This is not only a great place of American History but also a beautiful setting with gorgeous…read moreviews. It is pretty neat to be able to walk the same rooms that the third president walked and see where he spent his time. It is also very sobering to see the ugly side of American history that made this location what is was. The estate is very well preserved and has tons of artifacts and items that make the tour so valuable. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and accommodating as well.

Having been wanting to visit Monticello for years and finally got the opportunity. You can purchase…read moretickets on line however we got them the morning of at the visitor center. First we watched an informative movie then took the shuttle up the hill to the house. Had a 10:40 tour time which was on time. Pretty large group. Many reviews stated that the visit through the home was fast and crowded. Totally agree. Maybe they could have the tour last one hour instead of 45 min giving guests a few minutes in each room to take pictures. Cut out a few tours which could help with timing. We also got in the slave tour, garden tour and the talk with Thomas Jefferson. All tours were very educational and well done. Took the shuttle to Jefferson's grave ands walked back to visitor center. Ended in the gift shop which had an array of items.

Located at the intersection of Ridge and Main Streets in Charlottesville, the statue commemorates…read morethe amazing journey of the Lewis and Clark expedition. It took a bit of research to understand why the statue is here in Charlottesville, but I've learned a few things and it now makes sense that these heroes of the exploration of the American West is located here in the mountains of Virginia. The actual expedition was conceived by Thomas Jefferson, the third president of the United States. His famous estate Monticello was his primary residence and it's located right here in Charlottesville. The expedition itself was led by Meriwether Lewis who was born here in Albemarle County and William Clark, whose family lived for years in Albemarle County. The statue is placed on a block of pink granite and has the three figures - Lewis, Clark and Sacajewea - facing to the west.

Really enjoyed it. Had a great guide, Luke. Nice history of a 200-year-old oldest in the country…read more They hold events there still, we can concerts. Large rooms, easy to see all the formations in the walkways are easy to pass through. Quite a few steps for those who are challenged to do physical walking but otherwise it's pretty cool. Been to quite a few caverns and this was one of the better ones and a lot to see.

Such a fun experience! Make sure to wear good tennis shoes or hiking shoes. There are rocks along…read morethe path that can roll your ankle. I made the mistake of forgetting my tennis shoes at home.

I thought this restaurant was so much fun and it felt like I actually took a step back in time. I…read morecould imagine travels and locals alike stopping into this old tavern for a bit to eat or even a pint of suds. Cleaners and better kept than I would have expected of the real era, gladfully so. The Michie Tavern is a come as you are restaurant and is a great stop after visiting Motencello. The wait staff all are dressed in period attire (given the wait staff were all clean and had newer clothing) and were buzzing around the seating area taking orders and refilling drinks. There's a buffet style line where you go for food and you can go back for seconds or even thirds if you choose. The food was good, not great, but it was a fantastic experience.

Worth a stop if you're in the area! Plenty of parking, even for tour buses, and seems like there is…read moreplenty of seating in the nooks and crannies of this historic space. Take a step back into time as you get welcomed by the nicest tavern workers, even dressed the part. The wood interior and use of silver/steel plates, cups, and plateware all add to the historic charm of this place. You go through the buffet line ONCE and also order drinks as well. You can load up on green beans, beets, beans, stewed tomatoes, mashed potatoes, gravy fried chicken, oven baked chicken, pulled chicken, cornbread, biscuits, and a soup. Your waiter/waitress will come around and offer refills of whatever you'd like and also bring refills of drinks and/or jams/jellies/butters/hot sauce etc to your table. Service was quick and so so so friendly. The price is $28 for the buffet and I didn't think it was the absolute best meal I've had but I loved the history behind it. I wish we got seated in the main dining area but I guess we'll have to come back another time as well! Charlie, our server, was an absolute gentleman and so attentive to our group! We even got a bowl of ice cream with some scotch John sauce as it was insisted we had to try. Will be back again when in the area :)

The tour guides were friendly, well informed, and spent time answering questions. The setting is…read morebeautiful, and although the main building is not the original Monroe house, it is filled with furniture appropriate to his time, as well as containing original family items. They are doing interesting archeological work which they discussed as well. The site has a cute gift shop, bathrooms and a picnic area. Overall we enjoyed the visit

Really enjoyed my time on the grounds of a another founding father…read more Plenty of history here. Though not as elevated as Monticello, Monroe's Highland is beautiful in its own right. If you like hiking, there are a few trails around the estate to enjoy. The history of the grounds was fascinating as it tells of a very diverse life of one of American history's statesman. This guy did everything, and his uncle set him up in a good position to succeed in life The guest house, not the original home on the property, shows off items that belonged to the Monroes. Hats off to Roy White who gave a marvelous introduction to the grounds, its history and use. The staff were super friendly. One of the curators gave me a great rundown of the future excavation and the re-unveiling of the foundation of the original Monroe residence. A few folks were checking out the grounds for a wedding location, their host was also nice. During the summer they honor the Blue Star Program so access to the grounds is free. Recommended summer stop.

