This spring, join the Royal Oak Society as we explore America’s British roots in Virginia, the first, largest, and most prosperous of the original 13 colonies. George Washington notably considered Alexandria his hometown. Discover Washington’s life and legacy with extraordinary depth on exclusive guided tours of properties connected to his family. Ten miles south of Alexandria, enjoy an inside look at Washington’s legendary estate, Mount Vernon.
The estate’s director will lead us on an enchanting candlelit private tour after hours. Washington’s great-grandfather, the English-born merchant John Washington, acquired the property in 1674, and you will chart Mount Vernon’s evolution over centuries, gaining an exclusive window into history from Britain’s colonial settlement of Virginia to the very birth of America.
Other highlights of the 4-night program include access to historic homes, including properties representing the finest examples of English Georgian architecture on American soil. Stroll through their centuries-old private gardens with the expert guidance of horticulturists. On exclusive tours, step back in time at venues that have borne witness to some of the most consequential events in early American history.
JOIN the director of George Washington’s legendary estate, Mount Vernon, for an exclusive candlelit visit after public hours, and accompany the horticulturist for a private walk through the estate gardens
MEET the library director on a behind-the-scenes visit to the Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington at Mount Vernon, which is not open to the public, with an inside look at the Presidential Library Special Collections
GATHER for a private champagne reception at the Presidential Librarythat features a tasting of George Washington’s whiskey, distilled on site according to the original recipe and methods
DELIGHT in a private tour of George Washington’s River Farm, the 1653 property once owned by Washington and the headquarters of the American Horticultural Society, exploring the Manor House and strolling through the gardens with a horticulturist
VENTURE behind the scenes of the 1753 Carlyle House when it’s closed to the public, and learn the history of this illustrious Georgian manor house, built by Scottish merchant John Carlyle, who founded the city of Alexandria
ACCOMPANY a historian on a private walking tour through Alexandria’s Old Town, one of America’s most historically rich areas, with more than 200 pre-Revolutionary buildings, with special access to Lloyd House, an early American example of beautiful English Georgian architecture
ENJOY an exclusive candlelit visit to Gadsby’s Tavern, the 1785 eatery that played host to all of the first five U.S. presidents, as well as Thomas Jefferson’s 1801 inaugural banquet, with a special candlelit dinner in one of the Tavern’s dining rooms
EXPERIENCE a private, special-access opening to the (US) National Trust-maintained Woodlawn Plantation, an 1805 Georgian/Federal mansion, a gift from George Washington to his nephew and his bride.
Download the brochure for full details HERE.
