Thomas Jefferson's Monticello Guided Bus Tour from Washington DC 2024
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Monticello and Thomas Jefferson Country Day Trip from Washington DC

Thomas Jefferson's Monticello Guided Bus Tour from Washington DC

Washington DC, USA
  • 11 hours 30 minutes
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Get to know Thomas Jefferson and travel to his hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia, on this guided, educational, full-day tour from Washington, DC. Learn about the history of Jefferson as not only the third President and a founding father of the United States, but also as a surveyor, a musician and an artist. Stop at the historic Michie Tavern in Charlottesville for a tour and lunch. Then explore his Monticello home, a stately 1769 mansion and plantation with a museum full of exhibits, galleries and more.
  • Day trip to Thomas Jefferson's home, Monticello, from Washington DC
  • Tour Monticello and learn about Jefferson's life from informative exhibits
  • Visit Mulberry Row, where Monticello slaves once lived, and learn about the operation of the plantation
  • Drive past the University of Virginia, which was founded and designed by Jefferson

What's Included

  • Day-Trip to Thomas Jefferson's Monticello from Washington DC
  • Admission to Monticello - The Home of Third President, Thomas Jefferson
  • Professional Driver/Guide
  • Stop at the famous Michie Tavern, which is more than two centuries old
  • Stop at Highland - The Home of Fifth President, James Monroe
  • Learn the history of Thomas Jefferson and his home at the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center
  • Gratuities
  • Lunch (stop available at Michie Tavern)
  • Hotel Pick-Up/Drop-Off

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Washington DC Bus Station
    Washington, DC 20002, USA

    Please present your voucher(s) at the Gray Line ticket window on the bus level of the parking garage at Union Station. Go to the rear of Union Station and go up an escalator, then out the doors to the parking garage. We are located at the top on the left, inside the Greyhound Building, on the left.

Start time

08:00 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

This full-day Monticello tour begins from Union Station in Washington, DC. Climb on board a luxury motor coach for a historical sightseeing adventure to Charlottesville, Virginia, home of US President and founding father Thomas Jefferson. Enjoy the scenic, 2.5-hour drive southwest, watching an educational video about Jefferson’s life along the way.

Upon arrival in Charlottesville, stop for lunch (own expense, if desired) and a tour of Michie Tavern, a Virginia Historic Landmark and family style eatery with a menu full of southern favorites. Afterward, drive to Monticello, Jefferson’s lavish mansion and plantation home, as well as the Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center, for several hours of self-guided touring. Discover Jefferson's life, times and lasting legacies through an introductory film, four innovative exhibits and a hands-on discovery room. The Café at Monticello is also available for a snack or beverage (again, own expense), if desired.

The day concludes with a drive around the campus of the University of Virginia, which was founded and designed by Jefferson, followed by a return trip to Union Station in DC.

Monticello

2 hours • Admission Ticket Free

James Monroe's Highland

1 hour • Admission Ticket Free

Michie Tavern

40 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • If the wheelchair is collapsible (i.e. can fold up) and the passenger is able to walk onto the bus, the passenger can take this coach tour without making any special arrangements
  • If the passenger is confined to the wheelchair, or it is not collapsible, the passenger or their agent will need to contact the tour operator two weeks prior to the departure of their tour to request a coach with a wheelchair lift
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Any tour may be canceled if fewer than ten (10) full fares are not sold by scheduled departure time.
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Reviews

