1. Omniride
City: Woodbridge, VA
Category: Getting Here, Getting Around
Telephone: (703) 730-6664
Address: 14700 Potomac Mills Road
Description: This Prince William County–based commuter bus service, managed by the Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission, provides weekday rides to Franconia-Springfield, West Falls Church, the Pentagon, Crystal City, Vienna, and the District. Fares are $6.50, free for children younger than six. The commission also manages OmniLink, a local weekday bus service serving eastern Prince William County and Manassas, and OmniMatch, a car pool coordinating service.
2. Lazy Susan Dinner Theater
City: Woodbridge, VA
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (703) 550-7384
Description: Lazy Susan has been around forever, and it remains a popular destination for residents of Northern Virginia who enjoy musicals. Dinner and the show together make for a nice evening. They are open nightly, except on Monday. Tickets are $36.95, except on Saturday, when they cost $39.95.
3. Leesylvania State Park
City: Woodbridge, VA
Category: Parks & Recreation
Address: 2001 Daniel K. Ludwig Drive
Description: This 508-acre park, off U.S. 1 in Prince William County, offers precious access to the Potomac River, upon which visitors enjoy fishing and boating. You’ll even find a sandy beach for strolling and sunbathing—no swimming allowed! Hiking on 6 miles of trails and picnicking are also popular activities. On the National Register of Historic Landmarks, Leesylvania sits on land once owned by Revolutionary War hero “Light Horse” Harry Lee and, later, the Fairfax family. The park holds frequent educational programs for all ages. A visitor center, open noon to 4 p.m. (weekends only during the winter), houses nature exhibits and a gift shop. Park admission is $3 per car on weekdays, $4 on weekends.
4. Ikea
City: Woodbridge, VA
Category: Shopping
Address: 2901 Potomac Mills Circle
Description: These massive superstores offer a wide range of assemble-it-yourself furnishings in both contemporary and traditional styles. Prices range from the extremely affordable to the high-end. Most of the offerings are inspired by Swedish designs. People shop here to furnish their dorm rooms, first apartments, or even their entire homes, especially if they’re on a budget. While most of the furnishings are excellent quality, some of the offerings are a bit flimsy. Be sure to check the floor samples yourself and don’t rely on photos in the catalogs or on the Web site. Also, plan on spending several hours exploring the store (and wear comfortable shoes). If you get hungry, there’s a cafeteria within each IKEA that serves traditional and cheap Swedish cuisine (fast food style).When you do make your furniture selections, keep in mind that many of the pieces come in several separate cartons. Make sure the color selections, sizes, and model numbers for each carton match up, and that you have all of the required cartons before leaving the store. If you’ll be assembling the pieces yourself, be patient. The directions really do make sense and you won’t need more than a very basic tool set.