USA » Washington DC | 🏛 Mount Vernon Tours

Mount Vernon & Old Town Alexandria: George Washington Day Trip DC

★★★★★★★★★★ 4.01 (938 reviews) 54% rated it 5 stars

Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/6

Duration5h

GroupUp to 25

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

George Washington's Home & Alexandria in One Morning from DC

You ride south from DC to Mount Vernon with a licensed guide, watch an introductory video, then take a guided tour of George Washington's mansion before spending free time exploring the 8,000-acre estate on your own. The return includes a drive through Old Town Alexandria passing Robert E. Lee's home, Christ Church, and the waterfront. The whole day is a half-day trip, so you're back in the city by early afternoon.

Step-by-step itinerary

Drive on parkway to Mount Vernon
Pass by Robert E. Lee's childhood home
Drive by Lee-Fendall House in Alexandria
Pass by Alexandria's Christ Church
Pass by Old Town Waterfront in Alexandria
Pass by Smallest Town House in Old Town
Pass by George Washington's Town House
Pass by George Washington Masonic Temple
Watch introduction video at Mount Vernon
Tour George Washington's Mansion
Explore Mount Vernon estate at leisure
Return to Washington DC

The Experience

The bus pulls away from 400 New Jersey Ave NW and heads south toward Virginia. You're on your way to Mount Vernon, the 8,000-acre estate where George Washington lived for over 40 years, and the half-day trip moves at a steady pace — there's no dawdling. On the drive, you pass Robert E. Lee's childhood home and the Lee-Fendall House in Old Town Alexandria, the guide pointing out the brick facades and narrow streets that still look much as they did in the 1700s. It's the kind of thing you'd miss if you were driving yourself, which is partly why the tour works.

At Mount Vernon, you watch a short introduction video before the guided tour of the mansion itself — the rooms where Washington lived, the furniture, the scale of it all. After that, the estate opens up. You've got free time to walk the gardens, the farm buildings, the grounds at whatever pace suits you. There's a food court if you need lunch, and a gift shop. The licensed guide doesn't follow you around during this part; you're on your own to explore, which means you can linger at the river overlook or skip the barn if you're not interested. Most people spend two to three hours here before heading back to the bus.

The return route takes you past Alexandria Christ Church and the Old Town waterfront — another set of pass-bys that anchor the day in actual places rather than just talking points. You see the smallest townhouse in Old Town, George Washington's own town house, and the Masonic Temple he belonged to. It's a lot of history compressed into one morning, and the drive-through format means you're not stopping at every single site, which keeps the whole thing from feeling like a checklist. Entry fees and the mansion tour are included; you just need to show up at the departure point.

What’s included

Entry fees to Mount Vernon estate.
guided tour of George Washington's mansion.
introductory video upon arrival.
free time to explore the gardens, farms, and other buildings on the estate at your own pace.
drive through Old Town Alexandria with pass-bys of Robert E. Lee's childhood home, Lee-Fendall House, Christ Church, and the waterfront.
licensed tour guide on the bus and mansion tour.
food court and gift shop access at Mount Vernon.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by City Tours by LOBA

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want to see Mount Vernon and Old Town Alexandria without arranging your own transport from DC — the half-day format and included entry mean you're not spending the whole day on a bus, and the free time at the estate lets you move at your own pace once you're there.