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The Best Guide to Visiting Monticello With Kids (Best Monticello Tours)

Are you thinking about visiting Monticello? Awesome!  Thomas Jefferson’s historic home Monticello is worth a visit! 

I love the East Coast historical sites. Monticello has been on my list for years! We recently were able to go and tour Monticello.  I am excited to share all the fun things we learned when visiting Monticello Virginia.

In this post, I will give you an overview of all things to do in Monticello, including the best Monticello tours and which Monticello tickets to buy.  I will also include different sites on the property worth checking out.  

Let’s explore why visiting Monticello is a great idea and which Monticello tours are right for you. 

If you want to save this information for later be sure to pin this on Pinterest.

This post may contain affiliate links (including Amazon) that will give a commission at no additional charge to you. 

Where is Thomas Jefferson's Monticello Plantation?

Where is Thomas Jefferson’s house you ask?  Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello plantation is located in Charlottesville, VA.  

Directions to Monticello

Monticello is 2.5 hours from Washington DC. Some people like to do a Mount Vernon to Monticello tour. This is fun if you have the time. 

Monticello to Richmond is 1 hour or Monticello to Williamsburg is 2 hours.

We actually drove from Washington DC/ Mount Vernon to Monticello and on to Williamsburg.    

Where is Monticello Located?

1050 monticello loop.

Charlottesville, VA 22902

Parking is free and very easy.  There is a large lot near the visitor center where you will enter and park. 

Visiting Monticello

  Touring Monticello is a highlight in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. 

When is the Best Time to Visit Monticello?

How much time should i spend while visiting monticello.

I would plan half a day.  Your tour time will be 45 minutes.  You will need to arrive early and give yourself enough time to park.  You can also watch a 7 film at the visitor center before your tour if you give yourself enough time.  

If you want to go on a few more tours around the grounds, hit the cemetery, and explore the visitor center, you will need to plan at least 3-4 hours. 

History of Monticello and Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson was the 3rd president of the United States and the author of the Declaration of Independence. He was a very well-rounded man with lots of interest and expertise. 

He loved architecture and spent 40 years building his architectural dream house. He had seen some of the designs while in France and wanted to replicate them.  It was completed in 1809. 

The Monticello plantation consisted of over 5000 acres of land.  Thomas Jefferson’s home in Virginia is incredible! 

Fun Facts About Monticello

• It is a UNESCO World Heritage site
• It is the only house on US currency (Dime)
• Monticello means “hillock” or “little mountain” in Italian

How to Make your Visit to Monticello Better

I highly recommend reading a historical biography of Thomas Jefferson before going. Honestly, we saw Hamilton on Broadway and that got our teenagers pretty excited for the visit.  

Visiting Monticello Visitor Center

You will arrive at the visitor center where you can purchase Monticello tickets, however purchasing your tickets ahead of time online is a much better option. 

Monticello Tickets

The Monticello tickets are timed.  This means that you will come at a specific time for a specific tour.  Some of the more popular tours and times can sell out.  It is good to get your tickets ahead of time.

One thing I liked about purchasing my tickets ahead of time was that I was able to read and research the different Monticello tours.  (I will lay those out for you here)

Monticello Visiting Hours 

8:30 am – 5:30 pm

Visitor Center Area

The visitor center area is the starting and ending stop of your visit to Monticello. 

There are lots of things to do in this area, you can look around or if you are like me, you might want to take the Monticello tour and then come back and enjoy all this area has to offer later.

Things to Do at the Monticello Visitor Center

• Thomas Jefferson World Film (7 minutes)
• Monticello as Experiment Exhibit
• Making Monticello Exhibit
• Monticello Farm Table
• Monticello Shops
• Griffin Discovery Room (Kids Area)

Shuttle Bus

There is a shuttle bus that will pick you up at the visitor center and take you to where your Monticello tour group will meet.  You can ride it back or you will have an option to walk to the cemetery and hop on at that point. (The bus stops at the cemetery.)

Monticello App

Download the app.  The app will give you a better experience while you tour Monticello.  You can learn more about Jefferson and his plantation, and hear some pretty cool stories. 

This app will help you on your Monticello house tour.

Tour Monticello

There are a lot of different Monticello tour options.  Each one has different prices and lengths of time.  I’m going to break them down so you can make the best decision on how you want to tour Monticello.

1. Monticello Highlights Tour

Tour Time : 45 minutes

Monticello Admission Price:

Adults : $42

Children 12-18: $13

Tickets are required for younger children however admission is lower or free. 

Highlights Monticello Tour

This is the most popular Monticello tour type.  This tour includes the 1st-floor spaces in the Thomas Jefferson home. You will also have access to the grounds, gardens, exhibits, family activities, and additional walking tours.

2. Self-Guided Monticello Tour

Tour Time: Up to You

Adults: $32

Children 12-18 : $10

Self-Guided Monticello Tour

This isn’t the tour we chose however as I was touring the home, I noticed QR codes throughout the areas.  I scanned them and read about the different rooms.  

Personally, I would pay $10 more and get a guide to share all the historical knowledge they have.  

3. Family-Friendly Monticello Tour

Tour Time: 45 minutes

Adults: $42

Children 12-18 : $13

Family Friendly Monticello Tour

This is the tour we chose because we have 4 kids ages 7-15.  We felt that our kids were too old for this tour.  Even our 7-year-old was on the older end of being able to enjoy this tour.  We thought it was geared towards 5 and under.  

One thing that was disappointing to the adults and teenagers in the group was that the tour was so geared toward a younger audience we didn’t feel like we learned hardly anything. (That is why I was scanning QR codes trying to read as I toured.) 

45 minutes was long! I think if the tour had been for an older audience as well as the children it wouldn’t have felt so long.  

The tour guide did have a bag full of fun objects that the little kids got to touch and hold.  

4. Behind the Scenes Day Pass

Tour Time: all morning or all afternoon

Ages 7+ : $85

Behind the Scenes Day Pass

This Monticello tour will allow you access to all 3 floors.  This tour gives a much more in-depth tour and historical background on Thomas Jefferson.  This tour really gets you inside Monticello! 

This is Monticello tour is great if you have already taken one of the other tours and want to learn more.  It is also for those who have the time to spend most of their day in Monticello Virginia. 

This is the tour I know I would enjoy the most! 

What to Do at Monticello Virginia

After you tour Monticello, there are still things to do.  In fact, there are even more tours.  

• Meet Thomas Jefferson
• Slavery at Monticello Mobile Tour
• Guided Slavery at Monticello Tour
• Guided Garden and Grounds Tour
• Self Guided Exhibits
• Life of Sally Hemmings

1. Meet Thomas Jefferson

Days Available : Tuesday – Saturdays

Times : 11 am, noon, 2 pm, and 3 pm

Thomas Jefferson

A historic actor will meet you near Monticello and give a 20 minutes presentation about Thomas Jefferson.  We came in at the end of the presentation. Thomas was very kind to answer any questions and give historic background.  

This is one of the fun things to do at Monticello with kids! 

Explore Monticello Grounds and Gardens

There are many exhibits around the house that you can check out. Touring Monticello is easy.  In fact, Thomas Jefferson created all-weather passages so that you could access the kitchen, basement, various store rooms, and the wine cellar easier. 

2. Mountain Top Activity Center

After you finish your Monticello tour and meet Thomas Jefferson you can head to the Mountain Top Activity Center.  Typically I think this is located outside but when we went it was raining. 

