Love this public park! The playgrounds and sports facilities are spaced out nicely. It can get…read morecrowded in the weekend, with limited parking onsite. Took my two year old here and had a blast, will recommend!

I so miss the rocket, and the merry go round. As one can imagine, we live in a litigious society,…read moreand best guess is that's why the latter is gone. This isn't to say it's a bad place, as quite the opposite, it's a truly safe park. Located right next to the Fairfax City police department, I have a lot of happy memories from here. Taking my kids to this park was fun, and so was sledding on the hills in winter. Some parts of the trail need to be repaired, but otherwise it's in great condition. Kids of all ages will like the skate park, and the basketball hoops. Also the fields are fun for kite or drone flying. This is a rather large park. You can get exercise on the tennis courts, or cook on the grills here. The covered patios with tables, make for a decent birthday celebration spot. Also there's a volleyball area too. If in the area stop on in, and hours are dusk til dawn.

Amazing hiking trails! Trails are pretty accessible for all levels…read more The trail maps need updating as there are some new trails.

It's closed for months to repair a sewage siphon in spring, which is ridiculous. There's a sewage…read morepipe that empties into the waterfall area, but people don't seem to care and they swim, even though you can smell the sewage. The whole place and even the forest is littered with hard lemonade and beer bottles, babies diapers, dog poop and all kinds of food wrappers.

I hadn't been in awhile and this place is as Yelp worthy as ever on a warm fall day. It's a must…read moredo if you like anything outdoors. They have a giant lake for fishing, you can fish from the dock areas or bring or rent a non-gas powered boat. You can also rent a canoe or paddle boat but all the rental stuff is only open during spring/summer They have a 5 mile trail along the lake that's a nice walk but can be crowded when the weather is good and pay attention since the trail entrance isn't marked as clearly as it could be. They also have mini golf, a train, playgrounds and some other stuff. It's free for Fairfax County residents (glad we're getting something for our taxes) and $10 for everyone else but of course the rentals, mini golf, train, etc. cost extra. There's a decent amount of parking but go early on a nice day or you might have a hard time grabbing a spot. I'll come back here for sure to walk the trail and maybe do a little fishing or rent a boat

Came here for a morning run. There is nothing like an outdoor run. The lake is beautiful and its…read moreabout a 4.5 mile loop. I did two loops and was drained afterwards. Got a glimpse of some cool birds and a deer. Highly recommend just for a stroll.

This place is absolutely beautiful. Huge with so many stunning areas from a greenhouse with glass…read morewalls and greenery to pagodas! I didn't know it's also a popular event venue! We saw a few weddings here last weekend. Plenty trails and photo ops! Looks like a lot of people come here for maternity shoots and engagement shoots- the photographers have a special entrance ticket and rules to abide by. Not free entry but very well maintained and a beautiful experience for families or couples.

Meadowlark is the best spot to view cherry blossoms in the DMV, hands down. Visit on a weekday…read moreduring peak bloom if you can, but even on a busy day you can get better views of the blossoms than at the Tidal Basin. Don't sleep on this hidden gem during cherry blossom season! The rest of the botanical garden is well worth a visit, with a greenhouse, polished garden favorites, and wild woodland scenery. There are also children's gardens and a small playground, as well as many benches with different views to enjoy. One of my favorite spots is the fairy garden right outside the entrance, with all kinds of small-scale flowers. Admittedly, I've only been to Meadowlark during two seasons and have yet to witness fall and winter. I'm eager to go for the holiday lights, which I've heard great things about.

What a gem! Chessie's Big Backyard is such a great spot for kids (and grown-ups who like a good…read morewalk). The walking trails were really nice--well maintained with peaceful forest views. Perfect for a stroller, and some nature scavenger hunts. The playground itself is huge and looked really well cared for. The toddler area was unfortunately closed during our visit, but the rest of the space more than made up for it. There are tons of benches and seating all around, and you can see most of the playground from just about anywhere, which is so helpful when you're keeping an eye on kiddos. There's a massive covered pavilion area that would be perfect for group meetups or a picnic in the shade. And while it was still closed for the season, the splash pad/water park area looked like fun! Definitely planning to come back in the summer to check it out! Such a great spot to have in the area!

Would definitely come here again didn't know that it was a park with a waterpark next to it just…read morefor small kids nothing major nothing big but it's still amazing. Granddaughter had a blast.

This is a smaller neighborhood type park with a pretty good trail and more of a legit woods feel in…read moreplaces than a lot of suburban trails while also being right in people's backyards in other places. It's only a few miles long and there wasn't any parking to speak of on Etsel Road so I just parked on the street in the neighborhood and didn't get towed or anything so I guess it's fine. You can also take the trail into Fairfax City and get something to eat or whatever. They also have a coyote warning sign but I didn't see any, not sure if I should be disappointed and grateful! This is a worth checking out if you're in the area and have an hour or so to spend going for a walk.

It's a nice place if in the area. Admittedly still saddened, that Army Navy Golf Course developed…read morethe land it bought, taking away some of the woods that used to exist here. Yes it was their property, but the bike hills and rope swing were so much fun. This is still a good neighborhood park. It connects Old Lee Hills with Fairview, and the paths are well maintained. You'll enjoy hiking your dog here, or biking through it. There is a lot of wildlife in here. It's a nice spot to see deer, or other animals who do coexist with us. There's a stream with small fish too. Hoping the city will always maintain this so well, along with volunteers who lovingly handle invasive plants. There are some benches too. I recommend sitting here and relaxing sometimes. It's healthy and a good place for it.

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.

Ratliffe Park is a great little park tucked away in the heart of Fairfax City…read more There is a playground for both toddlers and elementary school age kids, giant saucer swing, animal totem pole, and artfully arranged tree trunks that kids can practice their jumping skills on. My children are especially fond of all of the fresh mulch to play with (eye roll). There is a covered picnic area which would make this spot perfect for birthday parties as well as lots of green grass to run around. I find it a little bit more quiet and more well-maintained than nearby Van Dyck Park which can get kind of crazy if you have tiny littles like me.

A nice park by old town Fairfax. Right off of Sager Avenue, there's a decent field here. This is…read moregood for throwing a baseball or football around. Also the basketball courts are pretty sweet. I like the amount of open space here, plus the trees mixed in, for a bit of a relaxing view. Parking is a cinch, as I just park on Sager. If you have little kids, there's even more. The playground is quite extensive. They will also like the swings. A clean park, and a safe place away from big streets to. It's a fine place for families to go. This usually isn't too busy either, so people who like a laid back spot, might be enamored by this. There are some gardens and flowers too.