Who are the happiest Americans?
Where do they live?
Ask these questions and you’re likely to get as many different answers as people you ask. A group of social scientists, however, wanted to discover where the happiest people in America really are, (spoiler… Charlottesville, Virginia is America’s 3rd Happiest Place) so National Geographic bestselling author Dan Buettner and the Gallup Organization’s social scientists set about discovering America’s happiest places… scientifically. First developing an index of 15 metrics that signal happiness, they then conducted more than 250,000 interviews with adults in 190 metropolitan areas across the U.S. After averaging the responses to those interviews, they produced the National Geographic Happiest Places list (read the November, 2017 article here):
America’s 3rd Happiest Place… our own Charlottesville, Virginia!
Charlottesville’s Historic Pedestrian Mall
Its not a coincidence to the residents of Charlottesville (and those of us in her outskirts), that Thomas Jefferson (the author of the Declaration of Independence… which instilled “Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” as our three inalienable rights), called Charlottesville home.
Located just two hours from Washington DC, “C-ville” (as we call it) offers quiet country landscapes and rolling hills, the stunning beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains, and a treasure trove of American history (including the homes of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe). Add to that an awesome “sense of community”, a “four-season” climate, comprehensive public health facilities, sophisticated cultural resources, a cutting-edge research university (the University of Virginia), and dozens of top-notch restaurants, its no wonder that Charlottesville is near the top of the Happiest Places in America list!
If there’s one place in the US that has nearly everything going for it, this is it. Counterintuitively, Charlottesville feels like a small town with a big city vibe.
“The natural beauty of the surrounding countryside and the man-made beauty of Charlottesvillle combine to weave a tapestry of American history few other towns or cities can boast.” John F. Kennedy
Charlottesville’s Blue Ridge Mountains
Perhaps second only to her impressive history, Charlottesville knows how to celebrate all things food (in fact, Jefferson is known as America’s “founding foodie”). By some estimates, Charlottesville boasts one of the highest concentrations of restaurants per population in the United States. Especially popular for the past 25 years, the historic downtown pedestrian mall is a top destination for exceptional food, wine and music. As both Presidents Kennedy and Jefferson discovered, the Charlottesville region’s rich farmland remains its bedrock. Numerous C’ville restaurants (including Prospect Hill’s own) feature local and organically grown foods… a non-negotiable in the farm-to-table movement.
Charlottesville has always attracted interesting folks – people following their passion – and if it all seems a bit old-fashioned, it is. That’s simply part of her charm, and it’s also why we moved our family to the Charlottesville area five years ago… almost like we innately knew that this was one of America’s Happiest Places!
Thomas Jefferson’s home… Monticello
Though locals don’t need a national designation to remind them that Charlottesville is America’s 3rd Happiest Place (some of us think she is THE happiest place), she has earned many over the years…
Here’s Why C’ville is America’s 3rd Happiest Place…
Among other awards, Charlottesville has been named:
America’s Best Tennis Town (Tennis Magazine);
Best Retirement City for Golfers (Golf Digest);
Best College Town in America (Traveler’s Today);
2nd Healthiest Place to Live in America (Kiplinger’s Personal Finance);
3rd Healthiest Small City to Live in America (Men’s Journal);
3rd Best Place to Live (New York Post);
4th Best Place to Live in the Country (Kiplinger’s Magazine);
4th Best City for entrepreneurs (Entrepreneur Magazine);
5th Tastiest Town in the South (Southern Living Magazine);
Top-5 New American Foodie Cities (Wine Enthusiast Magazine);
6th Best Place to Live in America (A&E Television);
7th Best Place in America to Raise a Family (Reader’s Digest);
America’s 9th Favorite Mountain Town (Travel & Leisure Magazine);
and of course… the 3rd Happiest Place in America (National Geographic);
At the conclusion of his article on “America’s Happiest Places”, Buettner gives the following advice:
“…linger longer, stay in a B&B, and walk a lot. “My findings indicate that if you want to get happy, don’t try to change your belief system. Change your environment.”
There you have it… and while he didn’t specifically name which B&B to stay in, may we suggest you stay at Prospect Hill during your visit to America’s 3rd happiest place (Charlottesville, Virginia). We are one of the most unique bed and breakfast inns in the region, and we look forward to showering you with our old-fashioned Southern hospitality, and we’ll do our best to show you why Charlottesville might even be the HAPPIEST place around! Book on our website (here) now for best rates, or call us at 540-967-0844.