Fun Activities for Kids

This is a fun thing to do at Monticello for kids.  There are hands-on activities.  

• Write with a Quill Pen
• Crack a Code (Wheel Cipher) 
• Explore Mystery Object (Guessing Game)

3. Get Some Ice Cream or a Snack

After you play for a little while, you can grab a snack! There is ice cream and some fun colonial-style food choices. There is a little Farm Shop right next to the activity center. 

4. Visit the North Wing

You can also check out the icehouse on the north wing.  There are also bays for horses and carriages you can check out.

Jefferson’s Travels

There is a map that shows the route Jefferson would take to visit Washington DC in his 1802 horse-drawn phaeton (sports car of the colonial times.)

5. Explore the Main House Basement

The main house basement exhibit is pretty cool. There are lots of underground passageways to and from the house. The basement connects the passageways. 

Wine and Beer Storage

You can visit the storage areas and wine cellars.  Jefferson was instrumental in forming the American wine industry. 

Crossroad Exhibit

There is a crossroads exhibit along the passageway.  This was an area where the Jefferson and enslaved workers would cross paths. 

6. South Wing of Monticello

You will have to walk a little bit to get to the south wing.  The south wing has the 1809 kitchen, smokehouse, living quarters for enslaved workers, and the diary.  

Life at the Monticello

We enjoyed looking at all the areas on this side of the house.  There is a Sally Hemming exhibit that gives a little more insight into her life. 

There is also a tribute to Martha Jefferson, the wife of Thomas.  She died at age 33 after 10 years of marriage. 

There are also other areas such as the kitchen and a cook’s room that you can explore. 

7. Learn About the Slavery at Monticello

After touring Monticello and around the house, you might be up for another tour that is included in your ticket. The Slavery at Monticello Tour is offered on the hour. 

Mulberry Row

Mulberry Row is the area where many slave quarters are. The hemmings cabin, the stable, the textile workshop, and the storehouse for iron were all along this area. 

Slavery at Monticello Tour

You can take a guided tour and find out more information about this area. During the tour, you can hear about individual stories of the slaves that lived at Monticello.  Some families were separated.  You will also hear about in-depth daily living conditions on the plantation. 

This tour is not recommended for those under the age of 12.  This tour is 45 minutes. 

The older members of our family went on the tour.  The younger viewed the areas but did not take the guided tour. 

8. Gardens at Monticello

The gardens at Monticello were not only a source of food, but Thomas Jefferson loved experimenting with different plants from around the world. 

There are vegetable, fruit, and flower gardens throughout the entire estate of Monticello.

Gardens and Ground Tour

Times: 11 am, 1 pm, and 2 pm – Daily

There is a garden and grounds that is included in your ticket.  If you have time and have an interest in plants this is a great option. 

9. Monticello Cemetary

Thomas Jefferson died July 4th, 1826. In fact, I think he did that on purpose! He was the author of the Declaration of Independence. He believed in religious freedom and was the father of the University of Virginia. 

He was a scholar and loved learning.  His grave is located at Monticello at the cemetery.  It is worth a stop to honor one of the founding fathers of the United States. 

10. Saunders-Monticello Trail

The grounds around Monticello are beautiful.  There are lots of trails around Montic ello.  

Boardwalk Trail

The Saunders-Monticello trail is about 2 miles and can be accessed right from the visitor center. Most of the trails near the visitor center have a boardwalk.  There actually is a more extensive trail system near Monticello.  It is a great place to hike. 

11. Monticello Scavenger Hunt

The Monticello scavenger hunt is a great thing to do at Monticello with kids.  It is really easy to do! 

Scan the QR Code

Scan your QR code and you will be given a few options. You can Snap it, Learn it, or Find it! This will make touring Monticello with kids more fun and enjoyable! 

12. Visit Monticello Exhibits and Films

Once you wrap up touring near the house, you can head to the visitor center and enjoy more exhibits.  You can take a self-guided tour and explore.

If you didn’t get a chance to watch the film before your Monticello tour you can do it after. 

13. The Griffin Discovery Room

The Giffin Discovery Room is located near the visitor center.  It is an area for kids.  There are hands-on activities your kids will love.

Activities at the Griffin Discovery Room

• Dig and Analyze Artifacts
• Create an Oral History
• Block Table

You can spend 10-15 minutes enjoying the activities and learning more about Thomas Jefferson and Monticello.

Visiting Monticello Shops

The Monticello Shops are awesome! There are some fun souvenirs.  It is fun to walk around and check out all the merchandise you can also grab a bit to eat at the Farm Table. 

14. The Shops At Monticello

The shops at Monticello is the main gift shop for Monticello. They have some cute merchandise.  There are many colonial items to choose from.  

Items at the Shops at Monticello

• Virginia Wine
• Gourmet Food
• Games and Toys
• Collectables 

15. Farm Table

If you are hungry, the Farm Table has snacks but it also has a full menu. There are primarily soups and sandwiches.

 You can enjoy eating inside or outside.  It is a cute little area to enjoy a meal. 

Are you Ready to Visit Monticello Virginia?

Hopefully, this guide to visiting Monticello will help you know which Monticello tour you want to take! We really enjoyed our time visiting Monticello and viewing the home of Thomas Jefferson.  

More Historic Sites Nearby

When you finish touring Monticello, make sure to head over to Michies Tavern.  You will be able to have one of the best 17th and 18th-century pub southern-style meals. 

You can also jump over to Montpelier and see James Madison’s home. The James Monroe Highland is also worth checking out.

If you love colonial history Williamsburg is only 2 hours away!

You can also go to Washington DC and see more of Thomas Jefferson. You can enjoy the monuments in Washington DC as well as all of the best museums in DC . 

Facebook Community

Join my  Travel Community on Facebook .  This is a great group that can help answer any travel questions you might have.  I also try to add any deals that companies send me as well!

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33 Comments

What an amazing place to visit! Fun for the whole family! I’m going to visit the next time I’m in the area!

It is a little out of the way from DC but it was worth it!

I love all things history. Great guide to tour Monticello!

I would love to visit! So much history.

I love history!

I was so glad to explore the area!

Wow, I love this! I would love to visit.

I loved our time visiting Monticello. Our kids found the gardens and grounds fabulous, and I loved the wine I bought at the gift shop. I still have a few bottles and remember my visit when I drink one. I want to do the slavery tour next time I’m in the area.

That is so cool! Jefferson really helped the wine industry in America.

This is a great guide to Thomas Jefferson’s historic home, Monticello. I love visiting historic homes and haven’t been to this one yet.

It is worth a visit, especially if you plan on visiting Shenandoah National Park.

Thanks for taking me to Monticello & the tour! I’ve never been and looks to be an amazing historical site to visit!

Yes! You would love the gardens!

I love visiting historic kitchens. Looks like you had a great time exploring on the Monticello Tour.

Yes! I am a fan of the founding fathers!

I love visiting historical sites! I was just in DC but didn’t get out of the city. I’d love to visit Monticello next time I’m out East.

I love visiting historical sites too – so fascinating! I think I visited Monticello as a kid, but I can’t really remember anything, so thanks for the refresher 😊. This may be a sign that I need to plan another visit soon! Xx Sara

I know and there are so many cool tours you can choose from!

It is really cool! We lived in DC and never visited until this year!

I would LOVE to go on a Monticello tour! And I’ve never considered it’s the only house on currency!

