If you're relocating to Northern Virginia, you’ll never lack for something exciting to do. From entertaining to educational, for the young and old, there are many, many things that will suit your tastes and preferences.
Fun Family Activities
When considering activities for the young, or not so young, the Leesburg Animal Park is a great place where you can get an “up close and personal” look at exotic animals like deer, squirrel monkeys, ring-tailed lemurs, parrots; as well feeding and petting some domesticated ones like llamas, donkeys, sheep, and goats.
Another popular place with families is the Splashdown Waterpark. It’s an eleven-acre water park with five different water areas for hours of wet fun. You can spend the day sliding down chutes into the refreshing water, float down a lazy river, or swim laps in a pool. You can even lounge on the beach area or play volleyball or tennis.
Historical Activities
Families relocating to Northern Virginia also enjoy the many museums which focus on different and often times unusual topics. For example, the Newseum allows you to actually go “behind the scenes” to discover and experience what it is like to present the news as a reporter or television newscaster. You will re-live some of the greatest news events of all time through the exhibits and memorabilia. You can even experience today’s news on a block-long video wall!
If our nation’s history interests you, this area is steeped in it. The Manassas Museum, a 7,000-square-foot building on eight acres, has excellent exhibits featuring the Northern Virginia Piedmont history and two exhibit videos describing the settlement of the region and how the Civil War impacted the area.
The Fredericksburg Area Museum will allow you to watch the unfolding of Fredericksburg’s rich history. You'll explore with its earliest settlers, the Native American Indians and their cultures. You'll experience the excitement of the birth of this nation during the American Revolution, the horrors of the Civil War, and the rapid changes that took place in the twentieth century.
Horticultural Activities
When you want to take a leisurely stroll around in a gorgeous park, or perhaps pick up some tips on making your own home gardens lovelier, you can visit the Green Spring's Garden Park. This is a 27-acre park located in Alexandria, Virginia, literally just a few minutes drive from the Nation’s Capitol. Five acres of gardens are open for your enjoyment and educational programs are offered in an 18th century manor house. You can also attend classes in the visitor’s center or research your gardening questions in the horticultural library.
The Arts
The renown artist, Gari Melcher’s home and studio is now a museum featuring the largest collection of his works anywhere. Known for his American figure painting, Melcher was one of the most celebrated artists of his day. He depicted with unwavering specificity, the essential character of a place and its people, causing many to view his style as old-fashioned. But his works also testify to the country’s artistic vibrancy at the beginning of the twentieth century.
For a sophisticated evening of entertainment, you might consider one of the performances by classical and contemporary playwrights in Old Towne Manassas; or for a very special night out, the Lazy Susan Dinner Theater might be an excellent choice.
Whatever your preferences may be, if you are relocating to Northern Virginia, you will find these and many, many other attractions of the area suitable for fun and entertainment as well as enriching experiences for your family and friends.
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