I had been to Monticello a few years ago but had no idea this trail even existed and better yet…read moreit's free and you don't have to pay Monticello admission to check it out. I believe it's about 4 miles there and back and much of it is on boardwalks but parts could get muddy if it rained. Luckily, it was sunny when we checked it out. It's not too strenuous and very well marked as long as you stay on the main trail. Parking was tough but we found a spot at the overflow lot just down the road from the trail lot and this way you get a little bit of bonus hiking to get your step count up. The trail itself wasn't too crowded and I assume 99% of Monticello tourists don't even know about it. It's worth checking out though if you're in the area.

Not really a hiking trail. More like a path for a leisurely urbanish stroll surrounded by beautiful…read moretrees. Certainly worth checking out if you are in the Cville area, but I would not go out of your way to check this out.

Tucked away off the main road sits an informational jewel. As a museum and history fanatic I found…read morevenue to just as attention holding as it's much bigger cousins. You can learn a lot about the local area and it makes you want to know more as you realize that there is more to the city than just being a college town. As you sit in the former school house you can close your eyes and feel yourself walk through time. Take an afternoon to understand today by seeing what you can learn from the past. "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." George Santayana

Excellent. There is no where else in the region you can understand both African American history…read moreof the area (C'ville was 50% African American in the late 1800's!) and the compelling history of education, the shining light to freedom, and the struggle to assure a great education was offered. This is a museum which understands the struggle yet lets us admire the heroism of men and women who insisted that their children were educated, not trained for a job. Best of all, this museum is a cultural center with events and programs that lets all of us enjoy current contributions to our society by African American artists.

Upon returning from my third trip organized by WorldStrides, I continue to have nothing but…read morepositive feedback! I was nervous planning this trip as a first-time lead chaperone, and the entire way, Kayla Dubiel and Andrea Hernandez were there to answer any and all questions. They were kind, patient, and even provided due date reminders for all necessary documentation. Our trip was seamless, from flights to dinners and museum visits. We were lucky enough to be matched with Claire Geslin, who was the most amazing tour guide we could have asked for. She was full of personality, and I couldn't believe how kind and patient she was with each of our students. She made a point of getting to know them, and truly valued the group's feedback at each destination. We all had a hard time saying goodbye at the end of our trip, and will cherish this opportunity forever!

If I could give 0 stars, I would. When Lufthansa went on strike, instead of being proactive and…read moresecuring alternate arrangements, WorldStrides waited until the day of departure to inform us that the flights were canceled. After several hours, we were told the kids had been rebooked--but split into three separate groups with only one chaperone per group. When they arrived at the airport around noon, two of the three groups were told they weren't actually on any flights. Apparently, the rebooking was never properly completed in the system. The students have now been stuck at the airport for nine hours, waiting for either a flight or a hotel, with no clear communication or plan from WorldStrides. This level of disorganization and lack of accountability is completely unacceptable

The Albemarle County Historical Society is located in downtown Charlottesville…read more Parking is off street, or nearby garage. The area was mostly clear of debris. The society is a private, non-profit educational organization that seeks to study, preserve, and promote the history of Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The building had once been the home of the downtown library. It was closed the day I was there. However, it's a beautiful building.

The ruins are located on the grounds of the Barboursville Vineyard…read more They are all that remain of the grand brick mansion of James Barbour -- a Virginia governor, U.S. senator, Secretary of War under John Quincy Adams, and close friend of Thomas Jefferson. Built in 1822, the original house was designed by Thomas Jefferson in his neoclassical style, complete with a distinctive octagonal drawing room (note connection to the naming Barboursville Winnery award winning red!) On Christmas Day, 1884, the mansion burned in a devastating fire leaving only the brick walls, columns, and chimneys standing. Instead of rebuilding, the Barbour family moved to a nearby residence, and the ruins remain as a picturesque shell. A short walk from either the tasting room or cottages, this is a must stop for history buffs interested in civil war era and Thomas Jeffereson and photographers for the weathered remains with the vineyard and blue ridge foothills in the background Parking nearby if you choose to drive. Steep uneven climb from parking

This site is part of a winery complex which has a restaurant and an inn. The site is free to enter,…read morethough it is confusing as my map tried to bring me in on a dirt road that wasn't open rather than the actual entrance which is east of the site. I eventually wormed my way around to find the one-lane bridge to the site blocked by someone who bizarrely just seemed to want to sit there, so I parked at the winery/restaurant and walked over. It's a nice walk. The ruins are interesting to look at. There's not a lot to the site and you can't go past it as it becomes private space for guests of the site. It also closes at 5:30 and signs angrily warn that being there after 5:31 is trespassing, so you can't plan on catching a sunset there or anything. But if you looked this up and your goal is to see some cool ruins, you can, within limits.