Herndon Depot, 717 Lynn St., houses railroad and historical memorabilia from Herndon late 1800s-1960s and is on the National Register of Historic Places. Photo by Mercia Hobson.
The Town of Herndon is the "Next Generation Small Town" and with its surrounding communities, offers a calendar-full of free events, festivals, and concerts. Herndon also features award-winning recreational facilities such as its Community Center – perfect for swimming, exercising, shooting baskets, or playing tennis. If golf is your passion, there’s the Herndon Centennial Golf Course, named one of Golf Digest's "Best Places to Play." Into cycling or running? The paved 44-mile great rail trail, the W&OD, connects Herndon west to the Blue Ridge and east to the metro D.C. region.
Looking for nature? The town embraces the outdoor lifestyle with 11 parks. Nearby Frying Pan Park is an equestrian's dream. Into the arts? Visit Herndon's two professional theatres, NextStop and Classical Ballet, and experience ArtSpace Herndon's exhibits, art sales and performances.
Check out Herndon's attractions: the Depot Museum, Red Caboose, five downtown murals, eighteen Historical Markers, and the Herndon Municipal Center with its library complex and Town Green.
Foodies look no further. Not counting eateries in the surrounding communities, the town has 120, of those, 25 offer international cuisines. Farm-to-table produce is readily available at the two Farmers Markets, which operate weekly spring through fall, one in the downtown, and other at Frying Pan Park.
Sharon Nachman, event planner, 39 years in Herndon, says:
"What's so great about Herndon? It's the goodness of the people in the town. Here are two examples – one in tragedy and one in celebration. When five newly graduated Herndon High School seniors were involved in a fatal out-of-state car crash, the community came together. They funded expenses to bring three deceased students back home from Texas and to pay for their funerals. On a lighter celebratory note, when the Herndon High School Marching Band was selected to perform in Hawaii at the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in 2013, the community raised funds for those students whose families could not afford the expenses. Green Lizard Cycling initiated the 1st Annual Green Lizard Half-Century Fun Ride/Bike-a-Thon, and Rotary Club of Herndon produced a carnival. All HHS Marching Band students who wanted to go, regardless of income, performed in Hawaii, expenses paid in full for those who needed assistance."