Lakeside Park in Fairfax, VA!

Today we checked out Lakeside Park in Fairfax, VA. I had heard good things about the park and decided to see what it was all about. Lakeside Park is alongside Lake Royal in  Fairfax County in the Kings West Park subdivision of single family homes.

The park is great with walking/hiking trails, basketball court, baseball and soccer field, and play equipment. The best part is the lake where the kids can see the frogs, geese and ducks. The play equipment was newer and included swings. When we went there was no porta potty but when I spoke with a neighborhood mom she said there is normally a porta potty in the parking lot.

This park is great and so close to nature. I do have to add one warning and it's only in the grassy areas by the lake but you have to look out for the goose excrement. The geese seem to stay clear of the playground so no worries when the kids are playing on the equipment.

I can't wait to come back in the spring time and walk the trails around Lake Royal and Crooked Creek!

Big Chimneys Park in Falls Church, VA!

Big Chimneys Park in Falls Church, VA is located behind the Bowl America Falls Church bowling alley. This cute little park is tucked in between the bowling center and some townhomes in the City of Falls Church on West Annandale Road.

The park is not very large but it has large older trees which create lots of shade even without their leaves. The equipment is in great shape with two playsets and a swing set. There are no restrooms but if you were really stuck you could walk around to the bowling center to use the restrooms.

This is a cute little Fairfax County park and is in walking distance of townhomes and single family homes in the City of Falls Church. Parking is available on the street and if you live nearby you should check it out!

Pat Rodio Park in Fairfax, VA!

Pat Rodio Park is located in the City of Fairfax right next door to Paul VI Catholic High School. You can get to the park either by parking on the street in neighborhood behind the high school or parking in the school parking lot. I wouldn't recommend parking in the lot during the school day.

The park has a small set of the swings and a decent piece of play equipment. The park has two baseball fields and soccer goals. In the afternoon hours the play equipment is completely in the shade. There is a porta potty next to the baseball field and when we were there it was is in good condition.

This Fairfax County park is small but if you live in the neighborhood it would a nice place to take the kids to burn off some energy as there is plenty of grass for them to run around on.

Kutner Park in Fairfax, VA!

Kutner Park in Fairfax, VA is located off of Jermantown Road near Route 50. You can enter the park either at the entrance on Jermantown Road or walk in from the East side of  the park located in a small single family home development. At the Jermantown Road entrance there is a small sign with an arrow pointing towards the parking lot. You drive a short distance between the 7-Eleven and the soccer fields to locate the parking lot.

The park offers several pieces of newer equipment including a swing set, sand box and picnic pavilion. The park also has a tennis court, volleyball court and hiking trails. A porta potty is located near the parking lot and when we were there the potties were clean and in the shade.

This was a cute park that is tucked in between Route 50 and Lanier Middle School. If you didn't catch the small sign driving by you would never know the park was located among the busy area near Route 50 and Route 29 in Fairfax County!

Van Dyck Park in Fairfax, VA!

A few days ago we checked out Van Dyck Park in Fairfax, VA! Located in Fairfax County the park sits right next door to the Stacy C. Sherwood Community Center and the City of Fairfax administration building.

The park equipment was great. There were several different pieces with little sets scattered around. Some were in the shade and others were in the sun. I did notice a small sandbox set up and several people had brought their own sand toys to play with. There was a large pavilion that offered lots of shade along with several benches. The park offered porta potties that when we were there were in the shade and clean. A basketball court sits alongside a large grassy area where the kids can run around. One part of the park that my oldest enjoyed was the small fenced in skate park. We headed over and watched the teenagers go up and down the ramps and perform tricks. The best part about the skate park is it's far enough away from the playground that the little kids won't hear any profane language or see anyone smoking.

This is a great park with plenty for the kids to do! The neighborhood that it's located in is filled with great older homes and newer developments with convenient access to elementary, middle and high schools. The sign is really hard to see from the road because it's behind trees and a wooden fence but you can see the playground clearly from the road.

Reston, Virginia

Reston is a planned community in Northern Virginia located in Fairfax County. This post war community enables residents to be within a half mile walk of the shops and eateries. Reston was developed to include five village centers and one town center. The Reston Town Center is a great place to grab a bite to eat, check out the local arts and shop. This area is convenient to live in if you're a young professional, active adult or even a family with children.

Reston is comfortably located near the Dulles Toll Road and Fairfax County Parkway. Reston is in the heart of the Dulles Technology Corridor with many employers located in Reston. Washington Dulles International Airport is also within 10 minutes of Reston. The Dulles Corridor Metrorail Project is currently being constructed and projected to be completed in 2013. The project will eventually be a convenient way to travel east  to D.C. and west to Dulles Airport. For the active individual the W& OD Trail runs directly through Reston.

My friends and family that live in Reston are always commenting how beautiful the artificial lakes and wooded areas are. Reston has four lakes; Lake Anne, Lake Thoreau, Lake Newport, and Lake Audubon. Lake front homes line the shores and many walking paths are throughout each lake area. Lake Anne Plaza is a neat place  to grab a bite to eat, check out local thrift shops or just sit outside on a nice day by the water. The Reston community also has no shortage of athletic fields and community pools. If you are looking for a condo, townhome or single-family home consider Reston, VA.

National Air And Space Museum -Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is part of the National Air and Space Museum and located in Dulles, VA just off Route 28 in Fairfax County. It can be found right next door to Dulles International Airport. It has an extensive collection of aircraft and a large exhibit of space elements including the space shuttle, Enterprise.

