Rippon Landing - Woodbridge, VA

The general Woodbridge area boasts a rich history dating back to the early 1600s, when Captain John Smith first landed here. Over the centuries, what was once a quiet agricultural region began growing as the population boomed and commercial development transformed the landscape.

One of Prince William County's oldest homes resides right near Rippon Landing. Five buildings build in the mid-1700s by Richard Blackburn comprise the Rippon Lodge Historic Site on Blackburn Road. Rippon Lodge provides house tours and features 43 sprawling acres of gardens and walking trails that have views of the Potomac River.

Although Rippon Landing lacks an arts scene, it makes up for it with its vibrant social life. Annual community events include clean up days, community yard sales, a summer pool party and a Christmas parade.

Although you won’t find any restaurants right in Rippon Landing, you don’t need to travel far to find an eatery sure to suit your cravings.

In a sea of shopping center chain restaurants, a few local gems standout from the crowd with their ethnically diverse menus that send your taste buds singing. Irie Caribbean, a casual restaurant on Jefferson Davis Highway serves the best Jamaican food in Northern Virginia. The tender oxtail, spicy jerk chicken and flavorful curry shrimp or goat roti keep locals coming back for more. Just a little ways down the highway, you’ll find Northern Virginia’s best taqueria, La Roca. This small restaurant’s menu transports you to Latin America and Mexico with dishes such as tamales, carne asada, sautéed shrimp, burritos, sopes and tacos with your choice of tongue, beef, pork or chorizo. Hands down, La Roca's pupusas remain the number one, must-try menu item.

Don't be confused by the humble exterior and simple sign for The Palace. Operating as a Tex-Mex grill by day, the restaurant transforms into a hopping club at night. With approximately 10,000 square feet of space, including an expansive dance floor, it provides plenty of room to shake your groove thing to the merengue, salsa, house and bachata music. The Palace features no cover charge on Wednesdays, music spun by DJs, live music and fight nights when the dance floor morphs into a ring.

For a more laid-back, casual night out, check out Bungalow Alehouse on Prince William Parkway. In addition to the flat screen televisions for watching the game, this casual sports bar also has dartboards, pool tables and a family-friendly section perfect for patrons with children. The Alehouse serves a full menu of meals, snacks and light bites, including specialties such as Hot Rocks spicy rock shrimp, juicy bison burgers, fire-grilled Mediterranean flatbread pizzas and fall-off-the-bone tender ribs. While the food is good, the sheer variety of beer that this joint carries sets it apart from the rest of the pack. If draught beers such as Bell's Two Hearted Ale, Hofbrau Dunkel, Wookey Jack Black IPA and Rubicon Hotsauce don't whet your whistle, the bar's selection of bottled beers surely will.

The Potomac and Rappahannock Transportation Commission services the Rippon Landing area with its Dale City and Lake Ridge OmniRide commuter buses that connect passengers with destinations such as the Pentagon, Crystal City and downtown Washington D.C. Virginia Railway Express provides rail service from the Rippon Station on Farm Creek Drive with its Fredericksburg Line, connecting Rippon Landing residents with destinations such as Fredericksburg, Quantico, Alexandria, Crystal City and Union Station. Residents can travel by cab fairly easily, although it's best to call ahead if you don't want to wait.

Although many residents take advantage of public transportation to commute, the majority choose to drive to work. The neighborhood's proximity to major commuter roadways such as U.S. Route 1 or Interstate 95 makes navigating the area relatively easy, although your commute becomes substantially longer during rush hour.

Parking in Rippon Landing rarely becomes a problem because of the ample on- and off-street parking options. On a beautiful day, you’ll most likely see some of your neighbors out and about walking or biking along shared roadways or nearby trails.

Rippon Landing Neighborhood Park, located across the street from Rippon Lodge on Blackburn Road, features a hiking trail that extends to nearby wetlands. It also has a sand volleyball court, horseshoe pits and a picnic pavilion near the playground, featuring play equipment and musical instruments. Rippon Landing also has a community pool with a baby pool, tennis courts and several tot lots.

Nearby Leesylvania State Park hosts "Music at the Marina," a summer concert series in addition to guided nature walks, canoe tours, fishing tournaments and summer camps. This 542-acre park contains a fishing pier, playground, gift shop, a fitness trail, canoe rentals and five hiking trails. "Prince William Living" magazine named Leesylvania State Park as the best place to walk your dog.

Life in Rippon Landing carries a slightly lower cost of living than if you lived in Washington D.C. Although housing prices generally soar significantly above the national average, rental rates for one-bedroom apartments typically cost around $1,265. Heading out to grab a beer won’t break your budget; local bars charge $5 to $7 for a pint of beer.

Similarly, gas prices in the area tend to be relatively reasonable, hovering between 1 and 2 percent below the national average. One-way fare on OmniBuses costs $5.75 to $7.70, while a one-way ticket for Virginia Railway Express costs $3.15 to $8.45 depending on your destination.

Aside from a few appliance stores in the immediate vicinity, the Rippon Landing shopping scene consists almost entirely of big-name chain retailers residing in major shopping centers such as Opitz Crossing, Potomac Town Center, and Potomac Mills Mall, the largest outlet mall in Virginia. The mall features some high-end retailers, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bebe, Calvin Klein, and Michael Kors.

Some of the more specialized shops in the area include two bargain thrift stores. The Village Thrift Store on Smoketown Road features reasonable prices, but when you want to score the best deals, shop on Sunday or Monday, when the store offers 50 percent off tagged items. Much like any thrift store, the selection tends to be hit or miss, but if you're lucky you might just find designer duds from big name labels such as Dior or BCBG. While The Village lacks a furniture section, B-Thrifty on Jefferson Davis Highway, features a fantastic furniture and housewares selection. It also runs Monday specials featuring 30 to 50 percent off the already reasonable prices.

You don't need to practice magic to appreciate the herbs, gemstones, candles, and essential oils sold at 13 Magickal Moons, located seven miles away in Occoquan. The staff members always welcome you with a smile and eagerly answer any questions you may have.

Residents typically shop for groceries at nearby markets such as Wegmans, Global Foods, Food Lion, and ALDI. Stock up on fresh fruits, vegetables, herbs, and plants at the Dale City farmers market, located less than five miles away.