Home to two American presidents (Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe), Charlottesville's landmark is the beautiful University of Virginia campus, founded and designed by Jefferson.  The third president's nearby mountain-top home, Monticello, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that draws a half million tourists to the hills of the Virginia countryside. 

Home to a great university

More than 20,000 students pour into the community during the school year to attend the University of Virginia, one of the nation's greatest public universities.  Its Rotunda, above designed by Jefferson, and other buildings provide an architectual backdrop emulated by campuses across the country.  In 2012, The Atlantic magazine named Charlottesville as the nation's "brainiest" metro areas, based on data by Lumosity.

Charlottesville's hub features the Downtown Mall, one of the longest outdoor pedestrian malls in the country where visitors can find great stores, restaurants and civic attractions.  A few miles outside of the city is the Shenandoah National Park, which offers great scenery and a wide array of recreational activities, including outstanding hiking trails.