Green Spring Gardens and Horticultural Center in Annandale is an inspiration for gardeners and a destination for tourists and visitors. Whether you are local or just visiting Northern Virginia, Green Springs Garden is quiet get-away to be seen. Green Springs features a valley centered over a wooded stream. The naturalist plant gardens showcase native species while the green houses are filled with tropical plants. Green Spring Gardens feature a wide variety of trees, shrubs, vines, perennials, annuals, bulbs, and vegetable.
Check out the horticultural reference library or visit the gift shops to stock your own library. The Garden Gate Plant Shop has plants, gardening gloves, collectible china, wind chimes and other gift ideas.
Green Spring's grounds are open dawn to dusk every day of the year. The Horticulture Center is open Monday through Saturday, 9 am to 4:30 pm, and Sunday, noon to 4:30 pm. The Horticulture Center is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's holidays. Park grounds are open from dawn to dusk..
For more information or to set up an appointment call Stuart at (703)765-0300.
A bench right across from the biking / running / walking trail
One of the single greatest attractions on the west side of the Potomac River is the George Washington Parkway.
This parkway stretches along from Mount Vernon Estates through Belle View and Old Town up north of Arlington. Along the shore are scattered a bevy of parks from Theodore Roosevelt Island, the LBJ National Grove, Gravelly Point Park, Fort Marcy, and Turkey Run Park. The GW Parkway even boasts a view of a rare Bald Eagle and its nest on the Belle Haven Country Club just south of Old town. Learn more about great boons to property in Northern Virginia.
The Parks and Recreation system in Fairfax County, Virginia, is the primary public instrument for the preservation of natural land and environmentally sensitive resources in Fairfax County. Nottoway Park is one of the assets of the Fairfax County Park System.
Nottoway Park is located at 9601 Courthouse Road in Vienna, Virginia. Local residents can enjoy tennis, basketball and volleyball recreational facilities, as well as garden, picnic, and fitness trails. For those who enjoy a quieter atmosphere, a stroll through the densely wooded nature paths provide for a solitary and peaceful surrounding. The tennis courts and picnic shelters can be reserved for a small fee by calling 703-938-7532. During the summer season, Nottoway Park hosts a summer concert series entitled Nottoway Nights where locals can enjoy free, weekly public concerts featuring a variety of musical ensembles from international and nationally acclaimed artists.
Of the 416 parks in Fairfax County, Nottoway Park provides special opportunities to sustain healthy and wholesome living by developing positive life-style and recreational interests.
Nottoway Park in Providence District
Nottoway Park
Nottoway Park
Julie Nesbitt
Julie Nesbitt knows the back trails and by-ways of Northern Virginia real estate.
Established in 1974 with a mission to reduce homelessness, increase community support and promote self sufficiency, the Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is operated by a multi-denominational board of directors and staff managing over 70 housing units. Good Shepherd Housing and Family Services is located in the Mount Zephyr Business Center at 8305 Richmond…
Pirates Cove Waterpark is inside Pohick Regional Park at 6501 Pohick Bay Dr Lorton, VA 22079. The phone number for Pirates Cove Waterpark is (703) 339-6104. Pirates Cove Waterpark has an adult pool, a kid pool, waterslides, patios, a large sand area, and Captains Galley (a onsite cafe).
About the Author --- Aubrey Nesbitt is a native of Northern Virginia who attended Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a veteran of the US Army and helps his family business by providing informational articles like this one. In addition to photography and blogging, Aubrey provides administrative support for the office.
Pohick Regional Park is on the Mason Neck Peninsula located at 6501 Pohick Bay Drive Lorton, VA 22079. The phone number for Pohick Regional Park is (703) 339-6104. Pohick Regional Park is close to Fort Belvoir and Woodbridge.
Pohick Regional Bay Park sits on the Potomac River and has a boat launch facility. For those interested in freshwater fishing there are Largemouth bass, catfish, striped bass, bluegill, crappie, carp and perch in the Potomac River. Other fun water activities here include: canoes, kayaks, paddle boats and jon boats for rent on the weekends. Pohick Regional Bay Park hosts Pirates Cove Waterpark.
