The Mason Neck Conservation Committee was formed in 1965 after two bald eagle nests were spotted. The committee, concerned about impending development on the peninsula, recommended part of the area to be used as a site for a state park. In August 1967 the commonwealth began purchasing land parcels from The Nature Conservancy.
Mason Neck
Mason Neck State Park is on a peninsula formed by Pohick Bay on the north, Belmont Bay on the south and the Potomac River on the east. The park attracts migrating and non-migrating species of birds, including tundra swans, herons, assorted species of duck and bald eagles. The park consists of several hundred acres of hardwood forests. Several wetland areas are also found at Mason Neck State Park.
The park is in southern Fairfax County, about 20 miles from Washington, D.C. Access to the park is via U.S. 1. From northern Virginia the drive time is approximately 30 minutes from Washington, D.C., 45 minutes; Tidewater/Norfolk/Virginia Beach, three hours; Richmond, one and a half hours; Roanoke, four hours.
Mason Neck is a day use park and has no overnight facilities.
Mason Neck offers hiking, biking and self-guided trails. Four miles of unpaved hiking trails and three miles of paved multi-use trails wind through the park providing a glimpse of nature by the bay. Elevated walkways allow visitors to explore some of the marsh areas in the park. Ten bicycles are available for rent by the hour.
Fresh and brackish water fishing are available, however, you must have a valid Virginia or Maryland fishing license. There are no facilities for boat launching via trailer. From April through October, kayaks and canoes are available for rent, an hour or all day, to explore Belmont Bay or Kane's Creek - a great way to see eagles.
Other attractions the park offers include: hunting, festivals, workshops, a visitor center.
The park's environmental education center has a gift shop with park-oriented merchandise and souvenirs. Educational programs include pond study, bird-watching, canoe trips, active volunteer program, night hikes, teacher workshops, hands-on experiential educational opportunities, and evening programs.
Programs include:
Your Backyard Classrooms program is a 40-activity curriculum guide for K-12 teachers
Junior Rangers: Junior Rangers is a day-long program for children 7 to 10. It offers hands-on environmental education that covers stewardship and strong conservation, recreation and protection ethics. Several sessions with varying themes are held each summer. Contact the park for dates and fees.
Wee Rangers: Wee Rangers is a two-hour program for children 4 to 6 with accompanying adults. It’s a fun, hands-on introduction to the natural world. Several sessions with varying themes are offered each summer. Contact the park for dates and fees.
Accessibility include: Picnic area with handicapped accessible restroom facility; fully accessible playground; six handicap parking spaces; a fully accessible paved hiking trail.
For more information about Mason Neck State Park,contact (703) 339-2385 or (703) 339-2380 (visitor center); email [email protected]
Lorton Rail Station is located at 8990 Lorton Station Boulevard in Lorton, Virginia. It is currently only serviced by the Virginia Rail Express - Fredericksburg Line. This station is one mile north from the Amtrak Auto Train Lorton station.
Amenities include: bike racks; free surface parking; local transit connections; newspaper racks, and a quiet Car. This platform is ADA accessible and serves the Fredericksburg Line only.
Ticket vending machines at this location only accept credit or debit cards, cash ticket purchases must be purchased at an off-site vendor location.
Local connections with Amtrak, Arlington ART Bus, DASH, DC Circulator, Fairfax Connector, GRTC and Mark are available, just to name a few. Many bus connections are free with a valid VRE ticket. For more information on connection services contact the VRE offices at (703) 684-1001.
Mountain View Alternative High school is one of the great unique opportunities in northern Virginia, or more specifically, Fairfax County. Located in Centreville at 5775 Spindle Court Centreville, VA 20121, this school is tucked away from the rest of the extremely busy school. When in high school you can apply to go here, and I would say that it is well worth the effort.
Mountain View is a completely unique learning experience. Where most high schools in the area have around three thousand students, Mountain View has a maximum of three hundred at a time. At base school any student needs at least for years to graduate, but at Mountain you can graduate in only two. Mountain View upholds the ideals of family, love, and respect.
