7 Best Things to Do in Falls Church, Virginia

Falls Church is a historic small town included in the Washington metropolitan area. It has the lowest level of poverty in the country. It got its name from the 18th-century Church of England, later Episcopal Church, parish. The downtown has a large number of structures that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. One of them is 1769 Falls Church, almost completely preserved in its original design. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.

7 Best Things to Do in Falls Church, Virginia

• Eden Center, Photo: Eden Center
• The Falls Church, Photo: The Falls Church
• Cherry Hill Farmhouse, Falls Church, Virginia, Photo: Cherry Hill Farmhouse
• Settle Down Easy Brewing Co., Falls Church, Virginia, Photo: Settle Down Easy Brewing Co.
• 2941 Restaurant, Falls Church, VA, Photo: 2941 Restaurant
• Haandi Indian Cuisine, Falls Church, Virginia, Photo: Haandi Indian Cuisine
• Anthony's Restaurant, Falls Church, Virginia, Photo: pavel siamionov/stock.adobe.com
• Cover Photo: City of Falls Church

More Ideas in VA: Booker T. Washington National Monument

Virginia’s Booker T Washington National Monument celebrates one of the most influential African Americans of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Dr. Booker T Washington (1856-1915). From the parking lot of the Visitor Center guests are drawn in by the broadcasting of historic field songs. Once inside, a 12-minute introductory video examines the life and legacy of Dr. Booker T Washington.

A newly designed interactive exhibit, “Born Here, Freed Here,” is split into chronological sections that highlight the first nine years of Dr. Washington’s life and was it was like to be born a slave, as well as offering a history lesson on the extraordinary accomplishments Dr. Washington achieved in his years as a “freed man.” Activities throughout the exhibit inspire guests to imagine the life of an enslaved person and what it would be like to be unable to read, feed or clothe your family. A gift shop offers books relating to the life of Dr. Booker T Washington, the history of slavery in America, and the Civil War, including Dr. Washington’s own memoir, “Up From Slavery.”

Guests may explore the log cabin in which Dr. Booker T Washington spent the first nine years of his life until being freed from slavery after the Civil War. The intact log cabin has been restored, and it’s bare bones furnishings, no beds, no dressers, no cupboards, reminds visitors of the harsh reality of life as a slave, sleeping on the dirt floor of a small room who’s primary utility was as a kitchen to the plantation.

A garden area exemplifies a typical subsistence farm of the mid 1800’s. Separate from the tobacco farm, which grew the plantation’s cash crop, the subsistence farm grew corn and other vegetables for food. A working farm area recreates an 1850’s tobacco farm and houses pigs, chickens, sheep and horses. Visitors may watch the park rangers feed and care for the animals. The site also contains an 1850’s smoke house, blacksmith shed, tobacco barn, and the Burroughs’ family cemetery.

Surrounding the property is the Jack-O-Lantern Branch Heritage Trail, a 1.5-mile loop that offers an easy walk through forests and fields, alongside three different creeks. There is also a picnic area on site adjacent to the visitor center.

History: Dr. Booker T. Washington was born in 1856 to his mother, Jane Washington, a slave on the Virginia plantation belonging to James and Elizabeth Burroughs. His mother, the plantation cook, prepared meals for the plantation from the small log cabin in which the family of four lived. The family lived in the cabin for the first nine years of Dr. Washington’s life, until they were emancipated after the end of the Civil War. During the war, the family managed the farm, along with 10 other slaves, while five of the Burroughs’ children fought for the confederacy.

At war’s end in 1865, the Emancipation Proclamation of 1863 was finally enforced. Washington recalls one of the Union soldiers reading the proclamation from the front porch of the Burroughs’ home to an overwhelmingly ecstatic response. His mother, Jane, was at last able to take her three children to West Virginia, to reunite with her husband, who was working there at the salt mines.

Booker T Washington had always wanted an education, but as a slave, was not permitted to attend school. After emancipation, he achieved his dream of education and became a noted orator, author and educator. He was the founding force behind the Tuskegee Institute, now Tuskegee University, which is credited with “lifting the veil of ignorance” for many African American former slaves, by first educating black teachers, then expanding into an institute of higher education for all.

The purchase of the National Monument site was funded via proceeds from a commemorative coin authorized by Congress in 1946, with assistance from the state of Virginia. The National Monument was designated in 1956, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places ten years later.

Ongoing Programs and Education: Tours of the site are mostly self-guided, with interpretative materials available from the Visitor Center. Guided ranger-led tours are available for groups of 10 or more only, with reservations required. The 30-60 minute tours take guests on a short walk through the National Monument. An Educational Guide to the National Monument is available for area educators who wish to bring the lessons from the site’s history into their classrooms, or to bring groups of school children to the site for hands-on learning.

