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…

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…

It’s been so fun to see crowds of people gathering at local landmarks to play Pokemon Go this summer. As I learned through many conversations with players, Pokemon Go has inspired lots of people to spend time outdoors when they would ordinarily be sitting at a screen inside. If you’re one of the many people who…

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…

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…

Washington, D.C. is arguably most beautiful in the springtime, and the cherry blossoms at the Tidal Basin are worth their hype. If you haven’t strolled around the Tidal Basin during peak blossom season yet, you really need to add that treasured local experience to your bucket list. It’s extraordinary. But if you’ve been there and done that… eh, skip it this…

I recently met with a group of mothers as part of an article about their fitness group. One of the moms left quite an impression on me, because she was working out with a smile on her face while simultaneously corralling her three kids under five. I chatted with her after the workout, and was astonished to learn that despite…

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…

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…