Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens

"D.C.’s dreamy Hillwood Estate, the former home of art collector Marjorie Merriweather that’s adorned in 18th-century French elegance, is the gorgeous site of afternoon tea service for groups of 10 or more. The family-style feast includes miniature scones, chicken salad croissant sandwiches, cucumber and hummus with sourdough, chocolate Nutella tarts, and lemon-lavender sugar cookies with a choice of hot or cold Dammann Frères teas. The price: $40 per person, with $10 supplements like a mini quiche. Call to reserve." - Tierney Plumb, Emily Venezky

"Booking a group tea at the Hillwood Estate’s Merriweather Cafe is a great move for a birthday. You’ll need to rally a few friends (tea at Hillwood is for groups of 10 or more), but the tea service is priced under $50 a person, making it the most affordable on our list. Once you’re inside, you can roam through the estate, which was originally home to DC’s mid-century social icon Marjorie Merriweather Post. Just know that this tea service doesn’t come with any bubbly, so if you’re hoping to day drink, plan on heading elsewhere after." - Madeline Weinfield

"The Life of an Heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post was a wealthy American socialite and heiress to the Postum Cereal fortune. Her Washington home is now a museum, and the home’s original furnishings have been maintained alongside all the near-priceless collectibles that Marjorie amassed during her lifetime. Thanks to a curator friend who trained her eye to identify pieces worthy of collecting, Marjorie filled Hillwood with museum-quality pieces of furniture, works of art, Russian icons, rugs, and tapestries as well as fine porcelains, glassware, and jade carvings. The collection also includes two rare diamond-studded Fabergé eggs. Every inch of wall is decorated, and luxurious fabrics drape the windows. Some visitors might find it all a bit too ostentatious; others will think it simply exquisite. To say that Marjorie was an obsessive collector is an understatement, and the best way to take it all in is to go on the Mansion Tour.The gardens are as well dressed as the interiors; there are several interconnected garden “rooms,” and each is of a different style, such as French Parterre or Rose Garden. On nice days, you’ll see people picnicking on the grounds."

"The Life of an Heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post was a wealthy American socialite and heiress to the Postum Cereal fortune. Her Washington home is now a museum, and the home’s original furnishings have been maintained alongside all the near-priceless collectibles that Marjorie amassed during her lifetime. Thanks to a curator friend who trained her eye to identify pieces worthy of collecting, Marjorie filled Hillwood with museum-quality pieces of furniture, works of art, Russian icons, rugs, and tapestries as well as fine porcelains, glassware, and jade carvings. The collection also includes two rare diamond-studded Fabergé eggs. Every inch of wall is decorated, and luxurious fabrics drape the windows. Some visitors might find it all a bit too ostentatious; others will think it simply exquisite. To say that Marjorie was an obsessive collector is an understatement, and the best way to take it all in is to go on the Mansion Tour.The gardens are as well dressed as the interiors; there are several interconnected garden “rooms,” and each is of a different style, such as French Parterre or Rose Garden. On nice days, you’ll see people picnicking on the grounds."

"This opulent estate of cereal heir Marjorie Merriweather Post allows guests to feast their eyes on a mansion full of Russian art. The rest of the feasting is done on a menu fit for a 20th century millionaire. The Merriweather Cafe menu features borscht,, an apricot chicken salad sandwich, gnocchi, and a smoked salmon tartine. There are also seasonal desserts, and an afternoon tea runs on Sundays for $32 per person." - Hanna Nakano