Quick, kid friendly hiking trail with water access and views. We explored multiple trails ( because…read morewe got lost, turned back and took the house trail to the water and then returned to the parking lot through the marsh trail). We went on a Sunday evening in May and didn't run into any wildlife ( thankfully). The hill from the house to the water is steep which prompted us to find the trail further down the beach area to return to the parking lot. If you're lucky enough to go when the house is open the view from the long driveway through the doors to the water is breathtaking. Their rock memorial facing Africa and acknowledging the history of slavery on this land was refreshing to see. Kid friendly rating : 8/10 for walkable kids ( not stroller friendly) Bonus is the numerous historical facts signs. Restrooms: I saw a Port-o-potty but that's not a lifestyle I wish to explore. In an emergency situation I'm sure it's nice to have. Small parking lot.

[Coronavirus review] No worries about crowds here; the tiny…read moreparking lot on the main road would struggle to fit a half dozen cars, and it's a fair walk in from there, through some anonymous forest and abandoned buildings. At least there's no admission fee. Doesn't seem like much; maybe the reason no one's here is that there is no reason for them to be? But when you emerge to the small mansion that once headed a plantation, you'll be greeted with a great view and a dizzying variety of scenery from there on out. A quick jaunt down the grassy hill through a field with a gnarly-looking cactus or two leads to a beach. No, really! Bondi it ain't, but if you can satisfy yourself with a small strip of sand, little wavelets on the brackish river driven in by a mild breeze, and a variety of seashells, shorebirds, and other signs of life, this is a successful outing. This is to say nothing of the thick woods, manicured orchard of some sort, and a wetland filled with the sort of birds who seemed irked that even a single person happened by. Maryland has this sort of dynamism in aggregate, but it's amazing the diversity of environments you can experience by walking for ten minutes in this sort of park. There are drawbacks aplenty; bugs will be there and there's a lot of plastic trash and washed up tires. And honestly, the place seems to house potential to be more; if I could take a boat across to Mason Neck, I'd totally do it (not that Maryland is ever likely to cooperate with its Confederate Commonwealth of a neighbor). But I got twenty minutes walking to one end of this beach, and well over two hours in a park where I thought I'd struggle to spend one. Beggars can't be choosers, and unless you happen to have a waterside mansion, we're all begging for a bit of the great outdoors.

Shipyard Park is in Slexandria, located along the waterfront. This was originally a shipyard back…read morein 1783, and one if the area's oldest shipbuilding sites. You can walk along the path to restaurants and shops in Old Town.

One of the parks right along the Potomac River just north of Jones Point Park…read more This is a park located to the north of the I-495 bridge and within walking distance to many other parks along the Potomac River. It does not have any parking associated with it but Jones Point Park, just to the south, has a large parking lot with over a hundred car parking spots right off Jone's Point Drive. This park is right along the water with a limited amount of greenery. There is a stone monument with a plaque that provides information about the history of the site. The path is a smooth asphalt walkway that meanders from Windmill Hill to Roberdeaux Park cutting through the Shipyard Park. It has a point that juts out into the water. A 5-minute walk will bring you to other parks (Ford's Landing, Jones Point, Windmill Hill, and Roberdeaux) to the north and south. Walking to the north will eventually get you to Old Town Alexandria with its many shops situated along the water. It is a good place to visit if you are planning to visit Old Town Alexandria and want an easy place to park and enjoy a walk along the river. It is nice and one of the many parks along the water overlooking the river.

This park has a small parking lot. It is located on the site of the old Fort Foote. There is not…read moremuch of the Fort remaining. I saw 2 15-inch Rodman Cannons, a house water trof and some collapsed cement structures. At the front of the park is a huge patch of green space with picnic tables under shade trees and a restroom structure. The Fort dates back to 1863, was constructed to defend the water approach to Washington DC and operated to 1878. It spans about 70 acres and sits 100 feet above the Potomac River. Along the backside of the trail (along the river) you can see Alexandria, The George Washington Masonic National Memorial, Mount Vernon and other monuments. The Park also has a small beach area to explore as well. I liked the placard, to the left as you enter the trails with the picture that has the superimposed image of what the Fort's gate looked like. I gave me a real idea of where the Fort was and you can really see where the gate would have been. To the left is also where you will find the 2 cannons. If you go to the right you will eventually hit the beach, The park is located off the water and has some nice, be it short nature trails. There are also some open green space. There was a guy in one of the fields letting his unleashed dogs running wild. Outside of the few remnants of the Fort, and some information placards, this is a decent and somewhat fairly maintained nature park. It is far off of the road and is very peaceful. I would recommend wearing long pants and a long sleeved shirt because some areas has some thick brush. Bug spray would not be a bad idea either. I like this park. You can just feel the history. I wish there was more of the Fort that was preserved, but oh well, the placards placed around the park do a decent job explaining where you are located in reference to the Fort. This place is definitely worth a visit. Being a nature park, it is not very accesible and would be very challenging for someone with mobility issues. I enjoyed my time at the park in addition to getting a little peace, I learned a bit as well.

