Top Things to do in Fort Belvoir
Top Restaurants in Fort Belvoir
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10 Things to Do in Fort Belvoir That You Shouldn't Miss
Discover the best top things to do in Fort Belvoir, United States including George Washington's Mount Vernon, Fort Washington Park, Gunston Hall, National Colonial Farm, Lake Accotink Park, Huntley Meadows Park, Olive Vine Gourmet, George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill, Old Town, Workhouse Arts Center.
Restaurants in Fort Belvoir
1. George Washington's Mount Vernon
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 3 reviews
Come share the fascinating moments of America’s first family with yours at George Washington’s Mount Vernon. Explore the beautiful mansion and grounds and get to know the man, the ideas and the values that founded a nation. Dive into history through action-packed theaters, fascinating exhibits and meet characters from Washington’s world. Admire the view of the peaceful Potomac, or hop on board a sightseeing cruise. It’s a place where history truly comes to life.
Reviewed By B89156 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Definitely take a trip to Mt Vernon if you're in the Northern VA or Washington DC area.
Spring is the best time. The weather is great and the flowers are blooming.
Wear good walking shoes though. There is a lot of walking. There is lots to see and learn. Great for kiddos learning about George Washington. The Mt Vernon Inn is quaint and serves delicious food.
2. Fort Washington Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 111 reviews
Visitors can take a ranger-led tour to explore this historic fort's features and its role as the only defense for the Nation's Capital until the Civil War.
Reviewed By John C
Great for walking just south of Washington DC. Highly recommend you get a chance to go visit this site. Great way to spend your afternoon walking amongst the Oldfort overlooking the river. There is washrooms on site there is free parking in a lots of history.
3. Gunston Hall
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 115 reviews
Gunston Hall Plantation was the home of George Mason, a senior statesman and author of Virginia's Declaration of Rights.
Reviewed By Kevin S
A lovely building and informative tour, it has a lot of potential and definitely worth the visit but it was amazingly quiet when we went.
Could definitely be enhanced if it was more like a 'UK National Trust property' definitely lacks a restaurant/cafe as there is nothing around the area.
4. National Colonial Farm
Overall Ratings
4 based on 12 reviews
The National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park, managed by the Accokeek Foundation, is a living history outdoor museum featuring a 18th century farmhouse and tobacco barn, heritage breed animals, nature trails, geocaching, picnic facilities, fishing pier, and Potomac River access for kayaking or SUP sports. March - December, weekend interpreters dress in period clothing guide visitors on a time-travel adventure as they explore modern day environmental issues through the lens of history. The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset, and there is no admission fee to enjoy this peaceful, hidden gem on the Potomac River. The Visitor Center and gift shop offers refreshments and light snacks, as well as books, toys, and locally-made gifts and souvenirs. Get your passport stamp here - as Piscataway Park is one of the more than 400 national parks in the United States.
Reviewed By Maurene_K - Dover, New Hampshire
The National Colonial Farm is located in part of Piscataway Park. Both are units of the National Park Service. The farm is managed by the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park.
As its name implies, it’s a working farm that demonstrates how a typical farming family lived in America’s 18th century Colonial Period and preserves farming practices and heritage breed animals from that period. The secondary purpose is to educate.
The farm was set up with a farmhouse, smokehouse, out-kitchen, tobacco barn, etc. Pens were created with split-rail fencing.
On the day of our visit, the manager was drying and curing all-natural tobacco he’d grown as a demonstration of how tobacco was raised in the 18th century without all the poisonous and addictive chemicals that modern-day tobacco companies add to their products.
There were rare heritage breed chickens milling about nearby when we arrived. And, they know what to do when visitors try to photograph them. They scatter in all four directions as fast as their short legs will carry them. Many head for the tall grasses or the chicken coop shed; others hide under whatever farm equipment is nearby.
We walked down the shaded path to the barnyard with animal pens where we saw heritage breed Hog Island sheep, Ossabaw hogs, and horses.
Then, we visited the Piscataway Park section that had several trails.
For those who participate in the Passport to Your National Parks Program, the cancellation station is at the visitor center. There are three cancellation stamps associated with The National Colonial Farm. They are not typical National Park Service cancellation stamps. They read:
● The National Colonial Farm - a large oval stamp with a drawing of the farm in the center
● Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park - mid-sized borderless stamp with a sketchy line drawing of a farm building
● National Colonial Farm - Accokeek, Maryland - mid-sized borderless stamp with a detailed drawing of the farmhouse
For Piscataway Park, there are standard National Park Service cancellation stamps.
We recommend a visit to The National Colonial Farm and Piscataway Park from which one can get a good look at Mount Vernon directly across the Potomac from the park’s Riverview Trail.
There are several other National Park Service units in the area. Fort Washington Park in Fort Washington is about 7 miles away. Two national parks units in Oxon Hill are about 10 miles away. The Thomas Stone National Historic Site in Port Tobacco, and about 13 miles south. There are also other National Park Service units in the area.
This is in a great area of Maryland to explore.
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5. Lake Accotink Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 127 reviews
Outside D.C. in Northern Virginia. Tour boat rides, pedal boat rentals, carousel, beach front, playground equipment, hiking trails, snack bar, etc.
