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By Steve Cook
Okay, first of all an acknowledgement...Manassas is,
technically speaking, a city. But, many of the townfolk with
whom I spoke apparently are prone to view their city as
a small town. And I couldn’t agree more. Indeed, it just
might be that Manassas is Virginia’s biggest small town.
There’s no denying that, especially in the Old Town
Manassas district, there is a truly distinct small-town feel.
Case in point, while visiting the Farmers’ Market, in the
heart of Old Town Manassas, I asked one of the townfolk,
“What do the locals do for fun on the weekend?”
“Well,” he said proudly, “There’s the ice cream social.”
I like that, and not just because I’m partial to ice cream.
It has a rather nice feel to it, don’t you think? On Sundays,
during the summer, residents and visitors alike can
enjoy free concerts and ice cream at the Harris Pavilion,
which also houses the Farmers’ Market.
I put the same question to Jon Way, a member of
the City Council, who has bicycled over, from his nearby
home, to the market. He immediately replied, “Well on
Saturday nights during the summer, we go over there and
watch a movie. We had a John Wayne (movie) there the
other night.” Ice cream and John Wayne! I was looking
around to see if Andy and Barney might be nearby.
“Over there,” is the Manassas Museum, towards
which Way had pointed. It’s just a short stroll from the
market. And, when you take your weekend getaway to
Manassas (and you really must), a visit to the museum
should be high on the list for all history buffs.
I learned a lot about Manassas’ history visiting the museum.
For instance, I discovered that Manassas actually got its name from another town...Manassas Gap in Western
Virginia. Originally known as Manassas Junction because
that’s where you caught the train to Manassas Gap,
the name was eventually shortened to just Manassas.
That railroad junction played a major role in the first
land battle of the Civil War at Bull Run, just outside of
town. The battle was fought for control of the railway
upon which the Confederate capital, Richmond, depended
for the shipment of troops, food, and other necessities.
The folks at the Manassas Battlefield Park at Bull Run do
an excellent job of driving home the realities of war and
of telling the story of the two Battles of Bull Run. Even if
you don’t have a major interest in Civil War history, the
Battlefield Park is truly a must see during your visit.
If dining is an integral part of a weekend getaway, Old
Town Manassas has several excellent restaurants. One
could, within a few short blocks, take a world tour, gastronomically
speaking. Perhaps, you’d begin the tour with
an authentic Philly cheese steak at the Philadelphia Tavern,
a cozy place to dine, featuring a beautifully hand-crafted
antique bar. Mackey’s American Pub is nearby, offering
more American selection. And just around the corner,
you can enjoy Cajun Creole cooking at Okra’s. From
there, a world of international delights awaits. There’s
Caramello’s & Little Portugal, for both Italian and Portuguese
fare. Piccolino’s Italian Restaurant comes highly recommended
as well. And within just a couple of blocks
are two excellent Thai restaurants, Siam Classic and Thai
Secret. Of course, you’ll want to cap off your tour with
homemade fudge or some ice cream at the Old Towne
Sweet Shop.
Those who feel that no weekend getaway would be
complete without doing some shopping probably don’t
need to be reminded that Potomac Mills is nearby. With
over 200 stores and more than one-and-a-half million
square feet of space in which to spend, spend, spend,
Potomac Mills is the 2nd largest shopping complex in the
entire D.C. Area.
But, before you spend it all there, why not visit the
charming and interesting shops in Old Town Manassas
and in the quaint riverfront village of Occoquan. From
antiques to art galleries, Irish woolens and gourmet foods
to hard-to-find collectibles, These two shopping districts
make for a delightful and much more relaxing alternative
to the mega-mall.
Four hundred years of intriguing history, excellent dining,
fascinating shopping, have we covered it all? Not
quite. If your idea of the perfect weekend getaway includes
getting out and enjoying the great outdoors, there’s
plenty of that in Manassas and adjoining Prince William
County.
According to Sharon Cavileer, Interim Director of the
Convention and Visitors Bureau, Prince William County/
Manassas is a remarkably rich destination to pursue your
personal passions. “If you love history, see all 25 sites of
our Civil War Heritage Trail. If it’s golf that gets you going,
we have eleven courses open for public play year-round.
If you love fishing, boating, and riverfront heritage, we
have miles of shoreline along the Potomac and Occoquan
Rivers. In Prince William County & Manassas you can also
unleash your inner athlete, artist or epicurean. Sample a
great vintage at the winery at La Grange, see international talent perform at Nissan Pavilion or Hylton Center for
the Performing Arts, or follow in the path of American
heroes at our historic sites and museums.
Prince William
is also mid-point along the Journey through Hallowed
Ground which follows Route 15 from Monticello to Gettysburg.”
Prince William also has 52 parks...Federal, state, and
local. Sitting on 508 acres along the Potomac River,
Leesylvania State Park offers boating, canoeing, and sailing,
along with nature walks, and a tents-only primitive
campground. Nearby (about 15 minutes away), Prince
William Forest Park, covering over 17,000 acres, is the
largest protected natural area in the entire Washington,
D.C. Metro area. This park also offers an array of outdoor
fun, including such winter activities as cross-country skiing
and snowshoeing.
There truly is something for everyone in Manassas
and nearby Prince William County, including a genuine
small-town atmosphere in the midst of one of the
nation’s most metropolitan areas. Manassas Mayor,
Hal Parrish, who also visited the Farmers’ Market on
the day I was there with a group of travel writers from
across the nation, is, perhaps, the town’s best publicity
agent. “I’ve lived here all my life,” he tells me. “It’s
a super place to live.”
Even if you’re not planning to live there, Manassas,
at just an hour’s drive north of Richmond, is definitely
a super place for a weekend getaway...a getaway to a
small town that has it all.
For more information on all that Manassas and
Prince William County have to offer,
visit www.visitpwc.com |
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