The Best Historic cottage tours in Fairfax, Virginia

Located in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, the Carlyle House Historic Park is a must-visit museum and tourist attraction. The elegant stone mansion, completed in 1753 by John Carlyle, a wealthy merchant and founder of Alexandria, is a prime example of Georgian residential architecture. The museum welcomes visitors to explore its historic rooms, beautiful gardens, and Magnolia Terrace for both business and social functions. If you enjoy history and are looking for a rewarding volunteer opportunity, consider becoming a docent at Carlyle House. Volunteer docents give public tours of the historic building, interpreting the home and family of John Carlyle. Garden volunteers are also needed to work in the garden from mid-March through mid-October. The Friends of Carlyle House, a group dedicated to preserving and enhancing the site, provides funding for collections acquisitions, conservation, educational programs, and school outreach.

Hemlock Overlook Regional Park is a beautiful park and tourist attraction located at 13220 Yates Ford Road in Clifton, Virginia, United States. Visitors can book cabins and camping at Bull Run and Pohick Bay Regional Parks, or cottages at Algonkian Regional Park. The park features a network of walking and equestrian trails in a majestic, mature forest near the Bull Run, just outside the historic town of Clifton. Explore the shade canopy of some of the oldest trees in the region and see why the National Old-Growth Forest Network recently added the park as an important site. Please note that restrooms, offices, and buildings are closed to the public, and visitors are asked not to enter programming spaces. It is also important to take all trash with you when you leave, as there are no trash receptacles at the park.