Clifton

If living in a community with old-world charm sounds desirable, then Clifton, Virginia, might exceed your expectations. The few blocks that make up the downtown area boast historic homes, local antique stores, charming restaurants and plenty of white picket fences. Nicknamed the “Brigadoon of Virginia,” Clifton boasts the oldest winery in the area. During the mid-1920s, Clifton reached another milestone when it became the first community in Fairfax County to have electricity. Funny enough, one thing they don’t have today is traffic lights. Instead, stop signs and the railroad tracks that run across Main Street slow drivers down long enough so they can wave hello to neighbors.

“Clifton has a really nice mix of rural and suburban living,” says Damon Nicholas, Team Leader of the Damon Sells Homes Team at Coldwell Banker Realty and Fairfax County native. “At one point, it was one of the fastest-growing neighborhoods in the country.” Residents who commute about 30 miles to the District or drive to their jobs at nearby tech companies most likely relish coming home to farmhouses along the countryside, European-inspired mansions and more recently built Colonial Revivals. The median lot size is around five acres and the median single-family sales price is $1,275,000, but smaller homes can be found at lower price points of course, like a two-bedroom, two-bathroom cottage on two-thirds of an acre for the mid $600,000s.

Children who live in Clifton can attend Fairfax County Public Schools like Union Mill Elementary School, which serves prekindergarten through sixth graders, Liberty Middle School, which serves seventh and eighth graders and Centreville High School, which serves ninth through 12th graders. All three schools receive an overall A grade by Niche. Centerville High offers a service learning program to students designed to instill within them a sense of civic responsibility.

Weekends are a good time to enjoy Clifton’s natural beauty while walking through Hemlock Overlook Regional Park or riding a horse on the equestrian trails. There are also 20 acres of wilderness to observe at the Webb Nature Sanctuary. Prefer spending a day playing golf? Tee time runs from dusk to dawn at the county-run Twin Lakes Golf Course, which features two 18-hole courses — both over 6,600 yards. You can sign up for one-on-one instruction or join others in a group class. The community also hosts annual events, some which have been around for over 50 years. More than 150 vendors participate in the well-attended Clifton Day festival. The day features live music, a beer and wine garden and pony rides for the kids.

When looking for a place to dine, you can stop by the decades-old Clifton General Store for a quick carryout meal or enjoy Main Street Pub's corned beef and cabbage with mashed potatoes drizzled in a creamy parsley sauce. American cuisine is served up at Trummer’s, another Main Street restaurant owned by husband-and-wife team Victoria and Stefan Trummer. Ingredients that go into their meals are sourced from the local agricultural community. When it’s time to fill up the fridge, most grocery stores are located around the outskirts of Clifton, about 5 or 6 miles away from the center of town.

A car is a must in Clifton, and commuters can get to Interstate 66 within about 5 miles from home, or hop on Interstate 495 within about 10 miles. Clifton residents are closer to Dulles International Airport than most, within 20 miles. If you’re not commuting, you’ll likely agree that while Clifton is a small town, it’s very self-sufficient. “You really don’t have to leave Clifton for any reason,” Nicholas says. “It really is a little bit of heaven just west of Washington, DC.”

Written By

Katelin Hill

Photography Contributed By

Tyson Le

Video By

Anthony Pesa