The lovely flower beds take this quaint Keswick post office over the edge. The flowers are donated…read moreand maintained by the Keswick Garden Club which has been instrumental in the beautification of many places in this small community. The Garden Club was established in 1958 and is active in the Charlottesville area. That's indeed flower power! Keswick is cute little "town" that is home to a lovely winery and vineyard nestled in the mountains a few miles east of Charlottesville. It's mainly a residential and farmland area with no town square or downtown district, although there are some large estates and clubs in Keswick. The post office is really the center of town, and is at the curve of the main road where a historical marker is situated. It has a small population of about 320 people but the post office delivers to several other small towns not big enough to have their own post office. This post office is eye-catching with its beige exterior highlighted with black trim, black shutters, and even a hint of black Spanish tiles. Inside, there are wood-like floors, lots of light, and it's neat as a pin. Love this post office! Hours M-F 9:00-12:00, 1:00-5:00 Closed Saturday

USPS. Mineral, VA. This is one of the closest post offices to our home, although it's still 11…read moremiles away. We were running errands in Mineral today, and dropped into the post office to pick up some Christmas-themed stamps. The USPS employee was friendly, parking was easy and sufficient, BUT they had already sold all of their Christmas-themed stamps (more than two weeks before Christmas!) So, our Christmas cards will be going out with dahlia-themed stamps!

The small town of Mineral was founded in 1890, and as you might have guessed, was named for the…read moremining industry which supported the community. Gold, zinc and lead were all mined in the area. This post office isn't much to look at... the long brick building houses dozens and dozens of post office boxes for mail delivery in this rural town. With a population of under 600 folks, you won't find this mail center very busy. The mail carriers use regular vehicles to deliver mail, rather than official USPS mail trucks. The interior is shabby, peeling walls, dingy counters and dirty floors. Shipping and mailing supplies were low, and the racks were disorganized with several boxes just strewn on the floor. There was a greeting card display which I doubt gets much action. The clerks are friendly and efficient, and seem to know most of the neighbors around town. You won't be in a gold rush here! There are a few drop off mail boxes on the side of the building. The hours are 8:30-1:00, 2:00-4:30 M-F, and Saturday 9-11. No passport services, but the usual small town services are provided. If the workers here get the "lead" out, spruce up this government building and take some pride in this place, I "zinc" they could earn some extra gold stars! But perhaps, bureaucracy is under"mining" its progress!

Inspire of what happened here last year, this is one nice area. The streets adjacent to the City…read moreHall are great for evening strolls. There are many eateries and shops, including at least one theater, that will satisfy all visitors with varied tastes. I think the best part is they are price friendly to consumers. I hope I will have time to check out Tom Cruise's latest Mission Impossible movie that is showing now before I leave, so I can comment on my experience with the theater.

I am a small business owner. When I heard that I could get a vending spot on the amazing…read morescene-laden downtown mall for under a thousand dollars a year, I was floored. I met with Neighborhood Development Services, specifically Craig Fabio, and I was duly impressed with the exchange. I start in October, at the beginning of the 4th quarter. I was able to easily set up a meeting. I had a conversation about my business and what I'd be selling. All of my options and responsibilities were clearly laid out in paper and in voice. When I left, I had a start date, a vending license, and a home-occupation declaration, making me legitimate in my new home. Customer service is at the forefront of every desk I visited, each with a smile, an answer, and a story. I also talked with Craig about the politic of the vending on the mall, how it is under fire from a few high-rentpayers in brick and mortars, but was thrilled to hear that Charlottesville supports the rights of the less privileged and super-small business owners in town, and that vending is recognized as one of the cultural and common rights in town. This, in small part is what I love about Charlottesville.

James Madison lived at Montpelier his entire life. This is a really interesting historic home that…read morelater belonged to the DuPont family, who eventually donated funds to turn it back into a historic site as Madison's home. That renovation/restoration took a long time, and it's now a lovely place to visit and learn about our 4th President and his wife Dolley Madison. In addition to the house, which acknowledges its part in running a plantation through the work of enslaved people, it has exhibits about slavery at Montpelier and archeological finds. The property also has lovely grounds with a beautiful garden that's filled with many colorful flowers in the spring. The visitor center offers a movie, and the house docents offer hour-long tours on the half hour. They also have picnic tables under shady trees to enjoy lunch. The views from Montpelier are breathtaking. They charge a fee to visit the house and grounds. If you only want to visit the grounds, the fee is lower.

This is a great place to visit if you are interested in America's founding, American style of…read moredemocracy, or to celebrate the upcoming Sestercentennial of the United States. (Having experienced the bicentennial as a kid on a summer-long vacation, I am looking forward to it.) The guided tour of the house is well done. The out-buildings and grounds are self-guided. There are many and spread out, and the whole property is on a gentle slope. Could be an issue if it is a hot and humid day. Be sure to visit the garden! Think twice about buying the Looking Through the Landscape book for $10.00. I thought it would be something I could put on my bookshelf but no. Hardly a pamphlet, it contains QR code links to YouTube videos they created. It was snuck in during the checkout process and frankly left me feeling duped. I chalked it up as a donation.

