Charlottesville Albemarle Airport (CHO) sits just north of Charlottesville, Virginia, in the rolling foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and it operates as a full commercial airport with car rental counters from international and local companies located on-site, making it a convenient starting point for both the city itself and the mountain and wine-country scenery surrounding it. Downtown Charlottesville and the University of Virginia campus are only a short drive from the terminal, an easy first stop before heading farther afield.
From CHO, the Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park's Skyline Drive are within roughly forty-five minutes to an hour, offering some of the most scenic mountain driving on the East Coast, with overlooks, hiking trailheads and fall foliage drawing visitors especially through autumn. Closer to the airport, Albemarle County's wine region has grown into a substantial network of vineyards and tasting rooms connected by quiet country roads, easily explored on a rental car itinerary that mixes wine stops with mountain views.
Driving is on the right throughout Virginia, and the roads connecting Charlottesville to the parkway and national park are toll-free, generally well maintained, though Skyline Drive itself has a lower speed limit and frequent curves that reward an unhurried pace. Fall and spring bring heavy tourist traffic to the parkway and park entrances, so weekend mornings can be busier than midweek visits. Winter occasionally brings snow and ice to the higher elevations along the Blue Ridge, closing sections of the parkway temporarily, so checking conditions before a mountain drive during colder months is worthwhile. A standard sedan handles the main routes comfortably, making CHO a straightforward base for exploring both Charlottesville and its surrounding mountain and wine country. Fuel stations are plentiful near the city and along the main highways, though they thin out on the smaller roads leading directly into the park, so topping up before a full day on Skyline Drive is a sensible habit for visitors starting their trip at CHO.