Friday, 22 November 2013 00:00

Lady Bird Johnson Park

Lady Bird Johnson earned many awards, including a Presidential Medal of Freedom for her work to transform the American landscape and preserve its natural beauty as a national treasure. In 1968 Columbia Island was renamed in her honor. Graceful plantings and picturesque views recall her conviction that beauty can make the world less grim and tense
Thursday, 31 October 2013 00:00

Lincoln Memorial

The Lincoln Memorial is an American national monument built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., across from the Washington Monument. The architect was Henry Bacon, the sculptor of the primary statue – Abraham Lincoln, 1920 – was Daniel Chester French, and the painter of the interior murals was Jules Guerin. Dedicated in 1922, it is one of several monuments built to honor an American president.

The building is in the form of a Greek Doric temple and contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of two well-known speeches by Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address. The memorial has been the site of many famous speeches, including Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered on August 28, 1963, during the rally at the end of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.

Like other monuments on the National Mall – including the nearby Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, and National World War II Memorial – the memorial is administered by the National Park Service under its National Mall and Memorial Parks group. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since October 15, 1966. It is open to the public 24 hours a day. In 2007, it was ranked seventh on the List of America's Favorite Architecture by the American Institute of Architects.

"In this temple, as in the hearts of the people for whom he saved the Union, the memory of Abraham Lincoln is enshrined forever." Beneath these words, the 16th President of the United States sits immortalized in marble as an enduring symbol of unity, strength, and wisdom.

 

Published in Historical Attractions
Friday, 22 November 2013 00:00

Luray Caverns

Luray Caverns, that was originally called Luray Cave, is a large, celebrated commercial cave just west of Luray, Virginia, USA, which has drawn many visitors since its discovery in 1878. The underground cavern system is generously adorned with speleothems (columns, mud flows, stalactites, stalagmites, flowstone, mirrored pools, etc.). The caverns are perhaps best known for the Great Stalacpipe Organ, a lithophone made from solenoid fired strikers that tap stalactites of various sizes to produce tones similar to those of xylophones, tuning forks, or bells

The Caverns are situated in the Shenandoah Valley just to the east of the Allegheny Range of the Appalachian Mountains in Luray, Virginia. The Valley extends from the Blue Ridge in the north to the south end of Massanutten Mountain. Cave Hill, 927 feet (283 m) above sea level, had long been an object of local interest on account of its pits and oval hollows or sinkholes (known as karst) through one of which the discoverers of Luray Caverns entered.

Luray Caverns does not date beyond the Tertiary period, though carved from the Silurian limestone. At some period, niches and already formed chambers were completely filled with water, highly charged with acid, which then slowly began to eat away at much of the softer material composing much of the walls, ceilings and floors. The one particular area that shows this high level of water is Elfin Ramble where water marks of oscillation are highly visible on the ceiling.

The temperature inside the caverns is uniformly 54 °F (12 °C), comparable to that of Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.

Published in Attractions
Thursday, 21 November 2013 00:00

Mad Fox Brewing Co.

The Mad Fox Brewing Company is located at 444 West Broad Street in Falls Church, VA 22046 and the phone number is 703.942.6840.

Published in Night Life
Wednesday, 20 November 2013 00:00

Manassas National Battlefield

Manassas National Battlefield Park, located north of Manassas, in Prince William County, Virginia, preserves the site of two major American Civil War battles: the First Battle of Bull Run on July 21, 1861, and the Second Battle of Bull Run which was fought between August 28 and August 30, 1862 (also known as the First Battle of Manassas and the Second Battle of Manassas, respectively). The peaceful Virginia countryside bore witness to clashes between the armies of the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy), and it was there that Confederate General Thomas J. Jackson acquired his nickname "Stonewall."

Today the National Battlefield Park provides the opportunity for visitors to explore the historic terrain where men fought and died more than a century ago. More than 900,000 people visit the battlefield each year. (In comparison, roughly 15 million people annually visit nearby Washington, DC.) As a historic area under the National Park Service, the park was administratively listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966.

The Henry Hill Visitor Center, on Sudley Road by the south entrance to the park, offers exhibits and interpretation regarding the First Battle of Bull Run, including civil war era uniforms, weapons, field gear and an electronic battle map. The center offers the orientation film "Manassas: End of Innocence", as well as a bookstore

Published in Historical Attractions
Wednesday, 20 November 2013 00:00

Marine Corps Museum

The National Museum of the Marine Corps is the historical museum of the United States Marine Corps. Located in Triangle, Virginia near MCB Quantico, the museum opened on November 10, 2006, and is now the top tourist attraction in the state, drawing over 500,000 people annually.

