Be sure to check out the Mid-Atlantic Region, Washington D.C. (including George Washington’s Mt Vernon) and our Williamsburg, Virginia Itinerary (including these sites) when planning your visit to Monticello, Highland and Montpelier!
*Last updated August 10, 2024
Monticello, Highland and Montpelier
Charlottesville and the University of Virginia
We spent two days in the Charlottesville area on our return drive from Williamsburg to Cincinnati. Additionally, we used Charlottesville as a home base to explore Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, James Monroe’s Highland and James Madison’s Montpelier.
I’d love to have a little more time to spend and visit the University of Virginia (UVA) and stop at some of the other sites in the area. However, if your goal is to see the 3 presidential houses in the area, then there are plenty of hotels in the area.
The three presidential homes include the third president (Thomas Jefferson), the fourth president (James Madison) and the fifth president (James Monroe).
Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello
Monticello is the home of Thomas Jefferson, third president of the United States. Additionally, he designed the house and lived there throughout his adult life. Also, it overlooks the hills that he had played on as a child and it has beautiful views of the Virginia countryside.
Out of the three presidential houses in the area, it receives by far the most visitors, which means that it feels more crowded than the others. However, don’t let that discourage you as the grounds are large and you can explore at your own pace.
Also, there are two sections to Monticello. First, the museum and visitor center are at the bottom of the hill. Additionally, there is a movie there that details the life of Thomas Jefferson. Secondly, you can either walk or take a bus up to the top of the hill to visit Monticello, the home of Jefferson.
I highly recommend booking a tour in advance. There are numerous tours, but there is a shorter 45 minute tour of the house. Also, we did the shorter tour since we had kids with us. It outlines the main details of Jefferson while exploring the lower floor including Jefferson’s bedroom. Additionally, there is a longer tour, which also visits the upper floor of Monticello.
If you are travelling with kids, there were numerous fun activities, including ink quill drawing, which the kids enjoyed. Additionally, there is a farm on the property, which overlooks the countryside. Lastly, if you walk down (or get off at the bus stop) you can pass by Jefferson’s gravesite.
Plan for a minimum of 4 hours to tour the house and visit the grounds. However, you could easily spend more time, or even an entire day, exploring and visiting the museum.
James Monroe’s Highland
Highland is the home of James Monroe, the fifth president of the United States. It is a much smaller area than Monticello or Montpelier and receives far less visitors. Additionally, it is a recreation and not the original home, which was destroyed in a fire. However, I still think it is worth a visit to learn more about the life of the president.
Admission includes self guided tours of both the gardens and also the lower section of the house. Also, the house includes some items from the revolutionary times, including a set of dueling pistols from Alexander Hamilton.
There are no pre-scheduled tours at Highland, but there are guided history tours (no reservation needed). Additionally, when were there in March 2024, the tours began at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30 and 2:30.
Plan for about 2-3 hours to explore the grounds, take the tour and walk through the inside of the house. Additionally, Highland is just about a 10 minute drive from Monticello, making it easy to visit both in the same day.
James Madison’s Montpelier
Montpelier is home to James Madison, the third president of the United States. It is located about 45 minutes from Monticello, so it is best saved for a second day as I would not try to visit all three in one day.
It is the second most visited site of the three (after Monticello), but receives less than a third of the amount of visitors. However, it is still a beautiful property with lots of information and is well worth a visit.
You can purchase house tour reservations on the website and there is also a visitor center with a movie detailing the life of James Maddison.
Plan for a minimum of 2 hours to take the tour and visit the property. However, you could easily spend 4 or more hours to watch the movie and visit the visitor center, house and outdoor areas.
The Founding Fathers and Slavery
When reading the reviews of the presidential houses, I came across some negative reviews complaining that slavery was mentioned on the tour or included in the displays. In my experience, the majority of the tours were about the life of the presidents. However, the fact that slaves were owned by all three presidents is brought up during the tours. Additionally, Monticello and Montpelier also have separate exhibits detailing the lives of the slaves on those properties.
It is my opinion that slavery is an important part of these plantations and should be mentioned (all three were working farm plantations operated primarily by slave labor). During the times the presidents were living on these properties, more than 90% of the population there would have been enslaved people.
Perhaps, some people feel that mentioning the stories of slaves somehow detracts from the stories of the founding fathers. However, I think that the stories add to the context and complexity of these historical figures.
Sally Hemings and Coreen
Monticello began including Sally Hemings into their tours beginning in 2002. However, her story has been known for a long time as a part of Thomas Jefferson’s story. In fact, there were published documents during Jefferson’s life on the subject.
The life of Sally Hemings is fascinating. She was a half sister of Thomas Jefferson’s wife, Martha. Also, after Martha’s death, some of the Hemings, including Sally, accompanied Jefferson to Paris. Additionally, Jefferson was father to at least 6 of Sally’s children and her children were the only slaves given freedom upon Jefferson’s death.
James Madison also has a story, which includes a relationship with a enslaved cook, Coreen, which included at least one child. Coreen was actually the daughter of Madison’s father, making her Maddison’s half sister. There is a book on the topic, “The Other Madisons: The Lost History of a President’s Black Family”.
Michie Tavern and Carter Mountain Orchard
Michie Tavern was established in 1784 and is located close to Monticello. It would definitely be fun to stop by for a meal, but after looking at the menu figured that our kids probably wouldn’t appreciate it.
Additionally, Carter Mountain Orchard is nearby and there were a lot of people there, but we just didn’t have enough time to visit.
Nearby
Be sure to check out the Mid-Atlantic Region, Washington D.C. (including George Washington’s Mt Vernon) and our Williamsburg, Virginia Itinerary (including these sites) when planning your visit to Monticello, Highland and Montpelier!
Next Time
I’d love to spend more time in Charlottesville next time. We did eat lunch and dinner there, but it would be fun to stop at the university, Michie Tavern and Carter’s Mountain Orchard. Additionally, there are some vineyards in the nearby area.