Great Falls

Great Falls

Predominantly a bedroom community for Washington, D.C. commuters, Great Falls is a tranquil, family-oriented wooded community located on the western side of Fairfax County. Settled by farmers in the late 1700s, the area remains a popular spot for farmers, equestrians, and landowners. Today, Great Falls is one of the most expensive zip codes in the country, boasting expansive horse farms and luxurious countryside estates. Families are attracted to the area for its top rated schools and abundance of outdoor recreation. Great Falls Park is one of the area’s most significant attractions—George Washington was involved with building a canal around the falls, and remnants remain visible at the park. Apart from the park, Great Falls has an extensive trail system, great shopping, fine dining, and a range of homes in different styles and sizes.

What To Expect

• Close to Washington, D.C.
• Top rated schools
• Great Falls Park
• Family-oriented
• Peaceful and private
• Variety of housing styles

The Lifestyle

Great Falls is a picture-perfect small-town suburb with essential amenities right around the corner, a plethora of community events, and a tight-knit neighborhood vibe where residents are friendly and often stop to chat and catch up while running errands. Because of its sprawling parkland, an abundance of outdoor activities, and top rated schools, Great Falls has become one of the best suburbs to raise a family in Virginia. You'll find a mix of casual and upscale dining establishments, farmers' markets, charming cafés, locally-owned businesses, small shopping centers scattered around, and year-round events, such as summer concerts and holiday activities. Housing options vary from cozy, single-family homes to luxurious manors and spacious horse farms. The city's proximity to D.C. and other significant landmarks—like Tysons Corner—is the cherry on top.

Unexpected Appeal

Alexandria’s residents put much thought and care into preserving original buildings and honoring their stories, whether those structures are museums or private homes.

Dining, Entertainment & Shopping

Located in the heart of Great Falls is the eye-catching and attractive Great Falls Village Centre, which is home to numerous services, financial institutions, office space, shops, and restaurants. The center also regularly hosts events such as movies and concerts on the green and the annual Cars & Coffee car show. Several holiday events are also hosted here, including the Halloween Spooktacular and annual tree lighting ceremony. Great Falls residents are proud to live close to one of the D.C. area's top-rated French restaurants, L'Auberge Chez Francois. Dining at L'Auberge is an elegant affair, perfect for celebratory dinners and special occasions. With the garden patio and spacious farmhouse setting, you'll enjoy mouthwatering dishes prepared by award-winning Chef Jacques Haeringer. For classic Italian food, try Dante Ristorante, which is housed inside a historic Victorian mansion. Other popular local establishments include The Old Brogue & Katie's Coffee House in the Village Centre and Mookie's BBQ. Less than 20 minutes away is Tysons Corner, the largest shopping mall in the state. Several stories high, Tysons offers a mix of upscale and casual shopping, numerous restaurants, and major anchor stores like Barnes & Noble Booksellers, LL Bean, Nordstrom, H&M, Macy's, Forever 21, and an AMC theater.

You'll Fall In Love With

As mentioned above, Great Falls is home to a robust community at its core, which means many local events are happening throughout the year. Almost every holiday has a significant event attached. Other exciting events include the Cars & Coffee car show at the Village Centre, where you’ll find an assortment of classic, vintage, and new cars at the charming Katie's Coffee House (connected to The Old Brogue). Great Falls is also renowned for its endless green space and beautiful parks, such as Great Falls Park, Riverbend Park, and Scott's Run Nature Preserve. Great Falls Park is easily the most popular—this 800-acre park is attractive to boaters, hikers, anglers, horseback riders, and more. Scott's Run is one of only a few nature preserves in the area. A beautiful, well-maintained place free of urban pollution and teeming with wildlife and fauna, visit during spring to see the flowers bursting into bloom or watch the birds flit to and fro from the dazzling garden of Virginia bluebells and arbutus. The preserve is an excellent spot for hiking if you're interested in exploring the myriad of interconnected trails that make their way through babbling brooks and copses of trees, notably the Potomac Heritage National Scenic Trail.

Schools

Great Falls students attend Fairfax County public schools, including Great Falls Elementary, Forestville Elementary, Colvin Run Elementary, James Fenimore Cooper Middle, and Langley High. Siena Academy is a Catholic Montessori preschool and elementary school that’s the only private K-12 in the area.