What a gorgeous place! I went in the late winter/early early Spring and even though there were no…read moreleaves on the trees, it was still gorgeous. Monticello is the estate of Thomas Jefferson and there is so much history packed into the tour but the beauty is what captivates you. The woodwork, the flooring, the artwork...I could go on and on. The tour guides are excellent! Very knowledgeable, engaging, friendly and they keep history honest. I loved that they stuck to the facts and told the history as it should, the good, the bad and the ugly. The estate is still kept immaculate and holds so much history in every detail. The view alone overlooking the mountainside takes your breath away. It immediately sets your mind to wandering and fantasizing of a time long ago and how spectacular it must have been to live surrounded by such beauty. I highly recommend and would recommend going in late Spring or early Summer or Fall when the leaves have changed color.

Monticello is probably the most famous of all the President houses (Mt Vernon may have it beat)…read more As a self-proclaimed Presidential history nerd, I have been to several presidential homes, libraries, museums, gravesites, monuments, etc. Monticello's history is the most interesting because of many factors including Jefferson's architectural obsession, the atrocities with slavery that occurred with building and maintaining it, and the innovations and experimentation Jefferson used while living here. Monticello is a huge operation. You should definitely get a reservation. You park at the bottom of the hill (or maybe middle of it) then you go through metal detectors and are now in the cafe/gift shop/bathroom area. From there you can take the 1/2 mile walk up hill to the home or take the bus. Once you are up top, you will be put into different huddles depending on your tour time. Oh, there are several different style tours, we just did the general admission tour. Anyway, you can walk around the grounds while you wait. The whole thing is very well organized. Our tour guide took us through various rooms in the house, pointed out various artifacts from Jefferson's past, told stories and was very knowledgeable when asked questions. The group I was in was probably 20 people. The whole tour took 45 mins. Then we walked the grounds independent of the tour including looking at Jefferson's family cemetery plot. My only issue is that I went on July 1st, 2026, so the whole back (or front) had a huge tent set up for the America 250 celebration. Not a big deal just didn't get the complete feel or pics.

Man, I wanted to like this as I am a self-proclaimed Presidential History nerd. However, it is…read morejust land that Monroe once owned because his buddy Tommy Jefferson told him to buy it, sold because he was broke, then the house burnt down years after he left, then someone else built a house here. That's the house you see. Now they do have an outline of the foundation of the house that was once here. So, there is that. Then the new(er) house is full of exhibits on Monroe. Honestly, I am glad I went but if you are pressed for time, it's one you can skip.

Our visit to James Monroe's home was wonderful. Tour Guide Allison and Docent Russell added to…read morethe experience. Both were easy to talk with. They encouraged questions and were happy to not only answer the questions but also added bits of information that they have gained over the years. We give them 10+ stars. Thank you so much. We were happy to add to your donations. June and Craig

Step back into time and visit a great revolutionary period tavern after touring Monticello. This…read morerestored building, a Virginia Historic Landmark, features tavern workers dressed in period dress. The period wood interior and the use of steel plates, cups, and plateware all add to the historic charm of this place. The tavern offers a buffet style experience where one can choose from coleslaw , black eye peas, mashed potatoes, turnips, Southern fried chicken, cornbread, buttermilk biscuits, hickory flavored pulled pork and soup. Soda and apple cider are available as well all for one fixed price ($28). The area waitress or waiter will come around and offer refills on both the food and drinks and deliver to your table. Service was friendly and quick. If one wants to indulge in traditional Southern cooking this is the place. The 1784 pub ( located in the oldest part of the tavern) offers wine, cider and local beers along with special events. There are several restored period buildings on the property one can visit including a gift shop housed in one of the old historic structures. Michael Tavern, relocated and restored by Josephine Henderson back in 1927 to the current location, is a wonderful period landmark to stop in and enjoy some delicious Southern fare while taking a step back in time.

The gift shop is so big. Lots to see. The store is nicely designed and clean…read more I was very happy to find a Fresh Cut Card. The lady was helpful in helping to pick the right one for a birthday card. The one I had was the smaller one but she went and got me a big one. For $5 more it was so much nicer. My friend loved it. If you are in the area, you should stop in. I am visiting from NC but plan to go back in Sept and try the restaurant.

The ruins are located on the grounds of the Barboursville Vineyard…read more They are all that remain of the grand brick mansion of James Barbour -- a Virginia governor, U.S. senator, Secretary of War under John Quincy Adams, and close friend of Thomas Jefferson. Built in 1822, the original house was designed by Thomas Jefferson in his neoclassical style, complete with a distinctive octagonal drawing room (note connection to the naming Barboursville Winnery award winning red!) On Christmas Day, 1884, the mansion burned in a devastating fire leaving only the brick walls, columns, and chimneys standing. Instead of rebuilding, the Barbour family moved to a nearby residence, and the ruins remain as a picturesque shell. A short walk from either the tasting room or cottages, this is a must stop for history buffs interested in civil war era and Thomas Jeffereson and photographers for the weathered remains with the vineyard and blue ridge foothills in the background Parking nearby if you choose to drive. Steep uneven climb from parking

This site is part of a winery complex which has a restaurant and an inn. The site is free to enter,…read morethough it is confusing as my map tried to bring me in on a dirt road that wasn't open rather than the actual entrance which is east of the site. I eventually wormed my way around to find the one-lane bridge to the site blocked by someone who bizarrely just seemed to want to sit there, so I parked at the winery/restaurant and walked over. It's a nice walk. The ruins are interesting to look at. There's not a lot to the site and you can't go past it as it becomes private space for guests of the site. It also closes at 5:30 and signs angrily warn that being there after 5:31 is trespassing, so you can't plan on catching a sunset there or anything. But if you looked this up and your goal is to see some cool ruins, you can, within limits.