June primary race is well underway for federal office in Virginia.

All of Virginia's 11 U.S. House of Representatives seats, along with Democratic U.S. Senator Tim Kaine - who occupies one of two U.S. Senate seats in the commonwealth - will be up for election in November.

Six U.S. House districts will have contested primary elections on June 18. Kaine does not have a Democratic primary challenger and will not appear on the June ballot. Five Republicans who are seeking their party's nomination to challenge the incumbent Senator will appear on the ballot in June.

These races for the U.S. House of Representatives will not have a primary contest ahead of November: House District 03 Rep. Bobby Scott, D – Newport News; House District 04 Rep. Jennifer McClellan, D – Richmond; House District 06 Rep. Ben Cline, R – Rockbridge County; House District 08 Rep. Don Beyer, D – Arlington; and House District 09 Rep. Morgan Griffith, R – Southwestern Virginia.

Here's a list of candidates for each primary race, in the order in which they'll appear on the June ballot, below. Early voting for the June 18 primaries will start on May 3.

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

U.S. House District 1

Two Democrats are vying for the chance to challenge the incumbent Republican Rep. Rob Wittman in November. Wittman represents Virginia's 1st Congressional District, located in the northeastern portion of the commonwealth, north of the James River, south of the Potomac River and west of the Chesapeake Bay.

Democratic Primary

• Leslie Mehta: Mehta is a litigator and civil rights attorney. She was named the Legal Director of the ACLU of Virginia. She was appointed to former Governor Ralph Northam’s Commission to Examine Racial and Economic Inequity and has served on Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Rare Disease Council. She has raised $135,261 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Herbert Jones: Jones retired as a colonel from the U.S. Army after 30 years and having completed a tour of duty in Afghanistan a being awarded the Bronze Star for Iraq service. Herb has served three terms as the New Kent County Treasurer. He co-launched Pyramid Technologies, LLC, a cloud-computing, project management, and logistics firm.He has raised $118,250 so far for his campaign according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 2

Two Democrats are vying for the chance to challenge the incumbent Republican Rep. Jen Kiggans in November. Kiggans represents Virginia's 2nd Congressional District, located in the south and eastern part of the commonwealth, south and west of Norfolk. The district also includes the commonwealth's eastern shore.

• Jeremiah "Jake" Denton: Denton is a civil rights and constitutional law attorney. He opened his own law firm in 2022, which focuses on First Amendment law and discrimination cases. He has raised $210,215 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Missy Cotter Smasal: Smasal is a U.S. Navy veteran who deployed aboard the U.S.S. Trenton during Operation Enduring Freedom. She currently serves as the Virginia Citizen representative on the Chesapeake Bay Commission. She an adjunct professor at Old Dominion University and is the Executive Director for Valor Run, a local non-profit that produces running events to honor the U.S. military women veterans. She has raised $509,535 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 5

Incumbent Rep. Bob Good will see a primary opponent in the solidly Republican 5th Congressional District. Three Democrats are also seeking their party's nomination to challenge the Republican primary winner in November. District 5 lies to the west of Richmond and spans from Charlottesville to the commonwealth's southern border.

Republican Primary

• Bob Good, Incumbent: Good has served in the U.S. House of Representatives since 2021. He is the current chair of the House Freedom Caucus. Before serving in Congress, he was a district manager at a CitiFinancial bank. He left CitiFinancial for a position as Sr. Associate Athletic Director for Development and Executive Director of the Flames Club at Liberty University. He has raised $855,792 so far for his re-election campaign, according to FEC filings.
• John McGuire: McGuire served in Virginia’s House of Delegates to represent District 56 since 2018, before he was elected to the State Senate in 2023 to serve District 10. He served as a Navy Seal for a decade, before launching a small business, focused on fitness, called SEAL Team PT Inc. He has raised $502,747 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Gloria Tinsley Witt: Tinsley Witt is a board member of multiple organizations that include the NAACP Amherst Branch, where she serves as president; The Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, where she serves as board member; the Central Virginia Academy for Nonprofit Excellence, where she serves as president; Lead Virginia, where she serves as a board member; and Centra Health, where she serves as a board member. She has raised $4,735 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Paul Riley: Riley is an Intelligence Solutions Lead with a defense contractor and has served in the U.S. Army for two decades. He has not raised any money for his campaign, so far, according to FEC filings.
• Gary Terry: Terry served five years in the U.S. Army. He is currently the CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Danville Area.He has not raised any money for his campaign, so far, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 7