Pohick Regional Bay Park is a great location to have a barbeque at, to hike at, and to camp at. Bald eagles, blue birds, osprey, heron, deer, beavers and river otters can sometimes be seen here. Pohick Regional Bay Park also has a golf coarse, a miniature golf coarse, and disc golf.
A gentleman fries some food at Pohick Regional Park
Welcome to Pohick Regional Park
Live music at Pohick Regional Park
Will and Julie Nesbitt walk a path to the water park at Pohick Regional Park
Tasty chicken being barbequed at Pohick Regional Park
About the Author --- Aubrey Nesbitt is a native of Northern Virginia who attended Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a veteran of the US Army and helps his family business by providing informational articles like this one. In addition to photography and blogging, Aubrey provides administrative support for the office.
King Street Gardens Park is located at the foot of the George Washington National Masonic Memorial near the King St. Metro in Old Town Alexandria VA. This small park is surrounded by hotels, office buildings, AMTRAK and a Metro stop. The signature feature of King Street Gardens is a large metal sculpture with hanging gardens. This together with the sunken gardens are intended to provide references to historic aspects of the site.
King St. Garden Park
The abstract metal sculpture sculpture hints at a ship's prow, a plow, or a colonial-style three-cornered hat. The sunken garden, and plantings therein, are intended to reference the wetlands that originally existed on the site. In the Victorian era, trellised gardens were popular in Old Town and the gardens here remember that era when the street grid followed the plan originally laid out by George Washington.
The park is intended for the general public's enjoyment and serves as a place for outdoor concerts. On Wednesdays through the summer the Old Town Farmer's Market sets up here.
Hanging Gardens
Hidden Oaks Nature Center is located at 7701 Royce St. in Annandale VA. The Hidden Oaks Nature Center is found within the 52 acre Annandale Community Park in Fairfax County. The nature center features a gently winding trail just one third of a mile long. The trail is perfect for an easy stroll because it works through the woods and then ends where it started. The County of Fairfax maintains this park and provides seasonal brochures that highlight the season. The Nature Center is open to students and the public providing reference materials about local fauna and flora.
Bird watchers and photographers love to visit Hidden Oaks. The Park has an antebellum railroad embankment that is part of the Virginia National Historic Landmark Manassas Gap Railroad. The Urban Woodlands exhibit reveals the secrets of an urban woodland forest. This exhibit features interactive stations in where children and parents alike can discover and learn through hands-on learning activities such as the indoor turtle pond.
Set within the 52 acre Annandale Community Park, Hidden Oaks Nature Center is located in the heart of Fairfax County, a few minutes inside the Capital Beltway. The woods surrounding the center feature an easy loop trail 1/3 mile long. Seasonal brochures enable visitors to discover the changing nature of the woodland at points along the trail. For further exploration, additional trails lead through the woods to two streams. Bird watching and photography are special pleasures in these quiet surroundings.
In December the Nature Center is open 9am to 5pm Monday, Wednesday-Friday; noon-5pm Saturday, Sunday; closed Tuesday. In January and February, the nature center is open 11am-4pm each day, closed on Tuesdays except for scheduled programs. The nature center is open 9am-5pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; noon-5pm Saturday, Sunday. Closed Tuesdays except for scheduled programs. Grounds open dawn to dusk. Call the nature center at 703-941-1065 for more information.
Annandale --- For a map of Annandale or to shop and compare homes for sale in Annandale.
Old Town waterfront
Alexandria's history as a colonial seaport is well-known in the area, and is one of the reasons that this city to calls to visitors from around the country and around the world. Alexandria's seaport was once a bustling place of industry and commerce, but the cargo ships and packets from foreign seas are long gone now. Today, Alexandria's waterfront is geared more toward the pleasant than the practical.
Where the Water Meets the the Road
At the end of King St. where the road meets the water, there are brick walkways and wooden decks. Plenty of benches and gazebos are there and in the evenings this is a place to find street musicians and other performers practicing their craft before wandering walkers .
