Google Maps insisted that I was close, but I didn’t believe it. To be honest, I never believe the GPS. I often find myself arguing with the screen on my dashboard, second-guessing its suggestion to take a back street to save a mere two minutes. But this time, I reluctantly followed its instructions because I had no idea where I was in this very affluent and lush D.C. neighborhood.

Then, out of nowhere, the entrance to Hillwood Estate appears tucked behind iron gates and lush hedges, like a secret only Washington insiders know how to find.

After parking and checking in, you’re ushered into a small screening room for a short film. Don’t skip out on this, because it’s important. This is where you’ll get the story of Marjorie Merriweather Post, heiress to a cereal fortune and the powerhouse behind General Foods. She inherited the Postum empire at 27, revolutionized America’s diet with frozen foods, and then used that success to live like royalty. Literally. Post wasn’t just wealthy, she was wildly visionary. A woman who blended elegance with pragmatism, and who made her home a living museum of French and Russian imperial art, all while serving Jell-O for dessert. By the time the screen fades to black, you’re not just ready to tour the mansion, you’re fully on board with the fantasy.

A word about the docents

Forget dusty name tags and orthopedic shoes. The Hillwood guides look like they walked out of a Vogue editorial if Vogue and AARP Magazine had a joint issue. Nonetheless, they each had their own style and added a touch of glamour to their outfits with silk scarves, brooches, and linen blazers with pocket squares. If you didn’t know better, you’d assume they lived there.

Before the house, see the gardens

Before you get swept away by the porcelain chandeliers of the house, the real magic unfolds once you step into the gardens. Hillwood sits on 25 acres, and every inch feels curated. Formal rose beds, a lunar lawn, tucked-away grottos, and an orchid greenhouse. But the standout? The Japanese-style garden.

It’s compact but deeply serene: stone lanterns, arching bridges, koi ponds, and a bamboo grove that rustles just enough to make you forget you’re still in Washington. It’s quiet even when there are visitors all around you.

All that reflection and walking makes me hungry. If you’re the same, fear not. The café has you covered. Also literally. Grab a table on the covered terrace if the weather’s good; there’s nothing quite like sipping an iced tea while overlooking a garden that looks like it was plucked from a painting.

The White House connection

Marjorie Merriweather Post’s third husband, Joseph Davies, served as ambassador to the Soviet Union in the 1930s, and their diplomatic life abroad helped fuel her passion for Russian imperial art. But it was back home in Washington that she created a stage for entertaining that blurred the line between social and political. Ambassadors, dignitaries, cabinet members, and even presidents were among her guests.

And Washington wasn’t her only link to American leadership. Post once owned Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, now widely known as the private estate of Donald Trump, but originally envisioned by Post as a winter retreat for U.S. presidents. In fact, she willed the estate to the federal government for exactly that purpose. The idea was declined, as maintenance was too costly, so the property was eventually sold. Sold to the eventual 45th and 47th POTUS in 1985. Trump purchased the property from the foundation for $5 million. He also paid millions more to purchase Mar-a-Lago’s antiques.

If you go

Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens

4155 Linnean Avenue,
NW Washington, DC 20008

Open Tues through Sun, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Closed Mondays and national holidays. Adults: $17. Advanced reservations are not required, but highly encouraged. https://hillwoodmuseum.org/