The City of Falls Church, Virginia, is a crossroads community nestled at the intersection between Leesburg and Alexandria and the road to the Little Falls on the Potomac River.
Dubbed as the “The Little City” with an area of 2.2 square miles, the City of Falls Church is an independent, full-service city just six miles from the nation’s capital.
Incorporated in 1875, the city takes its name from the Falls Church, an episcopal church built in 1733.
This church likewise got its name from its proximity to the Great Falls of the Potomac River.
According to the 2020 census, the city has a population of 14,658 and is known for its urban village community.
Are you curious about what else makes this little city enormously unique?
Here are the 20 best things to do in Falls Church, VA:
Southerngs, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The City of Falls Church was a farm community developed around the Episcopal Falls Church.
George Washington’s father founded this landmark church.
George himself served on the vestry in his time.
Completed in 1734, the church was once a simple wooden building with floors laid with pine planks.
Decay forced its reconstruction into a new brick building decades later.
Historians say its interior was renovated four times since the 1800s.
It stands as the oldest remaining church building north of Quantico in Virginia.
Aside from the necessary repairs made after the Civil War, its structure remains original.
ProfReader, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Completed in 1845, the Cherry Hill Farmhouse used to be a 73-acre historic family farm.
In 1973, the Cherry Hill Farm was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
This present-day farmhouse boasts its Greek Revival design and is furnished with mid-19thcentury antiques.
Its aesthetic primarily reflects the life of the Blaisdell family, who once lived at Cherry Hill.
Throughout the year, the farmhouse offers a variety of activities for its visitors, such as Open House tours, private tours, reenactments, concerts, and even hands-on interactive programs.
These programs are tailored to specific age groups, including special badge programs for Girl Scouts.
The farm also organizes week-long summer camps allowing children to peek into the life of the Blaisdells’ daughter, Annie, in mid-19th century Virginia.
They will enjoy farming, cooking, clothing, and other crafts among the activities.
The City of Falls Church now owns and maintains Cherry Hill Farmhouse.
The City of Falls Church indeed is a hub for historical attractions.
This Victorian Walking Tour lets you explore the city’s Victorian-era legacy through the different homes and churches along Easter Broad Street, between Roosevelt and Washington Streets.
The city government provides guests with a self-guided walking tour map of Falls Church Victorian architectural styles both for locals and tourists.
Some sought-after attractions include the George Ives House, where the Falls Church Mayor lived in 1879, and the Charles Tinner House.
The Tinner family occupied many of the houses in Tinner Hill St. for a hundred years.
All the houses featured in the tour are private residences except for Cherry Hill.
The ArtSpace Falls Church is a 95-seat art gallery that doubles as a theater for adults’ and children’s productions, dances, concerts, and art shows.
It serves as a home to the thriving artistic community covering various branches of art such as visual, performing, and literary arts.
Creative Cauldron, a non-profit arts organization, manages and operates ArtSpace.
It offers affordable and accessible educational art programs for many enthusiasts.
You can check out ArtSpace at Maple Avenue, Falls Church.
Flickr user: Dewita Soeharjono Jakarta https://www.flickr.com/people/dewita-soeharjono/, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Are you craving bright, healthy and flavorful Vietnamese cuisine?
Whether you’d like a heart-healthy Pho or sumptuous Banh Mi, you’re bound for a gastronomic adventure visiting Eden Center—Northern Virginia’s premier Asian Center.
This food and entertainment center is at Wilson Boulevard at Seven Corners in Falls Church and contains over 120 stores.
Vietnamese families themselves operate each store.
The Hippie Triathlete from Encinitas, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The center is also famous for its Eden Center Clock Tower, a replica of downtown Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), the largest city in Vietnam.
This center reminds Vietnamese immigrants in the area of the beauty of their Asian heritage.
When you visit Eden Center today, take a photo with their Lion Arch at the gateway entrance.
Bring your family to their annual Tet Festival and Moon Festival and enjoy a night filled with beautiful lantern displays, cultural performances, mouthwatering Vietnamese dishes, and many more!
Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Are you looking for fresh, organically-grown produce?
Look no further!
Falls Church Farmers Market is just minutes away from Washington, D.C., easily accessible from the east and west of Falls Church Metro Stations.
