Its a nice walking property. The trails are pretty flat and well-groomed. Not sure Id really call it hiking or walking but its nice. The facility and the gift shop are great. They have a few animals on property such as donkeys chickens and some sheep. I believe theres three trails to choose from and I only did the blue so I cant speak to the others.

There wasn’t much to see, since the house was closed due to COVID. The staff were friendly and engaging, well kept property.

Very good place to stop by. And learn something more about the president.Very nice views!

This was a particularly interesting experience. Apparently, this was presented for years as Monroes home and just in the last several years, it has been discovered not to be, as the original structure burned down and the current structures were built after tragedy. Its much smaller than Vernon or Monticello and was more laid back than either. No photography in the main house, which is lame, but still plenty on the grounds for photos. AR tour is pretty cool, as well.

James Monroe served for the Continental Army as a Major. And the American Revolutionary War; depicted holding the American flag behind General George Washington in the famous painting Washington Crossing the Delaware; wounded at the Battle of Trenton, depicted in the painting The Capture of the Hessians at Trenton, December 26, 1776 by John Trumbull. Why the 3 Stars? His Personal Background, Sorry to Say. But He Still Has My Respects As My 5th President. :)

Take a 5 minute drive from Monticello to visit the other presidential home. James Monroe. Not as crowded and just as scenic as Thomas Jeffersons place. Donations accepted for a walking tour. Learn why Monroes finger was replaced.

Very quiet and tranquil! The homestead is beautiful! Very modest! My favourite was the Pear tree!! This tree like the might oak on the property has seen a lot over the past 100years!

Took beautiful photos. Quiet. We didnt walk around but waited for Jefferson winery to open

Dont get me wrong the site is very nice and well keep. it should be at $19 PP. what i dont like about these tours are the history lessons on the james monroes. if you are like me its not only the person i want to know about but the house and the property in sits on. i want to know what it was like living here and his surrounding during that time. thats why i visit these kinds of places. not only to learn about the person and/or people but this particular time. not only to hear but to see and feel too. plus there was nothing i saw inside that made them forbid of picture taking.

A very enjoyable and educational presentation, with plenty of info on the sight and its historical relation to James Monroe and his accomplishments. Most photography will occur only outside the main dwelling quarters, however you are at liberty to explore the outside area which consists of the main structure in a slave work area in addition to outer dwellings that have a presentation that explains some of the work that was conducted.

If you want to spend a leisurely day in the 1800s this is the place. The tour of the home doesnt take long but is interesting. I did the Virtual Reality tour as well. For the amount you spend its okay.Now what I really like was walking the grounds seeing the animals. There was a tour Guide in the smokehouse area who demonstrated how to spin wool. It was a treat

I will echo with a lot of other reviewer‘s have said; it’s definitely an enjoyable visit, but probably not that exciting if you’ve just come from Monticello. It’s also important to note that James Monroe‘s home is no longer standing, and this is just a tour of the grounds and a guest house that he built.For those who love history, it’s still definitely worth a visit. The staff is also very friendly and helpful. But if you want to be wowed you may not feel like it was worth the stop.

Great place to walk and see. Not much of original buildings.

Enjoyable but not much of his original home they plan more archeology of the outline of the foundation they located. Great old tree, worth the trip for a history buff. Excellent informative tour lots of original belongings. I did not know of his connection to Napoleon I learned a lot from my tour guide. Located nearby his Montecello the home of his friend Thomas Jefferson.

Good experience with a very good tour guide

We didnt go inside, we just checked out the nearby trail and had picnic outside. There were not many people at all.

The scenery was absolutely amazing. There was an amazing statue of the President. The 300 year old tree was a great picture moment. We did a self guided tour around the grounds for $9 and it was very nice. Each stop along the trail is labeled and numberedThe women inside the store were extremely helpful and very resourceful about the land and buildings.