A hidden gem from my childhood i grew up just 10 minutes away from this park. It's a super cool…read morehistorical site and easy to access. Take a moment to check it out, the cannons are HUGE!

The nature center itself seems to only be open for special events but there is a little area across…read morefrom it that is great for the littles as there is a sandbox, 2 kid sized play houses, wind chimes and benches. Apparently there is a preschool here but I heard they're shutting down soon. We started walking on one of the trails but it was a little muddy from all the rain we've been having recently. Would love to come back when it's drier!

Ideal hiking spot with young ones especially during the bluebells. plenty parking and benches to…read moretake a break!

Beautiful park. Lovely spot to spend a few hours taking a stroll and relaxing. Went in the winter,…read moreso not many plants were out and about, but the grounds were lovely still.

This is a nice park with a few trails to walk along. The trails lead to the Rock Creek park. This…read morepark is also connected to other parks like Montrose Park and this makes it a good place to spend more than a few hours. Good place for the kids to get in the water along the trails and pick some rocks or generally get dirty in the water and dirt! Parking along 32 and R St is the best option (close to Montrose Park). One of the best areas for a nice weekend picnic :)

We were pleasantly surprised by this greenway. The walkway is narrow and better suited for small…read moregroups and cyclists. There are several dangerous blind areas, and I wish the cyclists announced themselves more often. We'd still visit again.

I'm fairly sure that I have not explored this whole trail yet, but the portion of it that I have…read moreexplored was kind of wonderful. I really enjoy being out and being able to feel the breeze. On a hot day, walking in and out of the shadows of the trees was a welcomed treat as the hot breeze flowed by. The way the trail is set up is quite nice, wide, and enjoyable. I'm not sure where this trail actually starts and ends, but I feel like that segment that I walked would equate to an overall enjoyable trek to explore. I mean it doesn't hurt that it is near the water, and goes through some area where you can see a lot of things. It can come off as an open air museum as well with all the historic marks around it and memorials along the way. It's a good place to take your mind off things and let yourself disassociate.

This is where it all begins; Mile 0 of the Washington & Old Dominion (W&OD) Trail. A plaza,…read morecomplete with plaques detailing the history of the W&OD, mark the start of the W&OD. From here, the W&OD travels west through Arlington County as it heads towards Purcellville, VA, some 45 miles away. This is a great place to start a trek on the W&OD trail. There's plenty of parking. If you forgot something to eat or drink for your ride, or need refreshment after your ride, the Village at Shirlington is just a block or so away and offers many restaurants, coffee shops, a Harris Teeter grocery store. Check out other Yelp reviews for other portions of the W&OD. For trail maps, check out Friends of the W&OD (http://www.wodfriends.org).

I've only run on the trail in the Falls Church-Arlington area around Four Mile Run, but I…read moreabsolutely love it. This is a great trail, easy to run, very peaceful, easy to access. Would love to do a long run out toward Dulles sometime. Maybe next time I need a long run and I'm down in NOVA. If you've ever lived anywhere that doesn't have awesome trails like this, then you know this is something special.

I love this place. Best hike trail in the area with the right amount of distance, terrain and…read morechallenge! This is my go to hiking spot in the DMV area. It is easy to get to and provide a lot of scenic views.

This is a fantastic park and best of all it has the famed "Billy goat" trail with lots of rock…read morescrambles. It's only about 15 miles from where I live so easy to get to. Granted the view of the falls is not as expansive or dramatic as the VA side but still pretty amazing. The Billy goat trail is one of my favorites - went back for a hike today and saw that they've improved the blaze markings significantly so the trail is much easier to follow. And at the end where you encounter an almost vertical rock climb - called the traverse - there is now a yellow blaze marked bypass to the left (it may have always been there but definitely not as clearly marked and I never thought you could get around it) so it'll accommodate those who are not quite up for the climb to still be able to continue on the trail.