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About Lee Highway
Unlike most of Arlington's urban villages, Lee Highway is not one neigborhood, but a continuum of neighborhoods blending into each other along a commercial corridor. Williamsburg, Lee-Harrison, Highview Park, Lee Heights, Cherrydale, and Lyon Village each have their own unique neighborhood feel and their own shopping areas on or near Lee Highway. Metrobus Route 3 makes it easy to travel down the highway a bit to visit or shop in one of the other neigborhoods, connect to Metrorail at either end of the corridor, or travel to and from D.C. during rush hour. Williamsburg is a scenic community tucked away on Sycamore Street only one mile from the East Falls Church Metro. Bordered by two of Arlington’s most charming and versatile parks, Williamsburg is a leafy urban niche in the outskirts of downtown Arlington. As you approach Williamsburg by Metrobus or bike, you will notice the landscape beginning to shift from dense developments to a more spacious patchwork of housing. The Williamsburg Civic Association has campaigned tirelessly to maintain Williamsburg's small town feel and has devoted resources to keeping the neighborhood center and approaching streets well landscaped and beautified. For shoppers and diners, Williamsburg offers two small shopping centers with a solid selection of establishments that can quench various physical and creative needs. In the first shopping center, just south of Williamsburg Boulevard, check out the Wildflour Bakery for fresh, healthy bread or for a flavorful panini sandwich. Jin’s Tailoring next door provides reliable tailoring services, and musicians will be thrilled to discover the gem Action Music. Cattycorner to the first shopping center is the second center, where an additional selection of shops enriches Williamsburg’s retail offerings. Calico Corners, a fabric store, is a favorite for mavens of textile crafts like sewing and quilt-making. Around the corner, kids and adults get their kick on at Oriental Martial Arts Academy. For those who prefer to get their exercise outside, Sharp Park, a small but well-maintained park, is just across the street. A half-mile away is Tuckahoe Park, a larger park complete with picnic tables, tennis courts, a baseball field, two batting cages and five bullpen mounds, and a playground. Tuckahoe Elementary School’s outdoor classroom also borders the park. The outdoor classroom includes native plants, a wooden amphitheatre, and an interpretive nature trail. With its modern architecture and array of retail options, Lee Harrison is one of the more compelling places to stop along Lee Highway. While almost everything is at hand in the neighborhood, buses and bike routes also connect the neighborhood to Ballston and Westover, as well as to the other neighborhoods along Lee Highway.
Whether you are in need of a cool doggy leash or a satisfying slice of pizza, the stores and restaurants in and around the Lee Harrison shopping center can provide some of Arlington’s best food and services. Joe’s Pizza & Pasta has long been a community institution for both kids and adults. For sushi lovers, there is Sushi-Zen Japanese Restaurant with some of the tastiest sushi and teriyaki in the area. For sugary temptations, Lee Harrison features Mother’s Macaroons Bakery, a bakery with a sumptuous selection of cookies and more. Lee Harrison is also home to Harris Teeter, a full-service supermarket, where you can load up on all of your supplies. Since the Harris Teeter is one of the largest markets in the vicinity, it often becomes a meeting spot for neighbors and friends. After a walk in one of the area’s dog parks, canine friends might enjoy a visit to the Dogma Gourmet Dog Bakery & Boutique, a unique shop catered entirely to your pooch’s personal needs. Pet owners can find dog treats, gift items, and other dog products in the cozy shop. Dogma also has bulletin boards for services, lost pets, adoptions, training, walkers and more, both in the store and on the website. Another neighborhood landmark at Lee Harrison is the headquarters of the Virginia Commerce Bank, a full-service community bank, at 5350 Lee Highway. Feather & Three Dance Studio provides dance lovers the opportunity to learn or practice their ballroom dancing skill. The studio focuses on international and American styles of ballroom dancing and holds weekly classes and parties for skill honing. A nice for cyclists and pedestrians to stop for a picnic or a rest is Greenbrier Park, only a few blocks from the Lee Harrison Center. The park is adjacent to Yorktown High School and offers a quiet respite to the urban hubbub. Formerly known as Halls Hill, High View Park is one of Arlington’s historic African-American neighborhoods. Today it is a mercantile intersection for several immigrant communities in Arlington, including Indian, Latin American, Thai, and Caribbean.
