This place is amazing! And it's only getting better with the boardwalk addition that just opened…read morethis in the month of May!

Pretty neat area to explore. Successfully walked around with two 3 year olds. They enjoyed the mini…read moreboardwalks over the muddy areas a lot.

Where as the Manassas National Park Visitors Center is focused on the First Battle of Manassas,…read morethis building is dedicated to Second Manassas (aka, Second Battle of Bull Run). Like the main visitors center, Brawner Farm has a terrain map with lights that depict the flow of the battle, but is much smaller. There are also numerous hiking trails in the area, with various historical plaques where the action occurred. The battle is hard to imagine. While the plaques try to explain things, the thick forest conceals the main avenues of the Confederate advance (just as it did during the battle). Unless you watch the show in the farm house, you are unlikely to understand the disposition of forces any more than poor General Pope did (which is why he was beaten back).

Don't miss a stop at this spot when visiting the battlefield. Tucked away North of 29 on Pageland…read moreLane (just a short drive up off of 29) to the right. There is limited parking here but if you snag a spot you will be close to nice quiet trails. Very scenic. There is a bathroom in the parking lot here. A kick walk on a cement path abutted by nature will bring you to the Brawner Farm House. Inside, you will find a park volunteer to provide information and displays about the Second Battle of Manassas. If you go further on the trails be aware that the area has ticks and copperhead snakes. Be prepared.

If you want to take a step back in time and visit a small Virginia town, then take a beautiful…read morecounty drive to Clifton. There are NO chain stores here. In fact, there are only 1-2 shops and several restaurants. The main draw are the historical markers along the railroad tracks that describe their history and importance and the quaint 1900's architecture. The first railroad station, now gone, was built around 1850. The railroad was important during the Civil War with many battles fought near this border town. The town remains unchanged since the 1930's. Colorful homes line the street each telling a story. Amenities are limited. There is some street parking and a small parking lot behind Buckley's store. Parking is free. The only restrooms are in the restaurants. All the restaurants are good. Gas up before you come.

This is a nice town in Virginia. Surrounded by both Fairfax and Prince William Counties, bring cash…read moreand credit cards. Nothing is cheap here. In many ways it's a lot like Middleburg. On a plus note I do like the trains a lot. Also the caboose exhibit is a nice aspect. Yet do take care, as the main road can be fairly congested. Old Town Alexandria or Fairfax, are more foot traffic friendly. Is it pretty? Yes. The old church and general stores are very attractive. Seeing the old Texaco sign is always pleasant. There are some expensive craft shops and restaurants. Petersons Ice Cream, is higher than most, but I do love them for a dessert treat. Parking can be a challenge, but overall small and quaint.

I have to agree 100% with Kal B's review - "Q Town is what it is." Uniform tailors, barbers,…read moremilitary gear shops, some decent lunch type restaurants, a few apartments and some small homes nestled within Marine Corps Base Quantico on the Potomac River. Not much has changed there from when I first visited 29 years ago. . .I've always been amazed that there hasn't been a more concerted attempt by the Base to help clean the town up or somehow encourage businesses with staying power to invest in the town. The potential is there, with a large on-base population of military families, DoD civilians, civilian contractors, etc. Why not make the town more appealing for investors and draw in business? On the other hand, maybe that's part of the "charm" of good old Q Town - it's like going back in time to Smedley Butler's Quantico days. . .the Tokyo Japanese restaurant next to the train tracks is by far the best eatery in Q town. I've been going there for years whenever I visit Quantico for conferences, workshops, and other duties, and have never been disappointed. Yung's barber shop is the best of the MANY barbers in town - they take their time and don't rush you out of the place. The Marine Shop is legendary among Officer Candidate School and Basic School graduates for uniforms and other Marine Corps accoutrements. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit the place if I didn't have business on the base, but if for some reason you ever find yourself in the area, it's worth a stroll just to say you've visited the "Crossroads of the Marine Corps." Q Town, you will always occupy a small piece of my heart - maybe one day I can define what it is you have given me.

I think that in all fairness in saying A-OK, Quantico is what it is. A tiny town, literally in the…read moremiddle of the Gateway to the United States Marine Corps Quantico VA and those that live in "downtown" Quantico which is comprised of a bank, an ATM, the Marine Shop owned by a military company, multiple tailors and such and a hand full of restaurants and a few unappealing apartments that house the tailors for the most part and a hand full of Marines and that is IT. There is also a train station there. Quantico is and always has been a rundown tiny hole in the wall. Years ago a dental facility went in and dumped a bunch of money in with the hope of revitalizing Quantico but now that I write this and with our daughter currently at Officer Candidate School at Quantico and having been there the past several weekends, I'm not sure that it is even still there and if it is, their dream didn't come true. To come aboard Quantico, you generally have to have a DoD sticker on your car or a civilian or military identification card as well which makes it something of an annoyance at best to come aboard to go anywhere in Q'Town as it is affectionately called. I will say that one restaurant that has always been there and still is (no, not Dominos) is still a bright spot in an otherwise hole in the wall town - Tokyo Japanese is almost an institution. Don't drive from DC for it but if you're in town and need to "dine", this is the place! I've been associated with Q'town for over 26 years now. I repeat. It is what it is.

