My S and I will be visiting UVA. We will arrive Sunday, and take a tour Monday, before driving to DC. As we live far away, and do not know any students who attend, looking for some advice. It will be Easter Sunday. What might be nice to do around the campus. If UVA is still playing in the NCAA tourney, where should we watch to get a good feel of student population? Places to eat dinner and lunch? Any other suggestions. Not overly concerned with visiting historical sights. S did that in middle school. Would like to get feel of student community, and the college town aspects. Thanks in advance. Much appreciated.
I have lots of suggestions!
If our basketball team plays on Sunday (know on allll the wood!), there will be many places to watch. The Paramount Theater on the Downtown Mall (our pedestrian-only shopping district) should be putting it on their big screen and that is free for all. Many restaurants will have it on - Citizen Burger bar on the Mall or Boylan Heights on the Corner might be good options.
The Corner is the shopping district next to UVA. It might be nice to eat one of your meals at a restaurant on the Corner and then eat another meal downtown. University Avenue/Main Street runs from the University, through the Corner, through mid-town, and ends at the Downtown Mall.
We are known for our food scene and I don’t want to make this too, too long with suggestions. If you let me know what types of food interest you, I can make a few suggestions!
Safe travels!
Dean J,
Thanks for your suggestions. We are hoping to watch a game among the students…Fingers crossed…We are from California, and like all types of food. If you give me two interesting dinner suggestions, I would appreciate it. We are excited to spend a couple of days in Charlottesville…Thanks again…
@BigPapiofthree Alum here. Here’s a list of eats and tings to see in addition to the official standard tour.
Eats:
Most of the places here are at “The Corner”. Standing facing away from the Rotunda at University Ave (facing down Rugby Road), turn right and walk down University Avenue. You can’t miss it. Note that “The Corner” is actually a few blocks long and continues past the Railroad overpass.
- Gusburger at the White Spot. Go eat this at the end of the night after the game when you have the munchies. Don't ask questions, don't look at the menu. Gusburger, with fries. DO IT. Then go walk down the lawn late at night (see below).
- Littlejohn's. For awesome sandwiches. Good for lunch. Can you eat a whole "Sampson"?
- Boylan Heights. Pretty good custom burgers. Probably the kind of place where you can eat a burger with students and watch the game.
- St Maarten's. A bit hidden around a corner up the hill on 14th St. Cajun cheese fries. The mugs hanging up are for regulars.
Things to Do/See/Buy:
- Take a gander at the football stadium.
- Walk down the lawn late at night. Take in the ambiance.
- Lately, I've been buying my shirts and swag at the University Bookstore near Newcomb Hall. Better prices than Mincer's on the Corner. Mincer's is the store that's kind of known though.
- Walk (or drive) down Rugby Road from the Rotunda to check out the fraternities/sororities. Check out Beta Bridge, which is periodically repainted by students. Hang a right at the light at Grady Ave to see more. Grady eventually hits 14th street - turn right on 14th to return to the Corner.
Bodo’s Bagels is a UVA standby, head there for a breakfast/brunch or light lunch. Revolutionary Soup and Lemongrass are two local restaurants on the Corner that are particularly good for vegetarian options (in case that’s a factor for you - but they do satisfy meat-eaters too!). Mellow Mushroom, also on the Corner, is another classic for students; they have amazing and unique pizzas and the atmosphere can give you a good feel for the student vibe. The Downtown Mall has some adorable dessert places, so I would recommend heading there for dinner, so that you can walk around after dinner and try some gelato, etc. Are you overwhelmed with restaurant suggestions yet?? There are so many good eats in the UVA/Cville area. It’s hard to go wrong.
Things to do - just walk around. Get lost on grounds and just wander around for awhile. Walk down the Corner and the Downtown Mall. It doesn’t look like you’ll be in town long, so a great way to make the most of your time is to just walk around, do some people-watching, and take in the local vibe.
The better and popular places on the Corner:
Bodo’s - if you’re a New Yorker, you won’t be impressed, but they are the best that we have
Take It Away - the best sandwiches in Charlottesville
Boylan Heights - Burgers, good for game watching.
Revolutionary Soup - the soups are great
Roots - grain bowls, similar to Sweet Greens
lastly, two new spots, Fig and Cafe Caturra, are getting into my rotation
Mid-Town:
Continental Divide - look for the neon sign that says “Get In Here.”
Bella’s - italian
Maya - eclectic
Downtown Mall:
The Alley Light - incredible.
Brookville - if you love meat
Citizen Burger Bar - great for lunch on the patio and watching the game
@ApertureRun is right…you could just walk the Downtown Mall and look at menus. Almost everything down there is great!
Off the beaten path:
Mas - the best tapas I’ve ever had
Lampo - incredible pizza just off the Downtown Mall
Parallel 38 - in the Stonefield shopping center. One of the few things on the highway that isn’t a chain. P38 features food that can be found on the 38th parallel around the world. A gem surrounded by the likes of Pottery Barn and a mega movie theater.
I am overwhelmed and thankful for all the suggestions. We will try to take advantage of at least three of them. Very excited. Dean J we are from California. Coming a long way. We will be taking a tour Monday. Hoping to get a quick visit with someone in admissions to learn even more. I am told that there are walk in opportunities available…Thanks all for the hospitality and help