One of the neighborhood's most striking features is Halls Hill/High View Park, a “neighborhood gateway,” funded through Arlington County’s Neighborhood Conservation Program and a grant from the Virginia Commission for the Arts. Artist Winnie Owens-Hart, a Howard University professor and native of High View, was selected to develop public artwork for the park. Her large-scale steel sculpture “The Family” portrays a man, woman and child holding hands, symbolizing unity among families and residents of the neighborhood. On the west side of the park the five letters, HHHVP, provide prominent neighborhood identification for passersby. At the intersection of Lee Highway and George Mason Drive is a modest but eclectic shopping/eatery row with a distinct international flare. Hungry wanderers can follow intoxicating scents into Thai Thai Restaurant, Tacos “Doña Mari,” Saran Veg Food (Northern Indian fare), the Palladium (Mexican, Bolivian, and Peruvian), or the Caribbean Grill for Cuban delectables. The strip also features Indian and Halal grocers and several Indian fabric and jewelry shops including Tas Fashion. Lac Viet Gallery is an intriguing shop that offers works of different artists and a wide selection of paintings, sculpture and crafts. The colorful awnings of the Lee Heights Shops commercial row are the first landmarks to signal that you have arrived in a lively and creative neighborhood. One of Lee Heights’ most unique features is its role as a hub for the local art scene. The Arlington Artists Alliance is a non-profit organization serving and supporting artists in Arlington County and is headquartered at Cassatt's Cafe at the Lee Heights Shops. The Alliance holds monthly art exhibits at Cassatt's, as well as at the Gallery Down Under, also in the Lee Heights shopping row. Lee Heights is also a food lover’s heaven. The restaurants in the Lee Heights shopping center offer a wide array of ethnic food choices: Peruvian chicken at Crisp & Juicy, mousse cake at Pastries by Randolph, fresh H&H bagels sold at Arrowine, French onion soup at Café Parisien Express. Kids too will relish the opportunity to go to Lee Heights to visit Tree Top Kids Toy Store and Tree Top Kids Bookstore, and maybe pick up some new shoes at Bradshaw's Children's Shoes. Outdoor fun for kids and adults is available just a short distance north of Lee Highway. Lee Heights Park at 2400 North Taylor Street is one of the many Arlington parks that provide sanctuary for both people and wildlife. Many have found that just a short walk around the 2.5 acre parcel is good for the soul as well as the body. The park borders an off-street bike/pedestrian path which connects to the Potomac Overlook Regional Park. Picnicking and hiking are popular activities in this green paradise within the urban landscape of Arlington. Cherrydale is named for the cherry orchards that once dotted its rolling hills. Whether cruising down Lee Highway by bus or dipping in and out of shaded woods on the nearby bike trail, a visit to Cherrydale is sure to lead to an enjoyable experience. In the quaint shopping center tucked off the north side of Lee Highway, stop in to the Pasha Cafe & Pizzeria, serving up savory Egyptian food. Nearby is Company Flowers, a flower and gardening-supply shop. Cherrydale’s health and fitness centers provide many options for toning and tuning the mind and body. The Curves fitness chain is the place to go for fitness machines and weights, while the ladies of Diva Salon offer plenty of beauty services including hair, skin, nails and wax.
The renowned Sun & Moon Yoga Studio offers a quieter and more introspective option for a healthy mind, body, and spirit. The Hatha yoga technique practiced at Sun & Moon can help to take the edge off the daily grind. Cherrydale is also home to a resource for health and well-being, the acupuncture practice of Nancy Ann Miller, Licensed Acupuncturist.. One of Cherrydale village’s most prominent landmarks is the Cherrydale Volunteer Fire Department building, built in 1919. Today the fire department building serves as a community center for many important events including the Arlington County candidates’ debate and the annual Cherrydale Fire Hall Dance. For the adventurous, a short walk off of either side of Lee Highway will lead to plenty of examples of quaint architecture: turn-of-the-century cottages and homes built from Sears catalogue kits. From 1908 to 1941 Sears, Roebuck and Company offered houses for sale through mail order catalogues, and some of the best examples are well lived in and on display in Cherrydale. Bicycle commuters in Cherrydale can take advantage of the Custis (I-66) Trail to get to Rosslyn Metro station or to the bridges from Rosslyn to Washington, D.C. Lyon Village is one of Arlington’s older neighborhoods known for its tree-lined streets, mix of eclectic old houses and friendly neighbors. Many of the homes in Lyon Village were built in the 1920s and 1930s and give the neighborhood architectural character. The Lyon Village shopping center lies at the heart of the Lyon Village community and is one of Lee Highway’s most vibrant and active shopping hubs. Most of the action in Lyon Village revolves around the shopping center, located at the confluence of Lee Highway, Spout Run Parkway, and I-66. The Custis (I-66) Trail goes right by the shopping center, making it easy for bicyclists to stop by to get a bite to eat, a cup of coffee, or to pick up supplies at Big Wheel Bikes.
Foodies from all over Arlington trek to Lyon Village to visit The Italian Store for a sub, a slice, salads and entrees by the pound, or supplies for Italian cooking. You might even bump into actress Sandra Bullock, who grew up in Arlington and who is a devotee of the Italian Store’s pizza. Next door to the Italian Store is yet another branch of the ubiquitous Starbucks. The Lyon Village Starbucks is a focal point for the community as people come to meet, work, relax, or people watch at the small tables inside, or at the popular sidewalk café tables outside. The shopping center is only a few blocks away from another significant community asset that helps to bind Lyon Village neighbors together: the Lyon Village Community House. When the Lyon Village Citizens' Association was founded in 1926, it began planning for a community house in which to meet and hold activities. By 1949, the Lyon Village Community House was built. The facility is used for our civic association events and meetings, and is available for residents or guests of Lyon Village to rent for parties, weddings, seminars, and meetings. |
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Arlington's urban villages are walkable, mixed-use neighborhoods well served by public transportation. People who live in these neighborhoods are able to walk to shopping or to restaurants and hop on Metrorail, Metrobus or ART when they need to go anywhere else in the Washington Metro area. More about Arlington's urban villages. |
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