Historic Downtown Mall
Historic Downtown Mall
4

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  • Jim L
    Chino Valley, Arizona6 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Laidback atmosphere in the morning at the mall
    Nice laid back environment with shops and restaurants and easy walking. Some shops are vacant but most storefronts are occupied. I strolled the mall during the morning and early afternoon with no problems at all. There were a few homeless people but they were polite if engaged. Can't say what the nightlife scene is like.
    Visited March 2023
    Written March 31, 2023
  • TheCarrs52601
    Norfolk, Virginia458 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    It was ok
    Laid back pedestrian mall with shops, Wells Fargo, restaurants and easy walking. I strolled the mall during the morning and early afternoon with no problems at all. For lunch I ate a nice slice of pizza from Vita Nova on their patio under an umbrella and people watched, saw some interesting characters. Parking was limited, be prepared to pay for parking with an app or QR code.
    Visited June 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written June 9, 2023
  • Heidi W
    Waldorf, Maryland25 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice & relaxing
    I admit I was hesitant about going downtown after reading the negative reviews, but I’m glad I went with my gut. It was beautiful! A nice, sunny day. Peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. There were very few homeless and those that were there were not obnoxious or threatening. There was a street musician playing for tips. Stores were open and business appeared to be good. Enjoyed my time and glad I went.
    Visited August 2023
    Traveled solo
    Written August 9, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles448 reviews
Excellent
180
Very good
150
Average
62
Poor
37
Terrible
19

Lara S
Mattituck, NY21 contributions
1.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2022 • Couples
We booked this trip to break up our drive from SC to NY. We heard Charlottesville was a fun place to go for good food and shopping. What a HUGE letdown. We visited on a Monday and it was desolate with many homeless and sketchy people. Almost no restaurants were open but we did find Citizen Burger which was wonderful!!!! Other than that, terrible place. No place to even buy a T-shirt. The icing on the cake was when we returned to the huge(almost empty) parking lot our truck had been towed. Sooooo after an Uber ride to a sketchy industrial area we got our truck back for $150 bucks. Very sad, but clearly this is a ridiculous money making scheme as we saw several other vehicles towed. Would highly recommend staying FAR away.

On a positive note, we did go to Trump Winery which was spectacular!!!! Just stay away from downtown.
Written August 8, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mary G
1 contribution
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Solo
I find that all the hype about Charlottesville is over the top. They want new residents and tourism, which makes this a very busy high traffic town. Last time I was here was five years ago and it wasn't better but this time was much worse. Expect high prices for any hotel, poor service at regular restaurants, better service at the more expensive ones but its high prices again. Parking downtown is a nightmare with tow trucks milling about towing cars. There are no free spaces anywhere on weekends or after 5. Last time I was at the downtown mall there were several great restaurants but they are all gone. The atmosphere is nice but there are young troublemaker kids running around, littering. Lots of homeless people. Shopping for groceries at the closest places is a nightmare with terrible stores, even Whole Foods with the highest prices Ive seen.
Written June 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Adventures0fAandL
New York City, NY319 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
After seeing a few of the reviews here citing closed stores, homeless and aggressive panhandlers, I was concerned about visiting. From what we saw on a Sunday and Monday in early May things seem to be recovering nicely. Just wanted to provide a recent report for those who may be on the fence as we were.
Written May 10, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lather66
Mechanicsburg, PA485 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2023 • Couples
This mall caters to the college that is near by. Mostly restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, bars. Only a few stores, most closed this time of year. I personally found most not appealing as variety stores. Many homeless sitting around, street performers, joggers and dog walkers. Public restroom at York Place, but homeless hanging out inside them. Highly disappointed.
Written January 21, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

TheCarrs52601
Norfolk, VA458 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2023 • Solo
Laid back pedestrian mall with shops, Wells Fargo, restaurants and easy walking. I strolled the mall during the morning and early afternoon with no problems at all. For lunch I ate a nice slice of pizza from Vita Nova on their patio under an umbrella and people watched, saw some interesting characters. Parking was limited, be prepared to pay for parking with an app or QR code.
Written June 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Nicole D
3 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2022
Being in a mixed race family, I wasn't sure what Charlottesville would feel like after the 2019 incidents. I was pleasantly surprised to feel welcome and safe. We had a fun time looking through the shops and a great lunch at Citizen Burger. The movie theatre is also great!
Written February 23, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jon C
Washington DC, DC62 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2021 • Family
It seems like it was a really nice area at one time - now it’s pretty sketchy.

Homeless folks asking for money, on a Sunday, most places are CLOSED.

I would never go at night with a family.
Written July 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

M F
Maryland90 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jan 2021
Downtown mall area has become a haven for homeless people. The "progressive" policies of Charlottesville area attract people to come and sleep and live in the downtown store fronts/doorways. I was with a friend that lives in that area so she knew her way around. But I wouldn't have felt comfortable as a tourist. It's become a "little San Francisco" in regard to the conditions and lifestyle and attraction to homeless. Sad to see for such a beautiful area become run down and overrun .
Written January 18, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

J E
Fredericksburg, VA8,949 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2021
Pretty cool pedestrian mall with lots of interesting shops, some other businesses and lots, lots, LOTS of places to eat and grab a drink. One of my favs here is Revolutionary Soup. Miller’s is also nice and is famous too. Overall, it’s a decent place to visit, but parking is a pain, as they only have pay-to-park lots, which is silly.
Written June 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Heidi W
Waldorf, MD25 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Solo
I admit I was hesitant about going downtown after reading the negative reviews, but I’m glad I went with my gut. It was beautiful! A nice, sunny day. Peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. There were very few homeless and those that were there were not obnoxious or threatening. There was a street musician playing for tips. Stores were open and business appeared to be good. Enjoyed my time and glad I went.
Written August 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Historic Downtown Mall - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

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