This was my first time visiting Morven Park. It's a beautiful park with a garden and a historically protected mansion. I went here to take some scenic pictures with my wife and daughter. We were hoping to see some blooming but it's still a little early in the season to see its full glory. There were two beautiful magnolia trees in full bloom and that was worth the visit in itself. There are some picnic tables next to the public parking lot which makes for a nice place to have a picnic. There's an equine center in the park and I'm sure it's awesome for horse enthusiasts. I'm looking forward to coming back and enjoying a nice walk with my family. read more

See all

We purchased the guided tour. Tickets were $16. Our tour guide Lizzy was very knowledgeable about the history of the house and the Westmorland Davis family. Westmorland Davis was the governor of Virginia. The rooms were opulently decorated. See the many photo! The upstairs guestrooms have been turned into the museum of hounds and hunting at Morven Park. which is a self guided tour. Lots of paintings of horses, foxes dogs. read more

See all

Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience. A magical, interactive OUTDOOR experience for fans of the Wizarding World and Harry Potter. Bundle up, bring your wand (or buy one onsite) and perform spells as you follow the trail through the forbidden forest. You must follow the directions (extending your wand over a specific spot) for the spells to work. You will also have an opportunity to discover your patronus, duel with your friends or family and encounter magical creatures and characters from the films, including some of the more frightening ones (Aragog and his spider descendants, Death Eaters and Dementors to mention a few), but it's all atmosphere - there are no "jump scares" or costumed cast looking to scare. In fact, cast members are uniformly cheerful and helpful, ready to show you how to work spells, take group photos and generally enhance the experience. We are big Potter fans and to us the experience was worth every penny! Other stuff: There's food and drink for sale at the entrance village (don't miss the Butterbeer!) as well as a large gift shop with a good selection of officially licensed merchandise at prices similar to what you would pay at Universal theme parks. There is another, smaller, food stand at the half way point of the trail. Portable toilets are at the entrance village and the halfway point. Tickets are timed entrance, so make sure you buy your entire groups' tickets at once if you want to go together. Parking is also available in advance. The Forbidden Forest experience is located on the grounds of Morven Park and accessed via gravel roads with speed bumps at multiple points along the entrance and exit. read more

See all

My friend and I took the tour of the Davis Mansion at Morven Park a week or ago when we were in Purcellville and Leesburg for a day trip. The mansion is beautiful and has a very interesting history (two different governors - one of Virginia and one of Maryland - called the mansion home). The mansion has been beautifully restored to its 20th century appearance and the rooms contain many original furnishings and decor owned by the last family to reside in the home. Our tour guide was great - the tour went a little longer than expected, but I think that's because she was really interested in teaching us about the house and our group had quite a few questions! We purchased tickets ahead of time (about $15, I believe), and I recommend it if you're interested in Virginia history or historic homes! The grounds of the park are open to the public 365 days a year and looked beautiful! Definitely a home worth visiting if you're in the area! read more

See all

If you know me. You would know that I am very adventurous. My husband loves that about me. He never know what I have planned for us. Well I am somewhat a Harry Potter fan. So I wanted to check out "The forbidden Forest " You really don't have to be a fan to enjoy this and I promise you will. This is for all ages. Just be prepared for the trail. It was at least a little over a mile long. With a couple of semi steep hills so dress accordingly. It's at night so comfortable shoes and clothing. The trail was so decorated. Lot's of interaction and pictures to be taken. There's several rest stops to get some nourishment and hot apple cider which we did. The cider was pretty good. They had sweets and meals available. Even adult beverages of different sorts. To relax you during your adventure. Bring your wand or they will let you use The magic wand. Parking is prepaid or on the spot available. $10 fee credit card only. We prepaid for everything so our parking was $8 and had a separate barcode for parking. Plenty of parking available and the Johnny on the spot were the restrooms. I suggest not having to go unless you like feeling a cool breeze. Other than that you will love all the pictures you can take and the adventure begins. Enjoy I would definitely do this again. Worth our drive which from our location took about one hour and twenty minutes. So worth it though! read more

See all

Came for the Harry Potter Forest experience. I can't provide much insight for the park otherwise so here we go... There weren't very visible signs to follow which was difficult at night but fortunately my ride knew her way. The parking lot was is made of gravel so definitely recommend wearing comfy shoes to walk around. The exhibit was amazing and blew me away. The music, lighting, and ambience throughout was truly magical. read more