Located in Old Town Fairfax (hence the name), this is the site of summer concerts, events, and a…read morelarge splash pad. There are tables around the splash pad but also grass and a stone wall. Bathrooms are located in the parking area next door, which has free parking. We stayed for about two hours and my toddler loved it. Don't forget to stop by Woody's for ice cream after!

It's a relaxing area, although rush hour traffic is fun to watch. Here there's a nice water…read morefountain for kids to run through. Also it's next to Kitty Pozer Garden, and the historic old town hall. A spot to kick back a bit, although I wish there was an ice skating rink or something. Space is limited, but not as well done as the old town Manassas one is. On a plus note Woodys Ice Cream is across the street. The tables are fairly comfortable. This is a delightful venue for "Rock the Block," and other events. Also the streets in old town are quite pedestrian friendly. Do be wary, but by all means enjoy the best part of Fairfax City. Get that ice cream or other foods from so many close by restaurants. The fountains add a look of intrigue.

The Barrett House is a two and a half story wood-frame house built in 1901 by William Wimsatt, a…read morelumber merchant from the DC. The house was later expanded and renovated for use as officer and employee housing for the DC's low-security Workhouse Prison Farm in Lorton. I am a big fan of historical places. This house has a lot of history behind it, but there is not much to it. You can only see it from the outside. It is fenced off and you cannot go in. There is a little area in front of the house that has a few benches and placards with historical information about the house. There is also an old brick fireplace looking structure on the grounds. There is a few places to park on the grounds that are unpaved, but there are no official parking spots. You could probably hang out on one of the benches on the grounds, but outside of that, I do not see much utility or spending a lot of time here. I was here for all of 10 minutes and then I was out.

Andrew and I visited Fort Meyers today to visit the Caisson Stables of the Old Guard. It's a little…read moreknown secret that the public is allowed to visit the army base to see the horses. I follow the Old guard on Facebook and found out about this, and naturally insisted on Andy taking me. I learned a great deal during our tour. The soldiers who are assigned to the caisson typically have no previous horse experience. They undergo a 10 week horsemanship class before they're allowed to ride in funeral processions. They also learn how to perform their own farrier services on the team, and have to be able to work without a farrier stand in case they're in the cemetery and need to replace a horseshoe on the fly. Can you imagine holding up a draft horses leg by yourself to put a shoe on?! There is only one mare left on the team of roughly 55 horses (give or take) because the mares tend to get too sassy with the other horses during ceremony. They're phasing out grey horses because of health problems (they're prone to skin cancers) and they're difficult to find in general. our tour guide said some of the best horses they've had we're actually mustangs from the BLM. He said they tend to acclimate better to tough conditions than the other horses. I also learned that the Caisson is a French word for box and is the box seat you see at the front of the carriage. In war times, that's where the ammo and dry goods were stored to stay out of the elements. The bronze stars on the carriages are polished daily and cost almost $500 a piece! The harnesses are also a lighter weight version as opposed to what you see on the Budweiser Clydesdales to keep the weight off of the horses. The soldiers clean and polish the tack every morning and every evening when they return to the stable, and their typical work day runs from 4:30AM - 6:00PM. I was so happy to have this experience and would highly recommend it to all!

What a hidden spot! I did not know here are horses!! I saw them at some ceremonies tho…read more Price: Free. Parking: Free. I saw one sad looking horse. No name tag at the door. That's why 4 stars. Besides her or him, they enjoyed food from kids;)

Always a wonderful time visiting the National Harbor. We explored and took a few pics. We are…read morehoping for the businesses to continue to prosper and remain. Parking garages are available.

I attended a conference at the Gaylord hotel earlier this year, and while I love DC, National…read moreHarbor was never on my radar until I found out our conference would be there. The conference itself was wonderful, but I was not a big fan of National Harbor. I didn't have a car, so I took the metro and bus to get to National Harbor. I walked around the area that afternoon, and it took less than two hours for me to see everything. This area is very commercial and planned, with little local flair or character. I see this mentioned in reviews from 2010-2011; well, it is still the case in 2026. The monument to our armed services was inspirational, and I found a wonderful Black-owned bookstore called Mahogany Books. But, most businesses were high-end chains. There's a pharmacy for basic needs, but most restaurants are expensive and no grocery stores are within walking distance. Thankfully, Potbelly is there for us plebes to grab a sandwich, and Mahogany Books serves delicious coffee drinks. I had plenty to do with the conference over the next three days, so it wasn't a boring trip. The bus service comes every 30 minutes or you can Uber/Lyft to a metro station like Alexandria and go into the city. On the second night of our conference, I ended up going into Alexandria with some friends, and we went to a local pizza restaurant. The next night, I visited a local Greek restaurant in Alexandria with other friends. If you're attending a conference here, do stay at a nearby hotel for convenience and also visit Mahogany Books. Otherwise, I would not spend much time at National Harbor.