Mount Vernon

Here, we get a rare glimpse of the private life of George Washington in between his military career and his presidency. It’s not hard to see why he found it so hard to leave this place. The commanding views of the River Potomac River and the surrounding trees certainly made it a home away from the rest of the world. Today there’s an interactive exhibit at the base of the hill welcoming you to his land and informing you what you can find. There’s plenty of demonstrations in the workshops re-enacting the trades of the times, and the gardens are nice to wander around too. You can get a solemn glimpse into the crypt where Washington is buried under a watchful member of the National Parks Service. You can also see his stagecoach and many innovations of the century that he commissioned at the time. But be warned, there’s very little shade out there, and you might also be swarmed by field trippers if you’re not visiting at the weekend.