Ash Lawn-Highland is only a 2 minute drive from the more famously known Monticello. A friend and I stumbled on to it after discovering Monticello tours were sold out for the day. The property is gorgeous, with a magnificent tree lined driveway, and a breathtakingly beautiful white oak tree overlooking the boxwood gardens. The property is a working farm, so... More

It wasn't as fancy and pretentious as Monticello, but it had a homey feeling. These were real people leading real lives. I think I liked it even better than Monticello. I felt comfortable there. The tour guide really knew her history. She was friendly and answered all of our questions with a smile (even the stupid ones.)

Of all of the stately houses I visited during my trip this is the one I most enjoyed. this was only partially because of the excellent guide who helped us tour the house and grounds. The estate itself is very understated and well kept. The scale is much smaller than Monticello or Montpelier. I would recommend it as an antidote... More

I am a huge fan of all the Founding Fathers so I really enjoyed the tour of President James Monroe's Ash Lawn-Highland. The drive up to the house is beautifully lined with huge trees. The grounds are well maintained. Parking was easy and there were signs directing you where to go. Once checked in (we had President's Passes) we were... More

We are avid visitors to America's historical homes and wouldn't miss an opportunity to see that of one of our presidents. That said, the Ash Lawn-Highland tour was 'modest', to put it kindly - and we visited Jefferson's home several years ago, so it was not for attempting to compare the two that we left unimpressed. There's a $12 fee... More

A good contrast between Monticello, this was a much more low key place, albeit in a great setting.

Really a special tour that should not be missed. It is not on the same level as Monticello or Montpellier, which have much bigger houses and grounds with far more elaborate presentations. This is precisely why Ash Lawn is special however: it is smaller, more intimate, with many of the original furniture pieces, art work, and house detailing, all of... More

But since it is a few miles from Monticello, it is a great combination.

After visiting Monticello I noticed a sign for Ash Lawn-Highland and decided to check it out. I was so glad that I did. The highlight was the tour guide. He was amazing, and really made the tour special. The house itself is nothing like Monticello or Montpelier, but the history that I learned through the tour guide was top notch.