Mark Gebhard of Brookhill Farm provided outstanding transport service for our horse. His truck and…read moretrailer are state-of-the-art, in excellent condition and extremely clean. Mark's very professional, friendly and calm demeaner made the move of our horse a real pleasure. On a 5 point rating scale, I have to give Mark a 10! Dr. Thomas Towberman

We had a lovely trail riding experience on horses at Brookhill farm. The owner and staff members…read morewere friendly, Knowledgeable and the property is beautiful. We had over an hour long trail ride through the countryside and it was a very peaceful experience for a reasonable price. I highly recommend visiting Brookhill Farm if you're in Charlottesville!

My family and I had a wonderful time here. Perfect day. 75 degrees & slightly breezy. I couldn't…read morethink of a better place to bring in the Fall season

Wonderful, wonderful wonderful experience here…read more We picked apples we ate ice cream we got cider. We had donuts. The sunset was beautiful magical even. The staff were very helpful and making sure we knew where to go to get the best apples as well as the best bang for our buck we decided to go with the full bushel, which I will say that box suggest it holds 20 pounds. It definitely feels closer to 40 by the time you're done so be prepared to use some arm muscles. Definitely don't skip out on the gift shop. You'll find some very unique and affordable locally made jams, Desserts and such. I really do adore this spot and will be coming back here. I cannot wait for a peach season.

They have wonderful range of fresh food items to include coffees, candies, fudges, breads &…read morepastries, along with a variety of restaurants. The service is professional, helpful and friendly and they have 2 areas to explore both inside and outside under the covered area for a good use of space for the weather permitting.

I always loved to go to Charlottesville City Market when I lived in Charlottesville, and come back…read moreall the way from D.C. every once in a while specifically for a few businesses. One that I want to highlight and isn't on Yelp by itself unfortunately is Sweet Jane's Kitchen Maryland Style Crab Cakes. They don't have a brick and mortar but she is always there every Saturday the Market is open from 9am-1pm. Since moving from FL I have never had a single good crab cake in all of VA...UNTIL I tried Jane's crab cakes. They are all of what a good crab cake has to offer: A large thick patty mostly consisting of super fresh crab and garnished with delicious spices and only small amount of filler. Their homemade sauce is perfectly zesty and pairs well with the crab cake and bun; I always get extra. To top it off the owner is always very kind and runs it with her family. Other than this one there is a flower shop that carries my favorite celosia flowers and my favorite caromont farm goat cheese. They have a wonderful variety of other unique shops and delicious food vendors to try. I highly recommend Jane's crabcakes and the Charlottesville City Market in general, so much that I am willing to travel almost 2 hours to get there. Honestly the best green market I've been to in VA.

I went two times on the horseback riding trail to the mountain and both times was the best…read moreexperience! It was my first time riding on a horse and it was amazing! The trail is very peaceful and gives you time to relax. The horses are already trained to follow the owner up the mountain and you only need to guide the horse on the speed you feel the most comfortable, but they don't go fast. Can't wait to go enjoy the rodeo that they have. My family has already gone and it looked like a lot of fun!

We have been twice now, each time we come to Virginia we will be using them for trail rides. Their…read morehorses are so well loved (spoiled in the best way) which leads me to feel so incredibly safe riding up and down hills on their horses. My two young children are also able to ride the solo without a worry. It's extremely easy to book and a great price for an hour and a half ride. The staff also are so easy going and fun to chat with along the trail. My kids always say this is the best part of visiting Virginia.

We have been to Caromont Farm for their goat snuggling sessions in the past and have always left…read morefeeling so happy and warm inside! The sessions involve going around to different stations based on ages of the goats. They also invite local artisans and food vendors - we got a beautiful wooden cheese board. They also offer samples of their cheeses as well as tubs of goat cheese to purchase. The truffle goat cheese is AMAZING! NOTE: Currently, the sessions are on pause due to COVID19, but I just want to give a shout out to the amazing work they put into this farm, caring for their goats, and their cheese making! As of March 2020, they are doing pre-order and pick ups for their cheeses - be sure to look at their websites for locations to grab this delicious local cheese and farm!