More than a dozen candidates jumped into the race to represent U.S. House District 7 after Democratic Rep. Abigail Spanberger announced her plan to run for governor of the commonwealth in 2025 instead of seeking re-election to Congress. Six Republicans and seven Democrats will appear on the ballot in June. District 7 has been deemed "leans Democrat" but Republicans are hoping to flip the district. It is located in the northern part of the commonwealth and includes Dale City, Fredericksburg, Culpeper and Bowling Green.

• Jon Myers: A former Marine and intelligence officer, Myers has appeared repeatedly on Fox News and News Max. He has also been an outspoken critic of the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan. He has raised $65,669 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Derrick  Anderson: A former U.S. Army combat veteran and attorney, Anderson threw his hat in the ring for the 2022 election but lost the Republican primary to Yesli Vega. He has been featured repeatedly on Fox News where he has criticized President Joe Biden’s foreign policy in the Middle East. He has raised $888,595 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Cameron Hamilton: Not to be confused with the Love Is Blind season 1 cast member, candidate Hamilton is a former Navy SEAL and a former Department of Homeland Security employee. Hamilton has also appeared repeatedly on Fox News. He has raised $499,810 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• John Prabhudoss: Prabhudoss sits on the advisory board of the Federation of Indian American Christian Organizations. He has raised $117,532 so far, for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Maria Martin: Martin has raised $6,447 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Terris Todd: A former advisor at The Heritage Foundation, a Washington, D.C., based conservative think-tank, Todd was appointed by the Trump Administration in 2020 as the executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans within the U.S. Department of Education. He has raised $25,382 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Eugene  Vindman: Famous for the role he and his twin brother played as whistleblowers in the 2019 Trump impeachment inquiry, retired Army Colonel Vindman has appeared on MSNBC to announce his campaign for Congress and is not to be confused with his twin brother, Alexander, who appeared on a season 11 episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm. He has raised $3,793,505 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Briana Sewell: Del. Sewell currently represents Virginia’s 25th District in the House of Delegates. Prior to serving in the statehouse, she worked as the chief of staff to the Chair At-Large of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors and advocated for paid family medical leave for Virginian residents. Elected to represent the 51st district in the House of Delegates in 2021, Sewell has sponsored legislation to support veterans, students and teachers. She has raised $172,724.18 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Elizabeth Guzman: Guzman represented Virginia's 31st District in the House of Delegates. After redistricting, she ran for state senate in District 29 and lost by 50 votes to Sen. Jeremy McPike. As a Delegate, Guzman advocated for paid sick leave, a living wage for workers, collective bargaining rights, the establishment of a new mental health crisis center, and a ban on assault weapons. She has also supported in-state tuition for children of military families and expedited licensure for military spouse nurses. She has raised $204,979.29 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Carl Bedell: Bedell served in the US Army and competed his service as a Captain and Counterintelligence Special Agent. He works as a lawyer and focuses on Veterans and small businesses. He has raised $60,128 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Cliff Heinzer: Heinzer served in the US Army as a Ranger-Qualified infantry officer and Special Forces Green Beret, and then as a Foreign Service Officer for the State Department for more than 20 years. He has raised $49,431 so far for his campaign according to FEC filings.
• Margaret Angela Franklin: Franklin is currently serving as the Woodbridge District Supervisor, and was elected Vice-Chair of the Prince William County Board of Supervisors in January 2022. During her time on the Prince William County Board of Supervisors, she led initiatives to create the county’s first child advocacy center, housing assistance program, small business grant program and led the creation of a racial and social justice commission. She has raised $241,346 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Andrea Bailey: Bailey serves as a county supervisor on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. She helped to pass the county's first Collective Bargaining Ordinance. She has raised $208, 497 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 10

More than a dozen candidates jumped into the race to represent U.S. House District 10 after Democratic Rep. Jennifer Wexton announced she would not seek re-election due to health reasons. Four Republicans and 12 Democrats will appear on the ballot in June. District 10 has been deemed "solidly Democrat" but a handful of Republicans are hoping to flip the district. It is located in the northern part of the commonwealth and includes Purcellville, Manassas and Marshall.

