Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA!

Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA located in Fairfax County lies just above Great Falls National Park. In fact you can walk from Riverbend Park all the way to Great Falls National Park via the Potomac National Heritage Trail along the Potomac River. Unlike Great Falls where you pay a park fee Riverbend is a free regional park and open from dawn till dusk with gates closing promptly at 8:30 p.m. Riverbend Park is located off of Georgetown Pike in Great Falls, Virginia. You follow Riverbend Road through magnificent neighborhoods filled with custom Estate homes and single family homes on large wooded lots. Regional Park signs will navigate you towards the park.

The Nature Center is a neat place for the kids to see local wildlife like snakes, skinks and frogs. For the adults and older kids there is historical information about the people that once inhabited the area before the settlers took over. The Nature Center has a small snack bar, ice cream and gift shop. Outside the nature center they have an observation deck with Adirondack chairs and tables to sit and watch the river. Public restrooms and water fountains are available just outside the nature center. A small frog pond is located below the nature center and at this time of year it allows visitors to check out the newly hatched tadpoles that will eventually turned into frogs.

 Once you have finished exploring the nature center you can head out on the trails. Riverbend park has 2.5 miles of Potomac Heritage Trail along the Potomac River which if you head south will take you directly into Great Falls Park. The trails are great for walkers/joggers but strollers and bikes would have a hard time getting through. More trails are available through the upland forests and a few are challenging. If you enjoy geo-caching this park has plenty hidden for you to find. A picnic area is also available right next to the river and offers grills to cook out. This upper portion of the Potomac River is a good place to drop in a kayak or canoe and a launching area is available.

The kids and I love this park! The trails offer plenty of shade and we always see lots of wildlife on our walks. Walking along the river is a great way to get away and is a very convienent location to Northern Virginian residents.

Next Stop....Lyndora Park in Ashburn, VA!

Nell Boone Park in Purcellville, VA!

Today we traveled west to the town of Purcellville to check out Nell Boone Park in the Neersville community. Purcellville is known for its farm land and many vineyards in western Loudoun County. Purcellville is great place to go winetasting and the Virginia vineyard signs point you towards each winery. If you're looking for an affordable single family home with a larger yard and fewer neighbors Purcellville is the place to look. Large Manor and Estate Homes sitting on large lots scour the hillsides. Old Town Purcellville has century old Victorian style homes lining the main street through town. On our way to Nell Boone Park the drive was beautiful and we past many rolling hills and valleys. Nell Boone Park is situated right next to the Neersville Fire Station. The kids got to enjoy the park as well as the Fire Truck and Ambulance coming and going.

The park includes two newer sets of fenced in age appropriate play equipment. There is no shade so on a hot day like yesterday the refuge from the heat was under the play equipment. The park also has a baseball/softball field, aging basketball and tennis court. A porta potty is available near the baseball field as well.

Great community park nestled in between vineyards and farm land!

Next stop Riverbend Park in Great Falls, VA!

Lansdowne Sports Park in Lansdowne, VA!

Today we visited Lansdowne Sports Park in Lansdowne, VA. Lansdowne is located in Western Loudoun County, a planned community near Leesburg, VA north of Route 7. Lansdowne Sports Park is located in the community of Lansdowne on the Potomac. This community gives you country club style with estate homes, single family homes, luxury townhomes and luxury condos. Lansdowne is one of the more wealthy communities in Loudoun County. Lansdowne Sports Park is found near the middle of the community on Kipheart Drive.

The park includes two soccer fields, one softball field, basketball court, tot lot and two picnic pavilions. The tot lot is fenced and gated. It does not have any shade but the equipment is in great shape. Public restrooms are available but a walk from the tot lot.

Great community park with lots to offer its residents!

Next stop western Loudoun County....Nell Boone Park in Purcellville!

Woodmont Park in Arlington, VA

Last week we checked out a park in the high end Woodmont neighborhood of Arlington, VA. The Woodmont Center is tucked back amongst newly renovated and custom homes in Northern Arlington County. The area includes a playground, basketball court, athletic field and fountains. The Woodmont YMCA Center offers a variety of programs for all ages.

The playground is small but has plenty of things for the kids to do including a rope bridge for the older kids. The gazebo is a nice place for a snack or picnic lunch. Public Restrooms and water fountains are available inside the Woodmont Center. This a cute neighborhood park located in Arlington County is somewhere we will take the kids again.

Next location....Lansdowne Sports Park in Lansdowne, VA

Briar Patch Park in Sterling, VA!

This week we checked out a local park, Briar Patch Park. This Loudoun County park is located in Sterling Park. Sterling Park was one of the first planned communities in Eastern Loudoun County. Once farm land it was developed into homes and townhomes in the late 60's.

The playground has a several different age appropriate pieces of equipment. It also has a small fenced in area with a gate for little ones to run around.

There is not much shade and this park can get hot in the summer months. It does offer porta potties for your convenience . It's a nice park and one that we will hit up often.

Time to explore Woodmont Park in Arlington, VA!

Legacy Park in Brambleton, VA!

