In Cascades, rows of townhouses, gated tennis courts and manicured lawns sit within 2 miles of the muddy tree-lined banks of the Potomac River. More than 6,000 homes make up this master-planned community in Loudoun County, Virginia, but it maintains a connection to nature thanks to its proximity to the river and Algonkian Regional Park. “It’s a great place if people like outdoorsy stuff like golfing and kayaking,” says Donna Lutkins, a 30-year resident of Cascades and Realtor and owner of Lutkins Realty Group with Real Brokerage LLC. “You can walk to the river from lots of houses. There’s a little dam that we call ‘the little waterfall.’ Kids would go swimming or fishing there.” Still, Cascades has the polished appearance and wide range of amenities that come with living in a planned community. Despite the community’s size, residents stay connected through active Facebook groups and shared activities such as sports leagues, schools and Boy Scouts, Lutkins says. That’s one reason some families have become multigenerational residents of Cascades. “We’re working with some of my kids’ friends who are wanting to move back,” Lutkins says. “We’re seeing them moving into townhouses. Then their kids will go to the same school they did.”
The Algonkian Regional Park has an excellent golf course along the Potomac River in Cascades.
The Potomac River borders northern Cascades, offering recreational activities like boating.
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Housing variety lets residents upsize and downsize
The wide range of homes spans two-bedroom townhouses to six-bedroom single-family homes, enabling residents to stay in Cascades even as their housing needs evolve. “There is a lot of moving up within the neighborhood,” Lutkins says. “Someone who has one of the smaller townhouses can’t do it anymore after the third kid and the second dog, so they get a single-family home.” The median price is about $640,000, well above the national median home price. Residents also pay monthly or quarterly homeowners association fees that help to fund services and amenities, including five community centers, five pools and eight pickleball courts.
Townhomes in Cascades are a great option for those who are starting families in the area.
Cascades boasts a large selection of single family homes.
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Accessing the Potomac River through Algonkian Regional Park
Cascade’s northernmost homes are just under a mile from the Potomac River. Residents can reach the river by driving or walking through Algonkian Regional Park, where wooded trails cut through a public 18-hole golf course, connect to Volcano Island Waterpark and eventually lead to a riverside boat ramp. The park buffers houses from the Potomac River’s flood zones, but creeks throughout Cascades create minor flood risks. Just south of Algonkian Regional Park, youth and adult leagues host softball games and soccer matches at Potomack Lakes Sportsplex, a county-run facility.
Volcano Island provides families in Cascades a fun way to cool off in the summer.
Potomack Lakes Sportsplex has 4 baseball fields for practices and games in Cascades.
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Highly rated Loudon County Public Schools
Loudon County Public Schools gets an A grade from Niche, which ranks the school system the fourth-best in Virginia. The district gives high school seniors time off from classes to take on community service projects or meet with a mentor to create a project related to a career they’re interested in.
Sugarland Elementary School faithfully serves the children living in Cascades.
Potomac Falls High School provides quality education to students living in Cascades.
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Shopping and dining at Cascades Marketplace
Cascades Marketplace acts as the community’s retail hub, with groceries, hardware and quick meals available in the shopping center. East of Cascades Marketplace, farmers, gardeners and coffee roasters set up at the Cascades Farmers Market every Sunday between May and October. On the southwest side of Cascades, a pair of restaurants serve meals and cocktails on lakeside patios. Less than a mile away, more than 180 stores fill Dulles Town Center, an indoor shopping mall.
Taco Bamba is a popular restaurant serving delicious meals to locals of Cascades.
Dulles Town Center mall in Cascades often acts as a venue for festivities like the Lunar New Year Celebration.
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Highways connect to Washington, other jobs hubs
Despite being less than 30 miles from the nation’s capital, the commute to Washington can take up to 90 minutes. Locals are more likely to work at employment centers on the Virginia side of the Potomac River, such as Reston, McLean or Arlington. Large companies like Amazon, General Dynamics and Capital One operate headquarters and large offices in those communities, each within an hour's drive of Cascades. People typically get around using cars and nearby highways, though Loudoun County Transit buses stop in Cascades.
Crime rates lower than national average
Property crime reports increased slightly across the county in 2023, while violent crime reports stayed virtually the same, according to the most recent Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office data. Countywide violent and property crime rates were lower than national rates, according to the FBI. When it comes to living in Cascades, Lutkins says crime is rare: “It’s safe as long as you don’t leave a laptop on your dash with the keys in the car and the car running.”
Written By
Alex Soderstrom
Video By
Emily McNamara
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