I needed to do some research for a book project, so I packed up the car and spent nine days, eight nights and six hotels in Virginia. That’s where four of the first five presidents were born and raised – and four of the first give subjects of my series.

I toured birthplaces, childhood homes and adult residences of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe. In fact, eight U.S. Presidents were born in Virginia, but I had to draw a line somewhere and I can get to the others later.

I think the trip would make an excellent homeschool family vacation, so I’m sharing the details in this post for anyone who’s interested.

A note about our lodgings: We stayed at two amazing B&Bs and four from the same hotel chain (which I selected for the frequent flyer points). That way we had the best of both worlds — some historic sites as well as basic lodging — in order to economize. Also, every place we stayed included free breakfast. You know your budget and preferences; therefore you can do your own research and book elsewhere if you wish.

Monday Leave home 9 a.m.

• Drive straight to Mount Vernon: GPS: 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA 22121. Open 7 days a week until 5 p.m.

Note: I live about a three-hour drive from Mount Vernon. So I began my trip at 9 a.m. to avoid the rush hour of three major cities that were in my path. Whether you are driving or flying in, you probably live somewhere else and will have a different starting place, date and time. Adjust accordingly.

• Purchased eTickets in advance: We bought Grounds Pass, Mansion Tour and Guide Book

• Lunch when arrive (noon). Options included:

  • Food Court Pavilion

  • Food Truck

  • Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant

• Tour Mansion at 1:30 p.m. (recommends line up 20 minutes early)

• Tour grounds and gardens. (Self-guided garden tour. Only 11:30 was available for guided tour at time of booking, but that would have been too early.)

• Check in to hotel. We stayed at the Quality Inn Mt. Vernon, 7212 Richmond Hwy, Alexandria, VA, US, 22306.

• For dinner, we walked across the street to Denny’s. We had planned to dine elsewhere, but we were pretty tired by that time and traffic was horrendous. The hotel was only a few miles from the historic site, but we overshot it, got lost and spent 2 hours working our way back through traffic.

 

Tuesday: Breakfast at hotel and check out by 9:30. Pick up lunch along the way for picnic later.

• Drive to Washington’s birthplace. GPS: 1732 Popes Creek Road, Colonial Beach, Virginia 22443 (about 90 min). Visitor Center is closed Mondays and Tuesdays, so we just walked the grounds and then went to Potomac River Beach for lunch and to relax. We had to watch our time because we had to be at Belle Grove by 3 p.m. for the free tour and we still had another stop in between.

• Drive to James Monroe’s birthplace. GPS: 4460 James Monroe Hwy, Colonial Beach, VA 22443. Confirm ahead if still running tours (may be seasonal or weekends only). Start at Visitor’s Center. If closed, you can still walk the grounds and read the displays.)

• Drive to Belle Grove Plantation, James Madison’s birthplace. GPS: 9221 Belle Grove Drive, King George, Virginia 22485. Our tour was scheduled for 3 p.m., check-in at 4 p.m. Order ahead when booking if you want to include dinner, which is served at 6 p.m. Or you can drive elsewhere to eat. We chose to dine in for the full plantation experience. You can also explore most of the beautiful home and grounds on your own or simply relax and take in the scenery for the evening.

 

Wednesday: Breakfast in the dining room at Belle Grove. Checkout by 11 a.m

• Drive to Kenmore Inn. GPS: 1200 Princess Anne St., Fredericksburg, VA 22401 (about 45 min drive). Check in time is at 4 p.m. So if you arrive early, ask inside if your room is ready early. Otherwise, park and start exploring beautiful historic Fredericksburg. The Kenmore Inn is right in the heart of historic sites.

• Historic sites to see in Fredericksburg (Visit the website to see what might interest you. We visited the following:

  • Get one Heritage Pass ($18 per person) to get into all four of these:

    • Mary Washington House (where George’s Mother lived in her later years)

    • Hugh Mercer Apothecary

    • James’ House

    • Rising Sun Tavern Museum (George Washington’s brother’s place)

  • Historic Fredericksburg Foundation

  • Go to City Dock Park to view Ferry Farm across the river.

• Dinner in town. Plenty of walking-distance options.

• Spend night #1.

 

Thursday:

• Breakfast in the Dining Room.

• Tour Ferry Farm. GPS: 268 Kings Highway, Fredericksburg, VA 22405 (Drive across the Chatham bridge. See map. Tickets required.) This was George’s boyhood home.

• Tour Historic Kenmore. Tickets required. George’s sister Betty married Fielding Lewis. This was their home.