4.0
98 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 98 reviews
My Day Trip
William_D, Jul 2019
The trip to Charlottesville was very nice. The first stop was at James Monroe Highland estate which I enjoyed very much, just wished I had more time to explore his property. The second stop was Michie Tavern the food was good especially the fried chicken. A very nice and clean restaurant. The third and final stop was Thomas Jefferson Monticello. The place was a photographer's feast, I took lots of pictures and video. The garden was very nice and the scenery from his estate was breathtaking. I really enjoyed walking around the property. A good day trip from Washington DC and I lucked out on this particular day because it was only 5 people that did this tour. I recommend going to Monticello.
1 traveler found this review helpful
Monticello was amazing!
Terry_T, Jun 2019
Bus ride there so, so. Driver was not a tour guide. Take a book or something to do on the long ride.
This was a disappointment. We traveled...
Francie R, Oct 2016
This was a disappointment. We traveled through some interesting country and I expected some points on what we were seeing. That did not happen. The stop for lunch was okay, the food was good but pricey. The time allowed for being at Mikey's Tavern was way to long. We wished to see Monticello and drive through the University of VA. We did not have enough time at Monticello and no drive through of the University. The drive though was listed on the items when I registered. Sorry, I will not recommend to anyone else.
This was an awesome experience...
judy, Sep 2016
This was an awesome experience! Especially the docents that gave the tour inside Jefferson's home. They were so knowledgable and able to give us a glimpse inside the life of our 3rd President. The gardens were wonderful and good to see that they are still maintained, even today. Loved the trip and would highly recommend it to any of my friends.
I have already sent my views of the...
Dorothea M, Sep 2016
I have already sent my views of the above trip and do not wish to again.
Our trip was full of challenges but the...
Charlotte E, Sep 2016
Our trip was full of challenges but the bus driver was an angel who helped us enjoy much of the trip. We discovered our wheel chair was minus a back wheel when we departed the taxi.! The bus driver arranged for a wheel chair when we arrived at Monticello and insisted on pushing it up all the hills. Then the people there helped get it up the last hill to the house. The heat was a horrible setback. 97 but felt like 103 and my husband got overheated. The people there stayed with us, called the ER who helped get him cooled off and stayed with us until time for the bus. Then the bus driver came and wheeled him back to the bus. The people we met were wonderful and went all out to help us. I, personally, was only able to tour the home where the docent was very good, but we couldn't hear very much, but his expressions when he spoke were wonderful. So for us personally we shouldn't have taken the trip in the heat, but the response to our needs was outstanding.
1 traveler found this review helpful
Other than it being a very hot day, it...
Luella M M, Sep 2016
Other than it being a very hot day, it was a fabulous trip. The countryside was beautiful and the drive was a joy. Monticello is an amazing place! Lunch at Michie's tavern was also quite special.
Monticello was so interesting and our...
dan_vic, Aug 2016
Monticello was so interesting and our guide was informative and answered questions directed to him knowledgably. The outdoor quides were a nice addition. What a view!
All good but would have preferred...
Ann B, Aug 2016
All good but would have preferred charlotsville than lunch stop we did. Coming from australia there are not many opportunities to see certain things. Was so looking forward to seeing this town. It was half of what i wanted on the tour. However monticello part was very good. Bus driver a bit hard to understand. Would have liked a choice of days but can see that you only get enough for one day a week.
A total great trip, bus,the stop in the...
George I, Aug 2016
A total great trip, bus,the stop in the Inn and monticello
1 traveler found this review helpful
I learned so much about Thomas...
Ruth E, Jul 2016
I learned so much about Thomas Jefferson! The guide was interesting and informative. The tour was fascinating. I'd also recommend the slavery tour. We stopped for lunch at a historic tavern and ate a traditional feast of that day. The only confusing part was where the tour started and the fact that we had to look for Gray Line DC, not Viator.
Very good tour. Excellent driver...
patrouart, May 2016
Very good tour. Excellent driver. Monticello is amazing and as beautiful as I remembered from my last visit in 1982! Michie Tavern is a good stop although we did not have lunch there as it was too early for us to eat. More time for shopping! The house tour is very informative.
The tour's end goal was fascinating and...
Susan T, May 2016
The tour's end goal was fascinating and well worth the ride as Monticello is an amazing UNESCO World Heritage sight. The driver could have improved our trip with narration about the countryside between Washington DC and our destination. A video with background information along the almost three hour ride would have been helpful too. Other trips I've been on included these features.
Our driver was great and so was the...
Brian W, May 2016
Our driver was great and so was the lunch. Had plenty of time at Monticello as they have removed the visit to the University of Virginia -- Good call. Loved the day and had a great trip!
This was a truly fun, relaxing and...
Marie G, May 2016
