Photos courtesy of Mount Vernon Ladies' Association
George Washington's Mount Vernon will be a hosting a variety of family-friendly events this spring.
As America’s 250th birthday approaches, Mount Vernon visitors can step back in time to experience the hardship and resilience of the Continental Army. The Patriots Path is a new outdoor Revolutionary War encampment for guests to immerse themselves in the daily life of soldiers, military officers, and camp followers.
Visitors can explore 18th-century tents, wash clothes in the laundry yard, examine cooking utensils, and engage with historical interpreters to learn about life in this hands-on encampment. Following the Patriots Path experience, made possible by Americana Corner, visitors are invited to watch Washington’s War: Revolutionary War Movie in the Robert H. and Clarice Smith Auditorium.
Springtime at Mount Vernon also features a wide range of activities and experiences for history buffs, gardeners, book and music lovers, food and drink aficionados, and families. Featured events include the new Lexington & Concord Family Day, a special French National Orchestra of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Marquis de Lafayette performance, the Spring Plant and Garden Sale with plants propagated from the historic estate, tours of George Washington's Distillery® and Gristmill, a scrumptious Easter Buffet at the historic Mount Vernon Inn, and much more.
Visitors can also take advantage of two new value pricing programs to help ensure the iconic historic site remains broadly accessible amid inflation. Visitors who purchase an admission ticket in 2025 at full price now will have unlimited daytime visits to Mount Vernon for the remainder of the year. Additionally, on Tuesdays at the Mount Vernon Inn, children ages 12 and under will receive a free kid’s meal for every adult entrée.
Below are upcoming spring events and activities at the expansive Mount Vernon estate:
- Step back in time to experience the resilience of the Continental Army at the Patriots Path, a new hands-on outdoor Revolutionary War encampment for guests to immerse in the daily life of soldiers and military officers. Open daily from 9 AM – 4 PM ET. Learn more.
- Lunch at the Library: General David Wooster on March 13. Hear from author Jason Edwin Anderson on this first biography of General Wooster, an understudied influential Revolutionary War hero with deep military experience, civic responsibility, and an entrepreneurial spirit. Learn more.
- The Trouble of Color: Author Lecture with Martha S. Jones on March 13. A prize-winning scholar of Black history and author, Jones examines the most fundamental matters of identity and belonging by delving into her family’s past for answers. Learn more.
- Book Talk: The Franklin Stove on March 20. Hear from historian Joyce E. Chaplin on a new book with the surprising story of Benjamin Franklin’s most famous invention. Learn more.
- Indulge in the music of the National Symphony Orchestra on April 1. A concert with renowned musicians is followed by a reception of champagne and chocolates. Learn more.
- Book Talk: Meeting the Moment on April 3. Historian William Haldeman discusses his new book with stories of U.S. presidents and the leadership characteristics they demonstrated during times of national crisis that set them apart and transformed America. Learn more.
- Visit George Washington’s Distillery and Gristmill opening for the season on April 5. These fully functioning reconstructions of George Washington's Distillery and Gristmill are located just two miles from the estate’s main entrance. Tours are offered on weekends from April – October and included with a Mount Vernon grounds pass. Learn more.
- Lunch at the Library: William Gordon Books Owned by Washington on April 10. Engage with experts on how George Washington and his Mount Vernon estate shaped the creation of one of the earliest published histories of the American Revolution. Learn more.
- Lexington & Concord Family Day on April 19, In recognition of the 250th Anniversary of the outbreak of the American Revolution, explore the Battles of Lexington & Concord, the Second Continental Congress, and Washington taking command of the new army. Learn more.
- Enjoy a special Easter buffet on April 20 , at the historic Mount Vernon Inn. Children aged 5 and under eat for free. Read the menu and make a reservation.
- Sensory-Friendly Family Evening on April 22. Neurodivergent individuals and families can join a sensory-friendly visit with a sensory bag (while supplies last), explore the Museum and Orientation Center, watch the Revolutionary War Film with closed captions and lowered volume, visit discovery stations to learn about textile production and archaeology at Mount Vernon. Learn more.
- The Lafayette Tour: Orchestre National Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes on April 24. Celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette's journey back to America. Led by conductor Thomas Zehetmair, the French National Orchestra of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes will perform an unforgettable program related to Lafayette's story. An immersive sound and light experience will retrace the Marquis’ travels. Learn more.
- Shop for heirloom vegetables, herbs, annual flowers, native perennials, trees, and shrubs grown in Mount Vernon's greenhouses. Members can shop one day early, on April 25, with a reservation. Advance tickets are not required on April 26 for the general public sale. Members receive a 10 percent discount on plants. Learn more.
Please note that Mount Vernon has embarked upon a landmark Mansion Revitalization project. During visits, preservation teams are restoring the framing, masonry, drainage, and environmental controls of the Mansion, ensuring America’s first president’s home will be ready to receive millions of guests for generations to come. The Mansion will always remain open during this vital work, with individual rooms taken off display as work progresses. The Education Center exhibit on George Washington’s life will be off display for an extensive rebuild until Spring 2026. However, the expansive estate remains open to visitors, including the museum, more than a dozen historic buildings, the gardens and farm, and the Tomb.
Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States. The estate is open to visitors and includes the Mansion, a museum and education center, gardens, tombs, a working farm, a functioning distillery, and a gristmill. It also includes the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon.