In 2010, the American Farmland Trust recognized them as “America’s Favorite Farmer’s Market.”
In 2012, the Virginia Living and Northern Virginia magazines dubbed them the “Best Farmer’s Market.”
This Farmer’s Market features over 50 vendors during its peak season and around 40 during winter.
Whether you’re a pescetarian, vegan or a regular eater, their vast selection of fruits, vegetables, baked goods, condiments, and meats will make grocery shopping a fun and convenient experience.
Also, they have a Chef Series where neighborhood chefs create dishes using locally-sourced ingredients!
The Falls Church Farmers Market is year-round on Saturday mornings.
Don’t forget to schedule your trip ahead!
Are you ready for your first tee?
At Jefferson District Golf Course, you can enjoy a beautifully landscaped nine-hole executive course that features a gently rolling surface.
It has ponds which make it ideal for golfers who prefer walking.
Regular golfers find the pace of play here slow.
Nonetheless, the course offers a challenging round of golf.
The course’s clubhouse has golf clubs and pulls and power carts available for rent.
Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Tinner Hill Historic Site is a testament to the long African American struggle to gain equality and civil rights.
This monument, built on Tinner Hill Road, traces the segregation line that inspired the first rural chapter of the National Advancement of Colored People (NAACP).
The site was once the home of Joseph and Mary Tinner.
They were African Americans who lobbied the city government to strike down a 1915 ordinance to segregate Falls Church.
The ordinance forced all African American families to live in a small area of the town.
Ser Amantio di Nicolao, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Two years later, in 1917, the US Supreme Court ruled that residential segregation ordinances were unconstitutional.
Here, you will also see the famous “Zig Zag Sculpture,” a historical marker, and a functional art bench crafted by Martha Jarvis.
It is made of polished stones mixed with pink granite—a rare stone found in Falls Church, quarried by Charles Tinner and his family.
This Zig Zag Monument runs along the original line dividing the Tinner Hill neighborhood into the City of Falls Church and Fairfax County portions.
The monument is a remnant of the division imposed on the black community of Falls Church in 1887.
At present, the park is open for both walking and self-guided tours.
Do you have CDs, LPs, or DVDs to sell or trade?
CD Cellar is the perfect place for you!
CD Cellar is Mid-Atlantic’s largest Record store, which has sold and traded tens of thousands of LPs, CDs, and DVDs since 1992.
They first opened their doors at their flagship store in a basement at Broad Street, Falls Church.
Because of its growing musical collection, the store moved to a more prominent above-ground location on Park Avenue in 2016.
Its staff also goes the extra mile for its customers by ordering items not available on-hand.
If you want some downtime within the city, a community park like Cavalier Trail Park is a great place to visit.
The park spans 4.7 acres, and it has many amenities such as a basketball court, park benches, two tennis courts, bike and hike trails, grills and park benches.
Its vast area and strategic features allow for an extensive set of recreational activities like biking, birding, picnicking, and basketball.
Also, the city’s efforts to establish and maintain the woodland in the area provide an opportunity for visitors to enjoy nature and relax.
Audacious Aleworks is a craft brewery located in Falls Church, Virginia.
They specialize in producing unique and creative beers, including IPAs and stouts.
Visitors can enjoy tastings, pints, or flights of their beer in a cozy and friendly atmosphere.
In addition to serving great beer, the brewery also hosts live music events, trivia nights, and other special events throughout the year.
The staff is knowledgeable and passionate about their craft, making it an ideal destination for beer enthusiasts who want to learn more about the brewing process.
Visitors can also take home some of their favorite brews in growlers or cans as a memento of visiting this fantastic brewery.
The State Theatre is a historic and iconic entertainment venue in Falls Church, Virginia, operated since 1936.
The theater offers a diverse range of live music, comedy, theater, and film events, as well as private events and parties.
The interior is decorated with vintage art deco designs, giving patrons a unique and intimate atmosphere.
The venue has hosted famous performers, including the Animal Liberation Orchestra, John Mayer, and Wu-Tang Clan, and much more.
Northside Social Falls Church is a beloved cafe and coffee shop in Falls Church, Virginia.
As part of the Northside Social family, which includes another location in Arlington, Virginia, it provides a cozy and welcoming atmosphere with ample indoor and outdoor seating.
