Everyone knows that D.C. heralds the title of being one of the most historic areas in the country, but what few people may know is the historical influence of the area surrounding it. Northern Virginia, commonly known as NoVa, offers a mixture of modern fun and historical learning from the mountains of Monticello to the trolleys of Old Town Alexandria.

Moseying through Monticello

Sitting atop a mountain outside of Charlottesville, Virginia, this 5,000-acre plantation, designed by president Thomas Jefferson, inspires locals and tourists alike. You must first take a bus from the main building--a beautiful wooden structure with a gallery and gift shop--to this hidden enclave in Northern Virginia. Once you're there, you can tour the house (highly suggested), or just walk around the meticulously cared for and beautifully designed gardens and pathways. The house itself contains many of Jefferson's innovations, including a bed designed within a wall and closets inside the walls. The house opens up the fascinating mind of this respected former president. The area has several trails to walk down. The combination of the nature with the pristine architecture of the house can make any person swoon and maybe yearn for a simpler time.

Mount Vernon: Washington's stomping grounds

Outside of Alexandria, Virginia and located about 30 minutes from the metropolitan D.C., Mount Vernon gains its illustrious fame as being the home of the U.S.' first president, George Washington. This 500-acre plantation still holds the original house where famous 1800's leaders strolled, as well as a museum that holds remnants of the era, from pottery to furniture to beautiful jewelry. You can walk around the grounds after your complimentary tour of the house (there is an admission cost at Mount Vernon's gates), and see the meticulously planned plantation that overviews the Potomac River. The Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts also boasts the beauty of Northern Virginia nature along with the beauty of art and music.

Old time fun in Old Town Alexandria

Alexandria, located right outside of D.C., is another example of the monumental and influential history in the greater Northern Virginia area. Within this little city is a famous historic district, Old Town, that can pride itself in having historic locales like Robert E. Lee's childhood home, the alleged oldest weekly market in the U.S., the famous Torpedo Factory and the Lee-Fendall House. But this town offers more that just a history lesson--it has shopping, from vintage boutiques to mainstream chains, and delicious eateries and a nice populace. Old Town may show you that learning about history can be a little more kinesthetic than you'd originally thought.

Nature's wonder: Great Falls Park

Filled with rapids, waterfalls, rocks, nature and a quaint canal and waterway, Great Falls Park escapes the box of nature-lovers-only as it appeals to any visitor. Virginia's a huge sport state, and Great Falls Park proves it. It's been a trading town, a fishing area, it's held an amusement park and draws in people who love the earth around them. Walking across the wooden bridge that snakes through the rocks and over the waterways and along the ancient canal proves that this beautiful place is an oasis between Northern Virginia and D.C. Bring your water bottle and a camera, because you'll want to remember the natural sights in this hidden gem of nature.

Arlington National Cemetery

This 612-acre cemetery, nestled right across the Potomac River from Washington D.C., is the resting place of over 250,000 soldiers and home to many veteran and military-related events.. Here, you can walk the grounds of the cemetery steeped in military esteem, or take a ride on a "tourmobile", similar to a trolley, that drives along the way. Here, you can see the graves former presidents William Howard Taft and John F. Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Robert Kennedy. You can also see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, where a military guard paces in front of the tomb in the famous, twenty-one gun salt-inspired manner. Despite the somber mood of the cemetery, its majestic beauty is a sight to see and a place that will stay in your memory.

 

By Abigail Geiger, Contributing Author