Year-round Fun for Everyone

As part of the Fairfax County Park Authority, Mount Vernon-Lee residents enjoy access to top-quality facilities, including four parks and three recreation centers offering everything from indoor ice-skating and Olympic-sized pools to racquetball and weight-training rooms.

The Mount Vernon RECenter has a heated indoor pool, spa, children’s pool, saunas, ice arena, and fitness and dance rooms. It’s also the training headquarters for the AAU’s state and regional karate champions. Karate classes are available for all age levels.

The Lee RECenter also has a heated indoor pool, spa, saunas, and fitness and dance rooms. In addition, it offers racquetball and walleyball courts, a 20,000-square-foot gymnasium with basketball and volleyball courts, and a running track.

One of the newest centers, the George Washington Community RECenter, is located in Mount Vernon Community Park. It offers a pool with diving board, and a poolside spa.

Fitness buffs also can stay in shape at Mount Vernon Health and Racquet Club, which has a cardio theater, weights, aerobic classes, indoor track, tennis and racquetball courts, and much more. Gold’s Gym, located nearby, offers a cardio theater, weightlifting equipment, and aerobics.

Golfers will find two championship courses at Fort Belvoir. The members-only Mount Vernon and Belle Haven Country Clubs both have challenging 18-hole courses. Each club also has its own pro shop, clubhouse with dining area, and swimming and tennis facilities.

Golfers who want to brush up on their game can visit Hilltop Golf Club, which offers top-notch instructors and a practice range. It’s open daily.

Park Authority sites elsewhere in Fairfax County include a horticulture center, working farm, equestrian center, additional golf courses, tennis courts, a dog park, and a water park.

Outdoor Life

Recreational opportunities abound in this pretty waterfront region.

Huntley Meadows Park, operated by the Fairfax County Park Authority, offers some of the best wildlife-watching opportunities in the metropolitan area. Located in the Lee District, it boasts 1,424 acres of forests, wildflower-filled meadows, and wetlands. An observation tower and half-mile wetland boardwalk trail offer glimpses of beavers, frogs, dragonflies, herons, and other wildlife. The Visitor Center includes exhibits, classrooms for ongoing study, and an auditorium.

Pohick Bay Regional Park, set on the bay side of the Mason Neck peninsula, is known for its abundant wildlife, including the bald eagle. Recreation areas are carefully positioned to keep disruptions of nature to a minimum.

Year-round facilities at Pohick Bay include a pool, campsites, boat ramp, hiking and riding trails, picnic grounds, a golf course, and a wildlife refuge. The park is run by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority.

Fort Hunt, established by the War Department in 1893 to help defend the nation’s capital, is now a public recreation area owned by the National Park Service. Once part of George Washington’s River Farm, the scenic grounds feature playgrounds, trails, and peaceful picnic areas.

The Mount Vernon Trail, a paved path along the Potomac River, runs from George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate to Old Town Alexandria and beyond. Set against the serene backdrop of the river, the trail is popular with hikers, joggers, cyclists, and roller-bladers. Many scenic overlooks with picnic tables are scattered along the trail.

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