"No occupation is so delightful to me as the culture of the earth, and no culture comparable to that of the garden." T. Jefferson

I am probably the only American not particularly enthused with Thomas Jefferson. I think it began when I realized that he had probably fathered some of children of Sally Hemings and hadn’t freed her or them. That just rubbed me wrong. That the man who had drafted the Declaration of Independence would have owned slaves was bad enough but to keep his own children as slaves... okay. Anyway I could not pass up the chance to see this wonderful house.

Even on a weekday in October there were a lot of people visiting. You purchase your ticket down below and take a shuttle bus to the top of the hill. We chose to walk back down on our own. You then get in line and wait to take a half hour guided tour of the interior of the house. One of Jefferson’s grandchildren complained that "people came to stare at her grandfather like a lion in a menagerie" and in some ways his house attracts very much the same attention today.

Steve was our guide and we followed him around from room to room listening to tidbits of information about Jefferson and his passion, Monticello. We learn that Jefferson was very much the gentleman farmer and beyond his ventures into politics enjoyed his time spent building the home of his dreams. He was a man who lived by a schedule and there is a clock in every room. We were there at 11:45am and he would have been writing letters at that time. The desk in his private sitting room was made by John Hemings.

A visit to his book room is eye opening. What we see are the books he acquired after 1815 when he sold his personal library to the Library of Congress. He kept meticulous records of everything he owned and where it was in his library. There is a copy of Don Quixote. He learned Spanish in order to read the original explorers travel journals.

Jefferson was a self taught architect who was influenced by the style of Paladio. The friezes on his bedroom ceiling are taken from Paladio’s book. The design of the University of Virginia was the hobby of his old age.

Monticello was sold to pay the debts by Jefferson’s grandson. It was a private home until 1923. At that time the project of returning the personal items began.

Beyond the house itself there are extensive excavations to walk through, gardens and the cemetery where the family is buried. After the cemetery it is easier to just keep going back down the hill on your own as opposed to walking back to the front of the house where the bus picks you up.

There are several very nice gift stores scattered around the property. Allow at least 2 or 3 hours to visit here.

In touring Monticello, I felt that I was able to catch a glimpse into the life of one of America's founding fathers. I found it very interesting that he had spent so much of his fortune on Monticello and trying to "keep up appearances." During the tour, I was surprised to learn that Jefferson had died in debt due to the huge costs of operating Monticello and entertaining guests there.

If you choose to visit Monticello, you have a choice of either taking a bus or walking from the parking lot up the house. Once you reach Monticello, you will wait for a costumed staff member to take you on a tour of the home. It's a very elegant home, and I found it very interesting that Jefferson was such an inventor. I also found the artifacts on display from the Lewis and Clark adventure very interesting.

Once you have finished touring the home, you have an opportunity to tour and walk around the beautiful grounds. This can be done either with, or without, a tour guide. We took a guided tour of the outbuildings and learned a great deal about Jefferson's slaves. Our guide was a seasoned history professor from the University of Virginia who knew his subject well and was very interesting to listen to. I highly recommend making this a stop on your visit.

This is a great walking tour of Thomas Jefferson's home. Walk through the vegetable gardens as well as a breathtaking bulb garden. Lots of interesting national history that kids and adults enjoy. Great gift shop! Can be chilly and damp...good idea to bring an extra jacket.

If you look at the back of a 5 cent you will see an engraving of Monticello, home of the third US president Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson had many properties but only two residences. (His second residence is called Poplar Forest. He also owned the Natural Bridge. Monticello''s design was influenced by an ancient temple of Vesta at Rome , and it is the first house in US with a dome.

The entrance fee is $13 for adults. We took the shuttle to Monticello from the entrance and we were given a pass with a specific time for the house tour. While waiting for the house tour we took the plantation tour at one visit, and walked in Jefferson''s vegetable garden at another visit.

The guide for the plantation was very knowledgeable on the topic. She told us specific stories on what type of work the slaves did, what were some of their names, and where they lived. I was very sad that they were seen as property even by Jefferson.

At our second visit we were with friends who had a three year old so we skipped the tours and walked in the vegetable grounds by ourselves and saw what Jefferson was growing in his garden. To name a few: marshmallow, peas, beans, tomatoes, thyme, cabbage, catnip, mint...

Later we attended the house tour. As it was our second time I was worried that we were going to be bored, but the tour guide gave us different information about the house. What I liked about the house was its entrance, which was kind of a showcase for the Lewis and Clark''s expedition. Various kinds of stuffed elk and deer heads are hanging on the wall with the map of those days, and Indian artifacts.

There were grooves in the terrace, which collected the rainwater, which I find very ingenious. Our tour guide had told us that Jefferson had a telescope and he would look at the construction of Rotunda from his terrace.

Take the family tour when available if you have a small kid.

Thomas Jefferson is rarely given the credit he deserves for being an extrodinary American. Yes, there's scandal, but that's not what Jefferson was about. That's quite obvious at your first look at Monticello, which mean's 'little mountain.'

His home is full of intersting and unique ideas. Such as the clock over the entrance that measures the days of the week and the month of the year, as well as the time. (He ran out of room on the wall, cut a hole in the floor, and Saturday and Sunday are marked on the floor below.) He kept fossils that he found and other interesting artifiacts that he enjoyed.

It's also neat to learn that Jefferson didn't like to waste space with stairs in his architecture, so the staircases are very small and out-of-the-way. The gardens are also fabulous, and the slave history is facinating.

The tour usually ends with a visit to Jefferson's grave. His tombstone recognizes him for three things, the Declaration of Independence, and Father of the University of Virginia, to name the two I remember. President of the United States isn't one of them, which I think is a very humble approach to his life.

This is a whole-day activity, and fun for everyone in the family. Many aspects are hands-on.