In the left side of this picture is the Torpedo Factory, an Alexandria landmark. The Torpedo Factory was what the name implies: an edifice dedicated to the construction of naval weapons of war. But as the industry's needs grew beyond the space here on the Alexandria waterfront, the building was repurposed as an art and crafts center. The building now houses a good many artists is is a wonderful place for tourists and residents alike to visit.
The Torpedo Factory
The Torpedo Factory and the waterfront are very close to the Torpedo Factory condos---high end condos in Old Town. For a list of prices and to check the availability of condos click the Torpedo Factory Condos. If you're interested in searching condos, townhouses and houses around Old Town you might find this post useful.
King Street Trolley
Metro Access
Among other things, the waterfront at Alexandria is nice because it's metro accessible. Simply take the Metro to King St. Station and then ride the free trolley to the Waterfront. The trolley is a service of the City of Alexandria for visitors and residents. It's a fun and easy way to make your way across Old Town.
Nearby Parks and Trails
Waterfront Park on the Potomac in Old Town
Parks and paths line the waterfront these days. It's the perfect place for a walk on a Spring day.
Park along the Potomac in Alexandria VA
Benches are found at just the right places. These photos were taking on a weekday morning, but in the afternoons and evenings the waterfront wakes up. Tourists, joggers and walkers share this open public space.
A Colorado State University (CSU) study looked into home prices in conservation developments, where residential real estate is limited and usually 50 percent to 70 percent of the land is set aside as open space.
Ducks walk on the land off the George Washington Parkway next to the Potomac RIver
The research shows that home buyers are willing to pay a premium to live near such open, undeveloped tracts. Sarah Reed, co-author of the study, and her colleagues compared 2,222 home sales in five counties throughout Colorado between 1998 to 2011.
The conservation developments designated an average 64 percent of land as open space, while traditional rural subdivisions allocated just 4.9 percent. The study found that homes in conservation developments sold for 29 percent more than properties located in conventional residential projects.
Furthermore, increasing lot size in an undesignated conservation development hiked the market price by 38 cents per square foot, the report found. In nonconservation developments, a larger lot size translated to just 9 cents per square foot. The study was funded by the National Association of REALTORS® and CSU's School of Global Environmental Sustainability.
Source: “Why Homes With Open Space Command Big Bucks,” The Wall Street Journal (May 3, 2013)
Are You Seeking A 5 Bedroom Detached Home For Approximately $1,450,000?
If you need more details, Will Nesbitt can show you exactly what $1,450,000 can buy you in 22207 today. If you are seeking a mid 20th-century 5 bedroom detached home for approximately $1,450,000, your choices might be limited right now. 2407 N Rockingham St might be the best selection for you, but we have various…
2407 N Rockingham St Is A 5 BR Home In The Neighborhood Of A Metro
I am a veritable sage on luxury homes around East Falls Church Metro Station in 22207 . This slate of homes starts with a 1,900 sqft. detached home with 3 full baths and 0 half baths.
FROGS (Friends of Green Spring) is dedicated solely to the support of Green Spring Gardens, a unique Fairfax County (Virginia) Park Authority site. A gem of a public garden and historic site, the garden's 31 acres offer a multitude of settings, features, and programs to inspire and educate gardeners, provide a place for quiet contemplation for…
A group of Fairfax County residents gathered Sept. 19 at the Dyke Marsh Wildlife Preserve for what was billed as an open carry hike along the Mount Vernon Trail in protest of the recent Board of Supervisors vote to ban guns on public property.
Fairfax County has a number of RECenters throughout the county. One of these is the Audrey Moore RECenter at Wakefield Park. The park is located in Annandale just outside the Capitol Beltway. The center features swimming, fitness and racquetball facilities as well as other recreational activities such as crafts and dancing. The center is ADA accessible with curb ramps, automatic doors, ample parking, an elevator, and a wheelchair accessible unisex bathroom and dressing stalls.
