Summertime in central Virginia can be hot and humid. But it also can be a lot of fun. From ways to cool down on our local waterways to old-school entertainment at drive-in movies and video arcades, we’ve got you covered.
Vineyards
The wine industry in Central Virginia is enjoying a moment in the international spotlight. Last year, Wine Enthusiast named Charlottesville and the Monticello American Viticultural Area the 2023 Wine Region of the Year. honoring the more than 40 wineries in Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Orange, and Nelson counties, further establishing the region as a premier destination for wine enthusiasts. The Monticello Wine Trail includes dozens of wineries within a 25-mile radius of Charlottesville.
monticellowinetrail.com
Breweries
Virginia is home to more than 200 craft breweries, many of which are nearby. There are a couple of great ways to roll through the list of local brewpubs. The Charlottesville Ale Trail includes breweries, cideries, and distilleries in and around Charlottesville. The Brew Ridge Trail casts a wider geographical net, including breweries from Charlottesville, Crozet, Afton, and more.
charlottesvillealetrail.org
brewridgetrail.com
SPIRITS
The Commonwealth’s distilleries also have a trail of their own, the Virginia Spirits Trail. Check out their website for a searchable map to find local distilleries like Ragged Branch, Silverback, and Vitae that are making small-batch, craft spirits.
virginiaspirits.org
FARM TO TABLE
Cultivating more than 50 different varieties of vegetables, Bellair Farm grows good food, while taking good care of the land and its customers. Groups and individuals can explore the farm and take advantage of Bellair’s many offerings, including pick-your-own flowers and veggies, community-supported agriculture programs, workshops, and seasonal events. Their onsite barn store sells Bellair produce, grass-fed beef, eggs, and pastured pork—along with farm-raised products from local partners.bellairfarm.comThe Rivanna River
Although the Rivanna flows right through Charlottesville, if you hop in an inner tube or kayak to float down the tree-lined river, it can instantly feel like you’re miles away from it all. Getting its name from an abbreviation of “River Anna,” the Rivanna’s headwaters originate in the Blue Ridge Mountains and has 766 square miles of watershed. One easy access point for floating the river is at Darden Towe Park, just a stone’s throw from downtown.
The Rivanna River Co.
An enclave of riverside fun has been growing just off High Street near the Free Bridge. The Rivanna River Co., a Charlottesville paddling outfitter and guide service, rents kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddleboards, and tubes for excursions on the scenic river. The company has joined forces with nonprofit organization The Front Porch to host the summertime Rivanna Roots concert series (see frontporchcville.org/rivanna-roots-lineup).
Next door, Hogwaller Brewing, part of the legacy of restaurants created by the late Will Richey, serves up burgers and beer from renowned brewer Mark Fulton. Made-from-scratch gourmet ice cream is available from their new neighbors, SugarBear. “Tubing, kayaking, the riverfront trail, the sauna, cheeseburgers, beer, music, nature, firepits, ice cream, places to play, something for everyone,” SugarBear owner Emily Harpster told The Charlottesville 29 in describing the riverfront scene.Batteau Cruises
James River Batteau Co. blends pleasure cruises with historical storytelling to offer a unique way to experience “America’s Founding River.” Aboard a 45-foot replica batteaux—a flat-bottomed wooden boat piloted by a pole wielding navigator—guests learn how batteaus changed the face of early Virginia. All cruises include complimentary charcuterie to enjoy on the river. Their sunset cruises include live acoustic music that blends with the sounds of night falling on the river.
jamesrivertour.comWhitewater
Rafting
Richmond was named Outside magazine’s “Best River Town,” and a guided rafting adventure with Richmond-based Riverside Outfitters is a great way to get out on the James River. Whether you’re looking for a thrill ride in Class III whitewater or you’re interested in a more relaxing rafting experience, the James has what you’re looking for. Riverside Outfitters offers trips on smaller rapids for ages 5+, and trips on the bigger rapids for ages 9+. These fun adventures last 3 to 4 hours with a break on an island for some time to relax and swim.
riversideoutfitters.comFamily Bike Trips
Take a road trip to Damascus, Va. to ride along the scenic, rail-to-trail Virginia Creeper Trail, which is best known for the 17-mile section from White Top to the town of Damascus. Bring your own bikes or rent them from local outfitters, who also provide shuttle service to the top of the trail. Once there, a leisurely, almost entirely downhill ride awaits. Considered one of the nation’s best bike trails (but also terrific for hiking and horseback riding), the scenic Virginia Creeper Trail meanders through forests and farmland—and across nearly 50 wooden trestles—a total of 34 miles from Abingdon to Damascus.
High Bridge Trail is another spectacular rails-to-trails adventure that’s suitable for the whole family. The 32-mile, mostly flat, crushed limestone trail is ideal for hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding. The trail’s highlight is crossing the majestic and historic High Bridge, which is nearly half a mile long and towers 125 feet above the Appomattox River. For an easy ride, start in Farmville and head to the High Bridge, just 4.5 miles away.
