If you haven't been to Steven F Udvar-Hazy Center, aka the National Air & Space Museum right next…read moreto Dulles Airport, go!! It will NOT disappoint. First off...the museum offers free extra large storage lockers, large enough to fit a large rolling suitcase, so it's a super cool spot to check out before heading to the airport. And the displays! The Challenger Space Shuttle is always one of my favorites. You can't fully appreciate the size until you stand under and walk around it. Displays range from history of rockets to air balloons, early winged aircraft, military planes, commercial flight (there's a Concord on display), small aircraft and satellites. So much to take in!! The displays do change, so there's always something new to see when we've gone thru. All the docents are super friendly and engaging and they have several small interactive displays to help stoke the interest in air & space for the youngins as well!

Amazing! Incredible! These just scratch the surface of what you can experience at this museum…read more Having been to the National Air & Space Museum in the past, I remember when this extension opened near IAD. The big draw at the time, the Space Shuttle Columbia and a Skunkworks SR-71. Both highly impressive, more on that later. We arrived on a Monday just after it opened at 10am. It was like Romper Room with all the unruly kids blocking the entrance and cause a disturbance. Sadly the chaperones didn't seem to care. No entry fee to visit the center, there's even a free bus of you have an extended layover in IAD, but parking is $15. Still well worth the cost without the crowds in DC visiting the other museums. There are some great exhibitions! Lots of aircraft from a SPAD to a JSF. It was neat to see some private aviation aircraft along with lighter than air and aerobatics. The commercial side of aviation was a bit lacking. Yes, the Concorde is very impressive but neurons that and a Dash-80, annotation seemed to end about 1995. The space exhibitions were excellent. The Columbia was highly impressive to walk around and take in this has been to spaces numerous times and the first shuttle in space. Satellites, modern mission equipment, like Mars explorers AB's various heavy boosters. Was neat to see equipment from the early years of NASA, Mercury, Gemini and the legends who made history. The Vietnam and Korean displays were some of the best from MiGs to F-14s to the JSF. Really awesome to get up close and personal with these aircraft AB's pilots who flew them. The SR-71 is attire the display in the middle of the center with lots of information on its, little more than hour flight time from LAX to IAD. Just so much to see. But something you can do in a few hours, or all day off you want to read AB's experience all there is. Not as overwhelming as the Air & Space Museum but still highly impressive from young kids to aviation enthusiasts and everyone in between. Highly recommend this stop!

This is a nice little historic site from Richard Bland Lee. There is a small gift shop/visitor's…read morecenter, a couple of outer buildings, then the main house. Our tour guide was great at explaining the history of the house and all the people who lived here. She explained the uses of each room and what was authentic. There was a small, old-fashioned classroom (since they educated local children) and an upper floor with a bunch of spinning equipment they show off more on field trips. Our tour group had about 6 people, so it was quiet and easy to ask questions if we had them. It was a nice little site and window into life in the 19th century.

If you are visiting the Air and Space Museum by Dulles Airport and find yourself with a little time…read moreto kill then this is a nice park to visit. It is a historical site that was the plantation home of Richard Bland Lee, Northern Virginia's first Representative to Congress, and his wife Elizabeth Collins Lee. It was built in 1794. It is a huge complex, covering 65 acres. It is an adequate parking lot and is well maintained. The site has a bookstore/visitor's center/gift shop. There are some picnic tables near this building where you can sit, eat, and or relax, some of which are shaded. You will also find some building structures at the site that that include the main house, a smokehouse, which you will see fake meat hanging from the overhead, and a replica slave quarter. If you are driving here, there are two parking lots for you to park. You will find a ton of green space, some trails, and additional picnic tables by the main house. I like that this site does not shy away from its slavery past. It faces it head on and pays tribute to those that were enslaved. I like this site. It provides a bit of a history lesson through informational placards placed along the grounds. Gives hikers an opportunity to explore and work out, and is also a place of peace and relaxation. The site has a decent event schedule that includes: Dairy Days-Ice Cream Making & Butter, Peaches and Cream, A Visit With Santa, Colorful Pumpkins, Making a Scarecrow, classic car shows, and various scout merit badge opportunities. In addition to all of that, they offer tours. There is always something going on here. It was pretty chill and laid back during my visit. There were not a lot of people there. This is a neat place to check out. You could spend about 2 hours here exploring.

