Home Care in Reston, Virginia

Parks and recreation

Building on Robert Simon’s emphasis on preserving green space and providing recreational opportunities, Reston features over 55 miles of walking and hiking paths for residents, with currently about 250 acres of woodlands and open space. Reston is noted for its tree canopy, which currently covers about half of Reston’s total area. It is one of only 8 American localities to be a member of the worldwide Biophilic Cities Organization, which promotes the importance of protecting and promoting nature within urban areas.^[36][37]

The centerpiece of Reston’s focus on nature is the Vernon J. Walker Nature Education Center. The Nature Center’s 72 acres (290,000 m²) of hardwood forest include a picnic pavilion, campfire ring, and other facilities that support its outreach programs. Its LEED gold-certified Nature House offers exhibits, an on-site naturalist, and various programs for children; it may also be rented for community or private meetings.^[38]

Two golf courses are located in Reston. The 166-acre Reston National Golf Course in south Reston is certified by Audubon International as a Cooperative Cooperative Sanctuary on the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The Hidden Creek Country Club was purchased in 2017 by Wheelock Communities, a real estate development company.^[39]

The Washington and Old Dominion (W&OD) trail, which runs through Reston, is a 45-mile-long (72 km) pathway built solely for pedestrian and bicycle traffic along the former W&OD train line.

 

Lake Thoreau at sunset

Reston contains four manmade lakes: Lake Anne, Lake Audubon, Lake Newport, and Lake Thoreau. Also within Reston’s area is the 476-acre (1.9 km²) Lake Fairfax Park, operated by Fairfax County and which features boat rentals, a large outdoor pool complex called “The Water Mine”, overnight campground facilities, and picnic areas.^[40]

The 30-acre (120,000 m2) Roer’s Zoofari is located on the northeast edge of the community.^[41][42] It is dedicated to family-friendly animal interaction with bus rides and feeding stations. Animals include lambs, camels, zebras, antelope, bison, cheetah, emu, camels, goats, reptiles, horses, buffalo, and waterfowl.^[43] On 8 March 2021, Roer’s Zoofari suffered a fire in the barn area, killing Waffles the giraffe and his unnamed giraffe companion.^[44]

Reston has an assortment of pools, including a year-round indoor pool at the Reston Community Center.^[45] Ice skating is available year-round at SkateQuest, a privately run indoor rink, and during the winter on an outdoor rink at Reston Town Center’s Pavilion.^[46][47]

Performing arts, galleries, & museums

Reston is home to several performing arts groups. The Reston Community Players (originally known as Reston Players) has been in operation since 1966 and performs at Reston Community Center’s Center Stage in Hunters Woods Plaza.^[48] The Reston Chorale was founded in the late 1960s as a mixed-voice chorus comprising both professional and amateur singers.^[49] The Reston Community Orchestra, launched in 1988, also offers regular performances throughout the year, generally at the Reston Community Center.^[50] In the summer, free public concerts are offered at both Reston Town Center^[51] and at Lake Anne Plaza.^[52]

The Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE), founded by local artists, is home-based at Reston Town Center and sponsors the annual Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival.^[53] The privately owned Reston Art Gallery at Lake Anne Plaza includes both regular art exhibits and artist studio spaces.^[54]

Reston’s sole museum, the Reston Historic Trust & Museum, is also located in Lake Anne Plaza. It has maps, photos, and books that provide a detailed look at Reston from the 1960s on.^[55]

The Washington West Film Festival is an autumn event in Reston center. The festival, co-founded by Mark Maxey and Brad Russell, offers a juried array of feature films, shorts and documentaries.^[56][57][58]

Annual calendar of events[edit]

• Northern Virginia Fine Arts Festival (Reston Town Center) (May)
• Taste of Reston Food Festival (Reston Town Center) (June)
• Reston Triathlon (September)
• Reston Multicultural Festival (Lake Anne Plaza) (late September)
• Flavors of Fall (Reston Town Center) (October)
• Reston Holiday Parade (Reston Town Center) (November)

Reston is located in northern Fairfax County at 38°57′16″N 77°20′47″W.^[70] Neighboring communities are Great Falls to the north, Wolf Trap to the east, Franklin Farm, Floris, and McNair to the southwest, the town of Herndon to the west, and Dranesville to the northwest.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the Reston CDP has a total area of 15.7 square miles (40.6 km²), of which 15.3 square miles (39.7 km²) is land and 0.35 square miles (0.9 km²), or 2.10%, is water.^[71]

Notable people who were born in and/or have lived in Reston include professional basketball player Grant Hill,^[93] track and field athlete and Olympian Alan Webb, speed skating Olympian Maame Biney, mystery writer Donna Andrews, musician Roy Buchanan,^[94] chess grandmaster Lubomir Kavalek and young pop singer and influencer Jacob Sartorius.