Top Five Attractions Near Dulles International Airport

The most visited national park in the U.S. is home to iconic monuments and memorials such as the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials and the Washington Monument. The Mall is flanked by the popular Smithsonian museums including the National Museum of American History and the National Gallery of Art. All of the sites along the Mall, including the Smithsonian Museums, are free to tour.

Getting there: Hour ride via Metro bus and rail or a 40-minute trip by car

This 5,000-acre park preserves the site of the Civil War’s First and Second Battles of Manassas (also known as the Battles of Bull Run). Drive or walk the trails of the scenic yet solemn battlefield where markers, monuments and memorials retell the history of the site. The Henry Hill Visitors Center features electronic battle maps, displays of equipment and battle memorabilia, and a film covering both battles.

Getting there: 20-minute drive by car

The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, directly adjacent to Washington Dulles Airport, is the companion site to Washington, D.C.’s National Air and Space Museum. The facilities’ two huge hangars house thousands of aviation and space artefacts including the space shuttle Discovery, Gemini VII space capsule and Boeing B-29 Enola Gay. Simulators and theatres provide breath-taking experiences without leaving the ground while the museum’s observation tower allows visitors to watch planes landing at Dulles Airport. Free admission.

Getting there: From Dulles Airport Ground Transportation Level, take Fairfax Connector No. 983 one stop to Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.

The faithfully restored plantation home of America’s first president, George Washington, features commanding views of the Potomac River. Tour the mansion and gardens as well as the museum featuring 23 galleries and theatres, more than 700 artefacts and interactive displays.

Getting there: 45-minute drive by car

After perusing the variety of high-end retail outlets the airport has to offer, shoppers can ride the Silver Line Metrorail to Tysons Corner Center – home to the largest concentration of shopping on the east coast outside of Manhattan. For big bargains from brand name retailers, head to the Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets.

Getting there: Tysons Corner Center is a one hour ride by Metrorail and bus or a 20-minute drive by car. Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets is a 20-minute drive by car or an hour ride by bus.

Just 42 kilometers west of Washington, D.C., Washington Dulles International Airport is centrally located in the Capital Region USA and convenient to all destinations and activities across Washington, D.C., Virginia and Maryland. Nonstop flights to Washington Dulles International Airport from major destinations worldwide make getting here easy.