We are planning a trip to Charlottesville in April to check out the area for possible retirement relocation.

In addition to Charlottesville, we are also interested in seeing Staunton, Lexington, Winchester, Fredericksburg and Culpeper.

Which of these would be doable to see while we are there? We will be in the area for 4 days and will have a car. We will be staying right in downtown Charlottesville.

While you are there be sure to check out Dooner's Restaurant outside of town - we had a great meal there the last time we visited.

Are you staying in Charlottesville every night? The areas you are interested in are spread out and you would have to consider driving back to C'ville each day. Where are you coming from?

If you are driving from Newburyport get to I-90 into I-84 into I-81 to Winchester. You should make it in a day. Use a day to view Winchester, Staunton, and Lexington, all on the I-81 corridor. Spend a day in the Cville area. Next stop would be Culpeper and then on to Fredericksburg.

If you are flying into D.C., you can start in either Fredericksburg or Winchester.

We will be flying into Richmond from Newburyport, MA on a Friday morning. We anticipate spending Fri. in Charlottesville, and venturing out in the AM.

Yes, all will be daytrips from Charlottesville.

p.s. We will be back to Williamsburg early 2007, so if any of these are more doable from Wmsburg, we will hold off on those.

Our intention was to have a quick look-see with C'Ville being of highest importance, and when we came back to Wmsburg for the week, to see again the areas we really liked.

You can see Lex and Staunton in one day. Lexington is an hour from C-ville (just take 64 West to 81 South). Then come back up 81 for a half hour and that gets you to Staunton. From Staunton it's only a half hour back on 64 East to get to C-ville. A very easy little triangle of driving.