Iconic Charlottesville Walks-For Everyone!

Whether you are a runner or a casual walker, Charlottesville is a great place to explore the outdoors through nature or in the city. We feel like it is best in all seasons, but the spring and fall really do showcase the town so well!

 As a vacation rental company, we love to highlight our favorites in the town to our clients and provide them with great activities throughout it. After living here for over 15 years in various seasons of life (college, graduate school and now as professionals), we feel like we’ve seen so many wonderful facets of the city and countryside.

Here are a few of our favorites places to walk in Charlottesville:

University of Virginia

This is a great walk for all levels! We love starting at the Rotunda and strolling down the picturesque Lawn designed by Jefferson catching a glimpse of the beautiful gardens behind each of the pavilions. We then head to the right of Cabell Hall at the end of the Lawn and continue on through Grounds ending at Scott Stadium to potentially catch a football game! Catch our blog on best tailgate tips!

Ridge Road

Known to be one of the most beautiful runs in all of Albemarle County, this is a perfect way to spend a morning! You may see an undergraduate running group all the way up to your grandparents age! It’s a great place to enjoy a run or a walk. This is also a popular area for gravel bikers.

Charlottesville Downtown Mall 

The Charlottesville Downtown Mall is about as iconic as you can get here! It is a beautifully planned mile long pedestrian mall with shops, restaurants, music and more! It is a lovely way to spend a day: for breakfast - stop by The Nook, for lunch - stop by Citizen Burger, for dinner - stop by Hamilton’s, or for dessert - stop by Kilwins. Make a turn down historic Park Street for extra miles of beautiful landscape.

Saunders-Monticello Trail         

The Saunders-Monticello Trail was created by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation as a scenic entrance along Route 53 to Monticello. Visitors may park in the parking lot at the base of the mountain and then choose a path that suits them best! Miles of rustic, wooded trails wander through the base of the mountain and are biker and pet friendly. Visitors can also wind their way up the boardwalk through the forest to the top of the mountain to Monticello. A lovely way to get some exercise in before visiting the historic home. The baordwalk trail is not for the faint of heart, but definitely worth the trip!

Enjoy your amazing time in Charlottesville and feel free to reach out to us if you have any questions! Guesthouses wants to make your vacation perfect!