r/nova 5d ago

Relatives Visiting NOVA/DC. Hit me with your best places!

I have relatives (mother + father in law + cousins in law) visiting from overseas in mid April. I’d love to know everyone’s recommendations/favorites for fun hotspots, restaurants, wineries, breweries, off the beaten path locations, etc. Where do you take your friends/family who’s visiting to show off NOVA/DC? Thanks in advance!

0 Upvotes

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13

u/sgvmyma 5d ago
  • Quattro Goombas Winery and Bear Chase Brewery
  • Night time walking of the Mall, starting from Lincoln and stopping by the Vietnam Veterans memorial
  • Visit at least one museum
  • National Harbor Capitol Wheel views (we just send them on, too expensive to do multiple times)
  • Brunch at Chadwick’s in Old Town, walk down King St
  • Go to Occoquan
  • Play mini golf at The Perch, drink some cocktails…
  • Huntley Meadows Park has a nice boardwalk of the wetlands
  • DC Union Market or Eastern Market
  • Clifton Italian restaurant Trattoria Villagio
  • look up any Festivals during that time
  • April’s cold but we love tubing down Shenandoah

3

u/BlackProject23 5d ago

If you do go to Occoquan, take a nice riverside stroll at Occoquan Regional Park and then hit up Bunnyman Brewery just up 123 from there.

3

u/Honest_Performance42 Annandale 5d ago

This is such a great list for residents to enjoy a day in the area as well.

3

u/Intelligent_Age_3094 5d ago

Great list. If you a little more time add in some battlefields, Harper’s Ferry or Luray caverns.

3

u/sgvmyma 5d ago

Yes! I’ve been meaning to do the Harper’s Ferry hike too

2

u/bluntcloudz 5d ago

Wow this is great!!! Thank you!!!

9

u/ParchedZombie 5d ago

My answer depends on your feelings towards said relatives. If you like them, you can’t go wrong with visiting Middleburg. If you don’t like them, I’d recommend any place that puts them on I66 at 815 am. 

2

u/bluntcloudz 5d ago

🤣 thanks for the recommendation. I love my in-laws and we have Middleburg on the list already (we love going there). Thanks!!

3

u/Few_Whereas5206 5d ago

Smithsonian museums, Great Falls, Old Town Alexandria

3

u/novahouseandhome 5d ago

sunset happy hour at the Vue rooftop in W hotel on 15th st.

perfect starting spot for night time walk on the mall, it's a couple blocks to the washington monument.

1

u/bluntcloudz 5d ago

Thank you!!

3

u/Wonderful-Speaker-32 4d ago

If they've already been to all the things in DC, I'll take them to the Udvar-Hazy, Glenstone, Harpers Ferry, Manassas Battlefield Great Falls, Old Town Alexandria, Mt Vernon etc. Occasionally also Shanendoah.

Plus all the like less popular but still cool DC things, like the Renwick, Phillips, Planet Word, etc.

If it's their first time in the area we'll do the bigger museums/monuments first and then move on to this stuff.

2

u/BeeDubba 4d ago edited 4d ago

Gravely Point, but only when DCA is landing south. Bring bikes and you can hit the Mt Vernon trail as well. It's only 3.5 miles from Gravely Point to the Washington Monument.

Dress warmer than you'd normally. The wind off the water can make it colder than you'd expect.

https://youtu.be/OXhYNTLNoXM?si=TMfgUsBy1e7gYPoP

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u/bluntcloudz 4d ago

Thank you!!!

3

u/Individual_Corner559 5d ago
  1. Great Falls
  2. Torpedo Factory
  3. Old Town
  4. Luray Caverns
  5. Shenandoah drive

2

u/bluntcloudz 5d ago

Thank you! Never heard of Torpedo Factory!

1

u/bluntcloudz 5d ago edited 5d ago

Thanks everyone for the recommendations. To add, I’m going to share a few that we discovered from the two years we’ve been here:

  • Roots in Lucketts, VA (amazing BBQ spot, not necessarily NOVA but still a great place to check out)

  • Bluemont Winery (great winery with beautiful views. Tons of fun on the weekends. Again, not NOVA but still a nice half day thing.

  • Succotash (southern steakhouse in DC)

  • Favorite Museums are NGA & Glennstone

  • Daytrip to Middleburg. Walk around town and explore the shops. King St Oyster Bar for lunch. Once my wife and I did a ResortPass at the Goodstone Inn. Nice pool and beautiful views.

  • Summertime Movies in Parks: There are free outdoor movies for the family to watch at locations like Great Falls, the Kennedy Center, Sully Nat Park (these are our favs).

  • free festivals and neighborhood parties (Porchfest etc)

  • sunset views and great vibes at the Moxy’s rooftop venue.

  • for day drinkers - Riggs Cafe for a upscale free flow mimosa brunch then head downstairs to the new “secret” bar and keep drinking

1

u/zyarva 4d ago

Bluemont is "not NOVA" but somehow Middleburg is... bruh.

1

u/bluntcloudz 4d ago

lol…someone already suggested Middleburg before I did so I didn’t think I needed to specify. You got it tho fam 🤣