Read more coverage on the Silver Line
As the Metro lady says: “Doors opening…” to new day trips and adventures in Northern Virginia.
With the completion of the second phase of Metro’s Silver Line, Washingtonians now have expanded rail service to exciting new destinations. Yes, there’s Dulles International Airport — but there are also plenty of places to go along the line that make for an easy and accessible “daycation” experience.
Along this stretch of rail, you’ll find hiking and camping, a lazy river, rooftop putt-putt golf, indoor climbing and ropes courses, mountain biking, and one of Northern Virginia’s best breweries.
The Silver Line adds almost 30 miles to Metro’s system, and the $6.8 billion project is the largest expansion since the rail system began service in 1976. The latest portion, set to open Nov. 15, adds 11.5 miles of track and six new stations. Many of the new stations, located in the middle of the Dulles Toll Road, aren’t the most walkable places.
Whether you’re an aviation geek who wants to get up close to the Space Shuttle Discovery, or perhaps you’re looking for a relaxing massage and soak at a Korean day spa, there are plenty of options along the line for a day trip by Metro train away from Washington, D.C.
Note: All travel times are clocked with Metro’s Trip Planner from Metro Center in downtown D.C. Destinations are listed in order of distance from the District, with the first couple located near stations that are already open as they were part of the Silver Line’s first phase.
- Metro stop: McLean
- How to get there: Five- to 10-minute walk from station
- Address: 1805 Capital One Dr #1150, Tysons
- Approximate travel time: 38 minutes
Putt-putt golf is better with a view. At Perch Putt, golfers play 11-stories higher on the rooftop of The Perch at Capital One Center, just a few short blocks from the Silver Line’s McLean station.
The new course features 18 holes of miniature golf with stunning aerial views of Tysons. That’s in addition to a retro Greyhound and double-decker buses that have been converted into food trucks and serve up fresh, seasonal street food, as well as a colorful rum bar with inventive cocktails housed in a shipping container. (Pro-tip: It can be crowded on nice weekend days, but if you’re starting with a crowd, consider playing the back nine first and then returning to the front nine.)
The larger venue where Perch Putt is located, The Perch, is a big, kid- and dog-friendly space with picnic tables where guests are encouraged to linger by heated fire pits or play bocce ball and giant chess. There are also craft beers, sourced from Crozet, Virginia’s Starr Hill, plus an outdoor amphitheater that regularly hosts live music. Perch Putt closes for the season in November, but the beer garden is heated and open year-round.
- Metro stop: Spring Hill or McLean
- How to get there: Fairfax Connector Bus or free Wolf Trap shuttle (in the summer season)
- Address: 1551 Trap Road, Vienna
- Approximate travel time: 1 hour with bus transfer
Outdoorsy types and the musically inclined will enjoy the full range of performances, educational programming, and hiking at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, reachable via bus. (Your year-round bus option is the Fairfax Connector 574 bus from the Spring Hill station In the summer, there’s also a free shuttle from the McLean station during summer performances.) Upon your arrival, there are two hiking trails geared for all ages, a 1.5-mile and 2.5-mile loop, with guided experiences on Sundays.
Wolf Trap features three performance venues: The outdoor Filene Center (concerts run from May to September) and Children’s Theater-in-the-Woods, and The Barns at Wolf Trap, located down the road and adjacent to the Center for Education at Wolf Trap. Year-round, you can visit The Barns at Wolf Trap. Check the schedule for upcoming performances. There are also hands-on and kid-friendly programs and art classes.
- Metro stop: Reston Town Center or Wiehle-Reston East Station
- How to get there: Capital Bikeshare or Fairfax Connector bus
- Address: 1400 Lake Fairfax Drive, Reston
- Approximate travel time: 1 hour to an hour and a half, depending on bike or bus
Yes, it’s possible to escape the city grind and immerse yourself in nature via the Silver Line. From the Reston Town Center station, hop on a Bikeshare and ride along the Washington & Old Dominion Trail (using the designated walking/bike trail separated from the road) to the nearby Lake Fairfax Trailhead (park your bike at the Sunset Hills Rd & Isaac Newton Square docking station).
You can also bring your own bike and exit the Wiehle-Reston East station. From there, the trailhead is just a few minutes either biking or walking — and there are sidewalks the whole way. Adventures await along wooded paths of Lake Fairfax Park’s 476 acres, including wandering trails around the 18-acre lake.