Can't believe no one's rated this yet. AMAZING place if you're an aircraft aficionado. It's got…read moresome legendary aircraft's like the Discovery shuttle, the SR-71 Blackbird, the STOVL model of the X-35B (which is now the F-35 Lightning) including the engines on display, F-14 Tomcat, the Concorde and HUNDREDS of more civilian and military aircrafts & artifacts. Parking is $15 standard and Entry is "FREE" which means you get here at 10 and can spend until 5:30pm any day of the week! There's restaurants, an Airbus IMAX experience and a souvenir shop. Guided tours provided as well which are EXTREMELY informative. https://maps.app.goo.gl/7AJTEZ5TxQeY1q1k8?g_st=ic

The Heritage Farm Museum is one of my favorite ways to entertain a toddler on a rainy / hot / snowy…read moreday! You can spend a full morning here, running around, playing, and exploring all the different exhibits and not get bored. The general store is a personal favorite and my kiddos love putting on an apron, stocking and restocking shelves, and pretending to purchase bread and potatoes. There is also a little interactive farm, one room school house, and recreation of an old timey kitchen that are a big hit with our toddler set. In nicer weather days, they have actual farm demonstrations and lots of tractors and other wheeled contraptions for kids to look at. The cost of a morning of fun? $5 for adults, $3 for kids, and FREE NINETY NINE for the two and under set. You can tire your kiddos out, grab lunch at nearby Ridgetop Coffee (which has an indoor playroom), and have a peaceful car nap home. Truly one of the best hidden gems for families here in Nova.

Great spot to spend a few hours with your toddler! The museum is small but perfectly sized for…read moresmall toddlers that need to burn energy on a hot or rainy day. The woman at the front desk was incredibly nice and helpful. The play areas were clean and creative. There farm area and general store were our toddler's favorite! Would definitely recommend and we will be back soon

Since my last review, I ended up purchasing a family membership to the Children's Science Center…read moreand it is the BEST purchasing decision I have made all year. It's close proximity means that I have a go-to spot to bring the kids on school breaks, rainy days, cold days, or whenever we simply have nothing to do. While there are a few standing exhibits, the staff does a really good job at changing things up (and keeping things topical) so each visit feels special. And the best part... SLIME. We've made slime conductors, spider slime, fluffy slime, snowflake slime, glow-in-the-dark slime .. basically alll the slime. The experiment lab always has a slime option and it is a highlight of every visit. My eldest daughter went from barely reading and needing help at the beginning of our membership to fully reading and creating experiments on her own. It is so much fun to see. For the littles, there is a small playroom with building blocks, magnatiles, books, and those large blue fort/construction material building materials. My two-year old loved spending time in this room but now that she is three she likes making her own hovercrafts and setting them sail in the wind tunnel. The staff is SO kind, SO helpful, and so passionate about what they do. I love how they offer volunteer/internship opportunities to teens and will also set up special traveling science labs to Title I schools. If you are a member you also get discounted or free visits to children's science museums all across the United States which has made this membership 100% worth it for our family. If you are looking for an experience gift to give a little one this year, I highly recommend the Children's Science Center!

Had a great time with my toddler today. She's not quite two so her admission was free and there's a…read more$2 discount for purchasing tickets in advance. I was worried there wouldn't be enough activity for her age but she had a blast playing with exhibits and blocks in the interactive room. She also made "play dough" as an experiment. The staff were all friendly and helpful, we will definitely be back.

This museum is AMAZING! Clean, quiet, open 364 days a year and IT'S FREE! If you are passionate…read moreabout history and like guns you will absolutely love this museum. I went on a Saturday but learned that during the week there is an extremely knowledgeable curator. I highly recommend this museum. Also they have a range at the museum so definitely don't forget to check that out as well.

