By Ann Marie Maher, executive director Discover Prince William & Manassas
Kick off your summer with an outdoor adventure just minutes from your own back yard. With pristine parks, rivers and mountains, Prince William and Manassas offer some of the most scenic outdoor opportunities in the region, which the whole family can enjoy without breaking the bank.
A perfect way to connect with the family is to pack your sleeping bags and head to a community camping hot spot. Help the scout in your family earn another badge by teaching him or her how to pitch a tent at Greenville Farms in Haymarket. While there, learn about day-to-day farming operations and enjoy the animals. Or stay in the historic cabins, built in the 1930s, at Prince William Forest National Park near Dumfries. During World War II, the U.S. Office of Strategic Services used the cabins as a location to train spies.
Other activities I love during the summer involve the water. Take your family for a cruise along the Occoquan River aboard a Miss Rivershore Charters boat. Or try your hand at steering your own boat at Locust Shade Park in Triangle or at Lake Ridge Golf & Marina, where paddle boats are available for rent. The parks are also great places to fish and catch everything from catfish and largemouth bass to crappie and bluegill.
Ann Marie MaherExecutive Director Discover Prince William & Manassas
After you learn how to fish, test your new skills at Leesylvania State Park’s kids’ fishing tournaments, which take place on July 6 and Aug. 3. While at the park, stroll down the beach that stretches along the Potomac River and wade in the water.
I hope you have a wonderful summer and take advantage of all the outdoor opportunities available in our community. To discover more, visit us at DiscoverPWM.com.
Ann Marie Maher is the executive director of Discover Prince William & Manassas. For more information about what’s going on in Prince William and Manassas, visit DiscoverPWM.com.