I never had either!

Such a helpful guide, thank you for sharing. I love exploring places I don’t know a whole lot about, I’ll definitely be saving this

It is a fun historical site!

I had no idea that Monticello was the home of Thomas Jefferson. Thank you for sharing!

It is pretty cool!

I loved Monticello! I was so bummed that at the time of our visit, you weren’t allowed to take pictures in the house. Then I found out that’s changed! I guess I’ll have to go back and get my interior photos. Maybe I could do a more in-depth tour next time.

Yes, I think it is probably too hard to control with everyone having an iphone.

I have been to Colonial Williamsburg, which I really loved. never been to Monticello. looks like there is a lot to explore there. You provided and awesome and thorough guide. Thanks

Thanks! We did Colonial Williamsburg as part of this trip!

We love the guide on visiting Monticello. A tour would be amazing. Thank you for sharing.

We love historical places! It was pretty cool!

Nice body of information. We took the Self-Guided recently; it was a time specific entry with a walk-through form, unguided. That said, guides were rotating through the rooms to answer questions and help the flow of guests.

We’ve also taken the premier tour, Behind the Scenes. Also time specific and, wow – very informative 90 minutes.

We took the kid tour but I would go back and take a different tour forsure!

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Your Quick and Easy Guide to Visiting Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello

quickwhittravel

Which U.S. President’s home is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site? You guessed it—Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello! Just about two and a half hours from Washington, D.C. (it took longer in Jefferson’s day), Monticello is on many a history lover’s “must go” list. It’s so popular, in fact, that it’s become a bit of an undertaking to visit these days—arrive 30 minutes early, buy tickets in advance, but which ticket, since there are about a dozen tours to choose from?

To clear the mud a bit, here is your quick, concise, effective guide to visiting Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello—his “Little Mountain” in Italian.

Know Before You Go

As with anything else, it’s helpful to be prepared! Because Monticello is a bit off the beaten path and an important site for many visitors, you want to get it right the first time. I get it! Here are the important things to know before you go.

Reserve Tickets Online, in Advance

Because this is such a popular site, tickets can sell out quickly! Buy your tickets online 6-8 weeks in advance, or earlier if you can. If you wait until you arrive, you may find that you made quite a long and winding journey only to visit the gift shop and be turned away. Better to book early !

Related: What’s Actually Worth the Money in D.C.?

Arrive 30 minutes early (or more).

All visitors are asked to arrive at least 30 minutes before their reserved tour time. This gives you time to check in at the visitors’ center, then high-tail it up the “little mountain” on foot (15-20 minutes hiking uphill) or on the shuttle. Trust me, you’ll need the cushion factored into your time! If you arrive earlier than 30 minutes before your tour time, you can definitely fill your time elsewhere on the estate, and you’ll be glad you did. I wish we’d arrived a little earlier than necessary, in fact.

Also this: Why It Pays to Be an Early Bird on Travel

Plan for 4-5 hours to see everything.

There is a lot to see here! That’s good, because Monticello is quite off the beaten path, so you can rest assured that your time getting there won’t be wasted, and you won’t leave feeling like it wasn’t worth the effort of getting there. Between the house tour, outside activities, exhibits, and separate museum, you’ll definitely be busy the whole time you’re there!

More here: Every Reason Why You Should Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride Over Charlottesville, VA

Buying tickets.

There are 12 ticket options—12! That’s a lot, and all tours, prices, and details are subject to change. So, to cut down on confusion and to give you the most accurate information possible, here is the link to the Monticello tours page . 

Highlights Tour

The tours page is the best place to go for all your options, but for first-time visitors who just want to visit Monticello, you’ll want to take the Highlights Tour ! 

Keep reading: Presidents’ Homes within a Day’s Drive of D.C.

Directly from the website: “This new 45-minute guided experience includes first floor spaces in Thomas Jefferson’s home, the West Lawn, and the South Wing. You’ll learn about Jefferson and his vision for America, the realities of slavery on the Monticello plantation, and the mountaintop’s iconic architecture. This popular pass includes access to our gardens, grounds, walking tours, family-friendly activities, and exhibits.”

Read on: A History Lover’s Guide to Washington, D.C.

As of summer 2022, the price of admission for the Highlights Tour is $42 per adult, $13 per child 12-18, and FREE for children under 12 (FREE tickets still required). This price covers the Highlights Tour, Slavery Tour, and Garden Tour.

Read next: The Ultimate List of Presidents’ Homes within a Day’s Drive of D.C.

The best parts of the highlights tour.

Here are some of the things you can look forward to on your tour!

The first room you walk into is, in a word, overwhelming ! There’s a lot in there (but there was much more crammed in while Jefferson lived here), and you’ll want to know more about all of it. Jefferson had so many interests, and he was into so many things; this room is evidence of that. Let’s say it’s part museum, part curiosity shop, part experimentation location, and part geography class. Don’t miss the famous weighted clock!

Read next: 10 Trips Every Traveler Should Take

“I cannot live without books.” –Thomas Jefferson

Did you know Thomas Jefferson could read in seven languages? He taught himself to read Italian just so he could read the works of an Italian architect. That architect inspired what became his beloved Monticello. He sold his library to pay off debts… and then bought more books! I loved seeing the full bookcases, especially the books behind plexiglass, since those really belonged to him !

More here: Check out my latest reading list here!

The dining room.

I love yellow! It’s bright, it’s happy, and this room is yellow , y’all! The blue Wedgewood compliments the yellow of the room, and while it seems small, it’s very efficient. Jefferson used to have small tables set up like you’d see in a present-day restaurant, to promote conversation. And there are hidden compartments in unexpected places so everything his guests needed could be on-hand at a moment’s notice.

Keep reading: The Best Day Trips from Washington, D.C.

The “nickel shot”.

Your tour will end outside, where you’ll see the “Nickel Shot” of the house. Why nickel? Because this is the view you’ll find on the back of every nickel! Be sure to take photos! This is also a great spot for a family or group photo after the tour as well.

Tips here: My Best Travel Photography Tips

Tips for your trip.

All that information is helpful, but here are a few tips to help you be super prepared!

Wear Reasonable Shoes

Even if you opt to take the shuttle to the mansion, there is still a lot of walking to do at Monticello! The gardens and grounds are not to be missed, and access to both is included in whichever ticket option you choose. There are also some hiking trails on the property, so if you want to take advantage of those, come prepared with appropriate footwear.

Pro tips: The Ultimate Guide to Your Travels and Your Feet (from a podiatrist!)

The visitor center is a little far from the house.

You can walk or take the shuttle from the Visitor’s Center to the mansion. The shuttle is complimentary and easy. It’s a bit of a hike if you choose to walk, so just be prepared! Plan for the walk to take between 15-20 minutes, and it’s uphill, so wear good shoes!

Read next: How to Plan a Trip: The Ultimate Guide

There is food available at the monticello farm table.

Michie Tavern down the road serves historic tavern fare and is a great option for groups or large families, but not everyone loves a buffet. If you want something a little less overwhelming (and healthier), you can have a meal from the Monticello Farm Table . It’s a grab-and-go style, and you can choose from sandwiches, salads, quiche, cookies, muffins, beverages, and more. They use local ingredients–some come straight from the estate’s gardens!

Just be aware of your timing; it’s open daily fom 8:30am-3:30pm, and things are a little picked over by 2:00pm… We found that out ourselves!

