Without the crowds of students populating grounds and the Corner, Charlottesville can get pretty boring. And trust me, I speak from experience. As rising fourth year, this is my third summer staying in Charlottesville. And while it can get boring, this is one of my favorite times of year around here. So for someone staying for a summer class or working during the summer for the first time in Charlottesville, here are some things to do to quell your boredom!
1. Get a group of friends together and go to Jump Cville for a fun and extremely tiring workout!
2. Visit the Historic Downtown Mall and visit the shops! There are also amazing restaurants and bakeries to try out.
3. Kilwin's. This is one of my favorite chocolate and ice cream shops in Charlottesville. Kilwin's seriously has some of the best chocolate and candies for a low price. Plus it's conveniently located on the Downtown Mall!
4. Visit the Rotunda. It was recently completed this past year and students and tourists alike can gather in this historic building and see the beautiful genius of Thomas Jefferson. Plus having a great view of the lawn isn't too bad either.
5. Change up your brunch routine and go to the Oakhurst Inn Cafe. This place is so cute and has some of the best coffee ever. You have to get there early though, they close at 3 pm on weekdays and 2 pm on the weekends!
6. Take a hike on Humpback.
7. Have a picnic at Washington Park. On a sunny day, this is one of my favorite parks to visit. It is absolutely beautiful and has sprawling fields perfect for a picnic date.
8. Visit Monticello with family or friends!
9. Carter Mountain. This place has the best views and the most beautiful apple orchards. Plus the store is full of goodies like apple cider, apple pie, apple donuts, basically apple everything!
10. Chiles Peach Orchard. While Chiles is called a peach orchard it is also has strawberry fields! I recently went here with my family and picked strawberries and later made fresh jam. It made for incredible memories.
11. Visit the Kluge-Ruhe Aboriginal Art Museum.
12. Visit the historic Paramount Theatre Downtown
13. Change up your bar routine and visit The Hole. It's located in the basement of the Pigeon Hole on the Corner and it has amazing drinks for amazing prices. It's a cute little hole in the wall that's not too loud and is perfect for a small group of friends.
14. See a concert at The Jefferson. This music hall is always hosting concerts at super cheap prices. This is a perfect place to unwind after a long week and to enjoy new music and new people.
15. Do a wine and culinary tour with Monticello Wine Tour and Coach Company!
16. Hang a hammock in one of the gardens beside the lawn. I love going to these gardens for peace and quiet. It's also a great place to nap in a hammock.
17. Visit The Graduate. The Graduate is a roof top bar that gives you an amazing view of Charlottesville accompanied with amazing drinks.
18. Visit the Ash Lawn-Highland.
19. Take a trip to the backyard of Ruffin Hall. The art students usually have sculptures installed there that are incredibly intricate and fun to look at.
20. Visit the Fralin Art Museum.
21. Go to the Farmers Market Downtown on Saturdays.
22. Take a shopping trip to the Stonefield Shopping Center.
23. Get some amazing frozen yogurt at Arch's. This froyo joint is a favorite of UVa students. They have amazing toppings and flavors. Plus they have a deal called 5$ Tuesdays where no matter how much your froyo weighs, it will only by 5$!
24. Sip on a coffee at Milli Coffee Roasters (otherwise known as Milli Joes). This coffee house has live poetry readings and great espresso. What more could you ask for?
25. Go out to lunch at Take it Away. This sandwich shop has a soundtrack of college acapella groups playing all the time and their sandwiches are absolutely delicious, probably my favorite in Charlottesville!
Overall, there are so many things to do in Charlottesville, you just have to go out and explore the city. I know I'm definitely trying out new places every day this summer!
