trails

trails

Trail Tour: Northern Virginia scenery doesn’t get any better than this Great Falls trail

No series of local trail tours would be complete without this one. I think this is the most beautiful Northern Virginia trail, and if you hike only one local spot, this is the one to choose. When you live only nine miles from a National Park Service site, you should probably go check it out. If you haven’t been to…

November 17, 2016

Trail Tour: A Picture-Perfect Waterfall at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve

I had no idea anything this close to the Beltway could be so beautifully serene. This waterfall along the Potomac River is located at Scott’s Run Nature Preserve in McLean, which is a Fairfax County Park located 25 minutes from Reston Town Center. It’s a gorgeous park, especially as the leaves are changing. The trail is short and…

October 17, 2016

You Can Find Fossils on the Beaches of Calvert Cliffs State Park

This is well known in Southern Maryland, but I had no idea until recently: some of the beaches there have tons of fossils! The Calvert Cliffs, located south of Chesapeake Beach in Calvert County, Maryland, contain sedimentary deposits from the Miocene age (6 to 20 million years old), and those fossils wash up on the beaches. The…

September 12, 2016

Creative Date Night Ideas in Northern Virginia: Beyond Dinner and a Movie

If your date night routine is getting a little too, uh, routine, then it’s time for something new. Whether you’re looking for free date ideas or something more extravagant, we have lots of suggestions for things to do in the Reston area of Northern Virginia. BE ROMANTIC ☐ Rent a boat for two at Lake Anne or…

August 13, 2016

The 2016 Reston Summer Bucket List

Reston really shines in the summertime. This season of fun always slips by too quickly — don’t miss it! Here’s a list of some of the best things to do during summertime in Reston and nearby parts of Northern Virginia. How many of these things can you check off this year? You’ll want to bookmark this page and refer to it…

May 31, 2016

The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Things to Do in the Reston Area

This area is filled with great opportunities for outdoor recreation! One of our most popular articles of all time is our Ultimate Guide to Kids’ Indoor Fun in the Reston Area. The next logical step is a guide to outdoor fun, but this time we didn’t limit the excitement to kids’ activities. Here are our favorite ways for…

April 21, 2016

Trail Tour: The Open Green Spaces of Reston National Golf Course

Now that spring has arrived, treat yourself to a walk through some of Reston’s most beautiful scenery. Here is the next tour in Modern Reston’s series of trail tours: a walk at Reston National Golf Course. This route is great in all seasons, with shade in the summer, vibrant foliage in the fall, and sunny fields in…

March 22, 2016

Photo Gallery: Reston’s Dazzling Fall Colors

Trees are part of Reston’s unique identity — unlike many suburbs, this area has preserved several of its mature trees. When you live in a city nestled within a forest, every season is beautiful. Autumn, however, is almost magical here in Reston. As we rake the last of this year’s foliage, let’s look back on…

November 12, 2015

Trail Tour: A Hilly Workout with Some of Reston’s Best Scenery

Now that the weather is mild and the flowers are out, I want to be outside all day long. This time of year offers perfect conditions for one of my favorite walks in Reston. The latest in our series of trail tours is our longest one yet: a 3.5-mile loop that offers some of the best scenery that Reston…

April 21, 2015

Guest Post: The RUN Around Reston

Are you a Reston runner? Or are you thinking about beginning a running program? Then you will love this article by Reston resident Jessica Hofheimer. Jessica is a certified RRCA running coach, Pilates instructor, blogger at PaceofMe.com, and mother of three. Here she provides an excellent guide to running in Reston, with information about many of her favorite resources in…

April 10, 2015

The Wild and Wonderful Virginia Bluebells at Riverbend Park

Stop what you’re doing and go outside — spring flowers are blooming! In the DC area, our beautiful Japanese cherry blossoms get most of the attention this time of year. Less well known, though, are the native, blueish-pink wildflowers known as Virginia bluebells. Unless you’re a gardener or hiker, it’s possible that you haven’t even noticed…

April 8, 2015

Start the New Year with a First Day Hike at Virginia’s State Parks

If you’re like lots of people, you start each year invigorated and committed to getting fit. It’s a fresh start! You are motivated! And then you discover an overcrowded gym packed with all the other resolution-makers, and the thrill is gone. Or maybe you spend the first day of January in your traditional spot on the sofa, recovering…

December 30, 2014