Also nearby: Your Guide to Visiting James Monroe’s Highland Estate

Don’t rush.

There is a lot to see and learn here! This is not a 45-minute tour, one-and-done, kind of place. Take your time, and make sure you see everything! It’s kind of a lot of trouble to get here, so take full advantage of being here and make a day of it. The day you visit Monticello is not the day to micromanage and over-plan your day. Just plan to come to Monticello at least 30 minutes before your tour, and see how long you stay!

Know how to plan well: How to Use Trip Advisor to Plan Your Trip

Want more? Check out all my posts about Virginia on my United States Page !

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[…] It’s located within 45 minutes of James Madison’s Montpelier and just 10 minutes from Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, which is why people often visit all three while in the […]

[…] the details: Everything You Need to Plan a Trip to Jefferson’s MonticelloWhile you’re here, check out James Monroe’s Highland, […]

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Visiting Monticello: Inside Thomas Jefferson’s Historic Home

by janecanapini | Jun 11, 2023 | Virginia

There’s probably no better way to learn about a person than to visit their home. Getting a glimpse inside someone’s personal spaces often reveals their interests and passions, what gives them joy, how they spend their time (and money), and what is most important to them. You might even discover a few skeletons if you look in the right closets. Which is exactly what Henk and I discovered when we were visiting Monticello , the home of Thomas Jefferson, America’s third President and principal author of the Declaration of Independence. Along with an appreciation for the grandeur of this elegant home located just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, we also gained new insight into Jefferson the man.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Charlottesville

Visiting Monticello is without a doubt one of the main reasons why so many people come to Charlottesville. Even as Canadians, Henk and I were more than curious to see the estate that one of the United States’ Founding Fathers called home, not just because of the historical significance of its owner, but because of the architectural significance of the building itself. These factors and more have helped earn Monticello (along with the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville) a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation .

Building Monticello: a 40-year Work in Progress

Jefferson actually acquired the Monticello estate (Italian for “little mountain” ) the old-fashioned way that most aristocrats did in the 18th century: he inherited it from his father, who had purchased the 5,000 or so acres in 1735. Although his father’s home was in the nearby valley, it was Jefferson’s idea to position his new home on the top of the mountain that he had explored as a young boy, which required a fair amount of road-building, terrace construction and levelling of the land before construction of the house could even begin. And it turns out that Monticello wasn’t a one-and-done dream home building project; a serial renovator, Jefferson dramatically added to and altered the home, with two major re-designs to the home’s exterior based on his own personal love of architecture.

Jefferson the Self-Made Architect

Not having studied much of the man myself, I didn’t realize that Thomas Jefferson was a huge fan of European architecture, a passion he acquired during his many travels and multi-year residency in Europe. So great was this passion that he effectively became an architect himself (albeit without any formal training) and took advantage of every opportunity to design and build classically-inspired structures like the old-world ones he admired so much. That opportunity was Monticello, of course, which was both his creative canvas for architectural design, and the money pit that eventually bankrupted him after 40 years of continually renovating and reimagining this ‘essay in architecture’ as he referred to it.

Monticello: Act 1

The first version of Monticello that Jefferson built was a two-story house with doubled porticoes supporting a pediment, a classically-inspired design that borrowed from both English and Italian architectural sources (16th century architect Andrea Palladio being one of these).

Of course the house was only the beginning, and Jefferson needed to construct a whole village of gardens, domestic structures and outbuildings that were needed to serve the household and its staff, including dairies, laundries, kitchens, stables, etc.

Ingeniously, Jefferson made use of the natural topography of the hilltop property to hide much of this infrastructure by ‘burying’ buildings into the slopes so they wouldn’t be visible from the home.

Monticello: Act II

Before all of this work on the property was even completed, Jefferson began making plans to renovate the home. This time he added more rooms, a private library, grand entrance hall and more, tripling the number of rooms to 21 total. At the same time, Jefferson dramatically changed the exterior of the home as well to make it appear to be a single story, not two (as he had seen this was all the rage in France).

Altering window heights and placements in relation to floors to achieve this effect made for a few strange details inside the house, but external appearances were most important to Jefferson, so that didn’t bother him. And you have to admire the vision he had: Monticello’s Neoclassical facades give this place an elegance and permanence much like the timeless design of ancient Roman and Greek structures.

But the crowning glory of this iteration was the dome that he constructed, the first of its kind to be added to a house in America. This re-design of the Monticello’s exterior is what we see today.

FUN FACT: Monticello is actually engraved on the back of the American nickel. It’s that important. (And now that I know I will never look at a nickel the same way again!)

Visiting Monticello on the Highlights Tour

There are a number of tours offered at Monticello, including some that focus specifically on the second floor where the Dome room is, but we opted for the 45-minute guided Highlights Tour which would give us a great overview of the property inside and out. Plus it included access to the first floor spaces in the home which were typically the most grand.

Entering Monticello from the ‘front’ (a misnomer because as our guide explained, both sides of the house have equally impressive columned facades), we could get a sense of what guests might have experienced as we toured the foyer, Jefferson’s office/bedroom, the dining room and parlour, admiring all of the expensive old-world details and design elements that Jefferson had invested in the house.

Jefferson the Tech Geek

While touring the European-inspired interiors of Monticello, what surprised me most was how much of an ‘early adopter’ Jefferson was: he may have loved the aesthetic appeal and purity of classic design and forms, but he incorporated every modern innovation into his home that he could – from self-closing doors and remote door locks that he could operate form his bed, to a duplicating letter-writing machine that utilized two pens to produce two copies of a document simultaneously (which might have come in handy during the 86 revisions that were made to that Declaration of Independence!).

Jefferson the Slave Owner

Jefferson came from a wealthy family and as a man of means and property (10,000 acres including Monticello), that meant he also owned slaves, over 600 in his lifetime in fact. Many of these men and women were deployed to work the plantation fields close to Monticello, or worked at the on-site workshops and gardens adjacent to Jefferson’s home. Another two dozen or so worked inside the house.

Not much is known about why or how these particular house slaves were chosen, but some of the personal details about Jefferson’s connection to one of his slaves has come to light in recent years.

The Skeleton in the Closet

Jefferson had one very particular relationship with a slave, a woman named Sally Hemings, with whom he fathered six children, four of which survived to adulthood. Interestingly, all of these children were freed from slavery by Jefferson either before his death or in his will, which was definitely not the normal practice and the only slaves Jefferson actually emancipated.

Apparently, Hemings and her children held an unusual position in the household as a result of a bargain of sorts that she had struck with Jefferson. Based on oral histories passed down through her descendants, when Jefferson became enamoured with Hemings, she agreed to be his defacto concubine, on the condition that any children born to her would not be enslaved. Even though she wasn’t in much of a position to call the shots, Sally got Jefferson to agree to this request, which suggests some kind of bond between them that went beyond the typical master/slave relationship. Did affection factor into this? Or was it just shrewd negotiation on Hemings part? We may never know.

All of this information was news to me, as I’m sure it would be for many Americans. Heming’s and Jefferson’s relationship and resulting progeny had certainly never been discussed on any Monticello tours until relatively recently, but today you can find a dedicated exhibit and video that features Sally Hemings , acknowledging this previously hidden part of Jefferson’s personal history.

Seems like history IS a living thing, after all, even generations after the fact.

TIP: Admission to Monticello includes a slavery-focused tour that goes into much more detail about the daily lives of these men, women and children .

