Fairfax City: Nature, History and Places to Visit

Fairfax County offers a broader perspective, with more than 400 parks, gardens and natural spaces. Trails, wetlands, historic sites and museums offer a variety of ways to plan your stay.

Trails, Water and Nature

The Fairfax County Park Authority’s trails are shared by cyclists, walkers, joggers and horseback riders. One longer route is the Gerry Connolly Cross County Trail: it is 41.5 miles long and connects communities from Great Falls to Lorton. At Great Falls Park, three overlooks offer views of the waterfall; they are within about a 10-minute walk of the visitor center. The park also has more than 15 miles of hiking trails.

The landscapes also vary considerably. Riverbend Park has at least 12 miles of trails and 418 acres of woodland and meadow along the Potomac River. Huntley Meadows Park includes a 1,500-acre wetland; an elevated, half-mile boardwalk leads to an observation tower. More than 200 bird species have been recorded there. At Scott's Run Nature Preserve, part of the Potomac Gorge, spring blooms include Trailing Arbutus, Virginia Bluebells and Sessile Trillium.

For different types of trails, there are other options to compare: the boardwalk at Huntley Meadows is half a mile long, while Burke Lake Park has a 4.7-mile loop around the lake. Occoquan Regional Park has a 5-km walking loop; kayaks can also be rented there. Ellanor C. Lawrence Park combines woods, streams, meadows and a pond with pollinator gardens, a historic kitchen garden and historic buildings. Its history dates back 8,000 years. At the Woodlands Stewardship Education Center, visitors can learn more about protecting natural and cultural resources.

Gardens, History and Museums

Green Spring Gardens brings together several features: it is a museum, a National Historic Site, a horticultural park and an outdoor classroom. Its grounds include more than 20 themed demonstration gardens. Historic Green Spring is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a Virginia Landmark. Meadowlark Botanical Gardens spans 95 acres and is dedicated to the beauty of nature, plant diversity and conservation. It includes the 4.5-acre Korean Bell Garden, created in collaboration with the Korean American Cultural Committee.

Historic tours focus on different subjects. At Historic Huntley, tours are offered on Saturdays at 10:30 a.m. and noon from April through the end of October; check the current schedule before your visit. Tours at Sully Historic Site cover the 1794 house, quarters for enslaved people, the kitchen, the laundry and other historic buildings. Colvin Run Mill is an operating, water-powered 19th-century gristmill. The grounds are open daily from sunrise to sunset; as hours may change, check them before your visit. Grain is available for purchase in the shop.

Museums and performance venues also have distinct themes. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center displays more than 3,000 aviation and space artifacts in two large hangars, including more than 200 aircraft and spacecraft. The National Museum of the United States Army tells more than 250 years of U.S. Army history. Wolf Trap hosts performances at the Filene Center and Theatre-in-the-Woods; as schedules can change, it is worth checking the current event calendar.

Recreation and Getting There

At Lake Fairfax Park, boats are available to rent on a 20-acre lake; there are also trails and a skate park. The Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole features tube rides on the Rattlesnake Lazy River, a children’s pool at Tenderfoot Pond, slides, tunnels and interactive play features for young children. At Burke Lake Park, a miniature train, carousel, mini-golf and disc-golf courses complement the loop trail. Rowboats, canoes and motorboats are also available to rent there.

Those looking to combine time on the water with wildlife watching will find more than 8.5 miles of trails with views of the bay at Pohick Bay Regional Park. Paddling excursions there offer views of bald eagles, great blue herons, ospreys, fish and other wildlife. Pirate’s Cove Waterpark in Lorton has water slides, splash areas and play areas. The Walney Visitor Center displays live reptiles and amphibians.

For getting there, Fairfax County lists access to three airports, Amtrak train connections and a growing regional Metrorail line. When choosing a hotel in Fairfax City, compare current connections with your specific travel plans. This way, you can consider your search location and planned activities as separate but equally important factors.

Discover more destinations: Fairfax, Emporia, Falls Church, Culpeper County, Rockingham County, Danville, King William County, Patrick County

For the main travel overview: Virginia.