'''Manassas''' [http://www.manassascity.org/] is a small city in northern Virginia with a strong Civil War presence. The very first battle (The First Battle of Bull Run) was fought here.

Get in

Manassas is a suburb of Washington, DC and can be easily reached from either Dulles or Reagan international airports.

Manassas also is a stop on a commuter rail line, the Virginia Railway Express http://vre.org. Service to/from Washington DC.

Get around

Sudley Road (Route 234 Business) runs North/South through Manassas, is the main shopping artery of the city.

See

  • '''Old Town Manassas'''
  • '''Bull Run Battlefield'''
  • Do

    Within Old Town Manassas there is an ice skating rink that is open during the months in which the weather permits it. Manassas Mall is also a popular attraction. But the best attraction in Manassas is the Splashdown waterpark.

    Manassas has made the news on many occasions. It was here that Lorena Bobbit severed her husband's manhood with a knife in the middle of the night. On Route 234, the Sunoco gas station is where the Washington DC beltway snipers killed one of their victims. On Center Street is located the Manassas office of Comcast where an 80 year old lady recently went wild with a small hammer when she was upset with their customer service and it made national headlines. During the fourth season of Fox Television's American Idol, 21 year old Travis Tucker from Manassas became one of the top ten American Idol finalists. Also during the same season of American Idol, Judge Simon Cowell declared 18-year old Mary Roach from Manassas, the worst singer in the world. Old Town Manassas is also the site of O'Meara's Restaurant, owned by Mike O'Meara of the nationally syndicated Don & Mike radio show.

    Buy

    Eat

    Manassas is fairly close to Washington DC, so there's a decent selection of minority ethnic restaurants in addition to regular fare.

    Many chains have restaurants in the area. American favorites include Cracker Barrel, Bob Evans, Golden Corral, Great American Steak and Buffet, Red, Hot and Blue, Hooters, Logan's Roadhouse, and local favorite Five Guys hamburgers.

    The city of Manassas has a meals tax, therefor you will not find many good restaurants in Manassas anymore. Most of the good eating place s are nearby in Prince William County, on Route 234.

    Drink

    Sleep

  • Best Western Manassas. 640 Mathis Avenue. 03-368-7070. ttp://www.bestwesternmanassas.com.

  • Marriott Courtyard Manassas Battlefield Park. 0701 Battleview Parkway, Manassas, Virginia 20109. 03-335-1300. ww.marriott.com/MNZCH . </sleep

    Stay Safe

    If you come to Manassas merely for the battlefields crime is of little consequence. However, in the city itself, a heavy Hispanic population means a working knowledge of Spanish is helpful, but not essential in most parts of town.

    Get out