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George Washington Birthplace National Monument Picnic Pavilion, VA

Status: Open year round.   Season Dates
1 site(s) found

Overview

The Popes Creek Picnic Area Pavilion is located within George Washington Birthplace National Monument. The surrounding picnic grounds were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930's. A connecting foot bridge leads to the historic area, farm, colonial garden, visitor center and gift shop. The Washington family burial ground is located one mile away.

Natural Features:

The pavilion and picnic area sit on a bluff overlooking the mouth of Pope's Creek with views of the Potomac River in the distance. A one mile nature trail meanders along the shore of Popes Creek and through wooded areas. A connecting trail and series of boardwalks takes visitors through Dancing Marsh and into the historic area.

Recreation:

George Washington Birthplace offers a variety of recreational activities including fishing on Popes Creek and on the Potomac River, canoeing and kayaking from the Potomac River beach, hiking, bike riding on park roads, and bird watching

Facilities:

The 30' by 42' picnic pavilion contains 12 picnic tables and two grills. Restrooms, a water fountain and electrical outlet are 50' away. Parking is available for 25 vehicles on a first come first served basis with one space reserved for the permit holder. A dumpster and recycling bin are available

Nearby Attractions:

Numerous attractions surround the area, including: Westmoreland State Park, Stratford Hall Plantation (Birthplace of Robert E. Lee), Historic Christ Church, Historic Fredericksburg, Menokin (Home of Francis Lightfoot Lee), Northern Neck Wine Trail, The Lower Potomac River Water Trail, The Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail, Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Belle Isle State Park and James Monroe Birthplace.

Activities and Amenities

Within Facility
  • Accessible Drinking Water
  • Accessible Flush Toilets
  • Accessible Grills
  • Accessible Parking
  • Accessible Picnic Area
  • Accessible Picnic Shelters
  • Accessible Scenic Overlook
  • Accessible Walkways
  • Auditorium
  • Auto Touring
  • Beach
  • Beach Access
  • Biking
  • Birding
  • Boating
  • Canoeing
  • Cell phone service
  • Day Use Area
  • Drinking Water
  • Educational Programs
  • Electricity
  • Fire Extinguisher
  • First Aid Kit
  • Fishing
  • Flush Toilets
  • Flush Toilets (Seasonal)
  • Gift Shop
  • Grills
  • Guided Interpretive Walks
  • Hiking
  • Historical sites
  • Horseback Riding
  • Hot Water
  • Interpretive Trails
  • Kayaking
  • Meeting Room
  • Non-Motorized Boating
  • Parking Area
  • Paved Parking
  • Paved Roads
  • Pavilion
  • Pets Allowed
  • Picnic Area
  • Picnic Shelters
  • RV Parking
  • Recycling
  • River Access
  • Scenic Drive
  • Scenic Overlooks
  • Shade
  • Trailhead Parking
  • Trailheads
  • Vending Machine
  • Visitors Center
  • Water
  • Water Access
  • Wildlife Viewing
Within 10 Miles
  • Accessible Boat Dock
  • Accessible Boat Ramp
  • Accessible Campsites
  • Accessible Fishing Dock
  • Antiquing
  • Auto Repair Shop
  • Bait Shop
  • Bank
  • Berry Picking
  • Boat Dock
  • Boat Maintenance
  • Boat Ramp
  • Boat Rentals
  • Boat Slips
  • Boat Storage
  • Boat Trailer Parking
  • Boat Trips
  • Cabin Rentals
  • Cafe
  • Canoe Rentals
  • Casino
  • Church
  • Crabbing
  • Cultural Activities
  • Dining Area
  • Emergency Services
  • Fishing Dock
  • Fishing Licenses
  • Fishing Pier
  • Flea Market
  • Food Services
  • Fuel Available
  • General Store
  • Grocery Store
  • Group Camping
  • Group Site (Reservable)
  • Hunting
  • Ice
  • Jet Skiing
  • Kayak Rentals
  • Lodging
  • Marina
  • Motel
  • Museum
  • Playground
  • Restaurant
  • Water Activities
Know Before You Go
George Washington Birthplace is open year round except for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day. Picnic area is open 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, November-February, and 9:00 AM to dusk, March-October. Admission is free. Alcohol is prohibited. Pets must be on a leash. Restrooms, water fountain and electrical outlet are not available at the site November-March. Ranger led tours of the historic area are held on the hour, with the first tour at 10:00 AM and the last tour at 4:00 PM.

Getting There:

GPS Info. (Latitude, Longitude):
38.18944, -76.91444
38°11'22"N, 76°54'52"W

From Fredericksburg/I-95: Exit I-95 at Exit 130 A and continue onto Route 3 East. Follow Route 3 East for 38 miles. Look for Route 204, which is on the left. After turning down Route 204, entrance to park is approximately 2 miles. From Route 301: Follow Route 3 East approximately 12 miles. Take the left at Route 204. After turning down Route 204, entrance to park is approximately 2 miles.
From Route 360: Follow George Washington Birthplace signs out of Warsaw, VA. Take Route 3 West approximately 22 miles. Take the right at Route 204. After turning down Route 204, entrance to the park is approximately 2 miles.
For GPS Devices use the following address: 1732 Popes Creek Road, Colonial Beach, VA 22443

Contact Information:

Mailing Address:

George Washington Birthplace National Monument Picnic Pavilion
1732 Popes Creek Road
Colonial Beach VA 22443

Phone Number:

Information: (804)224-1732

Special Events:

    The events listed here are not intended to be an all inclusive list. Please contact the park for further details.

  • *All scheduled events or programs are subject to change. Please call the park at (804) 224-1732 to confirm all activities.* from Jan 01 2013 to Dec 31 2013
  • April 20, 2013 (Saturday)
    10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
    Every day is Junior Ranger Day, and candidates from 5-12 can earn the coveted George Washington Birthplace Junior Ranger badge. On April 20 we celebrate Junior Rangers with a variety of historic demonstrations and hands-on activities. from Apr 20 2013 to Dec 31 2013
  • May 25 and 26, 2013 (Saturday and Sunday)
    10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
    George Washington was a product of plantations.To understand Washington, we must understand plantation life. 18th century activities and demonstrations such as sheep shearing, tobacco planting, blacksmithing and open hearth cooking will be offered at Popes Creek Plantation. from May 25 2013 to May 26 2013
  • July 12 (Friday evening) and July 13, 2013 (Saturday 10-4)
    His Majesty's Marines and 5th Battalion, Cumberland County Militia talk about camp life during the War for American Independence. Musket firing demonstrations will be conducted twice on Saturday. from Jul 12 2013 to Jul 13 2013
  • The George Washington Birthplace National Monument 4-H Club will be participating in the Richmond County Fair August 20-24, 2013 from Aug 20 2013 to Aug 24 2013
  • September 14, 2013 (Saturday)
    10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
    Born on a farm, George Washington longed to return to agriculture. During the short periods of private life he enjoyed, he not only managed the 5 farms of Mount Vernon, but also became one of America's premier agricultural innovators. We celebrate Washington's love of farming with a variety of harvest activities to prepare for the winter. on Sep 14 2013
  • The George Washington Birthplace National Monument 4-H Club will be participating in the Montross Festival October 5, 2013. on Oct 05 2013
  • December 28, 2013(Saturday)
    10:00 a.m.-7:00 pm
    The Washington family celebrated the 12 days of Christmas which begins on Christmas Day and ends on January 5.The Memorial House will be decorated for the holidays and filled with colonial music. The plantation will be busy with demonstrations and activities performed by costumed interpreters. The park will be illuminated at dusk with candles. on Dec 28 2013