• Mike Clancy: Clancy began his legal career as an attorney with the Department of the Navy’s Office of the General Counsel. He is currently a senior executive and lawyer with a global tech company. He has appeared on NewsMax. He has raised $347,160 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Alex Isaac: Isaac is a retired Lieutenant Colonel after serving 23 years in the U.S. Army. He transitioned to the private sector as a member of the MarkLogic Corporate team and supports national security programs under several intelligence and law enforcement agencies. He has raised $124,910 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Aliscia Andrews: A Marine Corps veteran,Andrews deployed in 2010 with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit for the maiden voyage of the USS Mesa Verde. She ran to represent Congressional District 10 in 2020 as the Republican nominee. She was appointed by Gov. Glenn Youngkin as Virginia’s Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security in 2022. She has raised $106,494 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Manga Anantatmula: Anatatmula has raised $4,492 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Eileen Filler-Corn: Filler-Corn is a former Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates and was the first woman to hold the position. During her time as Speaker, she helped to push for gun safety legislation and rolled back abortion restrictions in the commonwealth. She also ordered the removal of Confederate busts and a statue of Robert E. Lee from the state capitol building in 2020. She has raised $759,561 for her campaign so far, according to FEC filings.
• Suhas Subramanyam: Subramanyam was elected to the Virginia General Assembly in 2019 and currently serves as a state senator in the 32 nd District. He previously served as a White House technology policy advisor to President Obama. He passed legislation to lower drug costs and increase transparency in drug prices. He built a coalition across party lines that focused on energy costs which resulted in over $300 million in refunds to Virginians. His campaign has raised $679,183 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Atif Qarni: Qarni served in the U.S. Marines during Operation Iraqi Freedom and served as the Virginia Secretary of Education under former Gov. Ralph Northam. He was also a middle school teacher for 10 years. He has raised $289,739 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Dan Helmer: Helmer currently serves in Virginia’s House of Delegates representing District 10. He is also a U.S. Lieutenant Colonel in the US Army Reserve and served on active duty for 11 years which included tours in Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Korea. He is a Rhodes Scholar. He ran for the Democratic nomination to represent Virginia’s 10 th Congressional District but was defeated by Rep. Jennifer Wexton. He has raised $1,113,778 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Marion Devoe: Devoe is a Vietnam Veteran. He has raised $10 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Krystle Veda Kaul: Kaul served as a Director (GS-15) of the Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Department of Defense, the Director of Strategic Communications of the U.S. Air Force for General Dynamics Information Technology, and as an Intelligence Political-Military Expert at U.S. Central Command, according to her campaign webpage. She has raised $930,070 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Jennifer Boysko: Boysko currently serves as a state senator representing the 38 th District. As a state senator, she has championed legislation to support access to reproductive health care and gun safety. She previously worked on Capitol Hill for former Alabama Senator Richard Shelby. She has raised $407,307 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Adrian Pokharel: Pokharel has worked for the National Security Agency and the Central Intelligence Agency and is a military veteran, according to his campaign website. He has raised $100,000 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Michelle-Ann Lopes Maldonado: Maldonado currently serves as the representative for the 20 th District in Virginia’s House of Delegates. While in the Virginia House of Delegates, she has been named “Rookie Legislator of the Year,” “Education Champion,” and most recently, a 2024 "Impact Maker" by Virginia Business Magazine and a 2024 "Legislative Champion" by the Virginia Education Association, according to her campaign website. She has raised $69,200 so far for her campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Mark Leighton: Leighton is a librarian and an administrative faculty member at George Mason Law Library. He has raised $6,472 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• David Reid: Reid current serves as Delegate representing Virginia’s 28 th District. After 23 years in the U.S. Navy Reserves, he retired as a commander. He has raised $223,806 for his campaign so far, according to FEC filings.
• Travis Nembhard: Nembhard is an attorney and was a candidate to represent Virginia House of Delegates District 22 in 2023, when he lost to his Republican competitor. He has raised $101,815 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.

