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Home > Washington D.C. > Cruises > In the Footsteps of George Washington: Spirit Day Cruise to Mount Vernon
In the Footsteps of George Washington: Spirit Day Cruise to Mount Vernon
USD $52.00

In the Footsteps of George Washington: Spirit Day Cruise to Mount Vernon

Washington D.C., United States of America

Veer from the standard Washington, DC, tourist path with this insightful 6.5-hour Mount Vernon cruise and tour. Your Mount Vernon boat tour kicks off with a narrated ride up the scenic Potomac River, taking you to George Washington’s plantation estate in Fairfax, Virginia. When you arrive at the former president’s historic home, you have free time to roam the grounds and tour the house while soaking up its fascinating history.

Board your Mount Vernon cruise at Pier 4 in Washington, DC, and head to the outdoor decks to enjoy the fresh air and views of famous landmarks along the Potomac River. While you cruise, listen to historical facts from the onboard narrator.

Disembark the boat at Mount Vernon, George Washington's 45-acre (18-hectare) 18th-century Palladian-style estate. You have about three hours to spend here retracing Washington’s footsteps, wandering through the property’s intriguing nooks and crannies. See the intimate study room, the grand dining room, the former slave quarters and the kitchen.

A visit to Mount Vernon is not complete without a stroll around the estate’s four gardens, where it’s easy to see why the beloved home of George and Martha Washington has been declared a National Historic Landmark. Check out the Colonial Revival garden, which once grew vegetables that supplied the president’s meals, or find George and Martha resting peacefully near the river and fruit garden.

If you get hungry, the estate hosts a range of restaurants (own expense). Then enjoy the leisurely boat ride back to DC.

USD $52.00
Traveler Reviews
Review by:   Catherine H,    July 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Captain Andrew and his crew were wonderful. They made the trip to and from Mount Vernon a pleasure! I recommend sitting inside if you can so it will be easier to hear the commentary. Mount Vernon was beautiful and a nice addition to our DC visit.
 

Review by:   Martin B,    April 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
really worthwhile trip - great way to get to see some of the countryside outside of the city of Washington. Mount Vernon itself is a very interesting place to visit. Everything about this experience was easy and the staff were terrific.
 

Review by:   Anneliese T,    March 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This was a most enjoyable tour! I took it with my 2 grand children 10 and 12 and even they had a great time. It's a beautiful ride along the Potomac River with a a beautiful view along the way. Points of interest are being pointed out along the way. Once at Mt. Vernon we enjoyed the walk through the gardens, visited the house. We went in the summer on a very hot day. So if you go on a hot day, drink plenty of water. Food and refreshments are available for purchase on the boat.
 

Review by:   Linda R,    March 2018 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
It had been years since we last visited Mount Vernon. It seemed more over-run with tourists. Taking the boat was a nice way to get there we were visiting DC without a car, and enough time was allowed to see what was available. I was disappointed with the highly structured Mount Vernon buildings, crowds, and mediocre food/dining options. It seemed oriented to allow huge crowds, and to sell stuff. Now, you can walk through the buildings pretty quickly as the lines behind you are long, but not get as much a feel for what it was like as I got from my visit there 30 years ago. Mount Vernon seems like it is being loved to death.
 

Review by:   pmcr21,    January 2018 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great self guided tour!
 

Review by:   Debra B,    September 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This was my second time for this excursion and it continues to be one of my favorite trips while in DC. A leisurely cruise to Mt. Vernon, then about 3 hours to explore the estate and have lunch the turkey pot pie is very good. _br/_ We learned a bit about what it takes to run an estate of this size back in the 1700s such as spinning thread and weaving fabric to make clothing. We spoke with a young man in the character of General Washington's personal valet who told us of the day to day necessities he provided to his master. _br/_ The tour of the main house is very informative but we skipped it this time to allow more time to meander the grounds and gardens. A beautiful day all around and a lazy trip back to our starting point at the pier. If you have the time, this is a wonderful way to spend the day!
 