Great staff! We toured with an older man (unfortunately I forgot his name... He is doing the research on finding Monroes descendants and is leaving at the end of the month) who had also worked at Monticello, so he was able to tie the overarching narrative together very well! I loved how he really got into the story of Monroe, who is so underappreciated in todays society. The grounds were awesome--including the lovely cat. We learned a lot! Also, we watched an African-American man spinning thread in the slave quarters. He was so cool! It would have been an awesome experience for kids!We spent about 4 hours there.

Very interesting. Rich in history.

Great tour guide. I was a little disappointed that the President s home had burned to the ground. Very much worth the price. It can be done on the same day as a trip to Monticello. I learned much about this amazing man on the tour.

A beautiful piece of land with a history of a somewhat forgotten president. Turns out he was kind of a big deal. Some amazing original furniture, decor, and historically significant pieces. We had a great docent to provide our tour. Also, they are finding lost history and architecture every year, so worth stopping back in from time to time.

Small but well done. As others have posted, it is NOT his home (which burned down around 1830). However, it does show the foundations of the original home and a guest house he had built.Lots of original furnishings paintings, dishes, etc. Not as majestic as Mount Vernon, Montpelier or Monticello but a nice stop for a walk and a tour.Staff and guide were extremely friendly and knowledgeable. An enjoyable few hours.

Was charged $18 to see the house. Do to construction we couldnt go in. They should have never charged us.

This site is transitioning into something wonderful. The staff is knowledgeable and upfront about their history and that they are always learning new things. The house on site is not James Monroes as that is believed to have been destroyed in a fire, as the staff is now learning. I cant wait to visit again and see how far theyve come.

Had a great time with the kids. Not many activities but all of the animals were great. The kids really enjoyed it

Attended the annual sheep shearing. Fun event for children, families. Easy parking. Nominal entrance fee. Beautiful grounds. Great for weddings and similar events.

Unless you are interested listening to the history of old furniture you can miss this one The house of the president does not exist, the have just found the foundation of it.

Beautiful grounds, gardens and walking trails!

Well it is a very nice place to tour but. It was not Monroes home. They have just learned his home burned down sometime after he died. But part of this structure was his guest house and is original. It is well worth the price of admission and the guide was very nice. I have now been three times. I guess this was the last time for us. I recommend this step highly.

Did a home school field trip here and it was really a lot of fun for both me and the kids. A great step back in time!

A very nice drive up to the house but there really isnt much to see. The current homestead is not even the orginal nor is James Monroe isnt even buried here. There are some interesting artifacts within the home and a statue in a garden but not much else. The tour guides are very knowledge and give a good insight into Monroe and his life. Its quite expensive for a replica home. Monticello and Montpelier are much nicer and have more to offer.

Wonderful place for a wedding.

Visited all three presidents houses in the area and this one was well worth the visit. Dont think that because it is the smallest and not very commercial that its not worth your time. Our guide was one of the best and gave us a whole history book worth of information...almost more than I could absorb in the time of the visit in spite of having read biographies of Jefferson and Madison where much was said about Monroe as well. The house may be small and plain but there is a wealth of artifacts and knowledge contained within and well worth a visit.

Much smaller then Monticello but the staff was well informed

Tour guide was proud of work and knowledgeable. Lots of interesting stories and artifacts to see. Worth the visit in Charlottesville.

Very interesting place. Our 5th Presidents home. The staff was very nice. Its small compared to Monticello but still worth seeing.

A little muddy but a nice place to visit.

Very interesting and not too crowded.

I had a good time here and learned quite a bit, but my son is wheelchair bound and Highland was not equipped to handle that. There is only one of the original buildings left which was neat to see and there are trails for hiking that are enjoyable.

What a special place to have a wedding. Beautiful grounds and amazing photography can happen. Absolutely recommended for your special event!

This place is great! The rather dull impression you might get from the front desk staff will quickly be washed away if youre fortunate enough to get Barbara as your guide! I took the Rediscovering Highland tour and it was amazing, one of the best Ive been on in Virginia.Did you know that the house that is there today will be moved to start an archaeological dig for the original Monroe house? I highly advise you visit before then!

