No plans for Monday? Well, if you’re in northern Virginia (or feel like making a road trip that way), you’re in luck. It’s George Washington’s 284th birthday, and the folks at the former POTUS’s Mount Vernon estate are throwing an all-day party to celebrate. The best part? Admission is free.
In addition to live music, a military salute, behind-the-scenes tours of just-finished renovations, and—of course—birthday cake, visitors can also explore the property’s sprawling grounds, which span some 400 acres and offer more than enough attractions to pass the day away.
Having worked at Mount Vernon for 46 years and counting, Director of Horticulture Dean Norton has celebrated more of the President’s birthdays than most. “Unfortunately Washington was born in February, so it’s not the best gardening day,” Norton says with a laugh, “but the landscape is still gorgeous in the winter, and the view over the Potomac never gets old.”
Photo: Courtesy of George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Scenes from the greenhouse and a few of the collection of gardens and fields on the property.
Whether you make it to Mt. Vernon or not, at least consider raising a glass (preferably filled with Washington’s own whiskey) to the original Commander-in-Chief today.
Photo: Courtesy of George Washington’s Mount Vernon
Inside and outside, the home is restored precisely to its 18th century state, bright wall colors and all.
Mount Vernon opens for George Washington’s 284th Birthday Celebration on Monday, Feb. 22, at 9 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m.
