2023-11-29 11:14:06
From fine-dining experiences that offer global tastes to one of the newest LEGO® Discovery Centers in America, Fairfax County is filled with creative adventures. New Attractions ■ The LEGO® Discovery Center at Springfield Town Center reimagines sensory play through millions of tiny, vivid LEGO® bricks. Highlights include a train ride through an oversized LEGO® world (and into outer space!) plus an indoor Duplo park, 4D theater and café. ■ Balian Springs Spa & Wellness Social Club in Alexandria curates an oasis-like experience for guests with gold-plated saunas, chromotherapy sessions and aromatherapy-infused meditation rooms. Guests can also savor an array of veggie-forward dishes at three nutritious eateries. ■ The Ballpark at Capital One in Tysons elevates America’s favorite pastime at a state-of-the-art facility with canopied club-style seating and picnic areas. ■ Northern Virginia’s LOVEworks Trail offers visitors an eclectic and authentically Virginian adventure. These oversized public art installations can be found across the region and state – perfect for sweet photo-ops. ■ NOVA Wild, formerly Roer’s Zoofari, offers exciting wildlife experiences focusing on animal welfare. Drive through an interactive safari, where you can connect with animals from Watusis cattle to Asian water buffalo. Later, enjoy exhibits that highlight more than 40 species of cool critters. ■ Gunston Hall in Mason Neck unveiled its newly restored riverside garden in late 2023. Home to Founding Father George Mason, this lush educational garden honors his original landscape design and encompasses more than 40 years of archaeological research. Food & Drink ■ Tysons-based Jiwa Singapura, the brainchild of MICHELIN-starred chef Pepe Moncayo, presents traditional Singaporean dishes in contemporary ways. From hand-folded bread with curry sauce to coconut rice and sambal, meals are imaginative and invigorating. This is the first fine-dining Singaporean restaurant in the DC area. ■ Joon brings a taste of the Caspian Sea to Tysons. MICHELIN-starred chef Christopher Morgan and Najmieh Batmanglij develop Iranian cuisine rich in flavor, from Lamb Sanbuseh (a lamb and pistachio turnover studded with powdered sugar and rose petals) to drinks like a Tehrooni Negroni (an herbal cocktail poured over saffron-infused ice). ■ Open Road Distilling Company brings extensive whiskey and bourbon offerings to Reston Town Center, all hand-bottled and made in-house. Dine at the restaurant or sign up for a spirits tasting. Or, see if you can spot the speakeasy-style second restaurant, Heirloom, hidden within its walls! ■ Coming in 2024, Bunnyman Brewing at Workhouse Arts Center brings a self-serve brewery concept to this historical attraction. Offering a variety of beers, from sour ales to milk stouts, this will be Bunnyman’s second location in Fairfax County. Its namesake, derived from a local urban legend, seems fitting for this new location: a former prison with ties to the legend itself. ■ Also coming in 2024, Ornery Beer Company Public House will open in Herndon to offer craft beer in a hip setting. Sip house-made ales and lagers or order casual comfort food in a space designed with comfort in mind. Tours & Transit ■ The Silver Line Metrorail extension is now open – connecting Washington Dulles International Airport and several new stations in Fairfax and Loudoun counties – making it easier than ever to explore the nation’s Capital Region. ■ USA Guided Tours offers visitors a new biking and touring package. Rent gear from Unlimited Biking and pedal to colorful, historic Mount Vernon. From there, take a mini coach back to Alexandria, where you can walk in the footsteps of George Washington in his adopted hometown. DO MORE, FOR LESS The Potomac Banks Savings Pass offers you great discounts and deals on local attractions. GET YOURS AT FXVA.COM! Stay up to date on new things to see and do at FXVA.com!
©Fairfax. View All Articles.