In the summer months, campsites are available to book online for rates as low as $30. The lake also offers plenty of fishing and hiking routes, plus an old-time carousel and the Water Mine Family Swimmin’ Hole. This is a popular water and splash park with a lazy river, slides, flumes, and a splash playground.
- Metro stop: Innovation Center
- Address: 25330 Eastern Marketplace Plaza, Chantilly
- How to get there: 15-minute rideshare
- Approximate travel time: 1 hour and 15 minutes
Northern Virginia is home to several Korean spas, and one of the newest offerings is King Spa & Sauna, which opened a little over a year ago in Chantilly. This all-day R&R option is just a 15-minute rideshare from the Innovation Center station, and it is one of the largest Korean-inspired spas, known as “Jjim-Jil Bang,” in the United States.
On-site offerings include nine sauna rooms, acupressure and massages for the whole body, heated indoor and outdoor pools, and a movie theater. Did we mention there are rooms with heated floors to lay on, plus an ice room to stimulate blood flow? Day passes start at $70, with additional services including massages ranging from $80 and $200. There is also an on-site cafeteria serving bibimbap (rice bowls with various Korean toppings), udon noodles, bulgogi (a marinated, grilled meat dish), and steamed dumplings, among other items. The facilities open early at 7 a.m. and stay open late until midnight.
Smithsonian Air and Space’s Udvar-Hazy Center
- Metro stop: Innovation Center
- How to get there: Fairfax Connector bus
- Address: 14390 Air and Space Museum Pkwy, Chantilly
- Approximate travel time: 1 hour
Aviation geeks will want to plan a trip soon to the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia, reachable via Fairfax Connector 983 bus from the Innovation Center Station. At this larger outpost of the Smithsonian’s air and space museum, you’ll find thousands of aviation and space artifacts, including the Space Shuttle Discovery, a Blackbird SR-71, and a Concorde, housed in two large hangars. Current exhibits explore human space flight and aviation from World War II. There is also an IMAX theater with a recurring schedule of movies and a planetarium experience.
The center is located adjacent to Washington Dulles International Airport, and a viewing stand allows you to see daily takeoffs and departures from the airport. Visiting museum hours are from 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (Like all Smithsonian museums, it’s closed on December 25.)
Summit Indoor Adventure Park and Sportrock Climbing Center
- Metro stop: Loudoun Gateway
- Address: Summit is at 44810 Old Ox Road in Sterling and Sportsrock is at 45935 Maries Rd, also in Sterling
- How to get there: 2-minute ride-hail Summit, 10-minute ride-hail to Sportsrock
- Approximate travel time: 1 hour and five minutes, 1 hour and 15 mins
Consider the Silver Line’s Loudoun Station your destination for rugged indoor adventures, whether it’s a challenging climbing and ropes course, or a more technical rock climbing gym. Though the road conditions don’t make it walkable, a short two-minute rideshare from the Loudoun Gateway station is where you’ll find the Summit Ropes Indoor Adventure park. This all-ages gym has more than 16,000 square feet of ropes courses and offers obstacles that engage both body and mind for any skill level.
Meanwhile, for the experienced climber, it’s a quick 10-minute rideshare to Sportsrock Climbing Centers, a 14,000-square-foot facility with both bouldering and full-scale climbing walls to test your muscles and grip strength to the limits.
Lost Rhino Brewing Co. & The Zone Entertainment Center
- Metro stop: Ashburn
- Address: The Zone is at 43811 Central Station Dr #100 in Ashburn and Lost Rhino is at 21730 Red Rum Dr #142, also in Ashburn
- How to get there: Walk to The Zone, Ridehail to Lost Rhino
- Travel time: 1 hour and 40 mins with a ride-hail transfer, 1 hour and 30 mins with walking
Ride to the end of the Silver Line to truly be a kid at heart with arcade experiences plus craft beer. Start your day off at The Zone, located across from the Ashburn Station. (Take the footbridge over the Dulles Toll Road for the shortest walk.) This all-in-one entertainment facility has bowling, laser tag, virtual reality experiences, and dozens of arcade games, not to mention a full-service bar and restaurant.
Then, try your hand at pinball at Lost Rhino Brewing Co., which is a 5-minute rideshare from the Ashburn Station. There are nine vintage pinball machines to play here. This brewery is also one of Northern Virginia’s best with an award-winning production facility and tasting room. Beers are inspired by travel and include IPAs such as the “Over the Falls,” a New England-Style IPA, and the Rockin’ Rhino, a West Coast-style rye IPA.
