Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Charlottesville?

Q: Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Charlottesville?

A weekend is generally not enough time here to admire the quaint setting, wander through the small town, explore the museums and famous sights, and get out into nature. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to take in everything. To genuinely appreciate the highlights of the young university town, a more lengthy visit is typically recommended. Many tourists opt for two to three days to immerse themselves fully in the charming sights. After all, Charlottesville is a small university town with a some good sights and activities, but still hosts a fairly small number of tourists. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Charlottesville?

Most people spend two to three days in Charlottesville during their visit. The young university town offers amazing highlights such as the quaint atmosphere, the small town charm, the famous sights and museums, and the hiking.

Charlottesville is a university town near Shenandoah National Park. It's home to the prestigious University of Virginia, which has a beautiful and well-maintained campus. Much of the town is focused around university life. For the best restaurants, head to the Downtown Mall, which is a pedestrian area that's filled with shopping and dining.

Do you have one or two days to visit Charlottesville? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.

Is one day enough time in Charlottesville?

Charlottesville is a great place to visit if you want to avoid the tourist crowds. It has some interesting activities and attractions. So with one day, you'll probably feel rushed to explore the university area and other attractions. You really need more time to appreciate everything that the young university town has to offer. Many visitors prefer to have two to three days to fully enjoy the quaint atmosphere, the small town charm, and the famous sights and museums. If you have one day or less, we still have some great ideas for what to do while you're in town.

How to spend a day in Charlottesville

Charlottesville offers a charming atmosphere that's hard to find anywhere else. Spend part of the day exploring the scenery. The town is home to one of the longest pedestrian malls in the United States.

A few tour suggestions include:

Charlottesville Historic Downtown APP/GPS Smartphone Walking Tour ($8)

This university town is very popular for nightlife. After the sun goes down, head out to one of the many popular venues around town. Charlottesville is a university town with an active nightlife. The best areas for nightlife are found around the Downtown Mall, Belmont neighborhood, the Corner, and University Ave west near the mall. Even though there are a number of activities to enjoy at night, this is still a small town and the nightlife scene reflects that.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Charlottesville?

A weekend is generally not enough time here to admire the quaint setting, wander through the small town, explore the museums and famous sights, and get out into nature. A shorter schedule may leave you with a sense of urgency to take in everything. To genuinely appreciate the highlights of the young university town, a more lengthy visit is typically recommended. Many tourists opt for two to three days to immerse themselves fully in the charming sights. After all, Charlottesville is a small university town with a some good sights and activities, but still hosts a fairly small number of tourists. However, if you're working with limited time, we have some great ideas for making the most of your stay below.

UVA at Charlottesville, Viginia

How to spend 2 days in Charlottesville

Having a weekend (two to three days) in Charlottesville will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the university town.

Don't miss the University of Virginia Campus during your trip to Charlottesville, as it's one of this destination's most well-known attractions. You should make sure to set aside enough time to see it.

Charlottesville is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. Surrounded by the Shenandoah Mountains, this is a beautiful town and home to the beautiful University of Virginia.