Supervisor John Cook (R-Braddock) recommends places to see in his district.
Lake Accotink Park’s 493 acres include a 55-acre lake, wetlands and streams offering unique views of waterfowl and marsh life. Picnic areas, playground, pavilions, trails and open play fields are open daily year-round, 7 a.m. to dusk. Facilities and activities vary with the season and include bike rentals, canoe and pedal boat rentals, boat launch, tour boat rides, fishing, pavilion shelters and picnic areas with grills (some areas may be reserved, call 703-324-8732), restrooms, playground, sand volleyball court and basketball court. Situated along the Cross County Trail, the park also has a four-mile loop, natural-surface hiking/biking trail. Boats powered by electric motors, sailboats under 15 feet and kayaks are allowed on the lake. Pay $2 launch fee at marina. Swimming, windsurfing, paddle boarding and gas powered boat motors are prohibited. A Virginia State Fishing License is required for fishing.
The Center for the Arts is the centerpiece of performing arts on the Fairfax campus of George Mason University. Each year the Center welcomes thousands of community members into its 2000-seat Concert Hall for performances by renowned professional artists, accomplished faculty, and emerging student artists. Great Performances at Mason, an annual season of national and international artists, features the best of classical music, opera, jazz, world music, dance, theater, global music and dance, and more. The Center for the Arts is also the performing home for the Fairfax Symphony Orchestra.
Fairfax Corner is a beautiful mixed-use shopping center that offers main street style shopping at both national chains and local boutiques. It features fun events and entertainment, a state of the art movie theater and some the best restaurants around. Fairfax Corner also combines office space for rent and residential living to make it the ideal place to live, work, dine and shop.
Oak Hill Mansion, a privately owned 18th century Georgian-style home, is all that remains of the Ravensworth Tract – totaling more than 22,000 acres – dating from the 1670’s. Under an innovative agreement involving the County, the Park Authority and the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust, the home is privately owned and maintained, but preserved as a historic site and open to the public up to four times per year.
The EagleBank Arena (originally the Patriot Center) is a 10,000-seat arena located on the campus of George Mason University. It has attracted 9.6 million people to over 2,958 events. On May 7, 2015, George Mason University announced that the name would be changed on July 1 to "EagleBank Arena at George Mason University," following a partnership deal with EagleBank. It’s a great place to check out a sporting event or concert. Bruce Springsteen, Keith Urban, Bob Dylan, Ricardo Arjona, Enrique Iglesias, the Harlem Globetrotters and Disney on Ice are only a few of the concerts and family shows that have performed at the arena over the past 29 years.
Royal Lake is a 42 acre lake is filled with fascinating wildlife within the woodlands and on the lakefront, including nocturnal animals such as bats and opossums. The lake itself contains bass, sunfish, crappie and catfish. There is also a two mile trail that circles the lake, making it a great spot for a run, a bike ride or a just a relaxing stroll.
Wakefield Chapel was built in 1899 on land donated by local sawmill owner, Oliver Besley. The chapel was named for its first local preacher, the Reverend E. W. Wakefield, a colorful figure in Virginia Methodism and a Union Officer during the Civil War. The building served as a community church until 1951, and was later turned over to the Park Authority to be preserved for future generations. A country Gothic structure with white clapboard siding and arched windows, Wakefield Chapel is a quaint setting for weddings or other services and ceremonies. It features original pews, two stained-glass windows and a beautifully restored pulpit.
Audrey Moore Recreation Center at Wakefield Park is approximately 76,000 square feet in size and houses a 50m pool with one 3m and two 1m diving boards. The natatorium also contains spectator seating, doors that lead to a spacious outdoor sundeck, and locker rooms containing saunas and showers. In addition to the various racquetball and squash courts, the center has a large gymnasium with six basketball hoops, and volleyball nets. The center also contains a cycle studio, a dance room, a pottery lab and kiln, an arts and crafts room, three multi-purpose activity rooms, and a senior center. Wakefield Skate Park, located next to the rec center, offers a chance for people of all ages and skill levels to enjoy the thrills and excitement of skateboarding, inline skating, and BMX biking on our Freestyle and Competition courses.