Mountain View obtains these goals of graduating early by making the classes smaller and more personal. Each student has plenty of one on one time with the teacher and can set their own pace. They have no age limit and offer evening classes as well for anyone who needs a leg up, or a late diploma. Mountain View is also surrounded by many good restaurants within walking distance. This is very good because there is an open campus lunch policy, at which time the students are free to go wherever they would like for a forty-five minute lunch break. In this way, and many other ways, Mountain View gives back to it's surrounding community.
Buffalo Wild Wings, a national sports bar chain, opened its newest restaurant in Crystal City in January. This new location is the fourth in the greater Washington DC area.
Buffalo Wild Wings offers a casual dining / sports bar atmosphere. Large high-definition televisions line the walls, broadcasting the day’s best sports matchups. During major or local sporting events, the restaurant attracts large and lively crowds. Unlike typical sports bars, the
Food is moderately priced, with Buffalo Wings featured as the signature menu item. A wide selection of wing sauces is offered, and many different beers are available. Recommended for folks looking for a casual dining experience or a fun place to watch a game.
Ever wanted to have access to the city without actually having to drive there? This desire is what has sky-rocketed the real estate market in the area of McLean. It has been a magnet for established and young professionals who want to escape the city commute and find a retreat for their hard earned cash. Although, McLean has typically housed old money, its recent growth has encouraged those who have just acquired it or at least desire to, to plant some roots.
Locals find that they have a vast number of options for upscale shopping, dining, and entertainment. With the beltway only a few minutes away, you still have the ability to get to all of the elements D.C. has to offer. The interesting point is that the area has recently begun to eliminate the need to travel elsewhere to find what you’re looking for. The Galleria mall has allowed access to upscale shopping. Restaurants like Ruth Kris, Morton’s Steakhouse, and Capital Grill are all within minutes and are considered local luxuries. Coincidentally, if you are a lover of the arts, you would be happy to know that Wolf Trap is around the corner. Perhaps you are looking for a posh location without the hassle of the commute. Then, McLean just might be the place for you.
Fairfax County and City of Fairfax – 6th Best Place for a Long LifeFairfax County along with the independent city of Fairfax was distinguished by Time’s Money in 2008 as the sixth “Best Place for a Long Life” due to a high life expectancy of 80.9 years. Fairfax County is generally considered to be one of the richest counties in the nation with its median income of over $100,000.
Several first-rate hospitals are based in Fairfax County including the Inova Health System, a nationally recognized network of hospitals, outpatient services, care facilities and healthcare centers. It serves more than a million patients each year and leads among the not-for-profit healthcare providers in Northern Virginia. In 2010, a member of Inova’s network, Inova Fair Oaks Hospital earned a Premier Award for Quality for its excellent healthcare. Fairfax County also houses the northern terminal for Amtrak’s Auto Train which specifically runs from Lorton, VA letting you take your van or car with you on the train to Sanford, Florida. This is the only rail transport in the United States offering this kind of service.
The county is home to the nation’s sole national park for the performing arts known as the Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts or simply Wolf Trap regarded as the most striking amenity in the county. It brings entertainment to audiences with its theater performances, pop music, dance and opera staging in multiple park venues all year round right in Fairfax County.
Located near Ferry Landing Road and Forest Haven in southern Fairfax County, Mount Vernon Park sits beautifully under shade provided by mature trees. In fact, that’s how this community got its name: The trees give it a park-like feel.
While it’s in a peaceful, cul-de-sac area, residents have many options. The Potomac River, Mount Vernon Mansion and Mount Vernon Country Club aren’t far from the community. Plus, commuters will enjoy its proximity to the GW Parkway.
While many of these homes were built in the mid to late 1950s, they’ve been renovated to provide a feeling of modern yet classic charm.
The Manassas Farmer’s Market is held every Thursday from the 3rd of April to the 20th of November and every Saturday from the 5th of April to the 22nd of November at the Harris Pavilion located on 9201 Center Street in Manassas, VA 20110.