For a little know place (at least to me), this place was filled with history. The tour guide was very informative and knew what he was talking about. Would recommend if youre into US history.

I have always wanted to go to Charlottesville. Of course, everyone wants to go to Monticello, but when I was doing research on Charlottesville, I noticed that James Monroes Highland was open to visitors. I was pleasantly surprised by the history of the Highland Plantation. The tour guide was very knowledgeable. If you are in Charlottesville, do not forget to visit our fifth presidents plantation as well. It is only a short drive from Monticello.

Interesting tour. Around the corner from Montecello and a third of the cost. Previous tours discussed Monroes legacy in Africa as well as in the US. Recent excavations changed the tour making it more about what historians think may have existed in the space.

Very interesting even my boys were amazed at all the history.

Peaceful retreat in the Virginia hills. Beautiful trees, especially the 300+ yr old white oak. Our guide was well versed and informative. The guest house is well preserved with actual furnishings. The original upholstery on the couch in the parlor is amazing! A must see for history buffs and patriots alike.

Smaller property and shorter tour vs Monticello, but less crowded and thoroughly enjoyable learning experience. Nicely done.

Absolutely delightful!

Wow! We had a great time on this tour. We arrived a little after 4pm and were the only ones on our tour. We were treated to a wonderful viewing of the house and lots of great stories about Monroe and his family. Even though we didnt get to spend much time on the grounds, the price of admission was still worth it. Highly recommended!

Beautiful place to visit

This is a small but fascinating place. We loved it. There is an amazing original collection of furniture, paintings, Napoleon bust, etc. Few people the day we visited, late May. Highly recommend.

Nice tour, cool artifacts, interesting history with beautiful grounds and views

Presidents home tour on a smaller scale than others. Theyre still developing the place but it was interesting and learned much more than I ever knew about Monroe before.

Very much enjoyed seeing the collection of Monroe furniture and belongings and learning more from our guide about his life.

Went here for evening music program held during summer months. Its free! Bring a picnic but they also have food trucks and beer/wine for sale. The performers were great. There is a pavillion with tables or an expansive lawn for seating. Family friendly. We enjoyed ourselves and I would recommend you take advantage of this great opportunity if you can!

Went to hike the trails on the property with my 4 yr old grandson ,no admission required. It was like 104 litterly, and made it a little tough for me to finish,not the boy, while I was resting he was still running about; tough kid.

Very interesting place. Was a little confusing as to where to purchase entry tickets, and what the packages were. Very well preserved home of an important, if lesser known, US president. Much quieter than Monticello.

Nice but only a small part of the current home was there when Monroe owned it. Tour this home and then go to Monteccillo.

A very interesting experience. The actual house no longer exists but what was thought to be a wind of the original house was furnished beautifully with Monroe artifacts. The augmented reality experience and video are both well done. Our guide was informative and also told us about the genealogical research going on which will reunite families of the enslaved individuals who worked the estate.

Interesting tour. Worth the visit time permitting.

Great place to spend the afternoon learning about the life of the fifth president

The original structure is gone. Only the guest house remains. Archeologists have located the site of the original structure. Guide was very informative.

While the house and land is not as grand as Monticello, it is also more accessible and welcoming. Ive had several beautiful walks on the land, here, and they throw several entertaining events here, every year. Some are period themed, and others are just fun county fairs in a beautifully pastoral field. If you can manage coming up while the leaves turning, the drive through the ash trees is unforgettable!

Beautiful hiking!

Very interesting and beautiful country views. Who would have know he was responsible for so much in our history!

Great opportunity to learn a bit about James Monroe while visiting the area. Beautiful location, accessible, adequate parking and nice gift shop. Informative tour takes about an hour and then another 30 min or so to view the additional buildings and property. Dont go with high expectations of something great and you wont be disappointed....important to keep in mind, this is not Monticello.

Beautiful property and buildings. Well maintained. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and answered all our questions. Lots of original furniture and art owned by President Monroe. Gift shop was nice and had lots of unique gifts and memorabilia.