Epic collection of firearms with a rich history. The staff at the museum were very professional and…read moreanswered all my questions thoroughly. The firearm collection is very extensive and goes beyond my highest expectations. We were immediately greeted at the front desk by Zack. He was very informative about the museum. 98% of the museum is made up of donations. About 8,000 firearms donated are in storage. Bill, one of the staff, was very helpful and talked about James Joseph "Whitey" Bulger Jr.. I was impressed at the arrangement of the firearms and how they were organized in a meaningful way. It would take many hours to go through and read all the exhibits. We spent about two hours there. I was very impressed with the exhibit of weapons used in Hollywood movies. I adored the exhibit with taxidermy animals especially the bear. The Buffalo Bill and George Washington exhibit were very eye catching as well. The most spectacular moment in the museum was hearing about and see an exhibit piece owned by one of America's most notorious criminals, Charles Manson. The museum curator, Ernie, gave me vivid details of how the gun was confiscated by the police. Admission to the museum is free and one of Fairfax's finest and unique local attractions. Strongly recommend this museum.

The Haymarket Museum is housed in a small, historic building that I believe was originally built…read moreback in the 1880s. Originally, back in the day, it was used as a schoolhouse. In the modern era, as a Museum, it is used to chronicle the history of the Town of Haymarket - from as far back as 1760 or so. It's also used as a public space from time-to-time for electoral and civic purposes. For example - a couple of years ago - it was open for folks to cast absentee votes in a Presidential election - for folks that would not be in town during the election. I ended up standing in line here to cast my absentee vote. The Museum is currently closed but will reopen in the Spring of 2011. Gorgeous little building right off Route 55 - worth stopping in for a visit!

This is a fascinating little railroad museum in a lovely tree covered setting at Fairfax Station…read more Originally the 1903 local train station, the building was moved to this site and restored in 1980. Today, the museum is opened on Sundays from 1:00 - 4:00, but offers special tours for groups and scouts. Admission is modest ($5) to tour the building. The railroad had historic importance for commerce across North Virginia in the 1850's. During the Civil War, the line was used to bring wounded troops to this location, where they were nursed by Clara Barton. The line also carried supplies. Outside is a 20th century caboose that visitors can look inside. There is also a train car for the 1950s. The parking lot holds about a dozen cars including several handicapped spaces. There are a few picnic tables under the trees to have a snack. The grounds are immaculate and beautiful. This is a great place to bring the kids or you favorite history buff for the afternoon.

Cool free museum from the outside…read more Inside pay a nominal donation for an indoor exhibit. Location: Hidden in Fairfax County VA off Ox Road. Built in 1852; was a depot built by Irish immigrants--Fairfax Station!! Typically, open on the weekends. Mainly Sundays. Check the schedule on the website. For kids -- toy trains to play with inside. Build a toy train track, plenty of toy trains. Parking -- free. With overflow parking across the street.

Oatlands is a beautiful house that merges the history of the 18th-century Carter owners and the…read more20th-century Eustises, who donated the house to the public. The house was beautifully decorated at the holidays. The tour guide seemed not to like or want to focus on the history of the house or the objects inside unless asked. It felt like she was bringing a lot of personal biases to her perspective, which made the experience a lot less enjoyable than it could have been otherwise. She took us through the first-floor rooms and then announced the top floor is self-guided only. At the admission price, that detracted from it being a better experience. The National Trust for Historic Preservation is the new manager of the site, and they bring a historical interpretation to the site that some visitors may not find as valuable as the tours given by the previous volunteer staff. There is a garden, a greenhouse, and a nice-sized gift shop. It's a beautiful house, and I did like getting some information on the inhabitants and the long history of the property. The presentation itself needed improvement, but the site was worth preserving.

I wasn't going to rate the Oatlands because we attended the Stage Coach Theater at the Oatlands but…read moreI believe it also deserved to be rated! The road down to the main building was not paved, very long and bumpy. Once you arrive to where you're ready to park there really aren't any signs directing you of where to go so we went up to someone at the big building and asked if we were at the right place to which they confirmed we were. I would suggest a larger sign on the main road stating that the entrance is coming up rather than right at the entrance. There was a very cute store inside which would have been very nice to shop at but there was only one person working the pay line which was also full of people buying drinks and cocktails. I highly suggest at least 2 people working that area in the beginning when people are arriving and definitely at intermission. We would have purchased more if we were able to get in line, purchase our items, and be back in time but we didn't think we would make it back in time. Also, when leaving any event, PLEASE be very careful. There weren't any lights leading away from the building to the parking lot which was pretty scary given that it also was not paved or a sidewalk. It was rocks/dirt and we all had to use our phones to leave. This could be dangerous for others that may have more of a difficult time seeing at night.