Mount Vernon Review

On my recent trip to Washington, DC, I followed some advice and visited Mount Vernon, George Washington's estate.  Mount Vernon is a great look into the life and times of one of the most influential figures in American history.

When you visit Mount Vernon, you can take a tour of George Washington mansion.  This is a guided tour.  There is a different tour guide in each section of the home, and as groups move through, the tour guide will explain different aspects of that part of that particular section.  Pictures are not allowed inside the mansion.

On the grounds of the estate, you can visit the tomb of George Washington and his family.  You can go down to the edge of the Potomac River, which is a great view.  You can see preserved aspects of George Washington's farm.  On the grounds, there are gardens, animals, and people impersonating characters from George Washington's life.  There is also an orientation center, featuring a movie about Washington crossing the Delaware.  Lastly, there's a visitors' center with exhibits and movies on the life of George Washington, as well as a museum.

Unlike a lot of the attractions in the Washington area, admission to Mount Vernon is not free.  The cost is not unreasonable, though.  See prices below (from Mount Vernon web site(www.mountvernon.org)):

2009 Admission Rates
Adults                       $15.00
Seniors ages 62+   $14.00 
Youth ages 6-11     $7.00
Children under 6     FREE
Discounted military tickets are available through ITT offices only.

Annual Pass (unlimited daytime admission for one year)
Adults                   $25.00
Youth                    $10.00
Add a guidebook to an annual pass for just $5.00

You can buy advance tickets online, which will allow you to skip the ticket-buying line when you get there.

The admission prices to Mount Vernon are reasonable, but the food prices sure aren't.  I ate at the food court adjacent to the visitors' center.  I got a pre-prepared ham sandwich, a bag of Doritos, and a drink.  The cost was $11.  That's borderline criminal.

Mount Vernon is located 16 miles south of Washington, DC.  It is accessible by public transportation, which is a big plus.  From Washington, you take the yellow line of the Metro as far south as it will go (Huntington Station).  From that station, take Fairfax Connector bus #101, which will take you to the front gate of Mount Vernon.  Plan on it taking a bit of time to get there.  I was staying in Arlington, and it took me about an hour and a half to get there using the directions I just described.

Overall, I would definitely recommend that you visit Mount Vernon  It's very interesting, and there's a lot to see and do.  You'll probably want to skip the food court, though.