10 Best Things to do in Northern Virginia With a Family

There is absolutely a reason for the origin of the phrase “Virginia is for lovers”. The state has everything from mountains to beaches to roadside wonders. If you live in Northern Virginia, you will probably have something new for every day. Here are 10 things to do if you are visiting Northern Virginia with family.

Meadows botanical Garden, Vienna VA

The meadows botanical garden covers almost 95 acres and has a beautiful, serene ambiance. There are trails leading to different parts of the garden, lined with cherry trees, peonies, wild flowers, and irises. There is also a lake surrounded by lush green lawns. The place is perfect for hiking, picnics, and strolls.

Reston Zoo, Reston VA

Reston Zoo is located at 1228 Hunter mill Road and offers safari rides to the visitors. The zoo has zebras, ostriches, lambs, bisons and buffalos among others. Reston Zoo is centrally located near Reston Town Centre and newly build Wiehle Metro Station.

Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington VA

This 612-acre cemetery is one of the most popular tourist sites in Northern Virginia. More than 400,000 civilians and service members have been buried here. The cemetery is located just opposite to the capital and also has the graves of US Presidents William Howard Taft and Jon F. Kennedy.

Old Town Alexandria, Old Town Alexandria VA

Old town Alexandria is that part which lies along the Potomac, in the east and southeast portions. The area has a number of popular landmarks like the Lee Fendall House, Torpedo Factory, Gatsby’s Tavern and the MT Vernon Trail.

NRA National Firearms Museum, Fairfax VA

This is a museum which is opened and maintained by the national Fire Arms Association. The museum displays the history of the evolution of firearms and also showcases some of the weapons that were used during the civil war. The museum stands on an area of 15,000 sq feet and displays more than 3000 guns.

Tysons corner shopping mall, McLean VA

The Tysons corner shopping mall is probably the place where you can get almost everything. There are game plazas, high-end restaurants, and luxury brand outlets. A visit to the Tysons corner would keep you thoroughly busy throughout the day.

Reston Town Center, Reston VA

Reston town center has open sidewalks and a number of retail stores. This may be the best area for shopping, the streets are lined with beautiful fountains and a number of boutiques.

Great Fall Park, Great Falls VA

The Great Falls Park is an 800-acre wide national park situated along the banks of the Potomac River. The venues are perfect for picnics and other outdoor activities such as hiking, rock climbing, kayaking, horse riding and cycling.

Burke Lake Park, Burke VA

Burke lake is situated in the Fairfax county and is a perfect place to hang out with kids. There are also ice cream parlors adjacent to the park. The place is especially very breezy during the summer months.

Wolf trap National Park for performing arts, Vienna VA

This Northern Virginia center for performing arts has entertaining performances as well as educative programs on the list throughout the year. The stage hosts everything from blues to pop, rock, country and even opera and orchestra.