Review by:   david b,    August 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Arguably my favorite part of the trip to Washington DC. Taking a nice boat ride down the Potomac, you gaze upon perhaps the most famous residence in the country up on the hill. It was amazing to see how even the rich and famous of that time may be considered poor in our time
 

Review by:   Stewart J,    August 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Very enjoyable boat ride up the Potomac river_br/_ It was great stepping back in time and learning about our forefathers.
 

Review by:   Anita F,    August 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
I would certainly do this again. It rained the day we went, can you do something to control the weather?! Thanks
 

Review by:   donna.rsb643,    August 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
So nice to sit back and watch the beauty of the Potomac River glide past. Our time at Mt. Vernon was sufficient to see the property and thoroughly enjoyed the tour and the history of the area depicted there.
 

Review by:   Angela B,    August 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great tour. Talk to the actors, they are very knowledgeable
 

Review by:   Jessica S,    July 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This tour was AMAZING! I can't wait to go back with my fiance! I went with a good friend and we loved walking through the gardens, touring the house and paying our respects to Martha and George Washington along with paying our respects at the slave memorial. When you were there you could feel the history and it gave us goosebumps. This was our favorite purchase that we made for the first part of our trip!
 

Review by:   Jeffrey S,    July 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
Ok, let me start out with the bad and get it over with. This tour had the potential to get five stars, but I can only give it three for one reason - the boat ride back to DC from Mt Vernon. After walking all over Mt Vernon in the heat and humidity we were anxious to board the boat and relax in the air conditioning. After disembarking we noticed it was not very cool at the front of the boat. I assumed that it was due to having the cabin doors open for the passengers to come through and the AC would catch up. It did not. About half way through the trip I notified a ship employee that it was very hot at the front and he replied, yeah, it always is. The AC doesn't work well up there. OK, uh, how about fixing it? Seriously, his reply was basically it is always like that. When we docked I noticed a thermostat at the very front of the boat. It read 90 degrees! The AC was working towards the back but that part was full. I do not think it is asking too much to expect working AC throughout the entire cabin. Compounding this was the fact that so many people moved to the back of the boat that the front rode higher, ensuring that even more heat pooled at the front. This was very disappointing. If I were to do it over again I would take a car Uber or something similar from Mt Vernon back to DC. It is only 15 miles.
 

Review by:   Audra S,    July 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
A half day tour which we thoroughly enjoyed and was very informative. Staff all dressed in period costume around the grounds. A worthwhile trip but would be better if the event was a full day as we didn't have time to visit the distillery and gristmill or the original slave cabin and 16 sided barn after visiting the house and grounds.
 

Review by:   denycecarter,    July 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Very nice ride up the Potomac and well narrated. Could have used a bit more guidance about how best to tour Mount Vernon
 

Review by:   CZ,    July 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This tour was amazing!
 

Review by:   Denise C,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
I loved the boat rides, to and from Mt. Vernon, although my daughter would have liked to spend less time riding on the boat and more time at Mt. Vernon. We spent about 90 minutes each way, on the boat. Beautiful scenery and the guides gave us a heads up when we were passing interesting places. Mt. Vernon was wonderful! A little crowded, but manageable and everyone was polite. We toured the mansion at the appropriate time that was listed on our ticket and then walked around the gardens and out buildings before heading to the Mt Vernon Inn for a wonderful lunch. We only had time for a quick trip through the museum before it was time to head back to the dock to board the boat back to D.C. Great tour!
 

Review by:   Gary W,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This is such a great way to visit Mount Vernon. Coming in from the Potomac is fun and easy and the sights along the way are an extra bonus!
 

Review by:   Michael L,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
River trip was very relaxing. Suggest bringing water and sandwiches to eat after the tours.
 

Review by:   Sharon N,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This is a must do tour....to touch such a large piece of history in it's natural state is overwhelming. Highly recommend!
 

