My kids and I call the is Royal Lake park and it's a nice neighborhood/local park. A nice lake you…read morecould kayak in (not too many ppl), with geese, turtles and ducks. Very busy Saturday mornings during some seasons due to soccer (so parking lot will be full). There's a pretty good toddler and bigger kid playground structure and basketball court. It's about a mile walk across the lake with some paved parts but other parts are gravel and dirt and stairs. You'll have to carry a stroller at some points if taking stroller. Beautiful to look at the tree line during Fall.

It's nothing extraordinary. Right off of Pommeroy St, this is a small place with a playground. The…read moreset is decent enough for little ones. The field is of substantial size to throw a football around, or maybe fly a kite, but the goose poop isn't so attractive. That alone is a reason why the Canadian Honkers have less bag limits, during hunting season so please hit 'em up. As for the view, I do appreciate Lake Royal. Only two lakes in Virginia are natural, but this one has herons and an occasional eagle. Fishing from this side is ok, but it's far more action on opposite. Parking is for the most part adequate. Can't beat the price of admission, as it's free, and the adjacent trail is a pleasant one.

Easy to get to from highway, not super crowded and had plenty of parking (granted, it was a…read moreweekday). A few decent miles of trails with lots of cute bridges. There are benches scattered throughout the preserve on the trails, as well as some picnic tables near the pond. At some points the trails were well marked, well at others it was less clear where to go. Great for a quick fix of nature not too far from the city. Probably will go again!

Beautiful park that's truly a hidden gem. There are a few miles of trails, a man-made waterfall,…read moresmall picnic area and pond. Great place to spend an hour or two- without having to drive far.

This park is part of the Fairfax County Cross County Trail and is the trail is partially paved and…read morepartially gravel. I parked at Eaken Park across the street (don't tell anyone but there were plenty of parking spots on a sunny Saturday afternoon) and crossed Prosperity Avenue to get to the park. You'll see hikers, walkers with dogs, joggers, runners, bikers and even the occasional stroller along the trail bu it's less crowded than say the W&OD trail so you're not constantly dodging bikes, strollers and roller bladers. Much of the trail is shaded and runs along a creek and you'll see houses/backyards nearby but it does a great job of feeling like you're in the woods rather than almost in someone's backyard. I didn't see too much wildlife, mostly lots of squirrels and humans but no snakes either so that's always a plus and the bugs weren't too bad for a May afternoon. Don't expect any Instagram worthy views here if you're into that (I've never used it but my wife done sometimes) but it's a solid and not overly crowded place to hit the trail and get some steps whether you're just doing the park or going further along the traill.

It's a nice area along the county trail. Just decided today is too hot. Already at 0930 it's 89 and…read morewho knows what it'll be. Am not pleased as like hiking and biking. This area works for both. There are a lot of trees for shade here. That alone is something to be grateful for. There's not a lot going on here. No big time facilities or anything like that. Sometimes simplicity can be a pleasant surprise. Also there's a lot of wildlife here. Yes you're in a safe suburban location, but still back enough to see deer, squirrels, and birds. For that reason alone I happen to like it.

A nice neighborhood park. It may lack amenities or fancy extras. Yet this is a pleasant place to…read morespend time. Hiking and biking are great for your health. Is this park and trail going to create a cardiovascular challenge? No. Yet it's good for people of all ages and abilities. Have met kind walkers and other folks here. This is an area to relax in. One has to smile when you think how close the Beltway is. Here your far away from that, as lots of Oak and Maple trees. There aren't any mind blowing views, but this park serves a purpose. It's a safe place to unwind and get out of the fast life the areas known for.

I started running along the trail from the Braddock road entrance and went just over two miles and…read moreit seems trail does not circle. I stopped and turned around once I reached a major street. Approved for biking, trail running, hiking and dogs. I also so a basketball court.

Mason Neck is a peninsula which is mostly parkland but is divided confusingly among several…read moredifferent jurisdictions. The best views are the state park, which this is not. The federal wildlife refuge amounts to a couple of miles of trail through the forest, leading to an overlook. There wasn't a ton of wildlife when I dropped in, though I just caught site of a large bird of prey on my way back. The topography wasn't as varied, nor the trails as extensive, as compared to the state park which is just a bit farther down the road. However, that costs money and this does not, so this section is still nice for what it is.

