Vacations Blog

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello at Charlottesville, VA

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is located just outside of Charlottesville, VA.  More specifically, it is just over the halfway point from our house in Ohio to Cape Hatteras, NC at the southern tip of the island chain known as The Outer Banks.  Why is this important?  And why would I bother telling you so?

Because when you are traveling from Ohio to the Outer Banks of North Carolina, more specifically, when you are traveling from Ohio to the Outer Banks of North Carolina with five small children, you’re going to want to break that up.  Trust me!  My kids are stellar traveling companions and I’d take them anywhere without hesitation, but experience has taught me that an interesting side trip makes for a much more enjoyable entourage.

Monticello is the mountaintop home of Thomas Jefferson.  *He used to be our president.*  Though Mr. Jefferson would rather have you remember him for his literary prowess (authored the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom) and his endeavors in the field of education (founded the University of Virginia).

Gardens at Monticello

The land was inherited from his father and construction of the home began when Jefferson was just twenty six years old in 1769.  Throughout his lifetime Mr. Jefferson was continually expanding and remodeling the design of the home.  The Monticello website offers some fairly interesting information of the house in it’s FAQ section.

A visit to Monticello begins at the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center located at the base of the Monticello mountain.  The visitor center opened April 15 of this year (it still smells new) and contains a gallery, gift shop, cafe, information and ticket center, a theater room, and a hands on activity room for kids–and parents.  The introductory film provides excellent background for the Monticello experience.

Thomas Jefferson Hams it Up for the Camera

After the film, a short walk up a flight of stairs and a photo-op with a bronze statue of Mr. Jefferson, visitors can take the shuttle to the top of the mountain for the house, garden and plantation tours.  Our you can walk along the well maintained trail the approximately half mile up the mountain side to the house.  Either way, you need a ticket to get to the top and your ticket gets you on the shuttle.  I’m just saying.  It’s Virginia.  It’s hot.  The shuttle is air-conditioned.

Monticello a Slightly West View

There are three portions to the tour of Monticello: The House, The Gardens and The Plantation Community all of which are included in the House Tour Ticket Price.  (Adults $20, Children $8, Under 6 Free)  Bear in mind the Gardens tours and the Plantation Community Tours are seasonal and run from April through October.  Visitors are free to walk the grounds at their leisure–or run, screaming wildly–whatever suits your fancy.  I mentioned visiting with my five kids, right?

The Gardens at Monticello

Mulberry Row at Monticello once had seventeen structures including dwellings for workers, wood and iron-working shops and a smokehouse.

Running and screaming are not permitted in the house, however.  Neither is touching any of the doors as I was told in what I’m sure to her was a kind and gentle voice.  “Um, sir!  Don’t touch the door!  It has the original finish and your hands will destroy it!”

“Duly noted.”

On our visit, we chose the Family Friendly Tour of Monticello.  (Our guide was way more polite than the mean lady who told me not to touch the door.  In my defense, I was trying to be gentlemanly and hold it open for the members of our tour group passing through.)  The 30-minute Family Friendly Tours are oriented specifically for children aged 6 to 11 and provide hands on opportunities in each room of the tour.  It was exciting to watch the children as they eagerly participated in the tour of the home.

The Family Tour of Monticello---Photography is not permitted inside of the home.

We spent some time walking the grounds and exploring the underground walkways and cellars in the home but due to time constraints did not avail ourselves to the guided outdoor tours.  In all, I would say the kids certainly had a great time and it was well worth the visit.

The Cellars at Monticello

Should you go, there are numerous places to stay in Charlottesville, but I’d recommend a reservation especially during summer traveling season.  We didn’t have one and had to try several locations before finding a vacancy.