Whether you’re traveling with friends or kids, one of the coolest things you can do in northern Virginia for fun is to visit the Old Dominion in Manassas to see a drag racing or stock car racing competition.
Drag racing competitions happens regularly at the old Dominion on Friday nights between March and October, while on Saturday nights you can catch NASCAR racing action. Admission to the see a racing event at the Old Dominion Speedway costs $15 for adults and $6 for kids, which is a super deal.
By the way, if you’re a serious car racing fan you should also consider booking a stock car driving experience at the Old Dominion with “Try It Racing”. They offer driving experiences for as little as $40.
Enjoy views of Virginia, Maryland and Washington DC
Both Maryland and Washington DC border the northern region of Virginia with the Potomac River being the natural border. When visiting the area you definitely have to take a Potomac River tour from Alexandria VA.
From Alexandria you’ll be able to book public cruises with cruise operators such as the “Potomac River Company” and “Dandy Dinner Boat” cruises who offer dinner cruises and sightseeing tours between the spring and fall seasons.
On a sightseeing cruise, you can expect to enjoy marvelous views of Maryland, DC, and northern Virginia and see famous landmarks such as the Jefferson Memorial, the JFK Center, The Washington Monument and Memorial Bridge.
Visit Washington DC’s attractions
Washington DC is so close that you cannot pass the opportunity to enjoy a half day trip to the capital and see DC’s top attractions such as the WWII, Korean War and Vietnam War memorials, and the White House.
If you’re planning to drive or use car rental, you can easily get to DC from Arlington within 15 minutes depending, of course, on traffic. Having said this, arranging an organized tour to Washington DC is probably the best bet because you won’t have to worry about parking issues once you get there.
You can book day trips to Washington DC with tour operators such as “All About Town Tours” and “Onboard DC Tours”, or you could book a special package offered by hotels such as Best Western Pentagon Hotel in Arlington, which regularly offer guided shuttle bus tours when staying at their hotel.
Enjoy an afternoon of wine tasting in Loudoun Wine Country
If you’re looking for more fun stuff to do outdoors, another thing you must add to your list of things to do in northern Virginia in the summer is visiting the wineries and vineyards in Loudoun County.
Loudoun County is one of the top wine producing regions in the state of Virginia and one of the best ways to explore this beautiful wine region is by hopping on a car. However, if you’re planning to do some serious wine tasting it’s probably best to go with a wine tour operator such as “Virginia Wine Country Tours” to be on the safe side.
As far as top wineries/vineyards to visit in Loudoun County, the best ones are found in and around Purceville and Leesburg and include Breaux Vineyards, Sunset Hills Vineyard and Fabbioli Cellars.
Visit the war memorials, national cemeteries, historic sites, war museums, etc
Northern Virginia is a heaven for history and war buffs alike so if you happen to be one of them, you’ll enjoy exploring places such as Arlington, Alexandria, Manassas and the Triangle. Places you must include on your itinerary of things to see in northern Virginia include:
1) Arlington National Cemetery
2) National Museum of the Marine Corps (Triangle)
3) Manassas National Battlefield Park (Manassas)
4) Tomb of the Unknowns (Arlington)
5) US Marine Corps War Memorial (Arlington)
6) Pentagon Memorial (Arlington)
7) The Pentagon (Arlington)
8) Old Town of Alexandria
9) The George Washington Masonic National Memorial (Alexandria)
Enjoy a bit of shopping at Potomac Mills
Lastly but not least, if you’re a fan of shopping malls you cannot pass the chance to visit Northern Virginia’s biggest mall. Potomac Mills mall is actually one of the biggest malls in the east coast and it’s a great place to kill a day shopping with family and friends.
Sure enough, Potomac Mills is a very popular place (especially on weekends) and shops include mid range stores such as Old Navy, Gap, Fossil, and Carter’s.
See. Things Tourists do in West Virginia
Top Beaches in Virginia
Places to visit in Harpers Ferry