U.S. House District 11

Incumbent Rep. Gerry Connolly will see a primary opponent in the solidly Democratic 11th Congressional District. District 11 lies to the west of Washington D.C. and includes Reston, Fairfax and Springfield.

• Ahsan Nasar: Nasar is currently a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves and serves as a military lawyer. He recently resigned from his position at the U.S. Government Accountability Office to challenge Rep. Gerry Connolly in the Democratic primary. He has raised $70,669 so far for his campaign, according to FEC filings.
• Gerald "Gerry" Connolly, Incumbent: Connolly was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008. He is a senior member of the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, serves as the Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Cybersecurity, Information Technology, and Government Innovation, and serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. He was ranked the Most Effective Lawmaker of the 117th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking. He has raised $1,626,726 for his re-election campaign so far, according to FEC filings.

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These are the countries where TikTok is already banned

As a TikTok ban moved closer Wednesday, TikTok creators like Caleb Simpson are planning for what’s next. Simpson is known for his home tour series where he approaches a person on the street or celebrity and asks for a tour of their home. He said a third of his income comes from the app, where he has more than 8 million followers. For creators like Simpson, the ban would more than impact their livelihood, the app is also where many creators have built relationships and created memories.

A TikTok content creator, speaks to reporters outside the U.S. Capitol, Tuesday, April 23, 2024, in Washington, as Senators prepare to consider legislation that would force TikTok’s China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib)

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FILE - The TikTok logo is displayed on a mobile phone in front of a computer screen, Oct. 14, 2022, in Boston. TikTok is gearing up for a legal fight against a U.S. law that would force the social media platform to break ties with its China-based parent company or face a ban. A battle in the courts will almost certainly be backed by Chinese authorities as the bitter U.S.-China rivalry threatens the future of a wildly popular way for young Americans to connect online. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

LONDON (AP) — TikTok is in the crosshairs of authorities in the U.S., where new law threatens a nationwide ban unless its China-based parent ByteDance divests. It would be the biggest blow yet to the popular video-sharing app, which has faced various restrictions around the world.

TikTok is already banned in a handful of countries and from government-issued devices in a number of others, due to official worries that the app poses privacy and cybersecurity concerns.

Those fears are reflected in the U.S. law, which is the culmination of long-held bipartisan fears in Washington that China’s communist leaders could force ByteDance to hand over U.S. user data, or influence Americans by suppressing or promoting certain content. TikTok has long maintained that it doesn’t share data with the Chinese government and its CEO has taken a defiant stance, vowing to fight back.

Here are the places that have partial or total bans on TikTok:

AFGHANISTAN

TikTok has been banned since 2022, along with videogame PUBG, after the country’s Taliban leadership decided to forbid access on the grounds of protecting young people from “being misled.”

TikTok is not allowed on devices issued by the Australian federal government. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus said he made the decision after getting advice from the country’s intelligence and security agencies.

The National Security Council decided last month to indefinitely ban TikTok from devices owned or paid for by the federal government. The ban was issued on a temporary basis last year on worries about cybersecurity, privacy and misinformation. Prime Minister Alexander de Croo said it was based on warnings from the country’s state security service and cybersecurity center.

Devices issued by the federal government are forbidden from using TikTok. Officials cited an “unacceptable” risk to privacy and security and said the app would be removed from devices and employees blocked from downloading it.

TikTok has never been available in mainland China , a fact that CEO Shou Chew has mentioned in testimony to U.S. lawmakers. ByteDance instead offers Chinese users Douyin, a similar video-sharing app that follows Beijing’s strict censorship rules. TikTok also ceased operations in Hong Kong after a sweeping Chinese national security law took effect.

