Reston

 

Tucked away in the northernmost reaches of Fairfax County, Reston is a scenic residential enclave often celebrated as one of the best places to call home in Virginia. Reston was originally founded in 1964 using Garden City ideals as a blueprint for its development.

With D.C. only a half an hour away and Arlington, Virginia, and Bethesda, Maryland even less, Reston is on the cusp of all the action. Whether your daily commute requires you to venture into the heart of the D.C. Metro Area’s urban core or you just want the option of spending an evening in the city, rest assured you can easily access it from Reston.

Reston offers residents the best of both worlds. Even with its convenient location, it is unmistakably suburban and provides its 60,000+ residents a noticeably slower, more relaxed lifestyle than areas closer to Washington D.C. Bisected by the Dulles Toll Road, southern Reston is almost exclusively residential, with winding, tree-lined streets and vast expanses of green space.

To the north, it's much the same, including 476-acre Lake Fairfax Park and the historic Lake Anne Village—Reston's first neighborhood. There is a corridor of commercial and retail spaces along the toll road and at the community's western edge, which distinguishes them from the unbroken garden aesthetic of the area's neighborhoods.

Regardless of where you choose to settle down in Reston, you'll have a wide variety of luxury homes from which to choose. From modern, newly built townhomes to classic, seven-figure estates, there is a home here for every need and want.

 

• Over 1,300 acres of recreational areas, parks, and green spaces
• Five stunning lakes, each with its own unique aesthetic and outdoor pursuits
• Impressive range of home styles and neighborhoods throughout the community
• Convenient location with easy access to Arlington, Bethesda, D.C., and Dulles International Airport
  
  

What to Love

Perhaps one of Reston's most surprising aspects is its relative proximity to the major metro areas of Northern Virginia and D.C. When you're here, it can indeed feel quite tranquil and otherworldly as you venture farther from the Dulles Toll Road.

But D.C. is only a 30-minute drive from the heart of Reston. Arlington, Virginia, and Bethesda, Maryland are both 20 minutes away. In the case of D.C. and Arlington, you can even forgo the car and take the Metro's Silver Line if you choose. Head west and Dulles International Airport is just a short 10 minutes from your home.

Ultimately, Reston is a place for everyone: young professionals; growing or established families seeking a lifestyle centered around good schools, green spaces, and charming neighborhoods; or empty nesters and retirees yearning for a bucolic setting to call home while remaining close to the conveniences that a big city provides.

Dining, Shopping & Entertainment

Although widely recognized for its small-town appeal, Reston is home to a large, bustling commercial district—the ever-expanding Dulles Toll Road corridor—as well as several smaller, outlining retail areas. Each presents residents with world-class dining and some of the best shopping opportunities in Fairfax County.

The primary retail area is Reston Town Center, the community's de facto downtown that is home to over 85 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues. Two of the center's top establishments include Barcelona Wine Bar for Spanish tapas and Jackson’s, which offers a wide selection of food and a large outdoor dining area.

In the slightly less hectic South Lakes Shopping Center along the shores of Lake Thoreau, highly-touted Cafesano specializes in Italian and Mediterranean plates. At the rapidly growing Reston Station Neighborhood is the popular farm-to-table eatery Founding Farmers.
For a fantastic brewery experience in an equally fantastic setting, visit the Lake Anne Brew House and sample its excellent small-batch, hand-crafted beer. 

Halley Rise, which is currently under construction at the Reston Town Center metro station, will offer the area’s first Wegmans grocery store, Pinstripes for bowling and games, and additional apartment options.

Things to Do

From the beginning, Reston was designed with the outdoors in mind. As evidence, look no further than Reston's 1,350 acres of open space, including five lakes, four wetlands, three ponds, 20 miles of streams, 50 meadows, and 800 acres of woodlands. In addition, there are over 50 miles combined of paved and natural paths that connect the community. Walking, running, or biking is welcome throughout the network of trails.

Lake Anne Plaza plays host to the Reston Farmers Market every Saturday from April through December. The Village is also a great spot to hang out on the lakeside terrace or visit the Reston Art Gallery or Reston Museum.

For those seeking a bit more entertainment, Reston Town Center features the Bowtie Cinema and the Greater Reston Arts Center. The latter conducts Northern Virginia's Fine Art Festival every year, which is considered one of the top such events anywhere in the country.