24 Hours in Charlottesville
Okay, so full disclosure, I didn’t actually spend 24 full hours in Charlottesville. It was more like 20 hours, but that doesn’t have the same ring to it.
I was invited to taste the first vintage release from Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard in Keswick, Virginia, which is about 15 minutes from Charlottesville. While I was initially planning to drive up just for the VIP tasting event, I decided to make it an overnight trip and explore more of downtown Charlottesville the next day.
Rosé Label Release Party at Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard
After getting stuck in Hampton Roads traffic, and driving in and out of rainstorms, I finally made it to Charlottesville at 6 p.m. The delays forced me to abandon my dinner plans in exchange for shoving Chick-fil-A down my throat after checking into my hotel. I had to quickly change then jump back in the car to head to Keswick for the rosé release party at Merrie Mill Farm & Vineyard.
I first visited Merrie Mill last summer to write about their opening for Savor Virginia. From the moment I walked into their tasting room, I was obsessed with the eclectic décor. From the taxidermy Victorian sea lion named Chantal floating in one corner to the symbolic pelican art representing owners Guy and Elizabeth Pelly, every piece of wallpaper, art and other décor was carefully thought out. There are so many fantastic wineries in Virginia’s wine country, but none quite like Merrie Mill—part vineyard, part art gallery.
When I first visited, Guy Pelly told me that Merrie Mill lost their first vintage during a late-season frost in 2020. Fast forward two years later and I was thrilled to enjoy the literal fruits of Merrie Mill’s labor, tasting their brand-new rosé.
I, along with other food and wine bloggers/content creators, was invited to sip and swirl the new rosé on the Vine Terrace, overlooking the vineyards and mountain range at sunset. The 60-degree evening paired perfectly with Merrie Mill’s refreshing, crisp rosé. Rosé is one of my favorite varietals, so I had to buy a bottle to bring back to Virginia Beach, especially after Elizabeth Pelly told me that the vintage with Merrie Mill’s grapes was a limited release.
Coming back to Merrie Mill to try their first vintage was a full circle moment. I loved not only celebrating the success of the Pellys and Merrie Mill, but getting to chat with the other VIPs who made me feel so welcome as a solo traveler.
After a pit stop at Wawa for a snack, I was back in my hotel room by 10:30 p.m. to watch King of Queens and let sleep take me.
Despite drawing my hotel’s blackout curtains in an attempt to sleep in, I was up bright in early at 7 a.m. I rolled out of bed and decided to check out of my hotel and get my day started early, starting with breakfast.
Breakfast at Bodo’s Bagels
If you read my previous blog post, Everything I Ate on my Homecoming Road Trip Part 1, you’d know that I’ve loved Bodo’s Bagels since my Model UN days. Yes, I know there are plenty of breakfast/brunch options in Charlottesville, but I can’t not have Bodo’s. That’s against my religion.
I ordered my favorite staple—bacon, egg and cheese on an everything bagel—along with a second bagel that was simply cinnamon raisin with cream cheese. I got to Bodo’s downtown location right before a huge crowd of marathon runners came in. I snagged my order pretty quickly and proceeded to savor every bite of my BEC in the car.
Walking Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall
I had some time to kill before my next activity, so I decided to check out Charlottesville’s Downtown Mall. This historic area is dotted with local shops, restaurants and entertainment. While 10 a.m. was a bit early to hit the shops, I took a stroll down the pedestrian-friendly brick-paved walk to simply unwind and take in the sights.
I was so relaxed on my walk that I didn’t realize the time and just how far I walked (I was outside the bounds of the mall). I’m late, I’m late, for a very important date.
Exploring IX Art Park
When I was looking for things to do in Charlottesville, I stumbled across a cute mural that I wanted to check out at the IX Art Park downtown. After going down a social media rabbit hole (pun intended), I saw a post about The Looking Glass. The Looking Glass is Virginia’s first immersive art experience, located within IX Art Park. What I thought would simply be an Alice in Wonderland-themed exhibit was so much more.
This 3,000-square-foot art museum features the work of more than a dozen Central Virginia artists in a variety of mediums. I journeyed through an enchanted forest, taking a seat on the dazzling throne, and spent some time in a tree house that brought back a sense of nostalgia (right until my knees reminded me that I’m too old for that). The Looking Glass allows you to touch everything, with some pieces offering surprise sound effects. I spent a lot of time just mesmerized by the interactive technology wall.
When I left The Looking Glass, the Farmers Market was in its final hour. I did a couple laps to check out some of the vendors, and there were a ton! While the smell of the freshly prepared foods was calling to me, I was still full from breakfast. I did stop at one vendor (I don’t remember the name) for a mango juice.
After looking at the clock and realizing it was only 11:30 a.m., I knew it was too early to head back to Virginia Beach. I checked my handy dandy Google Maps app to see what other locations/activities I saved for this trip.
Tasting at Vitae Spirits
I noticed that the Vitae Spirits tasting room opened at noon, so I made my way to the downtown location. Vitae Spirits is a local craft distillery that produces small-batch spirits. When I walked in, I was greeted by Forrest who noticed my Something in the Water mask. Turns out, he’s from Portsmouth, so we spent a lot of time discussing the Hampton Roads area.
I asked him to pick out three spirits for me to sample for a tasting flight. Between conversation, he explained to me the depth of flavors in the Golden rum, Modern Gin and Barrel-Aged Coffee. While the Modern Gin featured botanicals that are perfect for spring/summer, and the Barrel-Aged Coffee would make for a great boozy pick-me-up, I ended up buying a bottle of the award-winning Platinum rum. Forrest recommended the rum to make daiquiris, particularly when combined with the Crescent Simples cocktail syrups I also purchased.
Once I finished my tasting, I ordered the Mimi Vera cocktail, created by Forrest and his coworker and named after their grandmothers. Reminiscent of a strawberry rhubarb pie, this cocktail uses Vitae’s Old Tom Gin, strawberry vanilla cinnamon simple syrup, lemon juice and rhubarb bitters, topped with soda and shaved nutmeg. The sweet libation sent my tastebuds back to childhood—the taste was familiar on the palate, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. I could’ve ordered five more of these, but Virginia ABC laws prohibit it. While I couldn’t taste the Unicorn Blood cocktail, its lavender hue was too pretty not to snap a photo of.
For such a short amount of time in Charlottesville, I got to do a lot and gained a greater appreciation for the city. This college town, along with surrounding Albemarle County, has such a wide variety of things to eat, drink, see and do, and I can’t wait for my next trip back.