Downtown Mall, a historic pedestrian promenade in downtown C-Ville

Charlottesville's cultural, culinary, and retail heart and soul is the Historic Downtown Mall, a leafy, redbrick pedestrian promenade that runs for about eight blocks in the city center (it runs along Old Main Street, from 2nd Street West to 7th Street East). Created in 1974 and completely renovated in 2009, the Downtown Mall is lined with some 120 shops and 30 restaurants, most with outdoor seating. It's also home of such gay-friendly businesses as Escafe restaurant and bar, and Mudhouse coffee bar.