Reston

Reston is a community in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area located in western Fairfax County, Virginia. Conceived as an alternative to ailing cities and sprawling suburbs, Reston, along with Columbia, Maryland, was among the first post–World War II “new towns” in the United States.

Founded in 1964 by Robert E. Simon Jr., Reston took its name from Simon’s initials and represented a kind of urban utopia—a place with swimming pools, community centers, and tennis courts in every neighborhood and no restrictions based on race. Control of the project was taken over first by Gulf Oil—Simon’s major lender—and then Mobil, but the community grew steadily. Its 2007 population was approximately 60,000; the town, meanwhile, enjoys a strong economy based on high technology and information.

Reston Virginia combines beautiful public open space, a thriving restaurant scene, shopping, and family fun in a unique suburban town in Northern Virginia. The town motto—Live, Work, Play—reflects the diverse population and interesting neighborhoods that make Reston a fun day trip or getaway destination.

The town of Reston is located in Fairfax County, Virginia's most populated jurisdiction. Reston is close to Dulles Airport, and it makes a great base for exploring the Washington DC region. The Silver Line station of the Washington Metro currently ends at the Reston-Weihle stop, and the metro is a convenient way to visit downtown DC without a car.