Denmark’s Defense Ministry banned its employees from having TikTok on their work phones, ordering staffers who have installed it to remove the app from devices as soon as possible. The ministry said the reasons for the ban included both “weighty security considerations” as well as “very limited work-related need to use the app.”

EUROPEAN UNION

The European Parliament, European Commission and the EU Council, the 27-member bloc’s three main institutions, have imposed bans on TikTok on staff devices. Under the European Parliament’s ban, lawmakers and staff were also advised to remove the TikTok app from their personal devices.

“Recreational” use of TikTok and other social media apps like Twitter and Instagram on government employees’ phones has been banned because of worries about insufficient data security measures. The French government didn’t name specific apps but noted the decision came after other governments took measures targeting TikTok.

India imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok and dozens of other Chinese apps like messaging app WeChat in 2020 over privacy and security concerns. The ban came shortly after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops at a disputed Himalayan border killed 20 Indian soldiers and injured dozens. The companies were given a chance to respond to questions on privacy and security requirements but the ban was made permanent in 2021.

TikTok isn’t entirely banned in the sprawling, populous Southeast Asian nation, only its online retail function, after the authorities clamped down on e-commerce transactions carried out on social media platforms in a bid to protect small businesses.

Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics tweeted that he deleted his TikTok account and that the app is also prohibited from official foreign ministry smartphones.

NETHERLANDS

The Dutch central government banned apps including TikTok from employee work phones citing data security concerns. A government statement did not name TikTok specifically but said civil servants are discouraged from having apps “from countries with an offensive cyber program against the Netherlands and/or Dutch interests installed and used on their mobile work devices.”

The Himalayan country imposed a nationwide ban on TikTok, saying it was disrupting “social harmony” and goodwill and blaming it for a “flow of indecent materials.” Authorities ordered the telecom company to block access to the app.

NEW ZEALAND

Lawmakers in New Zealand and staff at the nation’s Parliament are prohibited from having the TikTok app on their work phones, following advice from government cybersecurity experts. The app was removed from all devices with access to the parliamentary network, although officials can make special arrangements for anybody who needs TikTok to perform their democratic duties.

The Norwegian parliament banned Tiktok on work devices after the country’s Justice Ministry warned the app shouldn’t be installed on phones issued to government employees. The Parliament’s speaker said TikTok shouldn’t be on devices that have access to the assembly’s systems and should be removed as quickly as possible. The country’s capital Oslo and second largest city Bergen also urged municipal employees to remove TikTok from their work phones.

Pakistani authorities have temporarily banned TikTok at least four times since 2020, citing concerns that the app promotes immoral content.

The government ordered telecom companies to block access to TikTok, along with messaging app Telegram and gambling platform 1XBET. Officials said they were concerned that the platforms could spread extremist content, nude images and other material seen as offensive to Somali culture and Islam.

Taiwan imposed a public sector ban on TikTok after the FBI warned that the app posed a national security risk. Government devices, including mobile phones, tablets and desktop computers, are not allowed to use Chinese-made software, which includes apps like TikTok, its Chinese equivalent Douyin, or Xiaohongshu, a Chinese lifestyle content app.

UNITED KINGDOM

British authorities banned TikTok from mobile phones used by government ministers and civil servants. Officials said the ban was a “precautionary move” on security grounds and doesn’t apply to personal devices. The British Parliament followed up by banning TikTok from all official devices and the “wider parliamentary network.” The semi-autonomous Scottish government and London City Hall also banned TikTok from staff devices. The BBC urged staff to delete TikTok from corporate devices unless they’re using it for editorial and marketing reasons.

UNITED STATES

U.S. authorities ordered government agencies to delete TikTok from federal devices and systems over data security concerns. More than half of the 50 U.S. states also have banned the app from official devices, as have Congress and the U.S. armed forces. Montana’s efforts to bring in a state-wide ban failed, as did a proposal in Virginia to block kids from using it.