Disc Golf
Disc golf, one of the fastest growing sports in the country, is thriving in and around Charlottesville. Several outstanding courses that are free and open to the public were built by the Blue Ridge Disc Golf Club, founded in 2022 to advance the sport across Central Virginia. Through collaboration with Albemarle County, the club built its first course at Walnut Creek Park in 2002. The course surrounds Walnut Creek Lake and combines scenic beauty with the challenges of shooting through fields, woods, and over water.
Local Disc Golf Courses
• Chris Greene Lake Park
• Greene County Community Park
• Meadow Creek Gardens Park
• Walnut Creek Park
Decades Arcade
Pac-Man, Centipede and Donkey Kong were just a few of the games that made arcades one of the most popular places to be in the 1980s. You can relive the golden age of arcade games at Decades Arcade, Central Virginia’s largest arcade with more than 120 games. Located on the Charlottesville Downtown Mall, Decades Arcade has pinball machines from the ‘50s to the present, arcade games from the ‘80s and ‘90s, and home consoles from the ‘70s to today. There’s no need for quarters or tokens—all the games are on free play, included in the entry fee.
decadesarcade.com
Drive-In Theaters
During the peak of their popularity in the 1950s and ‘60s, more than 4,000 drive-in theaters were in operation across the country. Opened in 2009, the Goochland Drive-In Theater harkens back to those days with a family-friendly drive-in movie experience. Featuring the latest blockbusters and Retro Nights showcasing timeless classics, the theater provides options to watch from your car or from a lawn seating section.
In 1950, cars started rolling into Hull’s Drive-In Theatre in Lexington, Va. Today, it’s one the country’s only nonprofit drive-ins after a group called Hull’s Angels formed in 1999 to save the theater. The Goochland and Hull theaters have both been ranked among America’s best drive-in theaters.
hullsdrivein.com
goochlanddriveintheater.com
Albemarle County Fair
The 2024 Albemarle County Fair will be held on the fairgrounds of James Monroe’s Highland from July 27-29. Representing the county’s rural heritage, agricultural history, and natural beauty this “Old Time Country Fair” has something for everyone—livestock, agriculture products, craft exhibits, live music, cloggers, historic demonstrations of wool spinning and blacksmithing, food trucks, and more.
albemarlecountyfair.com
Juneteenth
Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved African Americans in the United States on June 19, 1865. This year’s Juneteenth celebration in Charlottesville begins on Friday, June 14, at 7 p.m. with a staged reading of local playwright William James’s 5th & Dice, a play about a Charlottesville neighborhood. The next morning at 9:00, the third annual Juneteenth Parade begins at Burley Middle School and ends at the Jefferson School City Center. Following the parade, enjoy the Emancipation Concert on the yard of Jefferson School and visit with vendors who are part of this year’s Black Business Expo.
jeffschoolheritagecenter.org
Independence Day
On Sunday, July 3, the Boar’s Head Resort will host an Independence Day celebration that includes spikeball and cornhole tournaments, a pie-eating contest, and live music from Koda & Marie of Chamomile & Whiskey and Friends—all capped off with a fireworks display reflecting off the waters
of Heritage Lake. This year’s event will include an entry fee.
boarsheadresort.com
Start your Independence Day at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, where, on every July 4 since 1963, people from around the world have taken the oath of citizenship on Monticello’s West Lawn. The ceremony is an emotional highlight of this celebration of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Festivities also include inspirational speakers (past notables include George W. Bush, Madeleine Albright, and Dave Matthews), along with patriotic music, historic games and activities, and Monticello
root beer floats.
monticello.org
Wintergreen Music Festival
Running throughout the month of July, the Wintergreen Music Festival feels like a “summer camp for adults.” Patrons can attend engaging morning coffee talks, listen to inspiring concerts, and observe student masterclasses and rehearsals. Whether you attend for a day, a weekend, or the entire month, you’ll experience professional musicians and artists from around the country joining forces with aspiring student musicians. Anchored by its core weekend series, MountainTop Masterworks, there are also chamber music concerts performed throughout the week on the mountaintop at Wintergreen Resort and in the valley at various vineyards and breweries. Along with classical music, the festival features bluegrass, singer-songwriter, jazz, and big band music.
wintergreenmusic.org
Virginia Theatre Festival
Founded in 1974 as the Heritage Repertory Theatre, VTF has a 50-year history of staging some of the world’s most renowned plays and musicals while also highlighting the voices of new playwrights and composers. As the professional summer theatre of the University of Virginia since 1974, VTF offers an immersive theatre experience, where UVA faculty, staff, and students work alongside both professional artists and community members. In 2022, after being closed for two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the theatre reemerged with a new name (Virginia Theatre Festival) and a continuing commitment to presenting an annual summer festival of musicals, classic works, and new plays for the local Charlottesville, Albemarle, and UVA communities.
Summer 2024 Schedule
50 Years and Counting: A Musical Revue
June 27-30; Culbreth Theatre
Little Shop of Horrors
July 11-2; Culbreth Theatre
The 39 Steps
July 25-August 4; Ruth Caplin Theatre
virginiatheatrefestival.org
