Living in & Around Loudoun County
About the Region
Loudoun County landscape, photo courtesy of Loudoun County Public Information Office.
LOUDOUN COUNTY
The area surrounding Janelia Farm is experiencing rapid economic and residential growth, while at the same time managing to preserve its history and foster a tradition of community involvement. Bordered by the Potomac River and the Blue Ridge Mountains, the county boasts some spectacular scenery. The region's rural charm includes small, picturesque towns and villages, as well as Civil War battlefields, elegant estates, and fine wineries.
The county's public school system ranks among the best in the nation. Students have access to top teachers and the latest technology and also benefit from a unique science education partnership with HHMI. Residents have ample shopping resources nearby, with the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets just around the corner and one of the Washington region's largest shopping malls, Tysons Corner Center, less than 20 miles away in McLean, Virginia. Quality health care and other services are also readily available.
While it's a short drive to the many museums in Washington, Loudoun County residents can begin to explore the Smithsonian Institution's extensive collection much closer to home. The Udvar-Hazy Center, an annex to the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum, displays more than 80 aircraft in an immense hangar near Dulles Airport; among the historic pieces are the Enola Gay and the space shuttle Enterprise. The Smithsonian Naturalist Center in Leesburg is a unique resource for collectors, college students, and scientists as young as 10 years old, providing more than 30,000 natural history and anthropological specimens and the tools with which to explore them.
With its mountains, river, and expansive areas of green space, Loudoun County is an ideal place to play outdoors. Local recreation opportunities include the 45-mile Washington and Old Dominion Regional Park and Trail, a paved trail popular with walkers, joggers, and cyclists, and Red Rocks Wilderness Overlook, a 67-acre aviary sanctuary overlooking the Potomac. Loudoun County is also horse country, and its equestrian events draw international crowds. Sixty-five miles to the west, Shenandoah National Park in the Blue Ridge Mountains provides magnificent panoramic views, more than 500 miles of hiking trails, and plentiful opportunities for camping, fishing, and cycling. When temperatures soar in the summer, adventurers can retreat underground to the many caverns of the Shenandoah Valley.
GENERAL INFORMATION
SCHOOLS
MEDICAL SERVICES
TRANSIT
RECREATION & CULTURE
