If you’re looking for a quality yet budget-friendly getaway with your girls that’s not too far from the tri-state area, consider visiting the Northern Virginia region, about 30 minutes from the nation’s capital.
Here are some highlights of what to do and see, including hiking, shopping, restaurant-hopping, and live entertainment.
Go chasing waterfalls
You won’t believe your eyes. The 800-acre Great Falls Park (open 7 a.m. until dark every day, https://www.nps.gov/grfa/index.htm) in McLean, Va., offers three awe-inspiring overlook points of the falls, a short walk from the visitor’s center and parking lots. The views of the Great Falls of the Potomac are Instagram-worthy, and hiking along the Mather Gorge clifftops is tranquil. Go early and mid-week to avoid the crowds.The entrance fee is $20 per private vehicle (includes all passengers) and $10 per person entering by foot or bicycle.
Listen to the music
Located close to the Capital Beltway (I-495) in Vienna, Va., Wolftrap (https://www.wolftrap.org/) is a popular performing arts center with several indoor and outdoor venues and free parking. Upcoming calendar highlights include The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis, with jazz singer and composer Cécile McLorin Salvant as the opening act (Aug. 15, 8 p.m.), and Boyz II Men with Bel Biv Devoe (Aug. 18, 8 p.m.).
Shop ’til you drop
Tysons Corner Center (https://www.tysonscornercenter.com/) in Tysons, Va., has something for everyone, including an AMC Theaters multiplex, American Girl, Under Armor, and Nordstrom. It’s also a fast-fashion haven, with stylish retail staples like H&M, Old Navy Zara, and the recently opened Primark. On a “girls’ just want to have fun” note, Tysons is the first indoor mall in the area to implement a “sip and stroll” program where shoppers can bring a boozy beverage (in a designated cup) from a participating mall restaurant to sip in common areas and in stores marked “C’mon in with your drink.”
Wine and dine
Overlooking the Tysons Corner Center outdoor plaza, Barrel & Bushel (https://www.barrelandbushel.com/) delivers tasty, elevated comfort food with locally sourced ingredients. Menu standouts include pimiento deviled eggs, amber maple salmon, and hot fried chicken. To wet your whistle, the restaurant boasts 30 regional craft beers on tap (try the Black-owned Harlem Grapricot), 65 handpicked bourbons, and several McBride Sisters wines. There’s a daily happy hour from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. and live music on Fridays.
Perfect for date night or a girls’ night out, pair pizzas, pastas, and other seasonal vineyard-inspired cuisine with the 60 sustainable wines on tap at Sixty Vines (https://www.sixtyvines.com/locations/reston-va) in Reston, Va., in Reston’s bustling Town Center retail district. The modern eatery has an open chef’s kitchen, private and communal tables, outdoor seating, and a hip bar area.
Where to stay
The Watermark Hotel (https://www.thewatermarkhotel.com/) is a luxury boutique hotel in Tysons, Va., that feels exclusive, and the customer service is stellar. The artfully designed lobby on the 11th floor is designed like an open living room space. There’s a 2,000-square-foot gym on the top floor, and the guest rooms are modern and spacious (book a junior suite for your girls’ trip). A bountiful breakfast buffet with hearty options like eggs, waffles, chicken sausage, smoked salmon, and potatoes is included with each overnight stay.
For dinner, reserve a table at the lobby restaurant Wren, with views of the developing downtown skyline. Share a toast with sparkling rosé or creative cocktails, and nosh on shareable and craveable Japanese-meets-gastro-pub cuisine (the sushi rolls are the bomb).
During your stay, don’t miss the Perch, a 2.5-acre landscaped park atop the Capital One Hall performing arts center (https://www.capitalonehall.com/) that connects to the Watermark. Play games like cornhole and miniature golf, chill on the oversized bench swings, and grab a brew at Starhill Biergarten. Travel tip: Stock up on water and snacks, and pick up picnic fare like sandwiches, cheese, wine, crackers, and charcuterie, at the Wegman’s adjacent to the hotel.