Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Virginia

Thomas Jefferson Parkway (also known as Route 53) is a winding and hilly country road that branches off from Monticello Avenue, which starts in the central part of Charlottesville. It meanders up to the home of our nation's third President, Thomas Jefferson and his beloved Monticello. One of the premier tourist attractions in the area, Monticello is an architectural masterpiece that demonstrates the inventiveness and ingenuity of Jefferson’s mind. Thomas Jefferson Parkway is a beautiful, well-maintained road and when you finally arrive at your destination (Monticello), you can imagine what it must have been like 200 years ago, before all of the development in the area. Jefferson, who was also the founder of the University of Virginia, was able to look out from his mountaintop retreat and see the University in the distance. If you travel up Thomas Jefferson Parkway to visit Monticello, don’t forget to leave time to tour the gardens and plantation. The natural beauty of the area remains untouched on this road, as it is the sole access to Monticello from Charlottesville.