The museum replaces both the Marine Corps Historical Center in the Washington Navy Yard, which closed on July 1, 2005, and the Marine Corps Air-Ground Museum in Quantico, Virginia, which closed on November 15, 2002.

A public-private venture, the museum is a cooperative effort between the United States Marine Corps and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation. The Foundation manages the museum operation, while the museum building will be donated to the Marine Corps.

Designed by Curtis W. Fentress of Fentress Architects, the museum's exterior is meant to "evoke the image of the flag raisers of Iwo Jima," an image that is also preserved by the Marine Corps War Memorial.

The museum is 100,000-square-foot, and is open to the public with free admission.

Thursday, 31 October 2013 00:00

Mount Vernon Estate

George Washington, commander in chief of American forces in the Revolutionary War and the first president of the United States, called Mount Vernon home for more than 40 years. George Washington and his wife Martha Washington lived at Mount Vernon, which is now the most popular historic estate in America. Situated along the Potomac River in Northern Virginia, Mount Vernon is just 16 miles south of Washington, D.C.

Today, guests to Mount Vernon can visit the Mansion, more than a dozen original structures, Washington’s Tomb, and nearly 50 acres of his extensive plantation. The estate also includes a working blacksmith shop and the Pioneer Farm, a 4-acre demonstration farm with a reconstructed slave cabin and 16-sided treading barn.

The Ford Orientation Center features an inspiring film, We Fight To Be Free. The Donald W. Reynolds Museum and Education Center is home to 25 theaters and galleries, which tell the detailed story of George Washington's life with more than 500 original artifacts, 11 video presentations, and even an immersion theater experience.

Just 3 miles down the road from the Mansion, George Washington’s Distillery & Gristmill have been reconstructed and are open seasonally. Both fully functioning, Washington's fascinating mill and distillery tell their story of Washington as a master entrepreneur.

Mount Vernon is an American landmark and a lasting reminder of the life and legacy of the Father of Our Country. Visit Mount Vernon, and discover the real George Washington.

Published in Historical Attractions
Friday, 22 November 2013 00:00

Mystery Dinner Playhouse

Mystery Dinner Playhouse is located inside the Sheraton Hotel Crystal City at 1800 Jefferson Davis Highway in Arlington, Virginia. For reservations call 888-471-4802. Solve the murder mystery while enjoying a delicious four-course dinner. Public shows are every Friday & Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 6:30pm. Available for additional performances for tour groups, corporate shows and private parties. Tickets: $46.95 plus tax for dinner and show. Group and senior/children’s discounts available., , , Claudius!, A murderous thing happened on the way to the forum. They’re throwing lawyers to the lions and the crowds love it! Unfortunately, Caesar isn’t as popular, and it’s up to the audience to figure out who bumped him off.

Published in Attractions
Thursday, 21 November 2013 00:00

NASA Goddard Visitor Center

NASA captures your attention like no other organization. It offers unparalleled experiences, a key to knowledge, and a window to the future. Activities, exhibits and events at NASA Goddard's Visitor Center in Greenbelt, Md., provide inspiring and captivating educational experiences for all ages.

The visitor center demonstrates Goddard's innovative and exciting work in Earth science, astrophysics, heliophysics, planetary science, engineering, communication and technology development. Browse the unique, informative exhibits and learn about climate change, climb inside a Gemini capsule model, encourage a child to dream as he or she pulls on our kid-sized space suit, or participate in one of the monthly model rocket launches.

Only 30 minutes from Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Annapolis, don’t miss this opportunity to explore the universe in your own backyard.

Thursday, 31 October 2013 00:00

National Arboretum

The National Arboretum in Washington, DC displays 446 acres of trees, shrubs and plants and is one of the largest arboretums in the country. Visitors enjoy a variety of exhibits from formal landscaped gardens to the Gotelli Dwarf and slow growing Conifer Collection. The National Arboretum is most known for its bonsai collection. Other special displays include seasonal exhibits, aquatic plants, and a National Herb garden. During the early spring, the site is popular spot to see more than 70 varieties of Cherry Trees.

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