historic downtown mall

We come here often and always bring anyone who visits, great for a night out with friends, spending the day with families and kids, shopping and lunch with the girls or just dinner with the husband! Our only problem is choosing a restaurant....so many great choices...very difficult to decide! Live musicians, wide variety of stores, wonderful food that can be enjoyed inside or outside all while being surrounded by a wonderful atmosphere of lighted trees and water fountains!

I went to this mall because a friend of mine, her daughter attends UVA, recommended it. Don't bother with this place. There is nothing "historic" about it except perhaps the age. There are a number of bars (UVA is only about 2 blocks away), some small locally owned shops, and panhandlers looking for money. I was there from 2pm to 3pm and there was nothing going on; I'm sure it is different when the sun goes down and the students hit the mall... not my thing. A big disappointment.

Very nice "mall" which consists of an outdoor 8 block area with shops and restaurants on both sides of the street. The walkway is as wide as a road, but it is totally pedestrian. There are only a few areas where cars can cross, so it makes it very relaxing to walk and experience. It was very cold, and walking between shops was chilly, but very nice and inviting in every place we stopped. We will be visiting again when the weather warms up a bit!

I took my girlfriend here for the day to just do some catching up and eat some good food. We had a wonderful time it is a very nice historical place to go, lots to see and do.

If strolling for great unique eateries or waiting for a concert of various genres the downtown mall has something for everyone. Children can enjoy the merry-go-round at the east end of the mall near Children's Discovery Museum. Adults can shop with the many street vendors or locally owned merchant shops for clothing, shoes, linens, coffee, coffee, and the best food, mostly locally sourced. Day or night, try the museums, try the coffee, try the foods, try not to enjoy the stroll!

We were at the outdoor downtown mall for one night when passing thru Charlottesville. Unfortunately during our visit the weather was unusually cold which limited our enjoyment. As it was a weekday night, many of the shops were closed, but we enjoyed those that were open and will go out of our way to stop back for a visit during summer weather conditions.

Took us about an hour or more to get there. Very disappointed. Homeless people wandering around. Many outdoor vendors and not a very nice selection of stores. Hippie type area. I grew up during the 60's and 70's so I understand that culture. Would not recommend.

The Downtown Historic Mall is filled with quaint shops and restaurants, If you go to the visitor center, they will stamp your parking ticket for 2 hours of free parking. It's a really nice way to spend an afternoon!

We thoroughly enjoyed walking through the downtown pedestrian mall in Charlottesville. Lots of little fun shops, used book stores, and restaurants. There is a throw back pharmacy and malt shop that is really charming. Look forward to visiting again!

Great place to stroll on a sunny day, we go there quite often. Nice stores, some great restaurants...such as " Red Pump " and "Commonwealth Sky Bar". Old movie theatre...Eateries are placed in the center of the street .It a great place to take your kids for an ice cream. Go for it.Very nice day out...its very casual and laid back as opposed to a closed in mall. Great atmosphere...This past time we bumped into several people who had traveled form DC just to go the the restaurants on this street mall...worth a trip...

We spent several hours at the mall while visiting the University of Virginia with our daughters. The surrounding neighborhood is very seedy and rundown, but we were hopeful when we arrived. Unfortunately, our first impression of a lively, fun area of shopping and restaurants was deceptive. It was a Saturday evening in the summer, but the place had a bit of a desolate feeling. There were a number of vendors with large tables throughout the mall where they were selling incense,knockoff "kashmeer" scarves, tacky jewelry, leather goods, and cheap sunglasses. A number of the storefronts were boarded up and looked like they'd been empty for a long time. The mall was poorly lit and there was a considerable amount of litter on the ground. There was a nice variety of restaurants and most offered outdoor seating, however, the outdoor seating areas were thick with cigarette smoke so we opted to eat indoors. The shops were "eclectic" in a trashy way. There was nothing about it that enticed us to linger--in fact, we bought some ice cream and wanted to eat it at one of the little outdoor tables, but the area just had such a depressing feel we decided to take it back to our hotel. It feels like someone had a great idea but the execution fell very short. Clean it up, get rid of the shady characters selling crap, put up some hanging flower baskets, some twinkle lights on the trees, and some music would go a long way. The CVS should not be the brightest, most lively spot on the mall. This concept is wonderful when it's done right--The Grove in LA or Faneuil Hall in Boston, for example. We wouldn't go back.

Drove up here on a whim this past Saturday from Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Downtown Mall was quite the disappointment. There were beggars and bums everywhere, making the atmosphere of the area not so attractive. A majority of the shops are not worth while or even relevant to much and the coffee shop we visited was over priced and under whelming. There was a nice view from the parking garage though.

This area was perfect for strolling, window shopping, and then grabbing a bite to eat at a great restaurant while people-watching outside.

Older buildings, lots of walking ,no free parking for your car. The free trolley (bus) is a nice idea and recommended. Walking the older streets is nice, expensive shops. Christian's Pizza was a good place to stop for a slice of pizza.

Shopping, lunch, coffee and a movie here. Very nice shaded venue with some great shops. Something for everyone and nice folks.