The Comfort Suites Hotel of Manassas, VA is a gem of a hotel. I was in Manassas, on business, and my company picked the hotel for me. They made a nice choice. My room had two Queen beds (One of which I didn’t need. Do you think the Environazis will crucify me for the size of my Hotel Carbon Footprint?), but there were others with a single King as well. The rooms, which cater towards the business traveler, have a desk and both wired and wireless internet. The wired worked much better. The staff was helpful, giving directions and dinner recommendations. I never saw housekeeping, but when I returned my room was always done. I have a habit of taking two of the cotton-ball soft pillows and stuffing them together in one pillow case, to make it firmer to sleep on. The first room make up, the maid returned them to the original state. I am used to that, and was prepared to just fix it each night. But, I was pleasantly surprised when it was left alone for the rest of my stay! That shows initiative on her (Sexist? I’ve never seen a male working housekeeping, the odds must be with me) part to find out that I would be there for several more days. (Yes, I did tip her). Other amenities include a business center, conference rooms, a work out area, a common room in the lobby, continental breakfast, and nice view of a small lake and fountain. This hotel is about a 15 minute drive from the most western D.C. Metro Station (Vienna/Fairfax on the Orange line), and then another 20-30 minutes to the Smithsonian station in DC, so it could be an alternative to staying in DC. At $100 per night, it is a bargain compared to what you will pay for comparable digs in our nation’s capital.

Does your child like to bounce or slide? This may be for you. Children are $8.00 for 1 hr. 1/2. In this time they are 45 min. in each room to play. They play kid friendly music for you to enjoy and the little ones.

May and June are the time for community festivals across Northern Virginia. Springfield Days was held the previous weekend. This Saturday, I drove out to Manassas, Virginia, for the annual Manassas Railway Heritage Festival. (Susan was at work, Julia was stage managing a show at the high school, and Drew was at orientation for his camp counselor summer job. So, I was on my own for this one.) I like trains, and so have been to this one in years past.

Manassas is about 30 miles (50 km) south of Springfield.  It celebrates an annual Manassas Railway Heritage Festival as the town owes its existence to the coming of the railroad. The town began in the 1850s as a settlement at the junction of a rail line from Alexandria to Charlottesville and a connecting line to the Shenandoah Valley through Manassas Gap. In fact, the community was then known as Manassas Junction. The Civil War Battles of First and Second Manassas (or Battles of Bull Run) took place nearby in 1861 and 1862. (I'll write about Manassas National Battlefield Park in a future blog.) They were among the first military engagements in which railway transport played a strategic role and made the name Manassas famous.

I arrived in Manassas in the afternoon, around 2:00 p.m. The festival did not appear as crowded as in years past nor were there as many exhibitors or participtants. It was a hot day, nearly 100F (37C), and an intense sun beat down on the scene. (Not as hot as Tulum two years ago, but very hot nonetheless.) Maybe the heat had kept people away or maybe they had come earlier in the day. (How hot was it? The sunblock I'd put on flowed off my forehead into my eyes.)

Virginia Railway Express provided their traditional 30 minute train trips to Clifton and back. These rides are a promotion for the commuter rail service and an enjoyable outing. A number of model railway enthusiasts had gathered to set up layouts of various sizes. It's always fun to see what they can create and what whimsical themes they can incorporate. The Norfolk Southern freight railroad company had sent its Exhibit Car to describe the role of railroads in contemporary commerce. Merchandise vendors and crafters were set up under tents. However, the most popular was a Boy Scout troop selling cold water and soft drinks!

Two performance stages were in operation. A band was playing at one stage. They had strolling guitarists playing instruments that had wireless connections to their amp. I don't think I'd seen that before! (It gave a new meaning to "air guitar"!) At another stage, a performer was playing a steel drum and encouraging audience participation with maracas, especially children. (I almost found myself in a Twist contest there!)

After a while, I strolled a bit through Old Town Manassas for some shade. The restored 1914 Southern Railway Station is the anchor of Old Town. It's used as a visitor center and has historical displays. (It's still an active railway station, used by Amtrak and Virginia Railway Express trains.) Most of the buildings in Old Town are brick and were built following a severe downtown fire in 1903. Old Town is home to various shops and restaurants today. (There are those who don't realize there is an Old Town. A colleague of mine at work was once surprised to learn about its existence, as she had only seen the newer suburban Manassas sprawl from I-66.) The Manassas Museum is just beyond the station and contains displays on the town and its development.

My favorite Chinese food restaurant in Manassas. Definitely worth checking out, you may see me there! Sit in Li's section, she's a good waitress and she'll take care of you. They also deliver, so if you're in your hotel room down the street, they can bring it to you.

A great bar located in Old Town Manassas, O'Meara's is definitely a stopping point if you're in town looking for a good spot to go to. The place gets packed on Fridays and Saturdays, and they do different gimmick nights during the week to bring people in. Pretty good food, too!