Saturday night we drive into the most beautiful sunset as we headed to Virginia to see Mount Vernon by Candlelight!
I am always so thankful for the landmarks, opportunities, and experiences we are able to be a part of living in the Washington, DC area. Mount Vernon by Candlelight welcomes guests to experience the holiday traditions of 18th-century Virginia while on a candlelit character-guided tour around Mount Vernon.
Tickets are for specific tour times, so arrive early enough to find parking, but not too early or you’ll have to wait outside of the gates. They do limit the guests who can enter Mount Vernon based on your tour time. Once you enter the gates you will have the time to tour the Ford Orientation Center, which is beautifully decorated, until your tour officially begins.
Once the tour begins, you’ll walk from the Orientation Center to the mansion and see many historical buildings along the way. I absolutely loved the Magnolia tree lined paths! They were beautiful!
On your walk to the mansion you’ll stop quite a few times along the way and your tour guide will share stories, holiday history, and Mount Vernon history with your group.
Once inside the mansion, you will walk through the rooms and meet 18th-century characters along the way.
The tour ends at the Greenhouse where you can experience 18th-century dancing and the moonlit gardens.
Before walking back to the Education Center you’ll have an opportunity to meet Aladdin the camel, that’s right, a camel, and to enjoy apple cider and cookies by the fire. It’s a wonderful end to the outdoor experience!
We had a really wonderful time on the tour and I definitely can’t wait to come back to Mount Vernon in the spring when the gardens are in bloom and the sun is shinning! There’s so much more I want to see!
Mount Vernon by Candlelight will run December 1, 2, 8, 9, and 17 this year (2017) and is absolutely perfect for a date night! Whether you’re dating, married, or just looking for a holiday outing in the DC area, I think Mount Vernon by Candlelight is the perfect experience.
Having said that, if you are thinking about taking kids, I’d recommend this event for kids who are old enough to stay with a tour. Mount Vernon was incredibly accommodating to our family, as I had to feed Kinnick not too far into our original tour (we ended up joining a different tour group after he ate), and Magnolia thought running around was a better way to spend her evening. It was slightly stressful, as a parent, trying to manage 2 little kids on this tour, so I would just think twice about bringing little kids. The grounds themselves are perfect for families and kids, but the tour may not be best for little kids.
I will say, my 3 year old loved seeing the camel, playing outside, and touring the Education Center. She absolutely loved the Education Center!
We had such a wonderful time at Mount Vernon and I loved every aspect of the Mount Vernon by Candlelight experience. Next time we go, I’m going to leave the kiddos home with a sitter and enjoy the evening with my husband. We had a great time with our family, but this event really is a perfect date night or event for families with older kids.
Don’t miss this event this year! You have 5 more opportunities to visit Mount Vernon for this candlelight event, but they’re open year round!