Jefferson the Businessman

Despite the fact that Jefferson came from money and was endowed with plenty of resource-rich land and the slaves to work it, he didn’t seem to be very good at actually making money. Or at least spending it wisely. For all of his land and property, he couldn’t seem to make his accounts balance, which is no surprise given his expensive tastes and obsession with constantly renovating and rebuilding Monticello.

By the time Jefferson died in 1826, he was deeply in debt, so deeply in fact that his heirs had to sell Monticello and most of its contents (including 130 slaves) to try to regain some financial stability. Being a little quirky as houses go, Monticello eventually was sold for below its asking price to a young apothecary from Charlottesville named Uriah Levy, who kept it in the family for the next 89 years. Fortunately for all of us, the Levy family believed in honouring historic sites and they were responsible for preserving much of Monticello until the Federal government eventually took it over in 1923 (on the 180th anniversary of Jefferson’s birth).

ODD FACT: Jefferson died exactly 50 years to the day after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Even more strangely, John Adams (another signator and the second President of the United States) died that exact same day .

The Man Behind Monticello

Visiting Monticello wasn’t just a peek into an extraordinary home, but into the mind and the life of the man who built it. Thomas Jefferson may be known in history books as one of America’s Founding Fathers, and for his role as third President of the United States, but it was even more interesting to learn about Jefferson the renaissance man of Monticello.

At his home we were introduced to Jefferson as a world traveller and avid collector, a passionate self-made architect with an eye for classical beauty and harmony, a lover of innovation and technology, and – if home is where the heart is – perhaps even an infatuated lover to Sally Hemings.

TIPS FOR VISITING MONTICELLO

MUST-DOS: The David M. Rubenstein Visitor Centre Admission to Monticello gives you access to its Visitor Centre, and it is definitely worth it to spend some time here. We recommend you come early before you visit the estate because there are a couple of interesting videos and presentations that provide historical context for visitors.

The museum also has numerous personal items belonging to Jefferson, and information relating to the construction and design details of Monticello.

There are also original documents and sketches made for the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, which Jefferson also designed as an ideal ‘academical village’.

And you will definitely want to see one of the original copies of the Declaration of Independence (this is one of less than 50 that have survived from the original 201 copies that were made).

SHUTTLE UP, WALK DOWN There is a free shuttle that brings visitors up from the visitor centre to the entrance of Monticello where staff will direct you where to wait for your particular tour. It’s not a long distance, but it is uphill, so I would suggest you save your energy going up, and walk the tree-lined path down instead. This will also take you past the graveyard, where you can see Jefferson’s grave.

COST Our Highlights Tour cost $42 per person and runs every day in the morning and early afternoon. Advance booking is recommended. More details of other tours, their cost, etc, can be found on Monticello’s website .

SECURITY Allow at least 30 minutes before any scheduled tour to get through security (they will politely check bags) and to catch the shuttle. Allow at least another 30-45 minutes if you plan to visit the museum first.

Special thanks to Virginia Tourism who hosted Henk and I on our tour of Monticello.

Jane Canapini is a member of the Travel Media Association of Canada and the North American Travel Journalists Association. She established GrownupTravels.com in 2014 to share information and tips based on personal experience so her readers could get the most out of their travels.

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Home » North America » A Behind the Scenes Monticello Tour

A Behind the Scenes Monticello Tour

By Author Lance Longwell

Posted on Last updated: June 6, 2020

Of all the founding fathers, I’ve always been drawn to Thomas Jefferson. He was the author of Declaration of Independence, yet he was the youngest member of Congress. He was a complex man, yet he was consumed by the basic elements of life – growing vegetables, fermenting wine and brewing beer. He was a Francophile, yet he was an American patriot. I have looked forward to a Monticello tour to understand this founding father for a long time.

“I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.” Thomas Jefferson

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is arguably the most famous of former President’s homes. While Washington’s Mt. Vernon gets more visitors (its proximity to Washington DC ensures a steady stream of visitors on school trips), Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello is the only Presidential home recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site . In fact, Monticello is just one of nine cultural UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the U.S.

The Monticello Thomas Jefferson Foundation, which operates the facility without any public funding (Jefferson would be proud of that), provides two different tour options. The House Tour is 30 minutes and covers the eight rooms on the ground floor. The second choice is the Behind the Scenes Tour (90 minutes), which visits the nine rooms on the ground floor, plus the second and third floors. We chose the Behind the Scenes Monticello tour and were delighted by the experience!

“Wine from long habit has become an indispensable for my health…”

As a man, Thomas Jefferson was a renaissance man. He was an educator (founding the University of Virginia). He was a farmer. He was a librarian. He was a vintner. He was an inventor. His home reflects all of these pursuits. It leads to design decisions that could only be called quirky.

For example, he invented a clock that hung over his front door that would be wound once a week and would tell the days of the week in addition to the time. He also designed a series of dumbwaiters to bring bottles of wine from his cellar directly up to his dining room. And he built his bed into the alcove between his bedroom and his study – so he was never far from his work.

Jefferson built most of the rooms of his house in an octagonal shape–the lack of sharp corners meant more light could get into the rooms. The Dome Room (the only room in the house where you can take photos) is a perfect example of Jefferson’s neoclassical architecture. But, more controversially for his family, he set all the beds in the house into alcoves to maximize floor space. His family hated the alcove beds.

As a man, Thomas Jefferson is not without controversy today. Many people cannot fathom how the man who wrote “all men are created equal” could also own slaves. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation does not skirt the issue of slavery on the Monticello tour. Slavery is tackled head-on – from Mulberry Row and the slaves quarters, to Jefferson’s alleged relationship with Sally Hemmings – and nothing is whitewashed.

After the Behind the Scenes tour concluded, we wanted to learn more about slavery at Monticello. There is a special Slavery at Monticello Tour that is offered several times a day and we started that tour.

Unfortunately, Monticello is currently undergoing something called The Mountaintop Project, which is “a multi-year effort to restore Monticello as Jefferson knew it, and to tell the stories of the people – enslaved and free –who lived and worked at Monticello.” The construction noise from the Mountaintop Project was deafening and it was impossible to hear our soft-spoken docent over the revitalization effort.

We, unfortunately, skipped the Slavery at Monticello Tour and headed into the gardens, walking past the extensive archeological excavations taking place of the slave buildings on Mulberry Row.

“Tho an old man, I am but a young gardener.”

Some call Thomas Jefferson “America’s First Foodie.” He was nearly vegetarian and was a proponent of eating a plant-based diet. He was an advocate for sustainable agriculture (when that didn’t mean anything) and he experimented extensively on plants and plant-hybrids. His vegetable garden had over 330 varieties and takes up acres! Laura loves her vegetable garden, but Jefferson’s is on a scale that is unimaginable.

During the summer, the lawns and paths around Monticello swell with visitors, but it seems few of them walk down the mountain. The brief 15 minute walk takes you past the small cemetery run by the Jefferson family (not owned or maintained by the Foundation). We had the walk down all to ourselves, but it gave us a chance to ponder Thomas Jefferson and his legacy.

Politics in recent years have left many of Jefferson’s ideas out of favor and his personal life is the subject of much criticism. As Americans, we can’t help view the man Thomas Jefferson through our contemporary lens, even if we don’t hold other historical figures to that same standard. Perhaps CNN said it best, “Jefferson tends to be held to a higher standard.”

