Mount Vernon and Arlington Cemetery
7 Hours (Suggested Time: 9 a.m to 4 p.m.)
Visit Arlington National Cemetery and Mount Vernon all in one day. Travel in comfort in one of our vehicles, and explore at your own pace with our expert guides.
AM: Arlington National Cemetery
You will be led by one of our licensed professional guides, who will take you to well-known points of interest in the cemetery, as well as to places and people not so famous. The climax of the visit will be at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where you will see the “Changing of the Guard” ceremony. The tour will also include stops at Arlington House (also known as the Custis-Lee Mansion) and the Kennedy grave sites. Along the way, your guide will discuss the history of Arlington, including how it was turned from a plantation into a national cemetery and how it rose to prominence over the years. In addition, your guide will point out important graves belonging to such figures as the architect of Washington DC, Pierre L’Enfant, the heavyweight boxing champ Joe Louis, and the first African American four-star general, Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr.
Lunch:
One option for lunch is the charming Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant. Several recipes served at the Inn have been featured in cooking publications, including Gourmet Magazine. Other options at Mount Vernon and elsewhere are available.
PM: Mount Vernon
About his home Mount Vernon, George Washington wrote, “No estate in United America is more pleasantly situated than this.” A visit to the estate will undoubtedly confirm the truth of his statement. Washington acquired Mt. Vernon from the widow of his elder brother Lawrence in 1761, and built it from a modest two-story farmhouse into the magnificent estate that stands today. Mt. Vernon stands as a living testament to its builder. A visit to the estate will reveal its unparalleled ability to tell the story of the unique life and person of George Washington.
Upon arrival, you will enter through the Ford Orientation Center where you will have the option to watch a brief introductory film describing what there is to do during your visit to Mount Vernon and a 20-minute action/adventure movie entitled “We Fight To Be Free.” Following the film, you will enter the grounds of the estate.
Tour tickets are timed, so you will have the opportunity to see the Mansion without a long wait in line. Prior to and following the Mansion tour, you and your Custom Tours of DC licensed guide will have the opportunity to walk the grounds of the estate where you will see Washington’s tomb, the Slave Memorial, the model farm, the 16-sided treading barn (invented by George Washington), the slave cabin, the upper and lower gardens, and the green house.
If time permits, you might want to spend some time touring the Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center, which houses 23 gallery and theater experiences–many of them with interactive features: a crowd favorite is a film on the Revolutionary War in which it snows when Washington crosses the Delaware River! These galleries illuminate with detail story of Washington’s life, including his military and political service, chapters of Washington’s life that are not typically covered in depth by the usual tour of his estate, which focuses on life at Mount Vernon.
Please contact us for more information about this tour and how it can be customized (or personalized) to suit your needs.
