My mom and I went to visit some family friends in Virginia this past weekend. While we were there, we decided to take on DC in 24 hours! Crazy, but do-able! Here’s what I saw and did in those 48 hours on the East Coast.
To start off our trip, Delta Airlines helped us celebrate the 4th of July with goodies and American flags for each of the travelers! We were on the “Most Patriotic Flight of the Year” as our flight number was 1776 flying to Washington DC on the 4th of July. Delta also held the first ever, in-flight fireworks show with all of the passengers! Delta Airlines really set our weekend getaway off on the best foot possible!
Our friends live in Fredericksburg, Virginia which is home to George Washington’s boyhood home, Ferry Farm. Our first day we spent learning about the family history of the Washington’s in Fredericksburg. At the Town Visitor’s Center, we paid $16 for a 24 hour pass to the museums in downtown. Our first stop was Charles’ (George’s younger brother) Rising Sun Tavern to see what colonial “hostels” looked like back then.
Then we made our way to Mary Washington’s home a few blocks down. It was a beautiful one-story home with a grand garden in the back that Mary lived in after moving from Ferry Farm across the river.
Next we toured Kenmore home, the mansion atop the hill overlooking the river, down a few blocks from Mary’s home. This was the home of George’s younger sister Betty. She married Fielding Lewis and they owned most of the farm land in Fredericksburg during the 1700s. Fielding also helped fund Virginia’s efforts during the Revolutionary War.
After that, we took a short drive to Ferry Farm, just across the river to see the newly opened replica of George’s Boyhood Home. The replica of Ferry Farm has been opened to the public just over a year now. The rich history behind the Washington family in Fredericksburg can surely keep you entertained for the weekend. However, we spent our last 24 hours in our Nation’s Capitol… DC!
As for our 24 hours spent in DC, there were a handful of monuments and museums I wanted to see before flying out the next morning. I wanted to see the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Air and Space Smithsonian Museum, Smithsonian Castle, Vietnam Memorial, WWII Memorial, the Capitol Building, and the White House. Our personal tour guides took us on quite the hike through the Mall, but it was worth every minute of dragging my feet through the 90 degree humidity.
Below is a photo essay of the monuments and museums we saw in our 24 hour adventure in DC!
DC is a must-see for anyone with an itch to learn more about the history of this Great Nation! I highly recommend going over the 4th of July weekend to experience our Nation’s Capitol during one of the most patriotic times of the year!
Journeys with Jaiden 