Taking a Monticello tour, it’s impossible to deny to the beauty of the mountaintop views and the architectural magnificence of the home. Like historian Jon Meacham said, visiting Monticello, “…is as close as you can get to having a conversation with Thomas Jefferson.” I feel like I know Jefferson in a new way.

Visitor Tip #1 – At all costs, get a tour as early in the day as possible (first tour if you can) and then take the first shuttle bus up to the house. If you quickly hustle around the backside, you’ll have the classic Monticello view and gardens all to yourself to take pictures. Later in the day, this will be packed.

Visitor Tip #2 – There’s no water up at the House, so consider bringing a bottle with you in a backpack. You can’t drink it inside, but you’ll be able to hydrate while viewing the gardens. It gets hot in the summer up at the house.

We were guests of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. As always, all opinions and are our own.

Lance Longwell is a travel writer and photographer who has published Travel Addicts since 2008, making it one of the oldest travel blogs. He is a life-long traveler, having visited all 50 of the United States by the time he graduated high school. Lance has continued his adventures by visiting 70 countries on 5 continents – all in search of the world’s perfect sausage. He’s a passionate foodie and enjoys hot springs and cultural oddities. When he’s not traveling (or writing about travel), you’ll find him photographing his hometown of Philadelphia.

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Sunday 3rd of August 2014

Lovely tour and story, I've always wanted to visit Monticello, one of these days I'll make it for a real visit

Lance Longwell

Thanks Noel. It's well worth the trip!

I love,love,love Monticello! I'm not a huge tour person but this is hands down one of the well done, educational tours I've been on.

Laura Longwell

Thursday 7th of August 2014

Agreed. Sometimes these types of tours can be a bit dry, but the Monticello tour was really engaging and interesting.

Saturday 2nd of August 2014

Lance, I had the opportunity to visit Monticello a few years back, and although I thought I knew a lot about Jefferson, seeing his books and gardens, and the stuff brought back by Lewis and Clark made me appreciate him even more.

Camels & Chocolate

Sunday 27th of July 2014

I'm so embarrassed that I was born and raised next door to Virginia in TN and have never been to Monticello! I know, I know! It looks beautiful, though =)

Tuesday 29th of July 2014

We live in PA and hadn't been either. It happens :)

Valen-Eating The Globe

Friday 25th of July 2014

This was one of the first places that my parents took me to visit when I was a child. Thanks for bringing back the memories!

• Gift Certificates

Everything You Need to Know About Visiting Monticello

No matter how many times you’ve visited Monticello, there’s always something new to see and experience. Jefferson’s vision is very much alive and constantly being reevaluated and presented in new ways as historians and archaeologists discover new things and glean new insights.

The Griffin Discovery Room gives Monticello visitors—especially those ages 6 to 11—the chance to literally get in touch with Jefferson’s life and times through hands-on elements and activities, including reproductions from the house and plantation.

For visitors to Monticello of all ages, here are 4 reasons this historic landmakrt is a must-see…

Landscape of Slavery Exhibition

A primary purpose of this site has become the illumination of slavery. Landscape of Slavery: Mulberry Row shares with Monticello visitors the stories of the dynamic, industrial hub of Jefferson’s 5,000-acre agricultural enterprise. The exhibition features thirteen site-based panels with interpretive text, images of historical text, and recreations of artifacts excavated by Monticello’s archaeologists.

The exhibition can be self-guided, experienced in conjunction with the Slavery at Monticello Tours or with  the new app, Slavery at Monticello: Work and Life on Mulberry Row .

Behind-the-scenes Tour 

When you’re visiting Monticello, you should consider this unique tour. It really is behind-the-scenes, leading you through rarely-seen rooms on the second and third floors. Participants will learn about Jefferson’s family members and slaves who lived and worked there.

In addition, visitors will also learn about the design and layout of Monticello’s upper floors and learn the restoration ideas and plans underway to restore selected rooms. As the tour involves climbing very steep and narrow stairs, it is not recommended for anyone who has difficulty climbing stairs and children must be able to walk up on their own.

The tour is not handicapped accessible. Visitors will conclude their tour in the cellar of Monticello where they can view the newly installed “Crossroads” exhibition. Behind-the-Scenes Tours are offered at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm. $37

Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello ‘Crossroads’

The cellar level of the Monticello house was a horizontal and vertical crossroads. There, enslaved domestic workers, Jefferson family members, slaves accompanying Monticello visitors, waggoners delivering supplies, and any other people using Monticello’s “service entrance” all crossed paths and interacted.

This exhibit combines artifacts, life-size figures, and informational panels to give Monticello visitors a sense of this buzz of activity and introduce them to some of the people who worked to sustain the Jefferson household.

Visiting Monticello’s Dining Room

The transformation of Monticello’s Dining Room was the centerpiece of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation’s restoration initiatives in 2010. The repainting and refurnishing of the room presents a more historically accurate interpretation of the space, provides visitors with fresh insights into domestic life at Monticello during Jefferson’s time, and highlights Jefferson’s celebrated ingenuity and taste. (You’ll see Jefferson’s revolving doors with shelves, dumbwaiters, and the wine dumbwaiters to the cellar.)

Jefferson is equally well-known for his appreciation of wine. The restored Wine Cellar, located in the passageway beneath the house and connected to the Dining Room by a dumbwaiter system, provides detailed information about Jefferson’s interest in wine.

We would love to host your Monticello pilgrimage here at the nearby  Prospect Hill Plantation Inn . Click  here  to check availability.

Photo Credit: Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Courtesy Virginia Tourism Corporation

Atlas Obsession

How to Visit Monticello – Highlights & Best Tips

Monticello is Thomas Jefferson’s plantation and a visit here provides an incredible insight into United States history. Monticello is located in the mountains of Virginia and its location is definitely one of the highlights of your visit.

Despite the beautiful scenery, it’s important to remember that Thomas Jefferson was a slave owner and that hundreds of slaves lived here at some point in their lives. As you visit Monticello, you’ll notice a big emphasis on this aspect of life at the plantation. This can be uncomfortable but I believe it’s important to learn about.

So, let’s talk about everything you need to know about planning a visit to Monticello.

Table of Contents

How to Get to Monticello

Monticello is nestled in the mountains of Virginia, just outside of Charlottesville. When I visited, I stayed in Staunton and combined this with a visit to Shenandoah National Park . In fact, my mom and I didn’t originally intend to visit Monticello, but given all of the rain and poor visibility, we scrapped our hiking plans. Instead we decided to visit Monticello and spend the day learning about US history.

Parking at Monticello

Parking is free at Monticello.

Buying Your Ticket to Monticello

You can purchase your tickets online in advance. During the high season, this is probably the best idea. We visited on the first Saturday in October and while we were still able to buy a ticket at the gate, we were limited in which times we could get to do the tour inside the home.

The timed entry on your ticket refers to the time you can tour the interior of Monticello. But your ticket also provides transportation on the shuttle, which does a loop around the Monticello plantation. You can tour the rest of Monticello while you wait for the timed entry on your ticket, if you arrive early.

If you don’t buy your ticket in advance, the employees at the front desk will go over all of the times with you. If you buy your ticket in advance, just make sure to arrive at Monticello a minimum of fifteen minutes before your ticket time (although I’d say 30 minutes is much better).

What To Do At Monticello

A visit to Monticello is more than just touring the main home. There’s actually a lot to see here and I’m going to try to cover all of it.

