Mount Vernon The estate is on the banks of the Potomac River in Fairfax County, Virginia, near Alexandria, across from Prince George’s County, Maryland.
Mt. Vernon, the estate of President George Washington, is the crown jewel of the community. Most are surprised to learn that it is owned and operated by the Mt. Vernon Ladies Association, not the federal government. The residence and accessory buildings have been lovingly and beautifully restored and offer an incredible look at the life and times of our first President. A new education center tops the experience. In fact, all of the homes in the Mt. Vernon community are on land that was once owned by Washington, so any homeowner here truly has title to a piece of history. Mt. Vernon is located at the southern end of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, 16 miles south of Washington, DC. And a quick tip: one of the most beautiful vistas in the entire metro area is seldom seen by tourists, a rolling vista of the Mt. Vernon Mansion as seen from the intersection of Old Mill Road and Old Mt. Vernon Road. This was the original entrance to the estate in Washington’s day, and it looks just like it did back then.
In addition to the rich history of the Mt. Vernon estate, the community has wonderful walking and biking trails, a huge Fairfax County rec center with indoor pool, a great dog park and sprawling athletic fields at Grist Mill Park. You’ll also find some of the DC area’s most beautiful waterfront homes, and several communities have their own private marinas, making this a boater’s paradise. Shopping and restaurants are nearby in the Route 1 corridor – and Cedar Knoll Restaurant is the lone commercial establishment along the Parkway, offering dining with unmatched views of the Potomac River.
Having a car is essential even though there are good bus routes that support those that commute to the Pentagon or DC. The preferred route for those headed north is the pristine George Washington Parkway, where no commercial traffic is allowed. One doesn’t typically think of a commute to work as “breathtaking,” but a drive along the Parkway is exactly that.