Reviewed By Willem K
My wife and I drove here for a wonderful fall hike around the lake. Also a great place to walk your dog. We the hike around the lake is pretty neat, but also pretty long - there's no real shortcut. Great for running too, if you like the running on terrain that's a bit rougher.
6. Huntley Meadows Park
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 141 reviews
Reviewed By johnoO3567AS - Springfield, United States
The walkway through the wetlands provides the opportunity to see a good sampling of Virginia's most beautiful wildlife. In a single hour you can see otter, beaver, kingfishers, pileated woodpeckers, Cooper's hawks, deer, ducks, geese, redwing blackbirds, hummingbirds and lots of other wildlife. In the Summer, bring some DEET because you might run into some biting flies on the woodland paths on the way to the walkways.
7. Olive Vine Gourmet
Overall Ratings
5 based on 1 reviews
Reviewed By sacks5thave - alexandria,va
Awesome Organic, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Infused flavors, Aged Balsamic, Delicious sea salts, gift baskets and one of a kind gifts for everyone. Ask about the daily tastings and the Bourbon Cake, awesome. They ship, build your custom basket.
8. George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 241 reviews
After nearly a 200-year hiatus and a multi-million dollar reconstruction, George Washington's Distillery & Gristmill is back in business - producing grain products powered by a 16-foot waterwheel and the same rye whiskey that made the Founding Father the nation's most successful whiskey producer in the years after his presidency. Located at the original site, George Washington's Gristmill highlights his vision for America's future as "granary of the world;" while his Distillery is the only site in North America that demonstrates 18th-century distilling from seed to barrel.
Reviewed By BW2 - Charlotte
The docents/ reenactors were very knowledgeable and took plenty of time to explain the operation, the Mansion docent should note. The work to rebuild these operations is amazing. Not to be missed! I thought the cost of the liquor was outrageous, but not after seeing how much work goes into every bottle.
9. Old Town
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 2 reviews
Quaint old seaport section of Alexandria on the National Register of Historic Places.
Reviewed By sullific - new haven, ct
I was in the area for only a couple of days, visiting a friend and staying at the L'Orien Hotel in Old Town. The first day there, we strolled to the waterfront down King Street (also availed ourselves of the free King Street Trolley). If I had more time I would have seen more, or if I lived in the area I could see that I would probably find Old Town more of a destination - but having only a couple of days and trying to squeeze in, say, a Smithsonian museum or two - Old Town is down on the list of priorities.
As far as history, there are historical sites there, such as an old apothecary museum, but I didn't have time to see them. As far as shopping - I am a consummate expert - and I was disappointed. Most of the numerous shops were either chain stores - albeit nicer ones (Anthro, White House, LouLou, etc.) or something more for locals, like florists and furniture. Of all the shops on the street I found only one to buy something in (it too was more furniture than anything, but they had some lovely midcentury Japanese wooden animals in the window). There is the Torpedo Art Center (reviewed under TAC).
The waterfront is probably the high point, with some nice vantage points over the Potomac. We ate there, then spent quite a bit of time in the Torpedo Art Center (which does have more unique wares for purchase, but even it fades out into mostly paintings).
We ate in Old Town on a few occasions. There are plenty of restaurants, most as you get closer to the waterfront. The area nearest the King Street subway is rather dicey at night or early morning - nor is there anything much there. It also appeared to be an area that was both hopping (bars and restaurants) and deserted (shops) at night.
So yes, I wish I had more time to explore the historical venues and maybe go down a few side streets In Search Of a more unique shopping experience. Perhaps next time.
10. Workhouse Arts Center
Overall Ratings
4.5 based on 63 reviews
The Workhouse Arts Center, once a former prison, is now a flourishing arts community that is home to over 100 of the finest regional artists, with a rich local and national history. The Workhouse has a beautiful campus open year round to the public, with eight artist studio buildings, two main galleries, a prison museum, cafe, gift shop, art supply store, new Youth Arts Center and W-3 Theatre. New performances at the Workhouse W-3 Theatre include: Comedy Nights, a Cabaret Series, Dinner and a Movie Nights, as well as Children’s Theatre programs. The Workhouse offers over 200 educational opportunities for all age groups and skill levels.
Reviewed By ITRT - Virginia
Located on the grounds of the Occoquan Regional Park you will find one of the last of nine brick kilns and brick smokestack chimney. The kiln is referred to as the. The bricks were placed in the kiln and were baked using coal fires. These fires were stoked for 4 to 5 days around the clock. The bricks from these kilns were used in constructing many historic buildings found throughout Northern Virginia. The area, known as Turning Point Plaza, around the kiln has signage detailing the women who were jailed during the Women’s Suffrage Movement (focused on voting rights for women). Approximately 168 women were incarcerated from June to December 1917 for picketing and resulting violence in the Washington, DC area. On one of the signs, there is a quote that attests to the terrible treatment these women received: “The women had their mail withheld, were confronted with unwashed blankets, contaminated food, forced into prison dress and forced to perform prison work… Some refused to work, were put in solitary confinement and given bread and water… others went on a hunger strike and were force-fed.” A new facility to honor these women is being constructed in the same general area.
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