Just off the main visitor center is a series of museums telling the story of both Thomas Jefferson and Monticello. If you visit here first, you’ll get a much better overview of what you’re about to see. In fact when we bought our tickets, it was recommended we go here first.

However, my mom and I ignored this advice. Normally I wouldn’t, but there was rain predicted for most of the day and when we arrived the rain hadn’t yet started. We wanted to see as much of the grounds as we could, before the rain started.

If you’re not racing against bad weather, I would recommend following the employees’ advice. Visit the museum before you venture out into the grounds.

Monticello – Outside the Home

Take the shuttle from the visitor center and get off at the first stop. This will take you to the main house. Employees will be waiting when you get off the bus and can give you more information about the best place to get started. If your timed entry is starting soon, obviously start with the interior of the home. Otherwise, you can spend time exploring outside.

Mulberry Row

East of the house is what is known as Mulberry Row. Here is where some of the slaves at Monticello lived and worked. In the buildings, there is information about some of the specific slaves who worked here. This was what I was most impressed with. It’s been so well researched that they are able to tell you the names of the people who were here and what they did. It makes it more impactful, because with an actual name, it feels more personal.

Under the home, there are levels on both the north and south sides of the home. These exhibits tell more of the story of Monticello. You’ll see the kitchen, dairy, smokehouse, and more. There’s also a room dedicated to the life of Sally Hemings, the slave that bore four of Thomas Jefferson’s children.

More of the Grounds

You can also walk across the lawn to the fish pond and the gardens. We ran out of time to do this before our tour of the inside of the home. When our tour was over, it was raining pretty heavily, so we skipped the gardens.

Monticello – Inside the Home

When you visit Monticello, your tour of the actual home is short. It’s a guided tour that lasts about 45 minutes, although it may be a little longer if your group has a lot of questions. You’ll walk through the front doors and see the parlor, Jefferson’s bedroom, and the dining room. While informational, it felt crowded, almost like there were too many people on the tour. But it’s only for a short time, so it’s tolerable.

Additional Tours

Continuing with the your visit to Monticello, there are two additional tours you can do. The “Grounds and Gardens” tour teaches you about the gardens at Monticello, which are very expansive. We did not do this tour because of the rain. Had we had more time (and better weather), this is a tour I would have done because I was so impressed with everything else we had done at Monticello.

While we skipped the “Grounds and Gardens” tour, we did take the “Slavery at Monticello” tour. This is not a lighthearted topic and is very frank and factual about what happened at Monticello. Technically you walk down Mulberry Row with a guide who will tell you more stories about the slaves who lived and worked in this area of the plantation. I say technically, because it’s advertised as a walk, but I think at most we walked a quarter of a mile. Even still, if you do one tour during your visit to Monticello, make it this one.

On your map, you’ll see a location to “meet Thomas Jefferson” at certain times. We did not do this so I can’t speak to this experience at all, but I have to mention that it’s a thing you can do.

The Cemetery

Finally, there is a cemetery at Monticello and you can visit Thomas Jefferson’s grave. You can walk here from a path near Mulberry Row, but the shuttle also makes a stop on the way from the main house on the way back to the visitor center. Had it not been pouring rain, we would have stopped.

Some Quick Notes

All of the experiences I have mentioned are included in the price of your ticket.

There are additional tours of the main house, but these cost extra and are much more limited. If you want to learn more, visit the Monticello website.

How Much Time Do You Need

You could easily spend a full day on your visit to Monticello if you did every tour and the entire museum. Our visit consisted of Mulberry Row, the North and South Wing exhibits under Monticello, a tour of the interior of Monticello, and the Slavery at Monticello tour. We also popped into the museum at the end for a quick visit. Our entire visit lasted about four hours and we felt very content with what we saw.

When To Visit Monticello

Monticello is open all year round, but I recommend trying to pick a day that will have decent weather. The grounds are beautiful and since the additional tours are outdoors, you’ll want a bit better weather. That said, you can still visit in the rain.

If you visit in fall, you’ll get to have the trees changing colors which is very nice.

Final Thoughts

Visiting Monticello was not on our original itinerary, but it was something I had researched briefly, just in case we needed something more to do. Well, we needed something more to do because hiking through Shenandoah National Park in the sopping rain was just not going to happen.

So even though visiting Monticello wasn’t part of our original plan, I’m glad I got a chance to visit. Even though we didn’t see everything, I feel like we got a tour of the highlights of Monticello. I got a chance to learn about history, including some of the darker parts of US history. Plus, everything at Monticello was so well organized that it was such an easy day.

Continue Your Adventure

More Estates : If the highlight of this tour was the mansion at Monticello, look at some other mansions across the United States. Newport, RI is famous for its mansions. Or in Asheville, North Carolina tour the Biltmore Estate .

Virginia : Not too far from Monticello is Shenandoah National Park with plenty of hiking options.

West Virginia : For one of my favorite national parks, consider a visit to New River Gorge .

Itineraries : Monticello was just one stop on my road trip from Washington DC to Savannah, GA .

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Bus tour highlights south side hot spots.

YOUNGSTOWN — A seven-stop bus tour Saturday is designed to highlight efforts to revitalize and bring economic development to the city’s South Side.

“The South Side is filled with incredible people, thriving nonprofits, healthy businesses and faith-filled church communities,” said Vicki Vicars, a tour organizer who also is Thrive Mahoning Valley’s director of advancement and Ursuline Sisters Mission’s director of mission, equity and resilience.

The tour costs $10 with tickets available at Glenwood Grounds Coffee House, 2906 Glenwood Ave., or by calling Vicars at 330-717-8953. The tour is 8 a.m. to noon Saturday. The bus can hold up to 80 people and tour guides and site hosts will be on hand to provide information.

The tour starts at the former South High School, 1833 Market St., which Youngstown City School District closed in 1993. It has changed hands a few times and operated as charter schools.

Youngstown Jubilee Urban Development bought the property Oct. 26 for $500,000 and started a revitalization project to restore the former school. One of its first projects is renovating the former auditorium, including restoring the wood floors, replacing 800 broken seats and updating stage lighting and the audio system.

From there, the tour stops at the Oak Hill Collaborative and St. Patrick Church, both on Oak Hill Avenue.

The collaborative includes a maker space, a small business incubator and computer training courses through its Digital Advantage Initiative.

St. Patrick has long been an anchor in the Oak Hill neighborhood with the church built in 1926.

The tour stops at the Ford Nature Center at 840 Old Furnace Road in Mill Creek Park. The facility completed a $4 million improvement project last year, including a new natural exhibit hall, history room and bird observation room.

The bus continues to the Youngstown Playhouse at 600 Playhouse Lane, off Glenwood Avenue. The playhouse is celebrating its 100th anniversary.

The playhouse started in 1924 in a converted barn on Lincoln Avenue and moved to Market Street in the 1940s before building its current home in 1959.

The tour visits the Bernard Street Housing Development, which is underway on the Glenwood Avenue corridor.

The development encourages home ownership near the north end of Glenwood Avenue. In its first phase, three new homes are under construction by the Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp. on Bernard Street, which used to be called Cliff Street and was closed by barricades for years. YNDC is also planning three additional homes on the street.

Also on the tour is the Glenwood Grounds Coffee House, which opened in 2022, in a former retail store building in 1925.

“This tour will give participants a revelation of the transformation taking shape on Youngstown’s South Side,” said Jon Howell, a tour organizer and a community activist.