See all

I visited Morven Park at dusk. They hosted the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest experience. It was beautiful!! The park itself is well kept and a beautiful place to enjoy walks or even have an event! We were in town for the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest Experience. Parking was $10 but it went really smoothly. There wasn't a long wait and there were staff directing the flow of traffic. The park turned into a something right out of a Harry Potter book. Lights illuminated the path and there was 3 rest points for refreshments and buying souvenirs. It was about a hour walk through! Morten Park was the perfect venue for this!! If you are in the area, check it our as it's only around for another month or so. Overall, My husband and I enjoyed walking around and enjoying the place illuminated as a forbidden forest. But you really can not deny how much beautiful it is in the day time! read more

See all

I was really dubious about spending $16 to tour an old house; however, it was an incredible tour. Our guide was very enthusiastic and well-versed in all of the history and interesting family anecdotes. Going on this tour is like having an opportunity to see an iconic endangered species up close! The home is *packed* with beautiful art and fascinating artifacts from the past two centuries. It is carefully preserved an curated. If you have any interest in horses, you will find yourself captivated by both the free museum of fox hunting and the portion upstairs that is only visible as part of the paid tour. You may find yourself wanting to join the organization that supports the preservation of this beautify mansion and grounds! read more

Great park for photo ops! Took family/maternity photos here in mid-October on different walk paths, brick stairs and in open areas with trees/benches for different backdrops and poses. The only downside to taking pictures around this time of year at the park were the abundance of nats! They got in our eyes, stuck to our skin and were visible in our photos. Our photographer was able to edit them out, but were such a nuisance at the time of the photoshoot. read more

Glorious rolling hills, manicured lawns, multiple doggie waste stations. Oh what a glorious park this was for us bipeds and two furry friends. The weather was splendid and it was absolutely delightful visiting Morven Park. Parking was free, and perhaps the only thing to complain was the abundance of sunshine and not enough shaded area. STILL. What a lovely place to go frolic with the pooches after visiting Goosecup. It's only a mere 10 minutes drive from the Leesburg Outlet and the Main Street area. It's definitely worthwhile to visit even if it's just because. read more

See all

I only saw this park during the night because we did the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest experience last weekend - but it was very enjoyable. The event is well-done and well run - we received our parking QR and tickets via reminder email about 3-4 days out and used the directions and FAQ on the email to find the entrance and get inside. It's a timed event so they let you go in groups to keep it somewhat contained while you walk along the mile or so trail. This park must be beautiful even under normal circumstances bc the trail is long, winding through old mature trees, and well-worn. I'd love to see it during the day and imagine it would be wonderful for trail running. There was plenty of parking and the Forbidden Forest was well lit and executed with tons of lights in the trees and friendly staff happy to help you enjoy the interactive moments. read more

I loved the Harry Potter event! I gave it a 4 because it was FREEZING and they had no heaters and didnt let us wait for the lyft inside the gift shop The manager was so sweet because he stayed with us until our lyft got there We drove almost 2 hrs for it! Super fun and worth it if ur a harry potter fan I did want more interactive parts Go warm and comfortable They have drinks and food (the food was not the best so bring snacks) Hot chocolate wasnt hot BUT all and all I enjoyed it read more

See all

I came for the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest experience! It was great, although the weather was frigid! I think had it been just a bit warmer we would have really been able to explore and enjoy ourselves even more. The grounds were large and well maintained, although there was minimal greenery, due to the winter season. The lights and videos were all done very well, and the little makeshift town, or cafeteria area was quite spacious. It was almost a two hour drive for us to get here, but it was worth it! I will say, they probably need to have more signs pointing to the entrance of the park, but other than that, it was great! read more

Super beautiful place to walk. We were just out to get steps one evening and it was peaceful and beautiful. We saw deer, squirrels, birds, butterflies and fireflies. It's well maintained and just a great place for a stroll. read more

See all

Beautiful wide open space and dog friendly too! Morven Park has short hiking trails from .47 mile (green) to 1.24 mile ( blue trail) behind the mansion-museum. The front grounds also have open trails and beautiful garden and some tree line adorn partly the trails for shade in the summer heat. Simply lovely historical area with several noteworthy dwellings and equestrian stables and runs! Accessible off 15 or off 7 through downtown Leesburg. I met up a work colleague/friend and we had a nice hour long walk! We told happy stories and laughed with no care in the world. It was simply devine under a 70-degree perfect day, while we listened to dixie chicks "  not ready to make nice " on a hopeful note! Not oxymoron just chose to look at the positive- the beautiful park made it so. read more

