Page 20 - DreamScapes Magazine | Winter/Spring 2023

FROM FITNESS
to Facials
Northern Virginia’s wellness options look at mind, body and soul
BY CARA O’DONNELL
The last few years have led quite a few of us to focus a little more on ourselves. We look for relaxing walks in nature. Maybe we’re trying to eat a bit healthier (while still having room to indulge just a little). If being cooped up during the last three years taught us anything, it’s that good old-fashioned “me time” is more pre- cious than ever, and a wonderful place to enjoy that is in Northern Virginia.
ACTIVE EXPLORING
Some may be surprised to learn that Arlington, Virginia, just across the river from Washington, D.C., has been named the fittest city in America for the last five years. Once on-site, however, it’s easy to see why. Fitness and wellness are a way of life here, and visitors can join residents as they jog, walk or bike along any of the community’s kilo- metres of off-road trails or dedicated road lanes. Drop in for a boxing class, join a free community yoga session, or take advantage of the mild climate and get outside to explore.
Locals and visitors love travelling the Mount Vernon Trail, which starts at Theodore Roosevelt Island and traverses 29 kilometres along the banks of the Potomac River, offering amazing views of the D.C. sky- line while travelling south past the cobblestone streets of Old Town Alexandria and towards Mount Vernon, George Washington’s estate.
For serious enthusiasts, try an equally scenic trek along the Wash- ington and Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park Trail. This rail trail stretches 72 kilometres from Arlington County through Fairfax County and concludes in western Loudoun County. Along the way, visit small towns, coffee shops, breweries and more.
For a more intense experience, visit either of the two Fairfax County locations of The St. James complex, which combines state-of-the-art sports facilities, high-performance workout studios, and premier entertainment and lifestyle experiences.
RELAX AND REJUVENATE
Of course, nothing says pampering like a little time in a spa, and there are numerous opportunities throughout Northern Virginia. The luxe Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg has added a slew of new wellness options. The Eastern-influenced wellness resort with its Spa Minérale offers therapeutic massages and wellness bodywork in acupuncture, cupping and Eastern-style Gua Sha, Anma and Table Thai massages. The luxurious spa at Middleburg’s Salamander Resort is pampering at its finest. Picture private stone treatment terraces, aromatic steam rooms, set amid sun-lit relaxation spaces and a secluded spa courtyard
20 DREAMSCAPES WINTER/SPRING 2023
GREAT FALLS PARK, FAIRFAX COUNTY
MT. VERNON TRAIL, ARLINGTON
PRINCE WILLIAM FOREST PARK, PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY