Mount Vernon – Home of George Washington

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When you first walk up to the gates of Mount Vernon the expectation of wonder escaped me. I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe something more grandeur, but as we walked past the small white building filled with parents and teenagers from the parking lot I felt my expectations dwindle.

The flashbacks to my parents taking me to Williamsburg every other summer for vacation bounced off of me as we ascended up the small hill towards the admissions gate. I hate crowds, but I hate crowds of teenagers more, and just as we arrived at the gate three mega buses offloaded summer campers marked to explore the historical landmark of George Washington.

I think I’m at the age where I suddenly remember everything I did as a teenager and instantly regret it anytime I actually have to come in contact with large groups of teenagers. The anxiety it induces makes me realize how much I’ve matured over the last decade and that ironically my mother was actually right.

With all this aside, we made our way to the admissions window to purchase our tickets. Admissions to Mount Vernon has multiple package offerings, but the general admissions provide visitors with great information for just $20 per adult.

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Self Guided Tour of Mount Vernon

Trying to stick to a budget we opted for the general admissions. The attendee informed us the time for our tour of the mason along with giving us direction on what else is available for us to see. Once we had our tickets in hand we made our way through the theater, opting to not see the last showing of the introduction film and making our way to the bus stop where you can be driven to see the waterfront portion of the property.

The Warf

At the waterfront property, you get to experience the Potomac river, explore the crops, see the barn and talk to historical interpreters. As I was drawn directly to the animals, Peter was found to learn about the multiple forms of crops growing.

Note: The hemp that is growing on the property is not weed. It was actually used to help build rope by George Washington himself.

Located on top of a tree trunk (or tale wooden pole of some sort) sits an Osprey. The first encounter of many of the animals located near the waterfront. As you walk up towards the Stables through one of the gardens on the property you will also come across a fenced-in area that houses multiple sheep.

While we did not visit during the dead heat of summer, early June still brought along its own heatwave. Unfortunately, you are not allowed to bring anything but water past the security check and even that was not clearly marked during my research process for the trip.

Education Building

Once we arrived back from the waterfront we made our way towards the educational building. Inside the education building you can find the gift shops along with the food court, but don’t be fooled, there is a second security checkpoint here to ensure nothing gets past the food court either.

We purchased a 16oz bottle of water for an over-inflated price of $3 (not including tax) from the food court and made our way back into the museum portion of the building.

The education building is a great place to take some time and reflect on the history of the United States while also soaking up some modern technology known as air conditioning. The museum houses artifacts and details about George Washington’s life. You will learn about things from his early days as a child to his legacy that is still part of the United States to this day. As you leave the museum you can make your way back to the entrance and on the right find the entry to the museum on slavery.

Dedicated to providing as much context about the time, in the museum on slavery you will come to meet important figures who made large marks on the forefront of slavery, both good and bad.

Washington’s Tomb

Once we were back outside and on our way towards the mansion, we decided to head towards Washington’s tomb. One the way there you get to pass more sheep, chickens, and oxen. To Peter’s dismay, I think this was the highlight of my time at this location. But then again I am an animal lover.

Once we were at the tomb of Washington there was a ceremony put on by those who seemingly purchased additional tours. From where we stood, we got to experience the memorial service put on for the tour and still get to learn about how both George and Marth Washington where buried.

Maybe it was timing that we lucked out on this, but as a spectator of this additional tour, I saw no advantage to it. Waiting patiently for the crowd to clear, we were able to see the tombs and experience the dedication of preservation of these historical figures.

The Garden’s

As you approach the mansion from the Bowling Green Gate, you can head to either the upper or lower gardens that flank the mansion. The gardens have multiple buildings to explore giving you insight into how the property worked.

The Lower Garden

We opted to start on the right side, the lower garden, of the mansion and work our way around as we saw the line for the mansion extending farther than “It’s a Small World” at Disney.

Walking into the garden we were greeted with a variety of flowers and vegetables growing in abundance. I watched at butterflies and bees made their way around the garden, trying to gather pictures. However, due to the heat and direct sunlight, Peter wanted to move onwards through the gate towards the Coach House and Stables.

Because of the crowd of teenagers we were unfortunately not able to experience much of these smaller buildings throughout our visit. But from what we were able to see and hear I would be interested in going back to learn more.

The Upper Garden

Crossing in front of the mansion we made our way towards the upper garden and beelined for the bathroom. After making a pit stop we explored the slave cabins, listened to a blacksmith demonstrate and learned about the shoemaker’s shop that sits on the property.

Just at the end of the brick building that houses the stove room and shoemaker’s shop is a small gift shop, one of three on the property. Here I purchased our customary postcards (that’s a story for another time).

After we finished with the gift shop, we reached the time allotted for our mansion tour. Thankfully we didn’t have far to walk, as we made our way through the garden and exited right into the beginning of the line.

The Mansion

At first, you might be intimidated by the line of visitors waiting to explore the house, but as you get closer you will learn a few secrets.

1. The line is for dedicated reserved times. Line up approximately 10 minutes before the time marked on your ticket.
2. The line moves fast as you do not have one group, but instead walk through the house in a line. Each room had a dedicated tour guide to explain the room and its purposes.
3. You are not allowed to take pictures directly in the house. However any of the side buildings it is permitted.
4. Don’t worry if the people in front of you stop to look or talk, just walk around them, this keeps the flow of people moving.

From the bowling green lawn, my first question is why would Washington choose this location. As we made our way through the servant’s hall onto the porch I realized exactly why. The view of the Potomac River was beautiful and the slight breeze made it bearable in the hot and humid temperatures.

We made our way through the house, as you are only allowed on the first floor in a short amount of time. And my overall take away was that there was not enough information provided to those passing through. Unfortunately, through the design of the tour, you are given a new tour guide within each room, some of which are only there to guide you onto the next room. I didn’t come to the location to just look at a dead man’s artifacts, but I wanted to learn how he lived.

In today’s world, you do not see or experience homes and lands like that of the 1700s. The beauty put into the ground and architecture is just not seen when you drive through the suburbs of any city. So to see, understand and admire certain aspects of the countries ancestry is part of the experience I really wish I had gotten to experience instead of being rushed through the halls.

But that aside the visit was wonderful and I hope that in the future we can go back with more time and experience Mount Vernon without so many crowds. However, that is just a personal quo that I seem to miss on large attractions.

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Restrooms

A side note, I’m always having to ask where the bathrooms are within locations. Here is a quick list of where to find restrooms at Mount Vernon.

1. Entrance building where the theater is.
2. Education building
3. The Upper Garden near the blacksmith’s shop
4. The gardens by the Warf.

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The Portly Passengers provides plus size inclusive travel tips and advice for anyone who is looking to explore the world. From seat sizes on airplanes to exploring museums, restaurants, and nature Melissa & Peter have the experience and stories to help guide you through it.