Martin was very knowledgeable and patient with our questions. The tour was one of the best Ive ever been on.

Beautiful estate.Great for events.Disappointing to drive there to see the James Monroe house, pay the price, and THEN find out his house is no longer standing. A bit misleading. There are other buildings and some of the Monroe familys furnishings. However, the guide was very knowledgeable and answered all questions asked, even a few that were not directly concerning Monroe.

Great tour and learned aot that we did not know about President Monroe.

Fun experience. So glad they discovered the original house!!

Mildly interesting but not a great value. Theres just not a lot to see/do/learn. Not a horrible thing to add to a Charlottesville visit, but I would not make a special trip for it. I would certainly not go a second time.

Just a secluded place on TJs land to chill and grow his garden. Long lane lined with Ash trees. You know who planted those!

Beautiful place to visit

Definitely an under-rates colonial attraction near Monticello. Madisons home is much more modest compared with his neighbor but the tour was reasonably priced given the low volume of tourists and it was well worth the value as our guide was very well informed. Most of us on the tour knew little about James Madison but left with a wealth of knowledge.

The tour brings history alive.

The yours were interesting and the tour guide was very knowledgeable.

Beautiful property, nice history tours and definitely worth visiting

Nice tour place is actually small but tour guides are great

James Monroe appeared just as we were finishing some of the best fried chicken I have ever tasted -sorry grammy. He regaled us with quandary of what the founding fathers faced as they birthed a new nation. It is amazing to see how far the country has slipped with regard to our current leaders grasp of what true governance should be. THANK GOD for the peach cobbler -it eased the pain.

Absolutely beautiful place, phenomenal as a venue. Great history. Pleasant and engaging staff.

So beautiful up here in the Mountains of Charlottesville, Virginia..

In the shadow of its more famous neighbor (Monticello) this is a wonderful place for those interested in early US history. Very informative guided tour and well maintained buildings and grounds. Five miles from Monticello.

What an amazing man. His history has been left out of our education. He accomplished so much on our behalf.

A small, modest home but worth visiting for anyone interested in American History. Due to its proximity to the other Presidential homes, I feel like it is worth the stop over. There isnt much to see but what they do have is worth seeing. I was a touch disappointed by the lack of exhibits available and I feel like this site could really use some more support from the public.

Meh. Nice folks and the place is kept up very well- its not very interesting because his actual house burned down more than 100 years ago so the tour is of a guest house with period antiques.Meh.

Wonderful tour guide: knowlegeable and passionate.

Beautifully restored and preserved piece of American history with an amazing staff that give great and informative tours.

A great place to visit.

Original house is gone but location has been determined. Very knowledgeable docent, good information to better understand Pres Monroe

Very nice piece of history here.

Dont miss this home of President #5.Key finding was the revelation that there was the discovery of the foundation of his real home, after assuming an existing structure was his home.Knowledgable guides provide excellent information about many little known facts about MonroeMany call his home Ashland because of ash trees lining the entrance road. However, the Monroes always called it Highland.

Nice your. Interesting and historical.

Had a pleasant day in the hills of Charlottesville. The James Monroe house actually burned down but his guest house is up for viewing including a lot of original Monroe artifacts. Tour guide was well-informed and interesting. There are also several trails around the area that you could make a day of it. Don’t go expecting Monticello. That’s nearly impossible to top but if you like history you will enjoy the tour.

Go visit. Good place for history.

Beautiful and quiet love the atmosphere perfect for an intimate wedding.

Great Historical place to visit. Glad to have seen were some of my Kin lived way back! Well preserved and had a good guide to lead us through. This Texan recommends for this place for anyone who likes History!

Good small historical site. We parked in the small lot and checked it out. Definitely not 9n the scale of larger birthplaces, but nice. And the drive way if beautiful!

Love visiting and learning more about Mr. Monroe! Fascinating tour and beautiful setting!

Beautiful property and great time speaking with Deborah in the Welcome Center