The Audrey Moore RECenter at Wakefield Park has a natatorium (inside pool). The pool and natatorium is accessed via locker rooms containing saunas and showers. At the natatorium one will find a large 50 meter by 25 yard pool with one 3 meter and two 1 meter diving boards. The pool also has a Super Slide. The natatorium is equipped to handle swim-meets with plenty of seats for spectators.
In addition to a natatorium, this RECenter has a gymnasium with six basketball hoops and volleyball nets. The center has various courts for sports like racquetball, squash and wallyball. Local youth and adult leagues make good use of the gym, so it's a good idea to call the center to make reservations for courts. The center also contains a cycle studio.
Overlooking both the gym and the natatorium is a well-equipped fitness center. The fitness room features cardiovascular equipment and Cybex machines that are networked with FitLinxx. There fitness room has has free-weights and an area to stretch-out before your work-out. Check the calendar for both beginners and advanced group fitness classes.
The RECenter isn't just for sporting activities. Retired and older adults gather for activities at Audrey Moore's senior center. Dancers and soon-to-be dancers make good use of the dance room where instructors hold scheduled classes for a wide variety of activities like salsa dancing, ballroom dancing and square dancing and more. You can try your hand at arts and crafts in the craft room or even fire-up the kiln and make your own pottery in the pottery lab. Aspiring photographers can make use of the dark room.
Just outside the natorium is an outdoor sundeck. The center is situated in Wakefield Park which has many trails for bicyclists, joggers and walkers. A portion of the pride of Fairfax County Parks, the Cross County Trail, courses through the park. The Cross County Trail is over 40 miles long and connects the entire county from one end to the other.
Outside the center are lighted courts for basketball, volleyball, tennis, baseball, softball and soccer. The Wakefield Skate Park is found here as well. From early May to late October, the grounds are also used on Wednesday afternoons the Wakefield Farmers' Market. Audrey Moore RECenter
8100 Braddock Road
Annandale, Virginia
703-321-7081
Map/Directions
About the Author --- Aubrey Nesbitt is a native of Northern Virginia who attended Virginia Commonwealth University. He is a veteran of the US Army and helps his family business by providing informational articles like this one. In addition to photography and blogging, Aubrey provides administrative support for the office.
Hidden Oaks Nature Center is located at 7701 Royce St. in Annandale VA. The Hidden Oaks Nature Center is found within the 52 acre Annandale Community Park in Fairfax County. The nature center features a gently winding trail just one third of a mile long. The trail is perfect for an easy stroll because it works through the woods and then ends where it started. The County of Fairfax maintains this park and provides seasonal brochures that highlight the season. The Nature Center is open to students and the public providing reference materials about local fauna and flora.
Bird watchers and photographers love to visit Hidden Oaks. The Park has an antebellum railroad embankment that is part of the Virginia National Historic Landmark Manassas Gap Railroad. The Urban Woodlands exhibit reveals the secrets of an urban woodland forest. This exhibit features interactive stations in where children and parents alike can discover and learn through hands-on learning activities such as the indoor turtle pond.
Set within the 52 acre Annandale Community Park, Hidden Oaks Nature Center is located in the heart of Fairfax County, a few minutes inside the Capital Beltway. The woods surrounding the center feature an easy loop trail 1/3 mile long. Seasonal brochures enable visitors to discover the changing nature of the woodland at points along the trail. For further exploration, additional trails lead through the woods to two streams. Bird watching and photography are special pleasures in these quiet surroundings.
In December the Nature Center is open 9am to 5pm Monday, Wednesday-Friday; noon-5pm Saturday, Sunday; closed Tuesday. In January and February, the nature center is open 11am-4pm each day, closed on Tuesdays except for scheduled programs. The nature center is open 9am-5pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday; noon-5pm Saturday, Sunday. Closed Tuesdays except for scheduled programs. Grounds open dawn to dusk. Call the nature center at 703-941-1065 for more information.
Annandale --- For a map of Annandale or to shop and compare homes for sale in Annandale.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Stuart at (703)765-0300.
