Special Activities and Tours, New Baby Animals, Distillery & Gristmill Re-Opening
MOUNT VERNON, VA – George Washington’s Mount Vernon kicks off the spring season with specialty tours, Distillery & Gristmill re-opening, hands-on activities for kids, and new livestock babies for our visitors to view! Stroll through Mount Vernon’s six acres of gardens which will begin to bloom soon. To plan your springtime visit to Mount Vernon, please visit mountvernon.org/spring for more details.
Special Walking Tours – Additional Fee Required:
- During Mount Vernon’s special tour, All the President’s Pups Walking Tour, bring your dog along for this 1.25-mile walking tour and explore canine life at Mount Vernon, from the first president’s dogs to the dogs that live at the Estate today. The tour stops at five historic locations, including the historic west gate. Along the way, learn about George Washington’s love for dogs, his dogs’ unusual names, and his efforts to improve the quality of his hunting dogs through breeding. Saturdays at 10 a.m., April – June and September – October. Cost for this tour is $7 in addition to general admission.
- Ever wonder what George Washington ate for dinner? Beginning April 1, the Dinner for the Washingtons walking tour showcases food, hospitality, and dining at Mount Vernon by taking an in-depth look at locations around the Estate, including the basement cellar. The tour will end in Mount Vernon’s greenhouse with a refreshment. Saturdays and Sundays at 12 p.m., April – December 18. Cost for this tour is $7 in addition to general admission.
- The Enslaved People of Mount Vernon Tour explores the lives and contributions of the enslaved community who built and operated Mount Vernon. In 1799, more than 300 slaves lived and worked on the five farms that made up Washington’s plantation. Listen to their stories and learn more about their daily life. Visit the slave quarters and view reproduction clothing, tools, furniture, cookware, ceramics, toys, and personal accessories that represent their experiences. Daily from April – November at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cost for this tour is $4 in addition to general admission.
- Mount Vernon’s popular National Treasure Tour returns! The tour is dedicated to the behind-the-scenes filming of the blockbuster movie “National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets” at Mount Vernon. The National Treasure Tour combines Hollywood and history, giving visitors stories about the filming and also information on how the locations were used during George Washington’s time. Offered daily April – December. Times vary. Cost for this tour is $7 in addition to general admission.
- Mount Vernon’s Premium Mansion Tour offers guests an in-depth guided exploration of the Mansion not normally open to guests, including the third floor and basement! Discover how George Washington expanded, decorated, and furnished his home over the years in this hour-long tour. Offered April – December. Times vary. Cost for this tour is $15 in addition to general admission.
- The Gardens & Groves Tour examines Washington’s brilliant design for the grounds at Mount Vernon. Visit the gardens he envisioned, see some of the original trees that are still standing, and learn how he merged areas for work and leisure to create a master plan for his beloved home. Offered daily April – October at 11 a.m. Cost for this tour is $4 in addition to general admission.
Other Seasonal Activities
- Spring welcomes more than 12 new adorable lambs on display at Mount Vernon’s paddock and stable area. The lambs are Hog Island sheep - a rare heritage breed that dates back to the 1600s. Mount Vernon has one of the largest flocks of these sheep. In addition, Mount Vernon has two new Ossabaw piglets resting comfortably with their mother for visitors to view.
- George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill reopens April 1. Demonstrations by costumed distillers take visitors through the historic process of whiskey-making in this reconstruction of Washington’s 18th-century distillery. George Washington’s Distillery is adjacent to his reconstructed Gristmill, a water-powered mill where Colonial millers grind corn into meal and wheat into flour just as it was done more than 200 years ago. George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill are located three miles from Mount Vernon. Included in general admission.
- Potomac River sightseeing cruises offer a refreshing opportunity to explore Mount Vernon from a different view with a 40-minute narrated excursion aboard the Spirit of Mount Vernon or Miss Christin. Tickets for sightseeing cruises are $11 for adults and $7 for children (6-11) in addition to General admission. Children ages 5 and under are free. Please visit mountvernon.org/boatcruise for sightseeing cruise schedules.
- At the George Washington: Pioneer Farmer site, visitors can tour the re-created 16-sided barn George Washington designed. This four-acre site also features rare-breed farm animals (oxen, mules, roosters, sheep, and chickens) similar to the varieties Washington had at his farms. The cultivated area includes eight fields, and illustrates Washington’s advanced farming practices and crop rotation scheme. Included in general admission.
- During Mount Vernon’s Tribute at the Tomb, visitors recite Washington’s “Prayer for his Country” and the Pledge of Allegiance as part of this daily program offered at the tomb of George and Martha Washington at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m., April – October. Included in general admission.
###