Fairfax, Virginia
Fairfax is a city of 25,026 people in Fairfax city, Virginia, founded in 1805.
Why visit Fairfax
Townapedia lists 16 museums and landmarks, 57 parks and trails, 234 places to eat, 9 places to stay and 4 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Cinema Arts Theatre, University Mall Theatres, National Firearms Museum and City of Fairfax Historic District.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 84°F; January lows average 23°F.
Weather in Fairfax
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Fairfax
Fairfax is an independent city in Virginia and the county seat of Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,146.
From the Wikipedia article Fairfax, Virginia (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do4
Museums and landmarks16
National Firearms Museum
Museum · 2.1 mi
Museum located at the NRA Headquarters Building in Fairfax County, Virginia
11205 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax
Mo-Su 09:30-17:00; Dec 25 closed
City of Fairfax Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic district in Virginia, USA
29 Diner
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
United States historic place
Fairfax Public School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
School in Fairfax, Virginia
Freeman Store and Museum
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic commercial building in Virginia, United States
Historic Blenheim
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places
Building in Virginia, United States
Historic Fairfax County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
County courthouse in Virginia, United States of America
Oak Hill
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.9 mi
Historic home in Annandale, Virginia, USA
Oakton Trolley Station
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Railway station in Oakton, the United States of America
Ratcliffe-Logan-Allison House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.6 mi
Historic house in Virginia, United States
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Vale School-Community House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Place in Virginia listed on National Register of Historic Places
Old Fairfax County Jail
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.7 mi
4 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds57
Eakin Community Park
Park · 2.6 mi
Park in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States of America
Ox Hill Battlefield Park
Park · 3.9 mi
Park located on the site of a Civil War battlefield in Fairfax, Virginia, USA
45 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes234
Bollywood Bistro
Restaurant · Indian · 0.5 mi
Bollywood Bistro is a beloved North Indian restaurant established in 2009. Specializing in exquisite Tandoori dishes, our menu features...
3955 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax
Su 12:00-21:30, Mo-Th 11:30-14:30, 17:00-22:00, Fr 11:30-22:30, Sa...
Hamrock's Resturaunt
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
Hamrock's Restaurant is a beloved American dining destination in Fairfax, VA, that was established in 2016. We proudly showcase a...
3950 Chain Bridge Road, Fairfax
Su 10:00-14:00,16:00-20:00, Mo closed, Tu 16:00-20:30, We-Th...
Chef Yan
Restaurant · Chinese, Sichuan · 1.5 mi
9600 Main Street, Fairfax
Su-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00
Coyote Grille
Restaurant · Tex-Mex · 0.6 mi
10266 Main Street, Fairfax
Mo-Th 11:00-21:30; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Draper’s Steak & Seafood
Diner · American · 0.6 mi
3936 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:00-22:00; Su 11:00-21:00
Erbil Kabob
Restaurant · Arab · 1.5 mi
3210 Old Pickett Road
Mo-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr 11:00-00:00; Sa-Su 11:00-23:00
222 more on the map.
History
Both the City and County of Fairfax take their names from Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron, a Scottish nobleman and colonial landowner. In the 18th century, Lord Fairfax held the Northern Neck Proprietary, a vast land grant of more than five million acres between the Potomac and Rappahannock Rivers.
The area now known as the City of Fairfax began as the Town of Providence, a rural crossroads and the administrative seat of Fairfax County in the early 19th century. The town grew around the courthouse and developed as a local center for governance and commerce. In 1874, the town changed its name to Fairfax.
