My kids and I call the is Royal Lake park and it's a nice neighborhood/local park. A nice lake you…read morecould kayak in (not too many ppl), with geese, turtles and ducks. Very busy Saturday mornings during some seasons due to soccer (so parking lot will be full). There's a pretty good toddler and bigger kid playground structure and basketball court. It's about a mile walk across the lake with some paved parts but other parts are gravel and dirt and stairs. You'll have to carry a stroller at some points if taking stroller. Beautiful to look at the tree line during Fall.

It's nothing extraordinary. Right off of Pommeroy St, this is a small place with a playground. The…read moreset is decent enough for little ones. The field is of substantial size to throw a football around, or maybe fly a kite, but the goose poop isn't so attractive. That alone is a reason why the Canadian Honkers have less bag limits, during hunting season so please hit 'em up. As for the view, I do appreciate Lake Royal. Only two lakes in Virginia are natural, but this one has herons and an occasional eagle. Fishing from this side is ok, but it's far more action on opposite. Parking is for the most part adequate. Can't beat the price of admission, as it's free, and the adjacent trail is a pleasant one.

The McLean Central Park playground was recently renovated and we visited one of the first opening…read moreweekends. The slide/swings look very new and there are different levels of playground for various age groups. The playground is small compared to the nearby Clemyjontri park but the "brand new" facility is attractive to kids. There are trails nearby as well which we may come back for another time. Plenty of parking nearby.

This is my son's favorite park! The equipment is new and in good condition. There is a variety of…read moreequipment for different ages and interests. There are gazebos if you want some shade. It's never too crowded and we've always had a good experience with the other families and kids that play here. There is easy parking in a parking lot with a short walk to the park. It is connected to the McLean Central Library, which is convenient.

This is a smaller neighborhood type park with a pretty good trail and more of a legit woods feel in…read moreplaces than a lot of suburban trails while also being right in people's backyards in other places. It's only a few miles long and there wasn't any parking to speak of on Etsel Road so I just parked on the street in the neighborhood and didn't get towed or anything so I guess it's fine. You can also take the trail into Fairfax City and get something to eat or whatever. They also have a coyote warning sign but I didn't see any, not sure if I should be disappointed and grateful! This is a worth checking out if you're in the area and have an hour or so to spend going for a walk.

It's a nice place if in the area. Admittedly still saddened, that Army Navy Golf Course developed…read morethe land it bought, taking away some of the woods that used to exist here. Yes it was their property, but the bike hills and rope swing were so much fun. This is still a good neighborhood park. It connects Old Lee Hills with Fairview, and the paths are well maintained. You'll enjoy hiking your dog here, or biking through it. There is a lot of wildlife in here. It's a nice spot to see deer, or other animals who do coexist with us. There's a stream with small fish too. Hoping the city will always maintain this so well, along with volunteers who lovingly handle invasive plants. There are some benches too. I recommend sitting here and relaxing sometimes. It's healthy and a good place for it.

Went to the newly added playground at the Pat Rodio Park near Van Dyck playground in Fairfax. My…read moretwo toddlers had an absolute blast, the playground is brand new, there are slides, swings, monkey bars, see saws etc that will keep your little ones occupied for an hour. They also have an existing playground across the field, of which my two todds thoroughly enjoyed. Parking is free for 3 hrs nearby the neighborhood. Will recommend!

Forgot to add photos. My error but will remember next time. Pat Rodio was an exemplary citizen. He…read morewas known as a little league volunteer extraordinaire, and served I believe 5 terms on the city council. This was once called Keith Park I believe. Yet way to go Fairfax City. A good man and rightfully deserved. This park is good for little ones. It's near where the old Paul the 6th was. There have been a lot of changes. Kids will enjoy the climbing friendly playground. I was happy for the comfortable bench after exercise. It is a decent neighborhood park.

