Music and concerts
No. Virginia and Tourism – Perfect Together?
When was the last time you were a tourist in your own backyard?
Most residents of Fairfax County and the northern Virginia area think they live in the shadow of Washington DC tourism. Who can compete with attractions such as the White House, the Capitol, the historical monuments and the Smithsonian museums?
But a closer look at Northern Virginia makes one realize how much there is to see before trekking into DC.
Start with a trip to George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens in Mount Vernon, VA. Open year round (including Christmas), Mount Vernon includes a restaurant, food court and shop, all recently renovated,
Fairfax County is home to Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, the nation’s only national park dedicated to the performing arts. Wolf Trap, with indoor and outdoor concert venues, is in Vienna, just off the Dulles Toll Road about halfway between downtown Washington and Dulles Airport.
When the Smithsonian ran out of room at its DC based National Air and Space Museum, it built a beautiful extension in Chantilly, VA. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center displays the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird, Boeing B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay and the Space Shuttle Enterprise among others. There is also an Airbus IMAC Theater.
Nature lovers can visit Great Falls National Park for its hiking trails and beautiful views. Like Wolf Trap, it, too, is run by the National Park Service.
History, adventure, the theater and a hike? Sounds like a great vacation is just around the corner.
