How to Spend a Day at Mount Vernon, Virginia
Located off George Washington Parkway on the Potomac River, George Washington's estate and gardens will make first time visitors wish they had come sooner. Spend a day here and enjoy the beautifully maintained grounds, historic home and buildings, museum and walking tours. The estate is a farm and visitors will enjoy chatting with costumed actors who portray people who lived there during Washington's time. It's a wonderful way to learn about a man who was an American patriot. Children will enjoy the farm with its animals roaming the grounds.
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Start at the Visitor Center to purchase tour tickets, obtain an estate map and information. There is a gift shop there as well, but wait until the completion of your tour to come back to buy any souvenirs. The audio tour is an option with a small fee but well worth it so you can explore the estate at your own pace. Visit the outbuildings and mausoleum where George and Martha Washington are buried. The self-guided walking tour to see the major points of interest.
-
2
Walk the grounds that also features slave cabins, tended by costumed characters. They may be cooking something. Ask them questions about life on the plantation and taste what they are cooking. Then visit the museum which is also an education center with several movies in different theaters, along with exhibits and artifacts including Washington's collection of false teeth.
-
-
3
When you're hungry, try the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, open for lunch and dinner, that serves colonial food. No reservations are required except for holidays. Your other dining option is the Food Court at Mount Vernon that offers hamburgers, sub sandwiches, pizza, ice cream, cookies and a variety of snacks. It's an outdoor style venue that offers tables and benches.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
There is a water taxi that will take you from the Gaylord National Harbor to Mount Vernon. Short boat rides are offered.
Make sure you have at least 4 to 5 hours to tour the plantation. If possible, come during the week when lines to tour the house are not long. The estate is open every day of the year, but it is more pleasant to visit spring through fall.
