Visit Virginia: George Washington's Mount Vernon

Just a short drive from Alexandria, Virginia is George Washington's Mount Vernon.

The former home of George and Martha Washington is currently owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States.

When you buy a ticket to Mount Vernon, you are given a ticket designated with the time your mansion tour starts.  Before or after your tour, you are free to roam the vast grounds of the area.

We decided to explore the property before our tour, so we walked through the gardens, a farm, and even went to the wharf along the Potomac River.

We also visited the Slave Memorial & Burial Ground, Washington's Tomb, and a Slave Cabin.

My kids loved seeing all the different animals on the property!

As I mentioned, the property is vast, and it was a bit of a challenge to walk such far distances on a very hot summer's day.  We were up for the challenge, however, and even strolled along the Forest Trail, which offered a few fun interactive stations the kids enjoyed.

Fortunately, there is a shuttle that stops at a couple of points throughout the property for those who choose not to walk.

When it was close to our designated tour time, we lined up, and waited for entry into the first part of the tour (no photos are allowed in the mansion).

The tour is approximately 15-25 minutes long, and we were allowed access into certain areas of the mansion, while different guides explained what the various rooms were.

We got to see ornately decorated bedrooms, a bright-colored dining room, and a fabulous "New Room," which served multiple functions (dining room, receiving room, etc.).

Throughout the mansion we saw the Key to Bastille, a fan chair Washington used to keep cool in his study, and other neat artifacts.

I especially enjoyed seeing the different styles of decor and architecture throughout the rooms.

Outside of the mansion are several outbuildings.  The tour ends in one of them, the kitchen, and this is the only area of the tour we could take photos.

Other outbuildings include a spinning house, barn, smokehouse, and wash house.

A visit to George Washington's Mount Vernon was an intriguing and educational look back at history and life during that era.  

For tickets or more information, click here.

George Washington's Mount Vernon
3200 Mount Vernon Hwy

Mt Vernon, VA 22121

Mahalo to the sponsor for the complimentary tickets.