Review by:   Simon S,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great day out helped by fantastic weather, boat trip was excellent and plenty of time to explore Mount Vernon
 

Review by:   Barbara J W,    June 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great boat ride along the Potomac. Mount Vernon is a truly beautiful place, full of history, A nice getaway from D.C._br/_ Take some cards along to play on the way home, or enjoy the homes on the riverbank.
 

Review by:   BARBARA S,    April 2017 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
Loved the cruise to and from Mt Vernon, very relaxing and enjoyable. Mt Vernon not so much- thousands of school students; way too crowded- not wheelchair friendly at all even though they do provide wheelchairs there is no path for them, everything is gravel and uphill. Rude staff. will not go back.
 

Review by:   JoAnn K,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
It was a great tour-we highly recommend it!
 

Review by:   Andrea W,    April 2017 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
we loved this! my granddaughter and son thought this was one of the highlights of our trip
 

Review by:   Coleen O,    April 2017 Review: 2 star rating: It was OK, but could have been better
The information provided on Viator about this booking was not accurately represented. The ticket office was located in a different place from the boarding gate. The boat itself was not very clean with dirty windows and dirty bathrooms. Seating was specified when boarding, making those of us who weren't on a tour sit on the lower deck. The best deck second deck and outside third deck had been sold to a middle-grade school tour. We were told we could move around after they took off but by that time all the good seats had been taken. The crew were not very professional. Once at Mount Vernon we had less than 4 hrs to see everything, get a bite to eat and be back on the boat. The shuttle buses did not seem to be running as I only saw one moving. We went directly to the cafe which did not open until 11 am so had to wait 15 min. and after eating went directly for the tour through the home. After that, we had 45 minutes to see everything else and to be back at the boat on time. Only the two men working the refreshment stand on the boat were trying to be helpful. Definitely not a good trip to see Mount Vernon and wasted a day of our vacation.
 

Review by:   Lorin C,    April 2017 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Very nice trip. The Potomac River cruise was beautiful and exploring the grounds at Mount Vernon was both educational and fun. No tour guide on this trip other than the staff at various locations throughout the Mount Vernon estate, so if you like charting your own course and exploring on your own, you'll like this tour.
 

Review by:   number,    November 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Fab tour. Loved the boat trip down the Potomac. The grounds of Mount Vernon were lovely and it's an easy walk up to the house. Tour of the house was rather regimented - not able to go at your own pace, but then they did have to manage 100's of people. House much smaller than expected but well worth a visit.
 

Review by:   Nigel S,    November 2016 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Very good. Very interesting. The cemetery for the slaves makes one's hair stand on end. All those unmarked graves, so sad.
 

Review by:   Amberley W,    November 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Great way to get to Mt Vernon, rather than in a bus or car. Was very smooth sailing down Potomac, bit chilly in the morning so everyone stayed inside, but on return journey sun was out and we had no wind so made the most of top deck to view the mansion from afar. On arrival at Mt Vernon you are given timed entry to the mansion - had a quick stop at Washington's tomb then made way to line for mansion. Whilst it looked like along wait, it was well organised to get people moved through the mansion - had enough time to take in every room in the mansion. Still had plenty of time to see everything on the estate, stop for lunch and some souvenirs and then back to dock for return cruise home.
 

Review by:   Edgar M,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
It was an Excelent tour , the ride down the Potomac was a really nice way to approach Mt Vernon - the house and grounds were lovely and not too crowded.
 

Review by:   Peter,    October 2016 Review: 3 star rating: Worth doing
Boat company disorganized and unfriendly. Made reservations for 4 adults but they only showed 2. Big brouhaha ensued._br/_ Weekends at Mt Vernan very crowded. Needed more time to see everything.
 

