Leesburg - what to do there? (Lynchburg, Burke: 2013, houses, neighborhood)

[Candicem]

Hi. I currently live in Chantilly with my husband and 2 kids ages 6 and 8. We are moving to the foxridge neighborhood in 3 weeks in Leesburg. Besides the obvious of old town, Ida Lee, outlets, are there any other nice parks or lakes or natural areas to go to (either in Leesburg or Loudoun County)? We love going to Burke Lake and going for walks in different trails that we find near our house. We love Meadowlark Botanical Gardens. Are there any botanical gardens in Leesburg or out towards that area? Are there any other nice parks? I know there is a small water park in Leesburg but I'm looking for more natural settings. Places with lots of trees and trails and things like that. We moved here 3 years ago from So Cal so I haven't fully looked into what there is to do out that way since I live in Chantilly and work in Reston.

Thanks!

[LynchburgLover]

It's been a while since I've been around Leesburg, but isn't Foxridge right next to the W&OD trail? That's a nice place to start walking, riding bicycles. Morven Park is also in Leesburg next to Ida Lee. I know there is an historic mansion and I think there are trails there.

Alqonquin Park is east of Leesburg in the Potomac Falls area. Franklin Park is in Purcellville.

If you go a bit west, you can pick up the Appalachian Trail in Clarke County. The Virginia Arboretum at Blandy Farm is off Route 50, also in Clarke County.

[Candicem]

Thanks for the ideas! I will look into all of them. Yes we will be right next to the W&OD trail, but I was looking for more natural trails with lots of trees and forests. The parts of the W&OD trail that I have seen so far have been paved with concrete all around and houses. Thank you!!

[Cardiff Kook]

I lived in Catoctin Chase (the neighborhood directly across from Foxridge and next to ashton downs) for over 20 years. I moved to Oceanside CA a few weeks ago. Being from So Cal, you've probably figured out that in comparison your outdoor activities are more limited 5 months out of the year in NoVA. That being said, foxridge is a great little neighborhood that is within 25 minutes walking distance of downtown leesburg. Its also located right off the bike trail which is a great place to go after work or on the weekends. If you wind up staying there for a while, your kids can attend Loudoun County High and walk to school (like I did), which was great. Its a nice spot overall. Let me know if you have more questions about the area since I know it intimately

[Candicem]

Thanks GMUAlum08 We are very excited and have driven through the neighborhood many times and have walked through old town a lot! I grew up in So Cal and lived in Dana Point and San Clemente so I have been to Oceanside lots of times. We are planning on being there for a very long time and I've heard great reviews about Loudoun County H.S. THanks for the suggestions and help

[LynchburgLover]

I thought of another place -- I don't remember it's name but it's off Edwards Ferry Road as you go out toward River Creek Country Club there is an historical marker and old house. We once started down the path which I believe you can take to the river but I'm not positive. Our little one was too small, it was heavily wooded and we turned back. Now, that was about 15 years ago so I'm not sure if it's still there but it's worth exploring the historical marker anyway.

[beachbag4]

I think LynchburgLover is talking about Red Rock Wilderness Overlook Park Red Rock Widerness Overlook - Trails and Map

[LynchburgLover]

Thanks, beachbag4. That is the one. I tried mapquest and google but couldn't find it.

[Candicem]

that looks great thanks!

[Caladium]

When the weather gets nicer, try the various wineries in the area. Many of them allow hiking on their grounds. Tarara Winery, for example, is a very pretty place right on the river and has a nice trail around a lake. Explore the civil war cemetery and trails of Red Rock. There's another park right next to it that has some nice trails and where we've seen a lot of deer--can't remember the name.

If you cross the bridge to Point of Rocks and make an immediate right hand turn you will find a parking lot connected to the trail that goes all the way from DC to Harpers Ferry. There is also a place to launch kayaks right there. This is a wide, flat trail with some interesting points along the way. Perfect for families, but if you want a rougher, more athletic hike opt for the Heritage Trail on the other side of the river.

Speaking about kayaks, there are places to launch all along the river and a small park with hiking trails and a kayak lunch along Goose Creek.

W&OD bike trail goes right through Leesburg. You can ride a bike all the way to Mount Vernon or out to Purcellville. You can also hike on this if you wish.

Ida Lee Park always seems to have something going on. I also see lots of events at Morven Park, which is a historic estate and equestrian center. Speaking about horses, if that's you're thing check out the Loudoun website for horse events. This is horse country, there are all sorts of things from the pricey gold cup down to free chances to watch the local kids try out jousting.

There's a new park with camping and kayaking being built next to White's Ferry. I believe it's opening next year. And don't forget to take White's Ferry some time, that's a fun way to cross the river. There' also the Heritage Trail. It's another one of those trails that goes the whole length of the Potomac, but it's not all that interesting out near Leesburg. Better to drive to Algonkian and start the trail there (heading east).

The National Conference Center is another interesting place to take very short hikes. There are some small sculptures along the trails there, and the center itself is kind of interesting in a "throwback to mod buildings of the late 60s" sort of way.

Since you have kids, you'll find a lot of scouting and sports events in the area. That's a good way to get connected with other people and find out about a lot of smaller local events such as the annual Water Battle (kids with squirt guns vs. the fire truck--guess who wins? ) Here are some shots from last August to give you n idea:









Just west of Leesburg, the towns of Purcellville and Hamilton seem to have a lot of events, especially in the summer. And in the spring, be sure to check out the farm tour, which is fun.

Speaking about fire trucks, I'm a big fan of volunteering for a local fire department. You don't have to be a fire fighter--they have lots of needs for people to help out at educational and fundraising events. Which means you end up finding out about a lot of fun local events, plus you meet new friends. There are also some churches in the area that have a lot of social activities. Look for info through the Loudoun website or other local sites. Don't look for info on Google. For some reason Google doesn't seem to know much about Loudoun County, in fact, for some mysterious reason Google maps doesn't even know a few local towns like Round Hill exist.

Welcome to VA!