Manassas

Located in Prince William County VA is the historic City of Manassas. Things started for this town in about 1861 with the First Battle of Manassas, sometimes called the First Battle of Bull Run. This was the first land battle of the American Civil war. A year later the Second Battle of Bull Run was fought here. It was not much more than a railroad crossing at the time, but a very important one.

The town of Manassas developed after the war and in 1892 it became the county seat for Prince William County. Manassas and Manassas Park, to the north, are both suburbs of Washington D.C. and both were incorporated as cities in 1975.

There's lots of history here. In fact, the First Battle of Manassas / Bull Run took place on July 21, 1861 and was the first major campaign of the Civil War. Now, Old Town Manassas has become a walkable tourist destination with a seasonal Farmers Market, The Manassas Museum, outdoor seating for restaurants, great shopping and art galleries, and a year-round calendar of festivals and events.

The major roads in and out of the city are highways 28 and 234. Interstate 66 is just to the north. There is also an airport in Manassas, so getting there is pretty easy. The Manassas Regional Airport is the largest regional airport in the state.

The residents of Manassas send their kids to a public school system with five elementary schools, an intermediate school, a middle school, and a high school. Higher education can be found at branch campuses of George Mason University, Strayer University, ECPI College of Technology and Northern Virginia Community College.

If you plan to stay in town a few days, and hopefully you will, Manassas has plenty of motels, hotels, bed and breakfasts and plenty of restaurants. There is always an abundance of nightlife as well, especially in Old Town Manassas.

When you venture out of the town a short ways you can find several different parks guaranteed to put you in a relaxing mood. There is the Manassas National Battle Park, Bull Run Regional Park and Fountainhead Regional Park, all close by.

If you are looking to do more than just visit parks be sure to read out page about Prince William County VA recreation. You may also want to know about libraries to visit and restaurants to dine at.

Manassas and the surrounding area are full of sights and history. In fact a couple of the most significant early battles in the civil war happened here. So, don't rush your stay in Manassas. There's lots to see and do.