This park is my favorite spot for weekend activities and daily walks. It's absolutely beautiful and serene--a perfect escape in nature. I even attended the Forbidden Forest Harry Potter experience here, and it was an incredible time! I can't wait to return to the event this year. Such a hidden gem, and I hope it never changes! read more

This is a review of the Harry Potter Forbidden Forest experience, not of the park itself. Cute but underwhelming. Might have been great if I still had young Harry Potter fans in the family. But the late entry times implied that it would work for older ones. Nice atmospherics and a few fun interactive things for young or especially excitable older fans. It's been several years since I've been to HP Wiz. World but food and merchandise did seem new and different. read more

This is a review of the hiking loop on the hill behind the house. I love to hike and being a Leesburg resident am always looking for variety. Finding this house is a bit inconvenient in that it's tucked back in the recesses of Leesburg. We first went to this place for a native plant sale but we've been back as a family to hike the trail. It's a pretty OK trail. It's dirt and gutted because it's on a hill the water carves ruts in the trail. I wouldn't say it's very picturesque because in the summer it's wooded and you can't see any vistas through the trees but during the winter when the leaves are down you can see to the horizon. Not much variety in that there is basically one loop to the trail that starts in the corner of the estate goes around the ridgeline of the hill and emerges almost at the same area of the estate. Nice place for a weekend hike and a family picnic. read more

Beautiful location to take a walk. They also have three museums: the Governor's Mansion, the museum of Hounds & Hunting, and the Winmill Carriage museum. All very interesting for any person into history. Lots of great events happen here, including the recent Americana Beer Fest http://americanabeerfest.org/. Also hands down the best place in NoVa to see the 4th of July fireworks. read more

See all

What an outstandingly beautiful place! I attended a wedding here over the weekend and could not get over the beauty of the sprawling lands and gorgeous historic mansion. Morven Park is located fairly close to downtown Leesburg, actually, which surprised me and makes it an even more convenient option for events -- or just for spending a day exploring the grounds! The ceremony took place in a very secluded-seeming part of the grounds (despite the parking lot being just a stone's throw away -- convenient!) in front of trees and a beautiful babbling fountain. The cocktail hour and reception took place past the main house in what I think might have formerly been the stables (?), and was set up beautifully. There was a light sprinkling of rain that began just after the ceremony ended (whew! Close one!) so the staff had to move the tables in from the open-air courtyard, but it still worked out well and they were quick as bunnies in getting everything all set up. I can't speak to the bride's experience with planning, but as a guest at the wedding, Morven Park is certainly on my own future shortlist now! read more

Morven Park was an absolutely stunning place to hold our wedding. From our first visit, we knew we wanted to have both our ceremony and reception there. They have many beautiful locations to choose from for both the ceremony and reception, varying in size, which allows you to hold a small intimate wedding or a larger one. We were married in May in front of the reflecting pool underneath a magnolia tree and we had our reception in the "Coach House Courtyard". If your wedding is smaller (100 or less) these were two excellent locations that I would recommend. For a small charge, the caterer even ran café lights over the courtyard for us which added a really nice touch. The person to contact at Morven changed hands several times, however, they were always prompt in their response and easy to work with. Morven Park has an exclusive catering agreement with the local company Catering by Vintage. Although not having a choice in caterer made us nervous at first, Catering by Vintage did an excellent job. Since they are the exclusive caterer for this venue so they have an excellent understanding of how to setup, execute, and break down. The food we were served was delicious, and we received many compliments from our guests. The service was very well executed. Another benefit of working with Vintage for our catering was that we were able to choose and serve 2 types of craft beer that they make at their restaurant. The only point I would ding Catering by Vintage on is that over email they weren't not as quick to respond as other vendors and occasionally needed to be contacted multiple times. read more

Our visit to Morven Park and Mansion was great! The green trees and natural surroundings as you walk to the mansion are beautiful! The tour itself was a little shorter than I expected because they don't actually show all the mansion, just the main rooms. The tour guide was knowledgeable but seemed like she was rushing. The carriage house was very well kept and all the carriages have a brief description. If you buy the mansion tour tickets you can also use the for the carriage house. Overall, enjoyed spending time walking through the grounds, seeing the turkeys and learning more about the owners and history of Morven mansion and estate. I look forward to go hiking next time and seeing the equestrian center! read more

