HELP -- Weekend trip

I want to plan a weekend trip to Charlottesville to visit Monticello.

I have a relative who is living in Manassas that we can stay with, but that%26#39;s about two hours away.

I need suggestions on transportation.

Is there a train we can catch? Do we need to rent a car?

Which airport should be fly into if we are staying in Manassas?

I really need some serious suggestions.

Thanks.

HELP -- Weekend trip

There%26#39;s a noon train (the Cardinal) and an evening train (the Crescent) from Manassas to C-Ville, so the train won%26#39;t work for you unless you stay overnight in C-ville.

Dulles Airtport (IAD) is pretty close to Manassas.

Rental car is the way to go

HELP -- Weekend trip

There%26#39;s a noon train (the Cardinal) and an evening train (the Crescent) from Manassas to C-Ville, so the train won%26#39;t work for you unless you stay overnight in C-ville.

Dulles Airtport (IAD) is pretty close to Manassas.

Rental car is the way to go

The closest major airport to Manassas is Dulles International (IAD). It is about 17 to 18 miles to the heart of Manassas. Here is its website: http://www.metwashairports.com/Dulles/

With respect to going to Monticello, I agree with the previous post that driving is the way to go. While Charlottesville is served by bus, train, and air, there is no scheduled public transportation that directly serves Monticello. So, if you took the train into Charlottesville, you would need to catch a cab from the train station to and from Monticello. Monticello%26#39;s website offers driving directions: www.monticello.org/visit/directions.html. The website also states that some people visit Monticello with the help of tour operators and offers two options: Gold Line/Gray Line - https:/… and DC Tours - www.dctours.us/tours/tourDetail.cfm… I don%26#39;t know if that is your kind of thing, but it is another option...

As for a place to stay, I don%26#39;t have a particular hotel recommendation. There are many wonderful bed and breakfasts in and around Charlottesville. But, I suggest staying near the Historic Downtown Mall, a pedestrian mall that is home to a vibrant collection of more than 120 shops and 30 restaurants located in the historic buildings on and around old Main Street Charlottesville. Also, at the east of the Downtown Mall, there is a great outdoor stage and pavilion that often features live entertainment (http://www.charlottesvillepavilion.com/). Every Friday evening from from 5:30 pm until 8:30 pm, the Pavilion hosts a series of free concerts (charlottesvillepavilion.com/fridaysafterfive/).

I hope this helps. Have fun at Monticello and Charlottesville!

Ooops, I mistyped the link to Monticello%26#39;s driving directions. As a result, the link doesn%26#39;t work. Here is the correct link: www.monticello.org/visit/directions.html

Sorry.

Are you spending the night in Charlottesville? If so, the major hotels can help arrange transportation to Monticello. As stated above, staying near the Downtown Mall offers a lot of options. The Omni is right on the Mall. The Hampton Inn and The Marriott Courtyard are on W. Main St near the UVA campus (great place to wander around and see Thomas Jefferson%26#39;s influence), but not far from the Mall.

Laura

Dulles is going to be the most convenient major airport for you to get to Manassas, unless you want to figure out how to fly directly into the Manassas Airport(airport code MNZ)but to be practical, you would probably want to go with Dulles.

Dulles is about a 30 minute drive from Manassas. You could have difficulty if you land in the afternoon and have to contend with rush-hour traffic, so I would time your flight so you are on the road no later than 3:00 if you want a smooth sailing drive.

The drive from Manassas to Charlottesville is very nice. Yes, about 2 hours.

Not far from Charlottesville is James Madison%26#39;s Montpelier in Orange if you would consider visiting there on your way back. There is a very nice Holiday Inn in the town of Orange. I have stayed there many times and can highly recommend it. It is a newish hotel, and it is built up on a hill with beautiful views.

Orange is about 30-45 minutes from Monticello back towards Manassas.

Rental car would be the only way to go, IMO. C%26#39;ville isn%26#39;t very public transportation friendly outside of the UVA and Downtown core. Downtown ';mall'; is wonderful and, if at all possible, I would stay at the Omni which is right there. The mall is just a lovely place to eat an outdoor dinner. (There are less expensive hotels such as the Sleep in on 5th Street, about 2 miles from the ';mall.'; Don%26#39;t know where you are flying from or if staying in Manassas is a must, but you could also fly directly to Charlottesville or to Richmond (75 minutes east). With both of those options, you would still need to rent a car.