Itineraries

2 hours Itinerary

Estimated Time
2 hours
Recommended Age
7+

Explore these suggested activities for a quick visit to Monticello

  • 1
    15 minutes

    Start your visit at the Exhibits at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center

    Parking is free, and the visitor center has exhibits to check out before you head up the mountain, including Thomas Jefferson's World film, the Griffin Discovery Room, Many Threads—One Story Orientation Timeline and more. 

    Visitor Center
    Aerial of Monticello's David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, which feature several smaller buildings connected around a central courtyard.

  • Next, take a 5-minute shuttle to the Historic Mountaintop (the shuttle runs continuously), and go on a Highlights Tour.

    Explore the first floor of the house and hear stories about Jefferson, his family, and enslaved workers.

    Highlights Tour
    Monticello's West Front with the sun reflecting off the semicircular window just below the house's dome.
  • 3
    15 minutes

    Walk through exhibits under and around the house

    Don't miss the wine cellar and its dumbwaiter as you walk through the basement of the main house and be sure to stop by the Farm Shop for a coffee, pastry, snack, or light lunch, located under the North Wing. 

    Exhibits under the Main House
    Shelves with copper pans and cooking utensils like the walls of Monticello's restored kitchen, which features a brick floor, a large hearth, a large preparation table, and a row of stew stoves along the left wall.
  • 4
    15 minutes

    Catch the shuttle or walk to Jefferson's Gravesite

    Catch the shuttle at East Walk to see Thomas Jefferson's gravesite. Both the shuttle and a walking trail continue to the visitor center.

    Jefferson's Grave
    Jefferson's obelisk gravestone, which features the three things his wished most to be remembered for: the Declaration of Independence; the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom, and the University of Virginia.
  • 5
    15 minutes

    Catch the shuttle and visit the Burial Ground for Enslaved People near the visitor's center

    The site of several graves of enslaved African Americans at Monticello is a place to honor and reflect on the over 400 enslaved people who lived and labored at Monticello during Jefferson's lifetime.

    Burial Ground for Enslaved People
    A wide image of the wooded area surrounding the Burial Ground for Enslaved People at Monticello, showing the sites updated fencing and plantings from 2022.
  • 6
    15 minutes

    Stop by The Shop

    Round out your visit with a stop in our gift shop. The expansive shop at Monticello offers an extraordinary collection of souvenirs, educational games and toys, home décor pieces, Virginia wines, gourmet food products, posters and prints, collectibles, and exclusive Monticello reproductions.

    The Shop at Monticello
    Cups, books, t-shirts, and quill pens decorated with elements of the Declaration of Independence and on a display in the Shop at Monticello.

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