George Washington’s home for 45 years, Mount Vernon sits 16 miles south of Washington DC on the Potomac River. The estate is well preserved: the mansion, the formal gardens, Washington’s tomb, a working distillery, and the gristmill are all open to visitors. Getting there from DC by limousine takes about 30 minutes southbound on the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which runs along the Virginia bank of the Potomac the whole way. This Mount Vernon Tour by chauffeur runs 5 hours door-to-door: about an hour of driving round trip, leaving roughly 4 hours on the estate itself. It is a custom, self-paced private tour, so you set the time on the grounds and can add an Old Town Alexandria stop or pair it with Arlington on the way back. To plan a longer Virginia-side day from scratch, build your own DC tour.
The estate is managed by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, which has maintained the property since 1858. The 500-acre grounds include the mansion (restored to its 1799 appearance), 12 original outbuildings, the wharf on the Potomac, an active 18th-century-style distillery, and Washington’s tomb. Plan for more walking than you might expect. Comfortable shoes matter.
What’s included
- 5 hours of private chauffeur service (door-to-door)
- Pickup from any DC, Maryland, or Virginia hotel or address
- Scenic drive southbound on George Washington Memorial Parkway
- Drop-off and pickup at the Mount Vernon visitor center entrance
- Vehicle waits at the parking lot during your visit
- Complimentary bottled water and climate-controlled cabin
Admission to the estate is not included. Tickets are $28 per adult, $15 for children ages 6-11, and free for children 5 and under. Buy in advance at mountvernon.org to skip the gate line, especially on weekends between April and October when the estate is busiest.
The GW Parkway drive
The George Washington Memorial Parkway runs 16 miles along the Virginia bank of the Potomac from DC south to Mount Vernon. Southbound in the morning, you get the best light on the river. The Parkway itself is federal land, managed by the National Park Service, and passes through Gravelly Point (where planes approach DCA overhead), Fort Hunt Park, and the George Washington Birthplace National Monument corridor. Your chauffeur will take the Parkway south and can pull over briefly at Gravelly Point on request if your group wants to watch an aircraft landing up close.
What to plan for on the estate
Four hours at Mount Vernon is enough to see the mansion interior, the outbuildings, the gardens, and Washington’s tomb. The distillery and gristmill are a short walk or shuttle ride from the main estate, about a 10-minute detour. If you skip the distillery, you can spend more time in the mansion or the new Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, which has a substantial collection of Washington artifacts.
Lunch options on-site: the Mount Vernon Inn is a sit-down restaurant. The food court near the main gate is quicker. If you prefer, we can route back through Old Town Alexandria for lunch on the way home.
Best time to visit
Weekday mornings between April and October are the least crowded. The cherry blossoms along the Parkway and at the estate typically peak in late March to early April, which makes the drive especially worthwhile but also draws larger crowds at the estate. Summer heat (July and August) can be intense on the estate grounds, which have limited shade. October and early November offer cooler weather and fall foliage on the Parkway.
Add-on stops
- Old Town Alexandria on the way back (adds 1.5 hours): the most popular combo, gives you King Street for lunch or browsing after the estate
- Arlington National Cemetery before or after (adds 2 hours): pairs well since you’re already on the Virginia side of the Potomac
- Distillery deep-tour at Mount Vernon (45 minutes, booked separately at the estate)
- Dedicated tour guide who rides along and walks your group through the estate ($250 for the first 4 hours, then $62.50 per hour). Your chauffeur drives; the guide handles the history. Recommended for student and corporate groups. Confirm availability by call or email.
See our Mount Vernon + Arlington Combo for the full-day package that combines both Virginia heritage sites in one outing.
Common questions
Can a limousine enter the Mount Vernon parking lot?
Yes. The estate has a standard parking lot at the visitor center, and our vehicles park there while you tour. No size restrictions affect the Executive SUV or Sprinter.
What’s the difference between this tour and the full-day DC tour?
The Welcome to DC Full-Day Tour covers the monuments, Arlington Cemetery, the Iwo Jima and Air Force Memorials, Georgetown, and the Smithsonian in 8 hours. This Mount Vernon tour is a focused 5-hour heritage excursion outside the city, better suited to guests with a specific interest in George Washington’s home and the colonial Potomac region. They don’t overlap much, so combining them on separate days of a multi-day trip is common.
Is this tour good for kids?
Yes. The estate is genuinely interesting for older children (10 and up) who have studied early American history. Younger children often find the farm animals and the Potomac waterfront more engaging than the mansion tour itself. The Parkway drive is calm and scenic.
When is the best time to book?
April through October is the most popular period. Cherry blossom season (late March through early April) tends to fill up fast. Same-week bookings are usually available, but if your trip coincides with a school break or a DC event, a week’s notice is safer.
Pricing
Starting at $550 for 5 hours in the Town Car sedan (up to 3 guests), $600 in the Executive SUV (up to 6 guests). Group pricing in Mercedes Sprinter at $700 (up to 13 guests). Book online or call (202) 609-9811.
Other DC tour packages
The Mount Vernon Tour is one of the Virginia day-trip options in our full DC tour packages hub. If you want to combine this estate visit with Arlington National Cemetery, see the Mount Vernon + Arlington Combo. If you’d rather spend a full day covering the iconic DC monuments and memorials, the Welcome to DC Full-Day Tour is the right call.
Book this private DC tour
Call (202) 609-9811 or book online. A dispatcher answers 24/7. We’ll talk through the route, the vehicle that fits your group, and the time of day that works best.
