About Central Virginia

Established in 1744 by an act of the General Assembly, Albemarle County was named for the second Earl of Albemarle, then governor general of the colony. Charlottesville, the county seat, is located 70 miles from Richmond, 120 miles from Washington, DC, and 20 minutes from Skyline Drive and Blue Ridge Parkway. The Charlottesville-Albemarle Airport (CHO) offers 60 flights daily. The airport is located eight miles north of the City of Charlottesville, one mile west of Route 29 on Airport Road.

When visiting this spectacular region, be sure to take advantage of its many cultural and educational amenities — Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe's Ashlawn-Highland and its renowned Summer Music Festival, James Madison's Montpelier, the University of Virginia and its associated institutions.

Central Virginia is home to Wine Country, an abundance of award winning wineries that dot our beautiful countryside and host special events throughout the year. If its Golf you're looking for, look no further. From country clubs, to four-star resorts, there is a course here just for you. And if that wasn't enough, Albemarle has its fair share of beautiful horses and talented equestrians who put on spectacular shows and races every season.

In addition, Charlottesville is home to several important events that attract visitors from all over the country and world, including the Virginia Festival of the Book in March, Historic Garden Week and The Foxfield Races in April, the Albemarle County Fair in August, the Virginia Film Festival in October, the Montpelier Hunt Races in November, and First Night Virginia in December. An outstanding place to vacation all four seasons, Albemarle County offers fine dining, accommodations, scenic landscapes, and many links to our American heritage.

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Newcomers

Named in honor of Princess Charlotte, the wife of George III, Charlottesville was settled in the 18th century on a hill overlooking the Rivanna River. Today, the City of Charlottesville and the surrounding Albemarle County has a metropolitan population nearing 200,000 encompassing over 730 square miles of scenic and beautiful landscape.

Charlottesville and Albemarle County offer a unique combination of natural beauty, a climate with four distinct seasons, rich historical and cultural attractions, and close proximity to both a national park and the nation’s capitol. The area consistently earns high marks as a desirable place to live; in recent years, it has appeared on top-ten lists of cities published by Money, Forbes, Kiplinger’s, and Men’s Health magazines as well as AARP and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Featuring the amenities of larger cities, Charlottesville is a vibrant university town that offer numerous outdoor recreational activities, organizations for senior citizens, fitness facilities, excellent private and public schools, indoor and outdoor shopping areas, indoor and outdoor entertainment venues, and residential communities that have developed through the years. These are just a few of the reasons why people choose to make Charlottesville and Albemarle County their home.

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Fast Facts

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Community Phone Numbers

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