Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is a common stop on day trip tours from Washington DC, either by river cruise, group tour, or private tour. If visiting on your own, be sure to book your tickets in advance to gain flexibility on your mansion tour time. You can easily combine a visit with tours of Old Town Alexandria or the Arlington National Cemetery.

Start at the Ford Orientation Center, and experience how the Washingtons lived on guided tours of the mansion’s first two floors, included with general admission. Afterward, visit the museum and education center, where you can watch short educational films and see historical artifacts such as George Washington’s wooden teeth.

• Wear comfortable clothes and walking shoes while exploring the grounds.

• Mount Vernon tickets grant one-day admittance and an audio tour.

• Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the estate. A downloadable app offers audio tours, maps, and a scavenger hunt.

• You cannot take photos of any kind in the mansion.

• Fans of National Treasure: Book of Secrets can take a tour highlighting historical details and settings used in the movie.

• Reach the off-site gristmill and distillery via a shuttle that runs regularly from April to October.

• The on-site Mount Vernon Inn and Restaurant serves traditional American fare.

Mount Vernon is 18 miles (29 kilometers) south of Washington DC along the George Washington Memorial Parkway. On public transit, take the metro to Huntington Station and connect to bus number 101. Potomac cruises are also an option. Boats depart from Pier 4 in downtown DC and the Potomac Riverboat Company in Old Town Alexandria.

The site is open every day but becomes busiest in spring, early fall, and on holiday weekends. On Presidents Day (George Washington’s birthday) Mount Vernon is free to visit and especially busy. See American Revolution battle reenactments during Revolutionary War Weekend, usually in May.

Visit from late November through December to join candlelit tours complete with in-costume characters. These tours highlight the holiday celebrations and draw huge crowds during an otherwise slow season. Purchase tickets well in advance to experience period dancing, 18th-century holiday traditions, and rooms lit by lantern light.

It depends on your interests, but for anyone who can appreciate American history, the answer is a resounding yes. From walking through George Washington’s very own estate and visiting the on-site distillery to exploring the lives of the enslaved who labored here, there’s much to discover with a knowledgeable guide.

How long it takes to tour Mount Vernon depends on which tour you take. The Mansion Tour lasts 45 minutes while the Gardens & Landscapes Tour lasts one hour. Several other tours are available. Of course, you’re welcome to buy the general Grounds Pass and explore on your own schedule.

Yes, you need reservations to visit Mount Vernon—book the Grounds Pass online. That gets you an audio tour and self-guided access to the historic area, outbuildings, gardens, tombs, trails, and more. If you’d like to explore inside Washington’s former home, you’ll need to purchase a separate mansion tour ticket.

Yes, parking is free at Mount Vernon. Find parking lots on the east and west sides of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. If these lots happen to be full, simply follow the signs to the overflow parking lot. RVs, motorhomes, and trailers should always park in the overflow lot as well.

Mount Vernon’s can’t-miss spots include the outbuildings where enslaved people lived and worked, gardens, tombs, and trails around the estate. If your schedule and budget allow, visiting Washington’s mansion is a fascinating dive into American history.

You can take photos inside most of Mount Vernon, but not inside the theaters and inside some museum galleries. That being said, you cannot take photos with a flash inside the mansion. Generally, etiquette calls for avoiding photography. Any photography must be for personal, non-commercial use only.