There's a lot going on here in Lorton. Let me tell ya. You think you know your waterways and you…read morecome here going...uh..never heard of that before. I discovered Mason Neck Wildlige Refuge on my way to Mason Neck State Park. I took this hike as I was leaving. The pamphlet at the parking area describes how Captain John Smith took note of this location in 1608. He had documented the peninsula here. I didnt realize it until I read it. Then due to local resident Elizabeth Hartwell, this location became the first wildlife refuge for bald eagles in 1969. I enjoyed taking this hike and learning about the area. There's a nice shelter that overlooks the Great Marsh. Lots of sounds to be heard there! And a telescope posted for viewing birds as well. Don't pass it by.

Decent park. It's nothing earth shattering special. Basically a good spot on the cross county…read moretrail. Biking or walking can be quite pleasant. Also it's a reprieve to be in the woods. That alone is rewarding. There's not a lot of options. If you're a local though, it's a place to take a stroll. Have seen some wildlife here. It serves a purpose, and I'm glad to see trees instead of buildings. Definitely good for locals, but don't go out of your way to go here.

Americana Park is not a traditional park with trees and benches, but provides convenient access to…read morethe Accotink Creek for fishing and is a transit point for the Gerry Connolly cross-county trail which is a network of paths that cover more than 20 miles in Fairfax County. The area has limited space for about 15 cars to park. You'll see a little league baseball field (for Annandale / North Springfield) to your right as you approach the area. The location is right next to the southwest intersection area of the Beltway (I-495) and Little River Turnpike (Route 236). Driving access to the park is from the eastbound side of Route 236 on local streets. I'm not sure it's worth coming here unless you enjoy freshwater fishing (my son came here in late November 2021 for the release of brown trout) or play baseball or like to ride your bikes in the area north of the Aubrey Moore REC center. But the easy in-out car access for fishing is a huge plus for this part of Fairfax County!

My boyfriend and I wanted to do something nice outdoors, and we thought of trying to canoe or kayak…read moresomewhere. I looked up on Yelp, and this came up. We were sold on the good deal to do any water activities in a one or two hour timeframe. We decided to do tandem kayaking. the $13 for an hour came with a life vest, paddle, and the kayak. It was a relatively easy process to rent, and once we got out there, it was beautiful! My favorite time to go out on the water is during the summer, because the trees are full and fluffy. We'd definitely do this again, and with a larger group so we can all enjoy being outside!

This just in.... literally just got in after a hour long kayaking on the water at Lake Ridge Park…read more Awesome staff, great location tucked away, not to far from shopping centers to grab a bite afterwards. First time kayaking- I can't swim but once I got over the fear it was so peaceful. It was eerily quiet away from the hustle and bustle of Old Bridge Road. Can't wait for my next venture. I may try the standing boards. We paid $12.00 for a one hour rental. They surprisingly opened at 6am in Sunday's in the summer. It wasn't crowded but just enough people were you feel safe but you can still enjoy solitudes. Can't wait to go back!

Oronoco Bay Park is a vast park area with wide stair steps at the entrance of the park. The park is…read moreideal for the festivals held there. We encountered several sprinklers there when walking through this park. We saw a lot of ducks and birds at this park. In the middle of the park is a circular area with a paved circular pathway around it. The park was clean and well maintained like the other parks in Old Town. Oronoco Park was the largest and most open park we encountered in Old Town. It had one of the most quiet and calming ambience among all the parks as well. Trying to evade the sprinklers was a small distraction in our walk through this park. Avoid the pathway areas if you don't want to get watered down by the sprinklers there.

This section of waterfront is in the process of developing. I'm glad that land is available for…read morepedestrian use, but this is still very much a work in process. After bypassing a fenced in yard that separates this park from Downtown Alexandria, I was greeted by a nice little path but a bunch of collapsing boardwalk structures with signs to stay away. Hopefully in its final form the park will have more to offer, but at this point it's just an area to walk through.