Things to do at Mount Vernon

Mount Vernon is George Washington's estate on the Potomac in Northern Virginia, about 15-30 minutes south of DC by car and outside the free federal core: this is a paid, ticketed site run by a private nonprofit, not a Smithsonian museum, so there is no free general admission and no timed-entry pass to book in advance. Adult tickets run roughly $28-$30.

The mansion, outbuildings, gardens and Washington's tomb realistically take 3-4 hours to see properly, not a quick photo stop. There is no direct Metro line here; drive, or take the seasonal riverboat that runs roughly April through October from the Wharf.

It shares nothing but proximity with Old Town Alexandria's rowhouses or Arlington National Cemetery further north.