Northern VA Real Estate and Community Info

General Area
The counties closest to the nation's capital– Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William–are urban in flavor in areas adjacent to the city, quite rural to the west and south. An additional 10 or more counties are also considered a part of NoVA, juxtaposing horse farms with research parks, new construction with historic homes.
Major activities
History buffs will spend many happy hours exploring the treasures housed in the myriad museums in Northern Virginia. From the Revolutionary War-era in Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum in Alexandria to the ever-growing National Air and Space Museum near Dulles Airport, boredom is never an issue.

Those with shopping on their minds will find that NoVA is home to a number of malls, ranging in size from the Tysons Corner Center in the east to the Apple Blossom Mall in Winchester to the west. Small strip shopping centers are snuggled into every neighborhood, while quaint shops sparkle in Occoquan and the old-town districts of Fairfax and Manassas.
When it is time for lunch or dinner, Northern Virginia offers something for everyone. From Portuguese cooking at Carmelo's in Manassas to the wonderful duck at the Peking Gourmet Inn in Falls Church, a meal is never just a meal, but food for the soul.
College and Universities
More specialized training and education are available at the Institute for the Psychological Sciences in Arlington, while Northern Virginia Community College offers classes at its campuses in Alexandria, Annandale, Loudoun, Manassas, Woodbridge, Arlington and Reston.
Cultural Events
Northern Virginians love celebrating life. This is one reason why there is always something going on at any time of the year. Think of anything, and there is likely to be a festival celebrating it in Fairfax, Alexandria,Winchester and elsewhere. Apple blossoms, jazz, wine, food and the Civil War are all fair game for festival goers looking for a good time.
Residents are not limited by events held in their own towns and can enjoy all the cultural amenities of the Kennedy Center and other venues within the District of Columbia. Share a limo or hop the Metro and enjoy opera, ballet and art galleries only a few miles away.
More Options
School districts within the NoVA region tend to be very high quality, and their proximity to the nation's capital provides an unimaginable array of enrichment opportunities. Most offer several extracurricular sports, along with social and service clubs and groups.

Public libraries are found in most towns, but they are a world beyond those of the past. Enforced silence has been replaced by a bubbling energy released through afterschool and community programming. Book signing, writers' groups, pre-school story hours and afterschool activities are only a few of their offerings.
Northern Virginians treasure their greenspaces, and an impromptu picnic or pickup ball game could be as close as the park across the street. The Leesburg area offers horseback riding, while sailing is an option along the Potomac River's lower reaches. Golf, tennis and other racquet sports, the martial arts and yoga are only a few of the many options available to residents.