Living in New York City comes with endless perks, but the one thing it always seems to be lacking is space. Quiet is a close second. So when I was searching for Airbnbs to stay in during a weekend trip to Charlottesville, Virginia, for a dear friend’s baby shower, the apartments and townhouses directly in the college town didn’t have much appeal. For that reason—and to be closer to some of the wineries my travel buddy and I wanted to visit—I expanded our search to include the wider Charlottesville area, and came across this gem of a property in Crozet, about a 35-minute drive away from the Downtown Mall.
To reach the rustic two-bedroom cottage situated on a 400-acre farm, we drove down a long, unpaved dirt road—I’ll admit, a bigger car, or one with four-wheel drive, would have been nice, but ultimately wasn’t necessary so long as we drove slowly. Upon arrival, we could just barely make out the yellow house further down the road where the host family lived—it really felt like we were on our own endless stretch of land surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains. The sounds of birds chirping and cicadas buzzing were the soundtrack of the weekend; it couldn’t have been more serene.
The home has a bit of a summer camp feel to it, with a badminton net out front (rackets can be found inside, near the wood stove) and a hammock, grill, and Adirondack chairs surrounding a firepit in the back. It’s the perfect place for slow, lazy mornings soaking up nature, or sipping a cup of coffee while reading a good book on the screened-in porch. There’s an easel, canvas, and paints available for those feeling creative, and a shelf of board games and puzzles in the front hall closet. Given the remote nature of the property (the nearest general store is about a 15-minute drive away), if you plan to cook, you’ll want to stop somewhere bigger on the way in for provisions.
The host family has taken care to show off the area, with QR codes directing guests to playlists of local bluegrass music and a comprehensive guidebook with food, drink, and activity recommendations; we consulted it before heading to Pro Re Nata for pizza and live music and were not disappointed.