Monticelllo - Charlottesville, Virginia

The Tours at Monticello. Monticello was the estate of Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States and the primary writer of the Declaration of Independence. The estate sits on a small mountaintop near Charlottesville, Virginia. The name Monticello means 'little mountain' in Italian.

The house and grounds has been a huge tourist draw for many years due to its historical significance and beauty. In 1987, Monticello became a World Heritage Site, as did the University of Virginia, which happened to be founded by Thomas Jefferson. Visitors to Monticello will find that it has many different things to see and places to visit. Below are some of their popular tours.

House Tours

You can catch a guided tour at different times throughout the day that will take you through the lower floors of the house. You can see the furnishings, paintings, books, and items that once belonged to Thomas Jefferson. The guides will tell you everything you ever wanted to know about Jefferson as well as the gorgeous house that he designed. This tour lasts about 30 minutes and is included in the price of admission.

Gardens and Grounds

Take a walking tour with a guide of the estate grounds. You get to see the flower gardens, vegetable gardens, peaceful groves, and the fragrant orchards. These tours are held throughout the day, each lasting about 45 minutes. It is included in the price of admission, but they are only held between March 15 and October 31 because of the weather.

Plantation Community Tours

This guided tour focuses on the life of the African American at Monticello, and is a very interesting experience. The tour, which is included with admission, lasts about 45 minutes and is available from April 1 until October 31.

Children and Families Tour

These tours, led by experienced guides, are focused on keeping the children interested. The tour is aimed at kids between 6 and 11 years old. The 30-minute tours have several interactive, hands-on opportunities.

Signature Tours

The Signature Tours are a bit more in depth than the regular house tours. They include a tour of the Dome Room, and tickets are $45 per person. In addition, they are only held on Wednesday and Friday evenings between May 2 and September 12.

To find out more about the different tours and all of the other things that you can do while visiting Monticello you should visit their website at Monticello.org. Admission for adults is $15 for adults and $8 for children 6 to 11. Children 6 and under are admitted free.

Charlottesville also offers a variety of historical attractions and great hotel rates can be found on HotelsCombined.com.

Monticello

931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway

Charlottesville, VA 22902