Located in Westmoreland County, Virginia and featuring some fascinating historical landmarks, George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a wonderful RV destination for those interested in the history of the first president of the United States. The site was first developed in the mid-17th century as a colonial tobacco plantation by the great-grandfather of George Washington, John Washington.
George Washington was born in the original house on February 22, 1732 and he lived there until he was the age of three before returning to the farm to live as a teenager. Although the original house that he was born in did not last through to the 20th century, George Washington Birthplace National Monument features the foundation outlines of the original house.
George Washington Birthplace National Monument was originally opened in 1932 and features a replica house that was built in historicist style in order to represent a typical 18th-century tobacco plantation. Another fantastic feature of the monument is a one-tenth scale replica of the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C (which means that it is 55 feet tall). The property has also been completely restored, planted, and maintained to include farm buildings, groves of trees, livestock, gardens, and crops of tobacco and wheat. This was done to represent the environment Washington knew here as a boy and give visitors a glimpse of the way life used to be. There is also a great visitor center that is open at different times throughout that would be a good place to check out.
While there is no RV camping available at the monument you are very close to Westmoreland State Park. Here you will find 133 campsites that are available throughout the year for you to call home. George Washington Birthplace National Monument is open all year round.
The Visitor Center at George Washington Birthplace National Monument is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Park grounds are open daily 9:00 - 5:00 pm. On Mondays and Tuesdays, there are no ranger guided tours.
The Memorial House Museum and Colonial Revival Kitchen are closed for restoration work, with an anticipated completion in Spring 2024.
Getting to and from George Washington Birthplace National Monument is relatively easy thanks to its location at Colonial Beach in north-east Virginia right near the Maryland border. The park is only accessible from the south as the Potomac River is located above it.
There are plenty of small towns near George Washington Birthplace National Monument where you will be able to find any supplies or amenities that you will need to enjoy your visit. These towns include Monroe Hall (around nine miles away), Colonial Beach (around 11 miles away) and Montross (around 12 miles away). The closest city to the monument is Fredericksburg, which is around 36 miles to the west.
All of the roads near George Washington Birthplace National Monument are sealed, in very good condition and you should have no troubles with any obstacles that would stop your journey. The monument is open all year round, however during the winter the area is known to receive snow and for the roads to ice. If you are traveling during a winter storm we recommend you call the visitor center to make sure that the road to the monument will be cleared and open.
There is a large parking lot at the visitor center that is open Monday through Friday for you to use.
There are no pubic transportation options that will take you to the park.
If you are looking to camp near the George Washington Birthplace National Monument venture seven miles south-east to Westmoreland State Park. Westmoreland State Park has a fantastic RV campground that has both primitive and non-primitive sites. There are sites with electrical and water hookups that can accommodate RV's up to 40 feet in length.
In total there are 133 campsites and at each site you are allowed to park two vehicles there. If you have additional vehicles they must park at the parking lot and you will be charged a parking fee.
The campground has some great amenities, including an Olympic-sized swimming pool, boat launch, water collection points, picnic tables, bath houses, and a dump station. Pets are allowed at the campsites but they must remain on a leash less than six feet long at all times. We recommend you reserve a site before you leave for your trip in order to guarantee that you have a place to stay.
The first stop on your visit to the George Washington Birthplace National Monument should be to check out the Visitor Center. Here you will be able to find out everything you need to know about the monument from the staff and get informed as to whether there are any special events happening during your visit.
The Visitor Center also includes some great exhibits, an educational film, and bookstore for you to check out and enjoy. For more information on opening hours check the monument website.
Constructed in 1931, the Memorial House on the grounds of the George Washington Birthplace National Monument gives visitors a great way to look back at how life would have been for the young Washington. The house was built near the original house and features antiques and items saved from the original house before it was destroyed.
You will feel like you are going back in time when you enter the house and it's open the same hours as the monument.
Located towards the back of George Washington Birthplace National Monument is a small beach area along the Potomac River. Here you will be able to see beautiful views of the river and across the river lies the state of Maryland.
While swimming is not recommended you do have the chance to go walking, sunbathing, kayaking, and fishing at the river beach area. The beach area is most popular during the summer time when the weather outside is warm enough to stay outside for longer periods of time.
One of the great features of the George Washington Birthplace National Monument is that the farm where George Washington was born which has also been restored to give you glimpse into life back in the 1700s. The farm features crops including tobacco and wheat, livestock, and gardens along with other farm buildings that would have existed back in the day.
You are free to wander the farm while visiting the monument and you may even be lucky enough to go on a tour with a ranger.
Another interesting aspect of George Washington Birthplace National Monument is that there are more than 30 Washington family members buried on the property. The original Family Burial Ground featured George Washington's great-grandfather John, great-grandmother Anne, grandfather Lawrence, and his father Augustine.
Like the original house, the cemetery was mostly destroyed before 1930 but with the creation of George Washington Birthplace National Monument it was reestablished and now has a brick fence around the exterior of the burial ground.
If you are looking to explore the nature that calls the 661 acre area home, we recommend going for a walk on the picturesque nature trail. The trail runs from the Historic Area of the monument to the Picnic Area and on the trail you will see flora including Holly trees, Loblolly Pines, and Sweet Gum trees.
If you are interested in birding make sure that you download the bird checklist from the monument website.