Today we checked out  Legacy Park located in Brambleton a planned community in Ashburn, VA. Brambleton is named for a plantation that was once in the area. Construction began around 2001 with the hopes of creating a close knit pedestrian friendly community. This Loudoun County community is beautiful and includes newer Estate homes, Single family homes, Townhomes, and condos. Legacy park is really nice. It's set amongst a grove of large older trees and has plenty of shade.

The play equipment is very nice and plenty of different pieces for the kids to try. There is a volleyball court and a pond to walk around too. It doesn't have restrooms but a shopping center is right across the street with public restrooms.

The park is located at Belmont Ridge Road and Legacy Park Drive in Brambleton. We will definitely be hitting up this park in the future. It's maintained really well and neat place to take the family.

Next Stop Briar Patch Park in Sterling......

Bles Park in Ashburn, VA!

Bles Park is tucked back behind George Washington University satellite campus in Ashburn, VA. The park offers three soccer fields, playground, and hiking trails. The trails take you along an inlet of the Potomac River. The soccer fields are nicely maintained and full of soccer players practicing.

The playground has new equipment including swings, teeter totter, and two sets of slides. It does not have any shade but restrooms are available.

After the kids hit the playground we checked out the hiking trails. The trail connects to the Broad Corridor Trails and Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trails. You walk through fields and protected wetlands with lots of wildlife including frogs and birds.

Overall the Loudoun County park is nice but with no shade we probably won't hit up the playground during the hotter months. The hiking trails were nice and we're definitely going to hit the trails for some geo-caching when the weather is nice. If you're a soccer player the fields were nicely maintained and great place to watch a game.

Time to hit up a park in Brambleton, VA!

Trailside Park in Ashburn

Trailside Park in Ashburn is located off of Claibourne Parkway in the Ashburn Farm Community. Ashburn Farm was once known as Gray Dairy Farm. In 1986 construction began on the planned community of homes, townhomes and condos. Many natural areas were preserved and some turned into parks including Trailside Park. This Loudoun County park includes 3 baseball fields, in-line skating rink and a big playground. The W&OD trail runs right along side the park and is nice way to walk, jog or bike to get there.

The play equipment is tucked back away and the trees offer plenty of shade during the hotter months. There are 3 large pieces of play equipment equipped for all age ranges. One of the larger pieces of equipment looks like a castle. Littler equipment is also available including a rocket, train and school bus for the kids climb in and pretend. Picnic tables are available inside and just outside the playground. Bathrooms are available at the snack bar and if the doors are locked they also have a porta potty just outside the entrance to the playground.

 Trailside is one of our top ten parks of all time. It's very well maintained and always a hit with the kids.

The next park we plan to explore is Bles Park in Ashburn!

White Oak Canyon Trail

This past weekend a few friends and I checked out Old Rag Mountain and the White Oak Canyon Trail in Syria, VA. This 8.8 mile trail takes you through some tough terrain. Lots of rocks and a few water crossings make the trail both adventurous and beautiful. This trail is not advisable for pets and small children.

We started at the bottom of the mountain off of Old Rag Road and hiked up near the top which leads to Skyline Drive and Shenandoah National Park. Parking was a bit tight but if you have an SUV you can cross a small creek to get to additional parking, porta potties and the entrance to the trail. Next time we hit this trail we are going to pack a small backpack with water and snack. Make sure you bring a small camera because the waterfalls and small pools are beautiful.

Back in town and up next......Trailside Park in Ashburn, VA!

Reston North Park

Today we visited Reston North Park located in Reston, Virginia. This Fairfax County park is sometimes called the "Home Depot Park" because it is located behind the Home Depot on Reston Parkway.

The park has two levels of play equipment and both regular and toddler swings, the upper section is for the older kids and the lower section is for the little ones. Baseball and soccer fields are also part of the park.

There isn't a lot of shade over the equipment so during the summer months it can be warm. There are a few benches in the shade to escape the heat though. A porta potty is available in the parking lot as well. Overall this is one of the many Northern Virginia parks we will visit this year.

Check out my next hiking adventure in White Oak Canyon!

Washington Nationals Baseball Stadium

Baseball is back in D.C.! We've been going to games since the team started playing at RFK stadium in 2005. In 2008 the Washington Nationals were moved to Nationals Park in Southeast D.C. The park is a great place to take the family or just hang out with friends. The stadium has a great atmosphere, food and always seems very clean.With the recent acquisition of Stephen Strasburg and Jayson Werth games are very exciting.

The stadium has plenty of things for the kids to do besides watching the game. A playground is available for the kids to play in. You can also check out the Build-A-Bear Workshop and build a Screech the Nationals Mascot Doll. Screech the mascot is usually strolling around the stadium to meet the fans and take pictures. The Strike Zone offers interactive games for both adults and kids. During the game you can root on your favorite President when they race around the outfield. The running joke is Teddy will never win a race and to this day he has never won.

The concession stands offer many different types of food for the kids and adults. If you don't want to hit the concession stands you can grab a table at The Red Porch Restaurant while you watch the game.

National Stadium is great place to visit and watch a game!

Next stop local park.....Reston North Park or "The Home Depot Park"!