Hiking, mountains & trails

Rivanna Trail, 20 miles of hiking trails that circle around the city

Ivy Creek Natural Area, 215 acre preserve w/forests, fields, streams, 7 miles of trails

Crabtree Falls, Nelson County

Saunders-Monticello Trail, a 2 mile trail ascending Carter Mountain & ending up at

Monticello

Sherando Lake Recreation Area, Augusta County. 2 lakes, hiking, fishing, camping

Shenandoah National Park & Skyline Drive (Appalachian Trail, Big Meadows, Calf Mountain, Hawksbill, Old Rag Mountain, Sugar Hollow, etc.)

Blue Ridge Parkway (Humpback Rock)
Montpelier

Home of James Madison located in Orange County.

A great day trip.

American Shakespeare Center/Blackfriars Playhouse. See a play here in the world's only recreation of Shakespeare's original indoor theater.

Frontier Culture Museum. Explore indoor and outdoor exhibits that tell the story of colonial life in America.

Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library

Gypsy Hill Park has a miniature train that will take you around the park. There’s also a duck pond.

Have dinner at Staunton Grocery or Mill Street Grill.
Richmond

Many Charlottesvillians travel to Richmond (and D.C.) for shopping.

There are plenty of other places to visit in Richmond.

Science Museum of Virginia, 2500 W. Broad St.

Children's Museum of Richmond, 2626 W. Broad St.

Lewis Ginter Botanical garden

Maymont has an estate, a small zoo, gardens, and many events throughout the year.


Lynchburg

Amazement Square. A wonderful children's museum.

Old City Cemetery, Besides what you might expect, the cemetery also has a butterfly garden, lotus pond, and rose garden.

Maier Museum of Art at Randolph College has a collection of 19th & 20th c. American art

Blue Ridge Parkway/Peaks of Otter wilderness area

Blackwater Creek Bikeway & River Walk. Level trails and bikeways that pass Amazement Square, Riverfront Park, and cross onto Percival's Island Natural Area

300+ acre living history museum. Explore preserved and reconstructed colonial buildings. Costumed interpreters perform reenactments of 18^th century life.

Explore downtown Lexington, the Lee Chapel & Museum, the Stonewall Jackson House and the campuses of Virginia Military Institute and Washington and Lee University

Natural Bridge, Natural Bridge Caverns, Natural Bridge Zoo, Virginia Safari Park
Luray Caverns

“The most popular cave in Eastern America” is located in Luray, VA, about 1 1/2 hour drive from Charlottesville. One hour tours through the spectacular caves.

January 1. On Dec. 31^st and Jan. 1^st schools, offices, banks, and most stores close.

3^rd Monday of January. Most schools, offices, and banks are closed. Martin Luther King (1929-1968) was a clergyman and civil rights leader who received the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.

February 14. Valentines or tokens of love (cards, candy, or gifts) are exchanged. Grade school children are usually encouraged to bring cards for every classmate.

3^rd Monday of February. Most schools, offices, and banks are closed. This holiday celebrates the birthdays of George Washington, the first U.S. President and “father of the country,” and Abraham Lincoln, the 16^th president, who helped abolish slavery.

March 17. This day honors the patron saint of Ireland and is often celebrated with parades and parties. People (not just the Irish) often wear green.

April 1^st. A day on which people play practical tricks on each other.

2^nd Sunday of May. People honor their mothers with cards or gifts.

Last Monday of May. All schools, offices, and banks are closed. Commemorates U.S. soldiers who died while serving in the military. People often visit the graves of their deceased loved ones on this day.

3^rd Sunday of June. People honor their fathers with cards or gifts.

July 4^th. Offices and banks are closed. This holiday celebrates the birth of the United States, when the thirteen colonies declared their independence from England by signing the Declaration of Independence in 1776. The day is usually marked by public and private fireworks displays.

1^st Monday of September. All schools, offices, and banks are closed. This holiday celebrates the contributions and efforts of workers.

2^nd Monday in October. A holiday that celebrates Christopher Columbus and his landing in the Americas in 1492

October 31^st. Children dress up in costumes and go from house to house to “trick or treat” and receive candy. At UVa trick or treating on the lawn is an annual tradition.

3^rd Thursday of November. All schools, offices, and banks are closed. People gather to give thanks and to eat a feast, which usually features a turkey. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated at Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts in 1621. The pilgrims shared a feast with the Wampanoag Native Americans who had helped them to survive by showing them how to fish and grow crops.

December 25. All schools, offices, banks, and most stores are closed. This is a Christian holiday celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. This has also become a secularized holiday celebrated by non-Christians. Trees are decorated, cards sent, and gifts exchanged.

-17.8˚ 0˚

-10˚ 14˚

0˚ 32˚

20˚ 68˚

40˚ 104˚

16 oz./1 lb. 450 g.

2.2 lbs. 1000 g. or 1 kg.

2000 lbs./1 ton 900 kg.

1 centimeter (cm) = 10 mm .3937 inch

1 meter (m) = 100 cm, 1.0936 yard

1 kilometer (km) = 1,000 m, .6214 mile

1 inch (in./ ”) = 25.4 mm

1 foot (ft./’) = 12 in, .3048 m

1 yard (yd.) = 3 ft, .9144 m

1 mile (mi.) = 1,760 yd, 5280 ft., 1.6093 km

Tablespoon tbs. or T.

Cup C.

Ounce oz.

Quart qt.

Pound lb.

Liquid Measurement
1 tsp. 1/6 oz., 5 ml

1 tbs. 3 tsp., ½ oz.

1 cup 16 tbs.

6 2/3 tbs. 3 ½ oz.

2 c. (1 pt.) 8 oz.

4 c. (1 qt.) 32 oz. (2lbs.)

4 1/3 c. 2.2 lbs.

2 quarts 8 pints, 16 c., 128 fluid ozs., 1 gallon

1.06 liquid qts. 1 liter

.091 dry qts. 1 liter

1 dry qt. 1.1 liter

This website advertises itself as “A guide for the law school community,” but is one of the best, most comprehensive guides for anyone living in Charlottesville. Topics include:

This is another informative website that aims to provide a comprehensive guide to Charlottesville. Besides information about UVa, it includes sections on:

This website provides information about the University and the Charlottesville/Albemarle community.

This website produced by the Office of the Dean of Students gives a good overview of the culture and terminology particular to the University of Virginia

A guide to the Charlottesville/Albemarle community produced by the Jefferson-Madison Regional Library

A guide for families. Lots of advertisements, very useful for its updated calendar of activities. Look out for their monthly print magazines and yearly guides, available for free around town.

Information for county residents. Click on “Residents” tab and scroll down to find “New Resident Guide”

Information for city residents

Search on PNOC for “The Parenting Network of Charlottesville.”

This website features local news, an events calendar, community information, and lots of links

A guide to Charlottesville produced by The Hook, one of the free local weekly newspapers. Check out the “Newcomer Info”

“The Smart Student guide to studying in the U.S.” In addition to information about things such as college admissions, passports, and visas, etc. the site also provides information about cultural differences and living in the U.S. You can “Ask the Advisor” if you have a question not covered on the website.

This site features a “Moving to Virginia” guide