Charlottesville, VA. and Monticello

When you go to book your weekend getaway in Charlottesville, VA. you'll want to find somewhere absolutely lovely to stay, and create an itinerary that suits you!  Whether you're looking for a quiet place to relax or you're wanting to venture out to visit a few historic sights, go shopping and taste some incredible Virginia wines, Charlottesville has it all!!!  For the stay part, look no further than only the very best Bed and Breakfast!!!  High Meadows Vineyard Inn will welcome you with open arms into their historic Virginia home and treat you to a world of beauty, relaxation and incredible meals:)  You won't want to check-out!  Innkeeper, Nancy and family have put their hearts into High Meadows and it shows!!!  Every detail in and outside the house is simply beautiful:)     

Usually we stay in the Peony Room, but this time we really wanted to check out the Robins Nest, and we're glad we did!  Colored in powder blues and cream hues, the Robins Nest room offers a quiet nook, upstairs, a world away!

Downstairs on the main level, you'll find the dazzling beauty of the sitting room, kitchen and dining room.  Colored in pinks and greens these adjoining rooms offer cozy places to curl up with a book, eat up an incredible meal or sneak into the cookie jars for a little snack and a hot cup of tea!

One thing you'll love most about your stay are the exotic animals you'll find on the property!  This beautiful peacock will grace the patio, porch and you'll find him walking among the flowers in the gardens.  He'll even pose for photographs!  You'll also see chickens, roosters, bunnies and a cat or two!  

Another treat is getting to peak inside the other guest rooms if they're unoccupied at the moment, the Daffodil room had just been made up for incoming guests, but I couldn't resist a sneak peak for you all;)

Some of my favorite memories in my life are from this place, if you know me well, you'll have heard me speak of High Meadows often, as "My Heaven on Earth".  It truly is!  There is nothing more relaxing at the end of a day of sight seeing and wine tasting than sitting out on the back porch for dinner, and then enjoying the sunset over a cup of tea:)

Breakfast is included in your stay, but we highly recommend having at least one dinner here!  In the morning you'll have something different everyday, just let Nancy know what you don't like, she'll surprise you with the rest!  Try not to be too picky, let them make something you've never had before, trust me, you'll love it!!!  Here she has started us with a piece of blueberry cake followed by fresh eggs from the chickens on the property and roasted potatoes, absolutely delicious!!!

Once you've finished, walk through the beautifully manicured lawns and enjoy the scenery:)

When you're ready to head out, there are a few wineries of note that I'd like to tempt you with, Pippin Hill Farm and Vineyards being the first!  Not only will you find breathtaking views here, you'll taste many different wines and you can have lunch here!!!  Most wineries do not serve food, and if they do, its a simple cheese plate or chocolate, at Pippin Hill you'll feast on the freshest local ingredients and the most unique combinations that will have your taste buds singing!!!!  Try the sliders and the duck confit salad just to name a couple:)

Bring your friends and show them the best of Southern Virginia, they'll return home with lasting memories:)  This is one of my oldest and best-est friends, Stephanie and her husband Kevin, who joined us for an afternoon of wine tasting, eating and sight seeing.  What a wonderful day!!!

Trump Winery also offers lunch along with their tasting, and it also boasts beautiful surroundings!!!  

Jefferson Vineyards has a slightly smaller tasting room, but has many wonderful wines to taste and delicious chocolates to take home.  Nearby is also First Colony Winery, just down the winding, mountain road.  If you decide you want to take home some scrumptious jams, jellies and fresh produce, be sure to stop by the Carter Mountain Orchard, my favorite, their cider made donuts!!! 

If you like history, Charlottesville is home to a very famous house...Thomas Jefferson's Monticello!  Our friends and I went on the Behind the Scenes Tour, which if you've never done, we highly recommend!  Instead of your tour ending on the first level, you can venture through the rest of the house which is actually a few levels high!  You even get to go up into the dome:)  Monticello means "little mountain" in Italian, and it literally sits on a summit overlooking beautiful rolling hills and far off mountains in the distance.  Thomas Jefferson built and rebuilt this plantation home several times throughout his life.  While he served as the Minister of the United States to France, he picked up and fell in love with the style of architecture he saw there, and brought back his new passion for European design to Monticello.  He was always learning new things and the home reflects that, but still stands in the Neoclassical style today like it looked when he lived there:)  Starting out as a tobacco plantation, later Jefferson grew wheat on the surrounding lands.  Jefferson was a farmer, an inventor, and a politician, he spent every waking moment he had working in his fields, reading books, playing music and educating himself and his grandchildren.              

When you're finished with the house tour, take a stroll along the property, visit the lovely gardens and the views.  When you're ready to spend some hard earned money, venture back down the mountain to the visitor center where this incredible gift shop awaits!  Inside you'll find local wines from the surrounding vineyards, tea bricks, sugar cones, fine china and furniture, gardening supplies and lots of books, and other curiosities!!!  

The area is also home to many antique stores, my favorite being the Covesville Store, which is filled with a little bit of everything!!!  You'll find beautiful wooden furniture, sterling silver pieces, china, paintings and many other goodies, definetly worth a look:)  And of course, Downtown Charlottesville which is a historic district mecca for great eats and unique boutiques!!!  So don't worry, the fun isn't over, check it out for yourself:)