Definitely worth a visit - the grounds are just gorgeous- with amazing views everywhere- especially of the Potomac River! Not to mention the sheer historical value of the estate - I mean, this is George Washington’s home!! Wow!!
There are paved and gravel trails all over the estate…so when you’re done with your mansion tour, you can spent as much or as little time as you like exploring. But if you only do one trail/path, make sure you take the path to see the Washingtons’ tomb! He and his wife are entombed on the grounds down the hill from the house - and it’s a lovely stroll down a brick path from the house. There are also some displays in the barns on the way to the tomb of things like carriages and tools used in those times etc.
There are maps in the visitor center which is where you start, as well as plenty of staff all over the estate for questions and guidance. The visitor center is nice too - has a lovely stained glass mural, displays and interesting info - well worth a look!
At the time I visited (back in May of 2021), you had to reserve a time for the mansion tour due to Covid restrictions. The tour of the mansion is fairly short - I’d say around 30-40 minutes. But you can take as much time as you want exploring the grounds and outside of the mansion.
There’s plenty of parking spread out over several lots. Just remember where you parked bc it’s a large estate with lots of parking.