From the History section of Fairfax, Virginia on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay9
Candlewood Suites Washington-Fairfax
Motel and hotel · 2.3 mi
11400 Random Hills Road, Fairfax
Holiday Inn Express Fairfax - Arlington Boulevard
Motel and hotel · 0.5 mi
10327 Fairfax Boulevard, Fairfax
Churches and places of worship38
St. Mary's Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.8 mi
Calvary Hill Baptist Church
Church · Baptist · 1.9 mi
9301 Little River Turnpike, Fairfax
Chabad of Northern Virginia
Place of worship · Orthodox · 2.2 mi
3939 Prince William Drive, Fairfax
Shopping42
Gas and EV charging22
Schools, colleges and libraries76
Healthcare16
Joseph Willard Health Center
Clinic and pharmacy
3750 Blenheim Boulevard, Fairfax
Map of Fairfax
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°F | 23°F | 3.3 in | 6.5 in |
| Feb | 45°F | 24°F | 2.6 in | 7.5 in |
| Mar | 53°F | 32°F | 3.8 in | 2.0 in |
| Apr | 65°F | 41°F | 3.4 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 72°F | 52°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 80°F | 61°F | 4.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 84°F | 67°F | 4.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 82°F | 65°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 76°F | 57°F | 4.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 65°F | 45°F | 3.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 56°F | 35°F | 3.1 in | 0.1 in |
| Dec | 46°F | 28°F | 3.4 in | 2.4 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Vienna (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Fairfax city has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2026-01-23: Severe Winter Storm (Winter Storm)
- 2020-04-02: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2018-09-11: Hurricane Florence (Hurricane)
- 2016-03-07: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2012-11-26: Hurricane Sandy (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Davison Army Airfield (DAA) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 11 miles away.
- Fair Oaks 3 mi west, about 5 min by car
- Burke Centre 4 mi south, about 7 min by car
- Fairfax Station 5 mi southwest, about 7 min by car
- Burke 6 mi south, about 9 min by car
- Annandale 6 mi east, about 9 min by car
- Centreville 8 mi west, about 12 min by car
- Chantilly 8 mi west, about 13 min by car
- Bailey's Crossroads 9 mi east, about 15 min by car
- Arlington 11 mi east, about 17 min by car
- Alexandria 12 mi east, about 19 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Fairfax, Virginia - panoramio, Idawriter, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 10, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 11, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 04, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 09, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 03, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 06, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 08, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) Graveyard, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 02, ProfReader, CC0
- Blenheim (Fairfax, VA) 05, ProfReader, CC0
- Fairfax United Methodist Church - panoramio, Idawriter, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2016-10-30 11 40 47 View east along Virginia State Route 236 (Old Lee Highway) at North Street in Fairfax, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-10-30 11 39 11 View west along Virginia State Route 236 (North Street) at Old Lee Highway in Fairfax, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Downtown Fairfax, tjmills1520, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 2016-10-30 11 38 12 View west along Virginia State Route 236 (Old Lee Highway) between Main Street and North Street in Fairfax, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019-10-06 16 54 48 View west along Virginia State Route 236 (Main Street) between Locust Street and East Street in Fairfax, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fairfax, VA, USA - panoramio (1), Idawriter, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 2016-10-30 11 34 35 View west along Virginia State Route 236 (Main Street) between Locust Street and East Street in Fairfax, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2016-10-30 11 32 33 View west along Virginia State Route 236 (Main Street) between Locust Street and East Street in Fairfax, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2019-10-06 16 57 11 View west along Virginia State Route 236 (Main Street) between Locust Street and East Street in Fairfax, Virginia, Famartin, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Fairfax-public-school039, Slowking4, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fairfax-public-school037, Slowking4, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fairfax-public-school038, Slowking4, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MarshHouseFairfax, मल्ल, Public domain
- NRA Firearms Museum (7040580765), m01229 from USA, CC BY 2.0
- Old-fairfax-city-hall036, Slowking4, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Blenheim 003, Aurbanski, CC BY 3.0
- FREEMAN STORE, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fairfax County Courthouse, Aurbanski, CC BY 3.0
- Ratcliff-Allison House Fairfax City, Eopederson, CC BY-SA 3.0
- St-marys-church011, Slowking4, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fairfax Museum, Wiki publius, CC BY-SA 3.0
- OAK HILL ANNANDALE, FAIRFAX COUNTY, VA, Jerrye & Roy Klotz, MD, CC BY-SA 4.0
- VALE SCHOOL, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 29 Diner Exterior, John Handy, CC BY 3.0
- OAKTON TROLLEY STATION, JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0
- George Mason Performing Arts, Laxmatt, Public domain
- Van Dyck Park footbridge 2020, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Dale Drive footbridge 2020, Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0
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