Summer in the City...
Fairfax, it's the Coolest

See all the monumental sites and museums from one of the cooler summertime destinations….The City of Fairfax.

Day 1: DC, The Mall and More

Check in to one of the comfortable and affordable accommodations located on Route 50 in the City of Fairfax. Access all the attractions and museums on the National Mall by taking the city CUE bus to the Orange Line of the DC Metro System. And, it’s air conditioned.

After your day in DC, stroll through Old Town Fairfax to find exactly the right dining spot from elegant French and Italian to casual Thai and American fare. Try the ribs at  Red Hot & Blue or a crab feast at Captain Pells.

Day 2: Old Town Fairfax and Manassas

Start your day with a big breakfast at the Havabite Eatery in Old Town, then begin your Civil War tour on foot.

Start at the Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center and take the walking tour through the city’s civil war history.

Cool off for a light lunch in Old Town before heading out to Manassas Battlefield Park. Stop at the Stone Bridge right off Route 29 where Union armies fled back toward Washington after Confederate victories. After seeing the movie, exhibits and a ranger-guided program.

Cool off with a swim at Bull Run Regional Park in Centreville, or if you have kids, don’t miss Splashdown Waterpark in Manassas at 7500 Ben Lomond Park Drive. 703-361-4451.

Return to the City of Fairfax for some ice cream at Sweet Life Café. 703-385-5433.

Then enjoy a casual evening of dining and entertainment. Veteran’s Amphitheatre offers live outdoor concerts during the summer or hear the latest bands play at T.T. Reynolds or the Auld Shebeen.  If you’re handy with a pool cue, try Fast Eddies or Bridges.

Day 3: Celebrate America

Celebrate America’s Birthday with a full day of events in the City of Fairfax on July 4, 2007. The biggest parade in the region kicks off at 10 a.m. followed by an old-fashioned Fireman’s Festival then a concert and fireworks at Fairfax High School!

On other days, celebrate American heroes at The National Firearms Museum 703-267-1600 at 11250 Waples Mill Road. This fascinating site recounts American history with 2000 firearms and the Second Amendment.

Then, travel through time with a stop at Sully Plantation, 703-437-1794, an 18th century Virginia homestead. Just across Route 28, you’ll marvel at the technology and the triumphs found at the Steven Udvar Hazy Center of the National Air and Space Museum (202-357-2700). Like all Smithsonian museums, the air and space annex is free. Parking is $12.00. A shuttle will take you to the Air and Space Museum on the National Mall.

Return to Fairfax and cool off with an evening at the movies at Cinema Arts Theatre or a sunset stroll through its quiet streets. For the energetic, there’s tennis, volleyball and trails at Van Dyck Park. For summer music, try Wolf Trap, (703-255-1900) the only national park dedicated to the performing arts. 

Day IV: Golf and Mountain Vistas

Start your day with a round of golf at Twin Lakes Golf Course or Burke Lake Park just outside the City.

Enjoy a hearty lunch in Old Town before heading west to the Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park. Take 66 West for breathtaking vistas and cool mountain air.