This was a truly fun, relaxing and enjoyable way to get to see Monticello. During the 2 hour ride, we watched a DVD about Thomas Jefferson and on the way home, we saw a most amazing DVD about the Lewis and Clark adventure. We were treated to a surprise stop at the University of Virginia and had a chance to take a quick walk around to see the Rotunda, the Chapel and the old classrooms and dorms. Continuing on up the road for a trip into the past to the Michie Tavern for a delicious lunch and tour of the beautiful grounds. Our bus driver was really great, caring and we all felt very safe with him at the wheel. In minutes, we got to Monticello and had a few hours to walk around to see all there is to see, including a guided tour of the inside of this amazing home. I would certainly recommend this to anyone wishing to visit DC and all that it has to offer.
Monticello is spectacular, but a couple...
Rhonda S, May 2016
Monticello is spectacular, but a couple of issues reduced this review to three stars. We left Union Station at 8:00 and told we would arrive at Michie Tavern at 11:00 for lunch. A little after 11:00, we pulled into University of Virginia and were told that Michie Tavern couldn't take us until 12:00, so we would stay there until 11:45. It was raining a little, so it wasn't a great time to walk around, but that was our choice, besides sit on the bus. The driver didn't know where we could get a snack or use the restroom. No explanation for this was ever given. Once we arrived at Michie Tavern, we were treated like 6-year olds on a field trip. We were not allowed to walk around without a restaurant employee escorting us. It was highly regimented and just plain weird. This place is a tourist trap. We were supposed to tour Michie Tavern, but because we were running late, we skipped this part and went onto Monticello. The driver parked the bus at the bottom of the hill and we were supposed to meet him there. There was an overweight, older woman using a walker on the tour, and I walked ahead and asked the driver if he could go up to pick her up, rather than her traversing the gravel walkway with a walker. He refused and said it was too difficult, but that was where he dropped us off in the first place! He said I'll go up and talk to her. I'm not sure how talking was going to make her walk easier, but this could have very easily turned into a liability issue for the local tour operators. He walked her back to the bus. He was rude. The rest of the day went off without a hitch, and Monticello was fabulous. If I had it to do over again, I would rent a car for the day. It would have been cheaper and more fun.
we were not informed about our...
susanjxu, Apr 2016
we were not informed about our schedule. I had no idea what to do next, ,when is the lunch time and where to have lunch, after lunch, what time we supposed to be back to bus,etc. The driver just worked as a driver. He didn't say a single word during the entire trip.
Tour of house was very good. Bus...
Kathleen B, Mar 2016
Tour of house was very good. Bus driver was not properly trained. This was his first tour in many years and he, seemingly, had not received any instruction. It did not appear to be the fault of the driver at all. He was gracious and making every effort to do right by we visitors. The result was a somewhat disorganized tour. We did not get to see the University of Virginia at all.
Monticello was fantastic. The ride...
Krystin R, Mar 2016
Monticello was fantastic. The ride there and back was mixed. On the way there we made a random stop at McDonald's and were told that it was a bathroom break and a chance to get a snack. Given that there was a restroom on the bus, this did not really make sense. As a result we arrived to Mitchie Tavern late even though no one on the bus was aware that we would be going to Mitchie Tavern as there was a complete lack of communication about the itinerary I asked if we would be making another stop for food as my memory was that we were supposed to have a southern inspired meal somewhere. I was told that there would be food options at Monticello, but the information was pretty vague. After getting directions from one of the passengers the bus arrived at Mitchie Tavern for lunch. We were advised by staff there that we were a half hour late again we were not advised of any itinerary. We were dropped off for lunch, however many of us had just eaten at McDonalds as we were not made aware of this stop. We were given no direction as to what we were supposed to do after lunch. Apparently there was a tour and after many inquiries with staff we figured it out. The staff wondered what time we were expected at Monticello again we had no idea. The bus was sent to a different location and we had to find it. When we did the bus driver told us we were supposed to have left awhile ago to get to Monticello on time. We were never told what time to return to the bus. My husband had to go back up the hill and round up passengers. We tried to figure out if we had everybody the bus driver did not know how many people were on the bus or have any kind of roster. We arrived at Monticello an hour late. On the way back, no movie was shown and again a passenger used her computer to give the bus driver directions. The company really failed in properly training their driver as a guide.
I really enjoyed the ease of travel and...
Kari N, Mar 2016
I really enjoyed the ease of travel and our bus driver was wonderful! Monticello's extra tours garden and Mulberry Row/ experience of enslaved workers begin April 1, and the flowers bloom mid to late March, so I would have gone a week later, had I had the option. I wish that there was less or no time spent at Michie's Tavern. It was nice, but unnecessary, and we spent about 2 1/2 hours there and only about 3 1/2 hours at Monticello. Also, I was unaware that there would be no other opportunity for lunch than to spend the 20 for the southern buffet the only option is the buffet, heads up. Make sure to make that the one big meal of the day.
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Product code: 2890J

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