Mount Vernon VA Virginia, George Washington's Plantation
28
Cruises availables
At departure or passage at this port
American Cruise Lines (28 Cruises)
American Glory
6 Cruises
American Legend
18 Cruises
| 29 March | 9 days | One-way from Baltimore to Washington DC |
450-628-6241
Call us
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| 30 March | 6 days | One-way from Baltimore to Washington DC |
450-628-6241
Call us
|
Frequently Asked Questions
Right at the Mount Vernon wharf on the Potomac, at the foot of George Washington's estate. The pier, rebuilt in 1880, belongs to no town or village: it is part of the property, and passengers land where the first president once received his goods and guests.
A path climbs from the river to the house, a real but short slope. In season a shuttle takes over for anyone who would rather skip the hill. Once at the top, the estate is flat walking between lawns, orchards and outbuildings.
Allow at least three hours: the timed mansion tour, the piazza facing the river, the tomb of George and Martha Washington, the slave memorial, then the museum and education centre. With more time, add the Pioneer Farm near the wharf.
The far bank of the Potomac has remained wooded and protected, which is rare in the United States. From the piazza, the tall colonnaded porch facing the river, the landscape is essentially unchanged since the eighteenth century: you see what Washington saw.
Yes, directly. A restrained memorial honours the hundreds of enslaved people who lived and worked on the plantation, whose unmarked burial ground lies on the neighbouring slope. Exhibitions and dedicated tours cover their lives; the estate no longer sidesteps this part of its history.
No. The wharf serves the estate alone: there is no town and no shopping street. An inn and food outlets near the entrance let you eat on site, and the estate shop rounds out the options.
The US dollar, and cards are taken at admission, the museum, the shop and the inn. There is little need for cash beyond tips.
English. The site draws many international visitors and offers material in several languages, but the guided mansion tours are conducted in English.
Spring and autumn. The gardens are at their best from April to June, October colour is worth the trip, and Virginia summers are hot and humid. The estate is open year-round, though Potomac river cruising concentrates in the warmer months.
Yes. The Pioneer Farm near the wharf shows heritage-breed animals, period crops and a reconstruction of the sixteen-sided treading barn Washington designed himself: children happily linger there while adults head for the museum.