The museum is a great place to take the family. The kids can walk from plane to plane from the ground or stroll around the observation decks to check out the planes hanging from the ceiling. They offer several IMAX movies and simulators that get you right into the action. Once you have checked out all the planes you can take an elevator up to the Observation tower and see the planes taking off and landing at Dulles Airport. After 4:00 p.m. there is no $15 parking fee and great place for the kids to burn off some energy before dinnertime.

Attention Travelers.....

We are lucky to have three major airports in our area, Dulles International Airport, Baltimore Washington International Airport, and Reagan National Airport.

Located in Chantilly, VA you'll find Dulles International Airport. You can spot the airplanes landing and taking off as you travel Route 28 in Fairfax County. Route 28 can be easily accessed from Route 66, the Dulles Toll Road, Route 50 or Route 7. There is plenty of parking if you plan to leave your car and no shortage of cabs or shuttles going to and from the airport. The Dulles Corridor Metro Rail project is currently under construction and is expected to be completed in 2014.

Located across the Potomac River from the Nation's Capital in Arlington, VA you'll find Reagan National Airport. This airport is connected to the Metro Rail System which exits at two terminals of the airport. Amtrak can also be used to access this airport via shuttles from two rail stations, one is in Alexandria, VA and the other is Union Station in D.C.

Baltimore Washington International Airport is located in Baltimore, MD. BWI is easily accessible from Northern Virginia via Baltimore Washington Parkway and Route 95. Amtrak, MARC and Metro light rail also service the airport. With this airport being less than 45 minutes from Northern Virginia it's another option for air travel.


With access to these three airports from Northern Virginia, it makes traveling very convenient. Northern Virginia and the suburbs of D.C. are optimal locations for living.

Safe travels.....

Relocation

In the Northern Virginia area you can most likely throw a rock and hit someone who has relocated to the area either for job opportunities, military or family. My small circle of friends have come from all over including Florida, California, New York, West Virginia and Ohio.  Very few of our friends are actually from Virginia with a small exception of my husband.

In cases where people are moving for job opportunities some companies will offer relocation packages. Some packages will recommend a realty firm to help you purchase or rent your new home.

A few of my close friends have shared their stories of relocating with me. One of my good friends said next time she would choose their own Realtor instead of going with the realty firm offered in a relocation package. She felt the Realtor with her package didn't offer enough time for her and kept steering her towards neighborhoods she felt were out of her price range. When time became an issue the Realtor went on vacation and left her unqualified nephew (who had no car) to show them properties. In the end she found her own home without the help of the Realtor or her nephew. The Realtor still received her commission but it was undeserved.

Another friend found her Realtor in her relocation package perfect. She loved her Realtor because she was well versed in the area and understood their needs. Once they disclosed their wish list she made a point of showing properties meeting their needs and discarded listings that did not. My friend felt the process was a success because they found a home in a reasonable amount of time and it met all their needs including price.

In Northern Virginia  there are many established and newer communities. You can live close to the city in Arlington, out west in Leesburg or anywhere in between. If you find yourself relocating to a new county or even a new state make sure you locate a Realtor that understands your needs. True North Realty, LLC is well versed in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Faquier and Prince William County. Let us help you find your new home!

Kamber Petty 571-299-8307 or kamber.a.petty@gmail.com

Frying Pan Park & Temple Hall Farm

In rural Leesburg, VA located in Loudoun County you'll find Temple Hall Farm. Temple Hall is a 286-acre working farm. It's a great place to the bring the family to see the animals and see all the sites of a working farm. It has plenty of picnic tables to bring a lunch and includes a small playground for the littler children. Every year from September to the beginning of November Temple Hall has a giant Corn Maze and pumpkin patch. You can also check out the Babbling Brook Trail which takes you over a creek and through the woods.

More pics to come when the weather gets nicer!

Geo-caching?

What's Geo-caching? About a year ago we were introduced to Geo-caching through my sister and a friend. I had heard others talk about it but I never inquired as to what it was. Once we got started we were hooked and the kids had a blast.

Geo-caching is a high tech treasure hunt using a GPS unit. Just like searching for hidden treasure, you use GPS coordinates to find hidden containers called geo-caches. These containers can be any shape and size located outdoors. Once you find the hidden container you can inspect the contents and leave a little something behind to mark your find. Most containers also contain a log book that you can sign and comment. When you're finished you replace the container where it was found. If you're not into the hunt you could also be an owner of your very own geo-cache and place it in your favorite hiking spot or even in your neighborhood common areas.

To get started go to the official geo-caching website, Geocaching. Here it shows you how to get started and once you find a geo-cache you can return to the website and log in your find. The website also gives out helpful hints provided by the owners of each geo-cache just in case you get stumped. Geo-caching is for all ages and sizes and these hidden treasures can be found all over the world. If you love to hike or just being outside to get some exercise, geo-caching is a fun activity.

The local regional park, Algonkian is filled with great hiking trails and many places for geo-caches to be hidden. It is located at the end of Cascades Parkway in Sterling, VA. Part of the Potomac Heritage Trail is also easily accessed through Algonkian park and filled with hidden geo-caches.

Last Fall we drove out to Chantilly, VA to check out Ellanor C. Lawrence Regional Park. It is a great park filled with lots of trails and chances to see wildlife.

In our Countryside neighborhood in Potomac Falls, VA, we have found many geo-caches and we aren't even close to finding them all. My kids love to help Mommy and Daddy find the hidden containers. This is a great activity to share with the family and get out into the fresh air.