It’s been a hot second since I shared a travel post! Ever since my quick getaway to Delaware in August, I’ve been sitting tight in DC and settling into my post-grad norm. That is, until two weekends ago. Max and I visited Charlottesville, Virginia, for the first time. We had the best trip and are already wanting to go back, so I thought it’d be fun to share a travel diary today of everything we did.

Our trip started off the way every good road trip should: with a stop at Advanced Auto Parts. 🤦🏼‍♀️Kidding, of course. But we really did have to stop on the way out to town to get my car battery replaced. Thankfully, the employees at Advanced Auto Parts were super helpful and we were on the road in no time.

Charlottesville is roughly 2.5 hours from DC, so with our pit stop, we arrived at our Airbnb at 10:30 on Friday night. It was homecoming weekend at the University of Virginia, so all of the nearby hotels were sold out over six weeks in advance when we first starting planning this trip. Luckily, I found our Airbnb, which was located a little north of Charlottesville, near the airport. It was bare-bones but totally fine for us since we only slept and showered there.

As a reminder, if you use my Airbnb discount code, you’ll get up to $40 off your first home booking of $75 or more and $15 towards an experience of $50 or more.

Saturday

On Saturday morning, we Ubered straight to the Bodo’s Bagels location closest to UVA’s campus. Bodo’s has a cult following and now I understand why. First of all, they’ve perfected their system so that the line moves incredibly fast. We started in the back of the line that stretched out the door and nearly reached the sidewalk (as pictured above) but had our food in 10 minutes flat. Second, while the bagels were indeed tasty, I think the real kicker is how affordable they are. We got two bagel sandwiches and two coffees for $11 total. I need these prices in DC, please!

After inhaling our bagels, we explored UVA’s campus. The whole place is picturesque, but the Lawn is especially beautiful. Thomas Jefferson’s Rotunda towers at the north end of the Lawn, with Old Cabell Hall to the south and the rest of the Academical Village framing the perimeter. Can you imagine being a student who gets to live in one of the coveted dorms on the Lawn and wake up to that view every day? The thought makes me want to do college all over again, only this time in Charlottesville.

Next, we wandered to University Avenue to grab lunch. Per the recommendation of a friend who goes to grad school at UVA, we went to Take It Away, a fast-casual sandwich shop. If you go, be sure to try their house dressing!

In the afternoon, we made our way to Scott Stadium for UVA-Duke game. This game was the primary reason for our trip. Max’s friend from high school is a senior on Duke’s team and we wanted to see him play before he graduates in May.

When we got to the ticket booth at the stadium, there was a bit of a situation. Due to some kind of error, Max’s name was on the will call list but mine was not. Thankfully, the lady working at the ticket counter was so nice—honestly, everyone we encountered in Charlottesville was so nice!—and let me into the game anyway. Max and I both breathed a huge sigh of relief as we settled into our seats in the away team family section.

It was fun to experience game day in a new place. I’m always interested in the social culture surrounding college football, probably because of my experiences growing up going to Clemson games and spending my undergrad years partaking in SEC tailgating the University of South Carolina. The game itself ended up being a blow-out, with UVA triumphing 48-14. Nonetheless, we had a good time! I especially liked that UVA’s mascot, a cavalier, rides around the stadium on a real horse.

After the football game, we Ubered to downtown Charlottesville, knowing that we’d likely have a long wait for dinner given that it was homecoming weekend and we didn’t have a reservation (most places in Charlottesville don’t accept them). Regardless, I heard great things about The Local and wanted to try it for myself. When we arrived at the restaurant, we lucked out big time because we were immediately seated in two comfortable chairs at the full-service bar. I so wish that I remembered to take a picture because The Local had the best atmosphere, but flip through these photos if you’re curious.

Sunday

Sunday was my favorite part of the weekend because we visited Barboursville Vineyard. Before this trip, I had never been to a winery, so it was a huge treat. The Charlottesville area boasts tons of options when it comes to wine, but I chose Barboursville because of the Library 1821 tasting room. Library 1821, with its cozy booths and roaring fireplace, has a stunning view of Cabernet Franc at its door and the Blue Ridge beyond. Is there a more perfect place to try local wine with a special someone? I think not.

Shirt | Similar Pants | Similar Hat | Nails

Max and I started by sampling a flight of wine. Library 1821 offers numerous selections, but we opted for the Rosso (red), which included a 2017 Barbera Reserve, 2017 Cabernet Franc Reserve, 2015 Nebbiolo Reserve, and 2015 edition of Barboursville’s most famous wine, the Octagon. Paired with a delicious cheese plate, my favorites of the bunch were the Barbera, Nebbiolo and of course the Octagon. We also tried the 2014 Paxxito, which is a Dolce (sweet) wine. Max was much more into that than I was. What can I say, I like my wine bitter. 💁🏼‍♀️

Coat (over 50% off right now!) | Rain Boots

Another thing that makes Barboursville Vineyard unique is that its grounds include the Barboursville Ruins. The ruins are what’s left of the mansion that Thomas Jefferson designed for Virginia Governor James Barbour. Built in 1814, the house was destroyed by a fire on Christmas day 1884.  The ruins are open to the public from 10-5 each day and you can explore them like we did. Also, near the ruins, you can stay in the 1804 Inn and Cottages. This would be the perfect spot for a relaxing girls trip or romantic anniversary getaway.

As a final weekend hoorah, we stopped on the way out of town for homemade ice cream at Moo Thru in Remington, Virginia. If you’re driving to Charlottesville from DC, be sure to take Interstate 15 so that Moo Thru is on your way. I’m a big proponent of stopping for something sweet on the way home because it makes the travel time feel like it’s still part of the vacation.

Now that I’ve been back in DC for a whopping nine days, is it too soon to plan another trip to Charlottesville? Asking for a friend. 😉