See all

Very nice property that allows you to get away from the sprawl of Northern VA. They have a museum on site and a historic residence you can tour. I just spent time outside though. They have various equestrian events here. read more

I found this historical treasure because of groupon. I was visiting friends who had lived in Leesburg for years but never knew about this place. In addition to it's beautifully kept buildings and original furnishings it has elaborate grounds. There is also an extensive carriage collection on display. The tour and tourguide were very interesting and informative. Our visit to Movern Park was a wonderful discovery. read more

Morven Park - The entrance for the mansion. - Museums Near Me - Leesburg, Virginia

See all

My family of 8 took a wonderful tour of a beautiful holiday-decorated Mansion at Morven Park in Leesburg VA. The guide/docent, Alicia, was very interesting and had quite a bit of knowledge regarding the Christmas traditions that were practiced by Governor Westmoreland Davis family in the early 20th century. We learned about the foods they ate, how the household was run and enjoyed the beautiful library. We also saw the Hounds and Horse museum and the Winmill Carriage Museum - 3 museums for the price of one! It will be our Christmas tradition to see Morven Park and have our photo taken in front of the exquisitely decorated tree! This is one hidden gem in Leesburg VA because there are so many activities going on all year. Leslie D. read more

I've lived in the area nearly 14 years and this was the first time visiting Morven Park. I participated in the 25th annual Best Buddies Challenge riding in the 100 mile bike ride. This was the end of the ride and the venue for the closing ceremonies. A beautiful site with the rolling hills, fox hunts and mansion. I had a great time and would like to come back and see the inside of the mansion soon. read more

This place is magical! My daughter's January wedding was held in the Ballroom and it was beautiful. We had tours for the guests while they waited for the ceremony and fabulous photos taken after on the front portico. Every shot was picturesque. Staff were AMAZINGLY helpful throughout the entire process. January's a tough month, but Morven Park was perfect both inside and out, especially for a group of 65, which is too small for some places but too big for many others. Great for a wedding or special event and fun for a outing to tour some Virginia history in the Governor's mansion or carriage house. read more

An absolute gem...stunning property that seems to be a well-kept secret in Northern Virginia. Employees are also really helpful--the property is large enough that directions can be needed and we got friendly help when we asked. read more

Beware Morven Park! I and my family (along with many others) had traveled hours to the Leesburg, VA area so my son could participate in a lacrosse tournament at this place. Ostensibly, due to rain the previous day and some mist that morning, the Morven Park owner closed the fields that my son and the teams were to play on AS TEAMS WERE ARRIVING. We were actually told of the cancellation a few minutes before our target show time by some shady-looking people standing at the park entrance -- maybe park "employees." Apparently the park owner couldn't think far enough ahead to cancel the tournament the previous afternoon/evening so families could avoid driving 2-3 hours one way and spending $$ on hotels, fuel, etc. I guess Morven Park was worried about 12 year old boys putting undue wear and tear on its cherished "well-maintained" blue grass and Bermuda grass playing fields. Thanks for a great family and team experience, Morven Park! For those considering holding an event at this place, look elsewhere. read more

Morven Park is stunningly beautiful, but a totally miserable place to be if the weather is hot, or if you are not young and in fabulous physical condition. The parking lot is a long way from the mansion, and there is no signage indicating the location of the house. If you stumble onto the correct path, there is eventually one sign pointing out "the Governor's Residence," but if you don't know that a governor once lived there, that won't help. After a good hike (with very few benches in the beautiful parkland along the way) you finally arrive at the handicapped parking, which, it turns out, is really only for people in motorized wheelchairs. From there you have to go up a substantial incline to the house. I'm just injured, not legally handicapped, and on foot I almost didn't make it. Once at the house, a really handicapped person, or a person who can't do stairs would find out that the whole trip was for nought. (We did learn, however, that the staff has parking right up against the buildings!) Inside, the nice looking person at the desk turned out to be not nice. Not remotely sympathetic or helpful. Ultimately we got our tour. It's a historic house, so we were prepared for a lot of stairs there, and at least our tour guide, Anna, was courteous, competent and knowledgeable. We couldn't get to the carriage house and turkey farm because they were so far away and difficult to walk to. We were very disappointed, as they could have made this all work with some decent signage, full disclosure on the web page and friendly staff. The place is gorgeous and historically interesting, but the culture of disdain and disregard for the visitors is really unpleasant. You'd think they were paying us instead of vice versa. read more