A wide variety of home grown products can be found at Manassas Farmer’s Market sponsored by Historic Manassas, Inc. All products sold are locally grown alongside organic meat and seafood.
Schedule as follows:
April 3 to November 20 (7am to 1pm) at Harris Pavilion
April 5 to November 22 (7am to 2:30pm) at the Visitor’s Parking Lot on West Street.
The Manassas Farmer’s Market is only open in November if weather permits.
Boasting its Victorian architectural beauty, the Lee- Fendall House interprets the life and living of the Lee family from 1850 to 1870 with the well restored house and cared for garden. The Lee-Fendall House is situated in the Historic District of Old Town Alexandria on Lee Corner, at the junction of North Washington and Oronoco Streets within the neighborhood where other Lee Homes were located in the 18th and 19th centuries.
General Robert E. Lee’s father, Henry “Light Horse Harry” Lee who was a revolutionary war hero, sold the piece of land situated at the corner of Oronoco Street to his cousin Philip Richard Fendall who later on built his family home on this land in 1785. The Lee family resided on this land from 1785 to 1903 even when the Union Army had taken over the property to establish a hospital for its soldiers in 1863. After the departure of the last Lee member from the property, Robert Downham resided in the house till 1937 when he conveyed the property to John L. Lewin, who in turn lived there till his death in 1969.
The half acre garden of the Lee-Fendall House is a well managed garden overseen by the Alexandria Council of Garden Clubs consisting of 24 garden clubs ever since 1974. A variety of heritage roses, collection of herbs, English boxwoods, Black Walnut Trees, Gingko, Magnolia Grandiflora and scampering squirrels along with the tombstone of Philip R. Fendall’s mother, Eleanor Fendall can be found in this cared for garden.
The Lee- Fendall House Museum and Garden is located at 614 Oronoco Street in Alexandria VA 22314. For more information about tours, events, rentals and the like, please call 703 548 1789 or visit www.leefendallhouse.org.
Situated directly across Washington DC’s Potomac River, Arlington VA is an urban county that covers a total land area of 26 square miles. The properties in the area are a varied mix of commercial buildings and residential units. The metropolitan district can be easily accessed both by car and public transportation.
Some of the urban villages included in Arlington County are the following:
We are Realtors serving Arlington Virginia.Arlington Ridge – boasts of its mansion-lined boulevard and a picturesque view of surrounding areas including Washington D.C.
Aurora Highlands – offers cottages and homes close to Crystal City
Ballston – home to tall condominiums and modern apartment complexes on the metro
Clarendon – offers a unique combination of luxury apartments, townhouses, upscale chain stores, trendy bars and restaurants
Court House – where you can find the government administrative complex of Arlington County as well as high-rise business and residential buildings
Crystal City – where high-rise buildings extensively integrate residential and commercial units thus allowing residents to live, work and shop without literally going out
Fairlington – consists mainly of condominium apartments and townhouses
Rosslyn – numerous skyscrapers characterize the dense business section that also serves as the gateway to Washington DC
Shirlington – most of the residential buildings are middle-class but several upscale dwelling and commercial establishments are starting to rise in the Beltway
Ticket vending machines at this location only accept credit or debit cards, cash ticket purchases must be purchased at an off-site vendor location.
Local connections with Amtrak, Arlington ART Bus, DASH, DC Circulator, Fairfax Connector, GRTC and Mark are available, just to name a few. Many bus connections are free with a valid VRE ticket. For more information on connection services contact the VRE offices at (703) 684-1001.
Buffalo Wild Wings offers a casual dining / sports bar atmosphere. Large high-definition televisions line the walls, broadcasting the day’s best sports matchups. During major or local sporting events, the restaurant attracts large and lively crowds. Unlike typical sports bars, the
Food is moderately priced, with Buffalo Wings featured as the signature menu item. A wide selection of wing sauces is offered, and many different beers are available. Recommended for folks looking for a casual dining experience or a fun place to watch a game.