April 15, 2026 - A hidden gem and fascinating park we discovered recently since we moved here in…read more2023. It has been an incredibly fun adventure for us - finding parks and places to enjoy, hike, and immerse ourselves in the nature, beauty of the outdoors, and wildlife in Virginia & Maryland. We walked all the trails in the Hidden Pond Park and liked spending time in the Hidden Pond Nature Center in the park. There are many activities for children and adults in the parks. The staff there were friendly and helpful. The park is well maintained and there are so many picturesque areas and hiking trails to experience there. We spent about three hours in the park. The park was peaceful and quiet. We experienced no traffic and saw very few people during our hike on the trails. Austin, one of the staff in the Nature Center, said it had to do with the geography & location of the park. Along the trails are many sitting areas to take a break. We saw many kinds of birds, deer, flowers, and foxes during our time in the park. Strongly recommend wearing bug repellent & sunscreen and checking out a map of the trails in the nature center. Beautiful park to visit during each season and very ideal for wildlife photographers and for peaceful & quiet walks in the park.

What did we see on our first day walking the trails? -Red fox, 3 deer, red shouldered hawk,…read morecardinal, woodpecker, sleeping squirrel, sparrows, chickadee, carnivorous plant, and a turtle back at the pond. Pretty eventful day, April 15, 2026. Staff were helpful and nice! Nature Center provides wildlife education and animals, a place to refill water or use the utilities. I wouldn't expect to see all that we seen, as think we were pretty lucky to come across all of that in one day. For instance as soon as we sat down on the bench near the river, the hawk flew over and landed nearby, first to get a drink of water then perched nearby. The fox happened to be coming to the river before we locked eyes and ran off while I fumbled with my dang lens cap, as always. Good luck!

Cute little park for walking around. Not a ton of parking, especially if there are little league…read moregames going. There is an old timey train car with a historic sign. On a nice weather day, this is a great park for a short stroll or for a longer hike along the trails.

This park is adorable and packed with way more than I expected! I went here a bunch of times this…read moresummer and fall, and every time I was happy with the scenery and the offerings. There are several different places to park and a few different entrances, depending on whether you're interested in the fields, the playgrounds, the disc golf or the trails. So much to choose from! I went for the trails, which is connected to the W&OD that is 40-plus miles long and Four Mile Run. So, pick the one you'd like, and loop around back to your parking spot. I really like this park! You can also find a bench and just hang out near some trees or the fields. You can bring a blanket and toss around a frisbee and have a little picnic. You can bring your children and let them run around and play. What a find in NoVa!

The best park! Multiple soccer courts, plenty of free parking , tennis courts, pickleball courts,…read morebaseball courts all in the heart of McLean! There are lights near the soccer and basketball courts but not near pickleball/tennis. Theres a community garden as well!

Lewinsville Park is a public park in McLean, Virginia on the grounds of a small battle during the…read moreCivil War. To that end, a Civil War-era building still stands in the park. There's much to love about this park: 1) Parking- there's a large, free parking lot at the front. 2) Grounds- there's a small playground, fields, and plenty of trees to give cover in the heat. 3) Garden- a large community garden is in the back of the park near a small bridge over a creek. Nearby are wild raspberry and blackberry bushes. 4) Farmers market- Friday mornings they have a farmers market in the parking lot. This is a true neighborhood spot.

Cyndy's Bottom Line: A cute park to get away and enjoy the beautiful trees…read more A small park located in the City of Falls Church tucked away in the neighborhood. Beautiful trees and a gazebo area. Benches to sit and enjoy nature.

Frady Park is best known for the gorgeous little gazebo that is its focal point off Broad St, but…read morethis cute little green space also has a hidden playground in the back (that butts right up to the Jessie Thackeray Preschool on N. Cherry. It's a bit of an older playground and the equipment isn't in the absolute best condition, but it's so well-hidden that it's always empty, which is actually a really good things these days! And it's just big enough for my toddlers to enjoy on our much-needed time spent out of the house.