• Explore town further, dine as needed.

• Spend night #2 at Kenmore Inn.

 

Friday: Breakfast in Dining Room. Check out BY 9:00. (We made our next tour reservation for 10:30 a.m. and the drive is at least an hour. Adjust accordingly if your tour time is different.)

• Drive south to Tuckahoe Plantation: GPS: 12601 River Rd, Henrico, VA 23238. Need $40 cash for Tuckahoe tour and pick up lunch along the way for picnic. Thomas Jefferson lived here as a child from age 2 – 9.

• Drive to James Monroe Highlands GPS: 2050 James Monroe Parkway Charlottesville, VA 22902

We had reserved General Admission tickets for 2:30. This was James Monroe’s adult home.

• Drive to Comfort Inn Monticello, 2097 Inn Drive, Charlottesville, VA, 22911 (about 90 min drive)

• Spend 1st night at Comfort Inn

 

Saturday: Breakfast in Breakfast Room.

• Visit Monticello, GPS: 931 Thomas Jefferson Pkwy, Charlottesville, VA 22902. Thomas Jefferson built Monticello as an adult. Our tour time was scheduled for 11 a.m. and we were instructed to arrive 30 minutes early to line up and be directed where to go.

• Lunch options:

  • Farm Table Café at Monticello for lunch (located in the Visitor’s Center).

  • Michie Tavern for authentic historic cuisine with family style dining. It’s only a half mile from Monticello. In fact, you’ll pass it on the way there and back. Service from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. only.

  • Carter Mountain Orchard: If you’re there in the summer time you’re in for a real treat of assorted fresh fruits to take back with you. Seasonal food trucks also available.

• Drive to Shadwell, GPS: 2450 Richmond Road, Charlottesville. This is just a marker on the road representing where Jefferson’s boyhood home had been. It’s just 2 miles down the mountain from Monticello.

• Look up restaurants in Charlottesville for dinner. Many options available within a mile or two.

• Return to Comfort Inn Monticello and spend 2nd night

 

Sunday June 19: Breakfast in Breakfast Room. Check out by 10 a.m.

• Drive to Montpellier GPS: 11350 Constitution Hwy, Orange, VA 22960 (about an hour north) according to your tour reservation time.

• Drive to Comfort Inn & Suites Orange – Montpelier, GPS: 334 Caroline Street, Orange, VA, 22960.

• Find place to eat in town of Orange. (About five minute drive.)

• Pack and do laundry if desired and facilities available. Relax.

• Spend night.

 

Monday: Check out whenever and head home.

 

My Budget

$2,500 for 2 people

Hotels: $1,065 total

Tours: $370

• Mount Vernon: $28 X 2 + $10 = $66 (or save $4 by booking at least 3 days in advance at: Plan Your Visit to George Washington’s Mount Vernon · George Washington’s Mount Vernon

• Ferry Farm: $12 Guided tour (X 2 = $24)

• James Monroe Birth home Open after Memorial Day for Free Tours from 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. (Nowhere online to purchase tickets. Start at Visitor’s Center.)

• Belle Grove tour – Free

• Tuckahoe Plantation – House & Grounds: $20 X 2 = $40

• Monticello – $85 X 2 = $170

• Montpellier: Tour house $35 X 2 = $70

• James Monroe Highlands $30 

 

Gas: $215 (You know your car. Adjust accordingly.)

Meals: $850

• Breakfasts were all free (Choice Hotels and B&Bs)

• We packed our own bottled water and nonperishable snacks.

• Meals at Belle Grove – $120 dinner for 2. You can also order breakfast on the veranda for additional $30.

• Lunch X 8 days (Budget $15 each person) $240

• Dinners X 7 days (Budget $35 each person) $490

In the end, we were so busy that we generally ate breakfast and one big meal each day and then snacked as needed for our third meal. We even had home-made ice cream for dinner one night!

Souvenirs: I didn’t include this in the main budget, but do include extra for souvenirs. All of the major places had gift and book stores. I was on a research mission, so I brought hone many, MANY books! (Since we saved a lot on meals, I didn’t need the extra budget, but I went prepared.)

Washington’s Mount Vernon where he lived as an adult.

Map of our travel area.

The H-shaped Tuckahoe Plantation home, where Jefferson spent several boyhood years.

Before the grand Montpelier was built, the Madisons lived in a more humble abode on the same property.

The spectacular Belle Grove Plantation Bed and Breakfast where we stayed one night. It is the birthplace of James Madison (home of his maternal grandmother.)