Review by:   William J E,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Wonderful time on the water and an excellent day at Mt Vernon. Of course, the weather was beautiful and not too cold. The crowds even on a fall weekday are astonishing, but the mansion staff know how to get a large number of guests through the building without feeling rushed, and the museum exhibits are very fine and would interest both children and adults. Food service might be a little less than stellar compared to many of the fine museum cafes in Washington, but perfectly adequate. Not to be missed.
 

Review by:   Linda C,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
The boat ride was great. Relaxing on a beautiful day. Mt Vernon was interesting and educational. Don't miss it.
 

Review by:   Barbara T,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Excellent cruise and an adequate time at Mount Vernon!!! A day to remember!!!
 

Review by:   bpatterson525,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
It was very nice. Well organized. Good lunch. Good tour guides. good weather. The boat was great. I was impressed by all the knowledge imparted as we traveled along the Potomac.
 

Review by:   texbrit456,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Really enjoyed this trip. Boat ride was fun there and back. On the initial leg of the trip the captain was very informative about the sights along the way and the return leg was very quiet. There were some drinks and snacks available for purchase on the boat. Mt. Vernon itself was a great experience. Everything was very well preserved and presented. Initially, I thought 3 hours was too long to be there, but certainly could have used another hour or so to take the shuttle to the distillery and grist mill. This is a great trip for children and adults alike and was a real value.
 

Review by:   Gary B,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Enjoyable, peaceful. So worth it
 

Review by:   David W,    October 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This was our second visit to Mount Vernon which is a wonderful place. Our previous visit was by car but going there by river boat as they did in George Washington's time made it even better. Excellent day out and excellent value.
 

Review by:   lacourt,    September 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Had a brilliant day on this trip! The boat ride was smooth and with great commentary down the Potomac, a three hour round trip well worth the money alone. Also only a 1.50 for coffee and 1 for a bagel and cream cheese which was welcome after the early start! We were left to our own devices once at Mount Vernon and there was lots to see, the house is beautiful as are the grounds and the views of the Potomac. The tour guides at Mount Vernon were extremely knowledgable and open to questions. I'm not sure if this is there every day but there was a lovely marketplace selling homemade goods by sellers in traditional dress, with traditional games and music. Thoroughly recommended
 

Review by:   REV C C KEVILL- K,    September 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
This visit was extremely well organised. The house is fascinating, and we learnt a lot. The cruise was very comfortable and relaxing, and the whole experience made a lovely day out.
 

Review by:   Fanny W,    September 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Much better than taking a bus tour.
 

Review by:   paul.messenger82,    September 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
Lovely day out and views on the Potomac were superb. Really enjoyed this day and worth every dollar_br/_ The staff on the boat and around Mt Vernon were brilliant making it a really special day.
 

Review by:   Bernadette B,    September 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
A great place to see. Loved walking through Washington's house and gardens
 

Review by:   Paul Z,    September 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
WONDERFUL,SCENIC AND INSTRUCTIVE.IT WAS A LEARNING EXPERIENCE THANKS
 

Review by:   Frances S,    September 2016 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
The cruise was very nice. We enjoyed being on the water. The crew were friendly and courteous. We loved Mount Vernon.
 

Review by:   Maria C,    August 2016 Review: 4 star rating: Recommended
Beautiful trip on the Potomac. Captain pointed out sights along the way. Good food on board. Mt. Vernon was tremendous, especially the new education center. Would have liked to stay longer! Only issue, the house tour was too rushed and we could barely see anything or event hear the docents when in the back of the line. _br/_ Would definitely go back and would recommend this trip to others.
 

Review by:   Mary M,    August 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
The entire family enjoyed this tour. The grounds are beautiful and we all learned new things about George Washington.
 

Review by:   William C,    August 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
it was great. the boat was great by tell what we past by
 

Review by:   Lina V,    August 2016 Review: 5 star rating: Highly Recommended
It was an amazing experience! It was fun, well planned, and the day cruise was very enjoyable. The scenery is very beautiful.
 

All Traveler Reviews...

USD $52.00
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