The cafe offers diverse beverages, such as coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and juices, along with delicious food items like pastries, sandwiches, and salads.
What sets Northside Social Falls Church apart is its dedication to using locally sourced ingredients.
By collaborating with local farmers and vendors, the cafe ensures that its food and drinks are fresh, sustainable, and of superior quality.
Moreover, throughout the year, Northside Social Falls Church hosts various events such as live music performances, cooking classes, and wine tastings.
This cafe not only provides excellent coffee but also makes an effort to create a sense of community by bringing people together in a fun and laid-back environment.
Isaac Crossman Park is a tranquil and picturesque location in Falls Church, Virginia.
The park offers a variety of outdoor amenities such as playgrounds, basketball and tennis courts, picnic areas, and a sprawling open field for sports or other activities.
Moreover, the park features a winding walking path that meanders through scenic woods alongside a stream.
Visitors can enjoy these recreational opportunities while immersing themselves in the park’s natural beauty.
Therefore, if you’re searching for a serene getaway during your stay in Falls Church, Isaac Crossman Park is an ideal destination!
Take your family and friends to a bowling night at Bowl America.
Bowl America, a beloved bowling alley in Falls Church, Virginia, has been entertaining locals since 1959.
With 48 lanes and automatic scoring, the alley offers plenty of opportunities for some exciting bowling.
The venue also hosts various leagues, tournaments, and other events to keep things interesting.
In addition to bowling, visitors can enjoy arcade games, pool tables, and food at the snack bar.
With its customizable packages, Bowl America is an ideal spot for private parties and events.
From birthday parties to corporate events, Bowl America is sure to make any occasion a memorable one!
Kristi Blokhin / Shutterstock.com
Just 15 minutes away from Falls Church, the George Washington Parkway is a 40-km parkway that connects historic sites from Mount Vernon to Great Falls.
It was initially a living memorial to the 36th President of the United States, George Washington.
Among the nearby parks you can visit is the Lyndon Baines Johnson Memorial Grove on the Potomac River.
DCStockPhotography / Shutterstock.com
It is divided into two areas.
The first half features a granite monolith, surrounded by a serpentine pattern of the trail, while the second half is a grass meadow and grove of white pines.
Friends and family can enjoy the serene setting perfect for picnics, kayaking, and bird watching.
They say you can never watch too many sunsets.
Riverside Park is between the Parkway and the Potomac River, offering a spectacular view of the sunset and the calm waters.
It’s also a perfect spot for viewing migrating songbirds like the eastern kingbird, downy woodpecker, and orchard oriole.
You can also enjoy biking and picnicking while sightseeing.
What’s the best part of Riverside Park?
It gives you easy access to Mt. Vernon Trail.
Robert A. Powell / Shutterstock.com
The Mt. Vernon Trail is an 18-mile paved trail that travels along George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate to Theodore Roosevelt Island.
You can reach it by car, public transportation, on foot, or by bicycle.
It opened to the public in 1972 as a gravel path until it was subsequently paved.
Today, the trail’s surface is made of asphalt and boardwalk, which is great for running, cycling, and walking for your pets!
The trail parallels the George Memorial Parkway and the Western bank of the Potomac River, giving magnificent views of Washington, D.C.’s skyline.
A trail map will help you find the designated restrooms, water fountains and trash bins.
LLoughran / Shutterstock.com
Dyke Marsh is a freshwater tidal marsh in Fairfax County on the Potomac River.
It spans 485 acres, making it one of the biggest remaining freshwater wetlands in Metropolitan Washington.
The preserve is home to 300 species of flora and more than 270 species of fauna.
LLoughran / Shutterstock.com
You can explore the preserve by boat or on foot.
Among the primary activities here include canoeing, kayaking and paddleboarding.
A volunteer group called Friends of Dyke Marsh mounts a variety of fun activities for the public, such as a bird walk coupled with insightful lectures.
If you wish to come to Dyke Marsh, you can do so via a private vehicle or bus from Huntington Metro Station.
Falls Church is a city rich in historical heritage.
However, the creativity of its modern attractions lets you live fully in the moment.
If you want to add a new destination to your bucket list, don’t count out Falls Church, VA.
Discover the world.
© All rights reserved.