12130 Booker T. Washington Highway Hardy, VA 24101, Phone: 540-721-2094

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More Ideas in VA: Middleton Inn in Washington

Combining the grandeur and elegance of an English country home with the gracious hospitality and personalized Southern-style service of a five-star hotel, the Middleton Inn Bed and Breakfast is a classic country estate set in the picturesque village of Washington, Virginia. Built in 1840 by Confederate uniform designer, Middleton Miller, this award-winning inn is listed on the Virginia Landmarks Register and boasts breathtaking views of the surrounding landscapes and the historic village of Washington, Virginia.

Set in the picturesque surroundings of horse-filled paddocks, the Middleton Inn Bed and Breakfast rests on a grassy knoll facing the magnificent Blue Ridge Mountains and guests can relax on the spacious porch over a glass of complimentary wine and soak up the breathtaking views. The Middleton Inn Bed & Breakfast still houses some the first dependencies on the estate, including the stables, the old summer kitchen, the smoke house and the slaves' quarters, which have been beautifully renovated into romantic accommodations with spectacular views.

The Middleton Inn Bed and Breakfast feature five beautifully appointed guest rooms that have been exquisitely furnished in chic, comfortable country-style décor, warm, welcoming hues and lovely garden views. Each room has its own character and style, however, all rooms feature standard amenities, including private bathrooms with showers, Jacuzzi tubs, plush robes, hair dryers, and deluxe bath products, wood-burning fireplaces, coffeemakers, refrigerators, wet bars, iron and ironing boards, and complimentary wireless Internet.

The Cottage is a romantic 1840s guest cottage over two floors and features a private sitting area with fully stocked library, wood-burning fireplace, comfy sofas and armchairs and a small kitchenette on the bottom level and a queen bedroom on the upper level. The charming bedroom has a queen-size sleigh bed and en-suite bathroom with Jacuzzi tub for two and separate shower and boasts beautiful views of the surrounding paddocks, stables, and mountains.

The Churchill Room has a classic Federal ambiance with a queen-size Chartwell sleigh bed, a wood-burning fireplace, anen-suite marble bathroom with bathtub and shower and spectacular views of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

The Ascot Room is handsomely decorated with hunter green wallpaper, equestrian prints and brass candlestick lamps. The room features a romantic four-poster queen-size bed, a private marble bathroom with shower, bath plush robes and deluxe bath products and a wood-burning fireplace.

The Middleton Room is exclusive and unique with an 1850s vanity tucked into the corner of the room which has been modernized to serve as a vanity sink. The room features a queen-size sleigh bed, private marble bathroom with walk-inshower only, and a cozy sitting area with wood-burning fireplace.

Aptly named for being bright and sunny, The Sun Room features a comfortable king-size bed facing a wood-burning fireplace and an en-suite marble bathroom with walk-in shower only, plush bathrobes and organic bath products.

A delectable gourmet breakfast is served every morning in the elegant dining room with a variety of homemade hot and cold choices, egg dishes, freshly baked pastries, croissants, rolls, and bread, fresh juices, fruit, coffees and teas.

The Middleton Inn Bed and Breakfast features an array of deluxe guest amenities to ensure an idyllic getaway, ranging from daily delivery of the morning newspaper and a complimentary gourmet breakfast served every morning, to afternoon tea with scones, pastries, and other baked delights. There is also complimentary evening Port and chocolates, wine and cheese reception on weekends, and free bottled water and filled ice buckets in the guest rooms.

Named Little Washington to distinguish it from prominent Washington, D.C., which is less than 70 miles away, Little Washington was established in the 1800s and is home to aplethora of excellent restaurants, shops, galleries, and churches. Nestled in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, this National Historic Landmark town is renowned for its outstanding eateries and restaurants, the town is famous for being home to the world's best hotel restaurant, the Inn at Little Washington, as well as other award-winning establishments such as The Theatre at Washington, and the cycling/Culinary Tour d'Epicure.

The little town offers a variety of both cultural and recreational activities and adventures to enjoy wine tasting at one of the many wine estates and wineries in the area and dining at award-winning restaurants to hiking, horseback riding or cycling through the heart of Rappahannock County and soaking up the spectacular natural beauty of the Blue Ridge Mountains and surrounds.

Back to: Weekend Getaways in Virginia

176 Main Street, Washington, Virginia, 22747, Phone: 800-816-8157

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