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Simone Biles is switching up her look.

On Monday, Sept. 9, the Olympic gymnast, 27, posted on her Instagram Stories to announce she's off to start her headlining gig on the Gold Over America Tour — and she's sporting a brand new hairstyle.

Following a slide showing the athlete wearing a brown lounge set while standing next to her luggage, Biles shared a close-up shot of her long, dark hair, which now has subtle blonde highlights throughout.

"I did a thing," she captioned the selfie. Flashing a big smile and sporting little to no makeup, the gold medalist showed off her fresh color, which is mainly throughout the mid-lengths and ends of her hair.

Biles also tagged her hairstylist Jazmine Johnson in the post. Johnson shared the photo to her own Instagram Stories, writing, "Yes ma'am!! A thing was done!!!"

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The athlete, who took home three golds medals and one silver at the 2024 Paris games , celebrated her successful Olympic run with a fresh hairstyle . Via her Instagram Stories on Aug. 6, Biles showed off her new longer locks, tagging her hairstylist Brenton Diallo .

Simone Biles Instagram

Diallo shared the same photo of Biles on his  grid , adding another picture of the two of them together. He wrote in the caption, "What A Magical Morning! Reuniting With The GOAT! My Sis From Another Miss The Gorgeous and Incredibly Gifted @simonebiles ILY BB What An Honor It Is To Do Your Hair. We Go Back Now 8 Years Now And I Couldn’t Be More Honored To Come Slay Your Hair When You’re On Top Of The World. Ps 8 Years Woof We GROWN Grown haha ❤️ YOU!"

The gymnast commented on the photos, writing, "gold medal stylist babyyyyy," with four hearts and three gold medal emojis.

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At the start of this year's Olympics, Biles  fired back at those criticizing her hair  amid the Paris heatwave.

On July 30, she posted a couple of Instagram Stories from a bus in Paris, writing, "Don't come for me about my hair. IT WAS DONE but bus has NO AC & it's like 9,000 degrees."

In the clip, her hair was pulled back into a ponytail with the ends curled. At the bottom of the post, she also noted that she had a 45 minute ride on the bus to get to where she was going.

Biles then shared a photo of her smiling with her eyes closed, writing, "gonna hold your hand when I say this," before adding, "next time you want to comment on a Black girl's hair, JUST DON'T."

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Three-day all-highlights tour of St. Petersburg

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Designed specifically for cruise-ship passengers who have a full 72 hours in St. Petersburg, this tour works well as a complete itinerary for any visitors who wish to see the city's top sights and attractions at a reasonable pace over three days.

The all-highlights tour takes in all the landmark attractions of central St. Petersburg, including the Peter and Paul Fortress, the Hermitage and St. Isaac's Cathedral, as well as allowing for full tours of the palace and park at Peterhof and the sumptuous Catherine Palace at Tsarskoye Selo. There is also time included in the program for souvenir shopping, and plenty of time at the end of each day to add visits to the ballet or other evening entertainments, which can be booked separately.

NB This itinerary is designed for summer visits (May to October) and may not be available on every day of the week, depending on visitor attraction opening schedules.

Itinerary and route details

• Peter and Paul Fortress
• Tsarskoye Selo
• St. Petersburg Metro
• St. Isaac's Cathedral
• Church of Our Saviour on the Spilled Blood
• State Hermitage Museum
• Yusupov Palace on the Moyka River
• Admissions tickets
• Guide services

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Thomas Jefferson's Monticello

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Behind-the-Scenes Tour

Open Today – 8:30AM - 5:00PM

This exclusive pass takes you behind the scenes: through the first floor of Monticello and up the narrow staircase to explore the private quarters on the second and third floors, including the iconic Dome Room. Along the way, you will see unique architectural features and visit newly restored spaces that reveal the complexities of family life at Monticello. Learn about the Jefferson, Hemings, and Randolph family, as well as other free and enslaved people who lived and labored in the house.  The Behind-the-Scenes tour provides a fuller picture of life at Monticello, and a better understanding of the complex world surrounding the man who authored the Declaration of Independence .

Please note: This tour is not accessible and involves climbing steep stairs. Children must be able to climb and descend stairs unassisted by an adult. These tours are recommended for adults and children 7 and older.

Because of high demand during our peak visit seasons, we recommend making your reservation online.

Guests should plan to arrive at the visitor center 30 minutes prior to their tour start time to allow time to pass through a security screening and travel from the visitor center to the mountaintop.

Guide to Your Visit

A Behind-the-Scenes Tour includes a guided tour of Monticello's 1st, 2nd & 3rd floors, including the iconic Dome Room!

Monticello is a big, beautiful, thought-provoking place. Leave time to explore it (most guests spend about 3.5 hours), and please arrive 30 minuties prior to your tour time.

A visit starts at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center where you'll find exhibits on Jefferson and Monticello, an introductory film, and food and shopping.

Our visually-rich introductory film, “Thomas Jefferson’s World,” describes Monticello’s central importance to Jefferson’s life and work, his consequential accomplishments and core ideas about human liberty, and explores Jefferson’s paradox as a slave owner.

Explore the Wings of the House, including Monticello’s kitchens, cellars, and slave dwellings. Here you will also find exhibits on the life of Sally Hemings and the Getting Word oral history project featuring descendants of Monticello’s enslaved community.

Explore Mulberry Row, where many enslaved individuals lived and worked (included with admission).

Enjoy Monticello's gardens on your own, or take a seasonal Garden and Grounds Tour (included with admission).

The Contemplative Site, located along the walk to Jefferson's grave, is a space to reflect upon their lives and legacies of the 607 enslaved African Americans held by Jefferson in bondage.

Visit Jefferson's gravestone at the Monticello Cemetery.

Visit the Burial Ground for Enslaved People, a final resting place for more than forty of Monticello’s enslaved community. Jefferson enslaved more than four hundred African Americans at Monticello.

Look for one-of-a-kind gifts at our Shops. The main Shop is in our visitor center, and there's a Farm Shop in the House's North Wing.

Refuel at the Monticello Farm Table café, where the menu reflects Thomas Jefferson’s enthusiasm for local agriculture, his love of seasonal produce and his reputation for hospitality.

With native hardwood forest, deep ravines, elevated walks and spectacular views the Saunders-Monticello Trail is Central Virginia's most popular park.

What's included in this tour:

Tours and exhibitions.

• Multi-floor Tour of the House
• Meet Thomas Jefferson (most Tuesdays—Saturdays)
• Slavery at Monticello Mobile Guide
• "Life of Sally Hemings" and South Wing Exhibits
• Guided Gardens & Grounds Tours
• Guided Slavery at Monticello Tours
• Self-guided Exhibitions
• Visitor Center Exhibits
• The historic Monticello mountaintop
• The Shop at Monticello and  Monticello Café
• The Farm Shop on the mountaintop
• Free Wifi at the visitor center and around the mountaintop
• Free Parking

Helpful Resources

Download the Map of Monticello and Visitor Center

Information for Visitors Needing Special Assistance

Please note: This tour is not handicap-accessible and involves climbing steep stairs. Children must be able to climb and descend stairs unassisted by an adult. These tours are recommended for adults and children 7 and older.

Thomas Jefferson

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Get to know Thomas Jefferson—author of the Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom, third president of the United States, and founder of the University of Virginia.

ADDRESS: 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway Charlottesville, VA 22902 GENERAL INFORMATION: (434) 984-9800