Insiders' Tips
- Arrive 30 minutes prior to your house tour reservation if you bought tickets in advance.
It takes approximately 30 minutes to collect tickets and ride the Monticello shuttle bus from the ticketing area to the house itself. Because Monticello uses timed ticketing to expedite the house tour process, you face a significant delay if you miss your tour time.
- For the best experience, buy your tickets online!
Monticello uses timed ticketing to expedite the house tour process. Make house tour reservations in advance to ensure your preferred
tour time and avoid (sometimes lengthy) waits for the next available House Tour. We offer online reservations for our other timed ticket tours: Family Friendly Tours, Montalto Tours, and our evening Signature Tours online.
Groups of 25 or more may schedule a tour by calling Group Reservations at (434) 984 - 9880.
- Plan your visit to experience Monticello at its best.
June – September are particularly nice; the gardens are in bloom and visitors can take advantage of two additional guided tours included in the price of general admission – the Gardens and Grounds Tour and the Plantation Community Tour. It is generally best to visit in the morning (before 11) and late afternoon (after 3). Weekends are our busiest days.
- Visiting with Kids
Children are welcome on house tours. Small strollers are permitted in the house. Monticello also offers special, interactive House Family Friendly Tours and other hands-on activities specifically for young visitors. Learn more »
- Touring the house requires at least 1 hour, and there is a lot more to see and do.
House tours last 30 minutes, and you should allow 15 minutes for the shuttle bus rides to and from the house. The price of admission includes two guided 45 minute walking tours - the Gardens and Grounds and Plantation Community Tours - available April - October. Other special activities occur on the mountain year-round; see our Events Calendar for details. You may also shop for Jeffersonian gifts and plants in our Museum Shop, stop by the Café at Monitcello for a snack, or hike the Thomas Jefferson Parkway.
- Learn about Thomas Jefferson and Monticello prior to your arrival.
The official Monticello Guidebook and a biography of Thomas Jefferson are available for purchase online. This website also provides some information about Thomas Jefferson, an overview of the property, and a virtual Monticello Explorer.
- Monticello is handicapped-accessible.
Monticello is generally wheelchair-accessible and has handicapped parking, restrooms, and a wheelchair lift on its shuttle buses. More information »
- Hike the 2-mile Thomas Jefferson Parkway to Monticello.
The Thomas Jefferson Parkway is a linear, 89-acre park that features an arboretum, pond, and overlook. A 2-mile trail leads through the park to a stone-arch span bridge at the entrance to Monticello. Comprised partly of on-grade sections made of finely crushed, packed stone and partly of raised boardwalk, the trail is open to pedestrians, cyclists, and to those in wheelchairs. With a maximum grade of five percent, the trail is completely accessible as it climbs steadily from the trailhead parking lot to the entrance to Monticello.
- Monticello is, in large part, an outdoor experience, so wear comfortable clothing and shoes.