Monticello, Charlottesville

An excellent day out. Jefferson was a remarkable man, this is the remarkable house which he designed, built and rebuilt. The house tour is the central experience, and is decent value for the rather high price asked. I found it superb. Plan your day and buy your tickets online in advance, and arrive in plenty of time for your tour; filling in time beforehand is easy- there is a film and a museum in the visitor centre which can be taken in before or after a house tour. Large bags are not permitted. The organisation is first class, as it should be and needs to be given the visitor pressure. Everything works smoothly. The balance between individual exploration and following tours is up to the visitor, only the house cannot be visited individually - you must (and should) follow the tour. The only criticism which I offer is that there is a lot of repetition. If you read the display boards around the grounds and in the museum, the film is a waste of time. The bookshop is jolly good,too, and is a pleasant way to round off the day.

Back after 25 years and this place just gets better! Beautiful grounds and informative tours! Great exhibits and interactive edutainment features! Flowers and veggies and trees of all kinds! Fantastic views! Awesome for kids and adults to experience. Plan on spending at least 4 hours in and around the park.