Caromont Farm is delightful. I have visited for multiple goat snuggling days, and they were fun and…read morecharming experiences. The farm is set in a beautiful hilly area with trees and rolling meadows. There are goats, chickens, peacocks, and the friendliest shaggy dogs you will ever meet. Wear boots or sneakers that you can lose to mud, and dress in layers. There is a very clean port o potty and a sink hooked to a (very cold!) well, so you can wash your hands. You will leave covered in hoof prints, fur, and animal slobber. I cannot speak to the locavore dinners held at the farm, but I would love to attend one. The owner is well travelled and versed on international cuisines, and she speaks with great fondness of other local producers. The farm's cheeses are incredible. My personal favorite is their black truffle chèvre. They also make delicious logs with herbes de Provence and pimento cheese. Their aged goat Parmesan is amazing. The cheeses are not strongly flavored of "goatiness"--I understand that is achieved by keeping male goats away from milk-producing females. All the cheese is delicately flavored, and the hot chocolate created for one of the snuggling days that I attended was decadent and divine. (I usually shy away from non-savory goat dairy products because of strong goaty flavors.) I highly recommend Caromont Farms. Be aware that there is virtually no cell reception at the farm.

Great micro-greens that are always fresh and tasty. Best secret in town. Will continue to…read morepurchase at Better Livings Farms

From the owner: Living Microgreens for Pickup and Deliveryread more

Welcome to VA wine country! Everyone raves over Sonoma wines, but why when you could have Virginia…read morewines?! The distinct four seasons of weather offered in Virginia along with its long history of rich soil makes for the best place for grapes to flourish. Although you can find hundreds of vineyards within a few miles of Charlottesville surrounding area, I highly recommend you place Effingham at the top of your list! Although the views are not as breath taking as some of the other wineries in the area, the wines were! And let's be real, we are here for the wines! Typically not a white wine person but I fell so far in love with their vignot wine, that I bought a bottle... Truthfully I purchased three bottles of wine... I know what you're thinking, no I do not have a problem! :) I just couldn't get over how flavorful and powerful their wines were! The Reserve and Gigi paired well with the charcuterie board we made. The flavors danced around my tastebuds that it took me quite some time to finish each glass due to wanting to savor the flavor. Pros: Staff was sweet as could be, wines delicious and priced well, variety of wines, light snack options, close to town, air bnb next door, cozy indoor seating, and outdoor seating. Cons: Views, restrooms are a little walk away, no complimentary wine glass with flight or bottle purchase... we bought a lot of bottles

Gina was so personable and told us all about the background of the winery and was so informative on…read morethe wine. She let us decorate a gingerbread house and was so friendly while we attended. I would recommend Gina and Chisholm Vineyards to anyone!

The views here are so beautiful--peaceful lake views, cozy seating areas, and plenty of open space…read moreto relax and unwind. I loved everything about the vibe and layout of this place; it's perfect for a laid-back afternoon or a date spot with nature as the backdrop. I didn't try any of the food-- as we were headed to dinner shortly, but they were out of the duck biscuits I had my eye on, so I'll be back to try some things. The wine flight was really nice--balanced, flavorful, and a great way to sample a little bit of everything. Overall, it's the kind of spot you come to for the atmosphere and end up staying for the wine. Can't wait to come back when the weather's even warmer!

This was our first time here. There were five of us celebrating two birthdays. The staff was…read moreattentive and friendly and the food was VERY good. Thoroughly enjoyed the seasonal flatbread (zucchini & tomatoes) - we all loved it. One of us ordered the Salted Honey Pie and said it was very good. We decided this was a place we'd come back to.

This is the second time we've stayed at the Shire Suite at the White Lotus Eco Spa Retreat, and…read moreboth times have been great. It's a wonderfully cozy spot, and the property itself is lovely. So much to see and explore! It's a very beautiful, quiet area that isn't too far from town with a charming little coffee shop (Maybelle's on Main) and all your basic necessities. Charlottesville is about a 40-minute drive, which isn't bad. We intend to come back every year for our anniversary. Looking forward to next year!

5 stars isn't enough! This place is an absolute hidden gem. I'm so grateful for the beautiful and…read morepeaceful experience we had here. There's truly something for everyone, whether you're looking to relax or explore. We loved the dry sauna and the jacuzzi tub in our room, and spent our evenings cooking, sitting by the fire, and playing records. It was the perfect mix of cozy and fun. The property also has a hot tub, a cold plunge, and dry sauna and you can books massages, cooking classes and yoga classes on the property! So many other unique touches throughout -- you can really feel how much thought has gone into creating a serene and welcoming space. You can do as much or as little as you want here, and that flexibility makes it feel like your retreat. Can't recommend it enough. I am already dreaming about our next stay later this year!