Dropping folks at Amtrak with car to go to Florida. Will be in Lofton Wednesday and Thursday. What is it like around Lofton?? Anything to see around there? Anyone know of a decent inexpensive hotel??

How about a Thanksgiving day breakfast before they get on train??

Thanks !!!

darn- it's really LORTON??

I haven't been to Lorton in many years, but I just had to say, your post cracked me up!

Lorton is, of course, the location of a federal prison. It also used to be a quiet rural community that suffered in silence the indignity of being synonymous with the Big House. But with the '80's building boom came the urgent need to use up every square inch of available land for McMansions. So: to remove the taint of "Lorton" for the yuppies, most of it was renamed Fairfax Station--ha! Fooling only those who wanted to be fooled.

Now, to your question, crosbie: I have no idea what there is to do out there these days, there didn't used to be much, although Occoquan isn't far and used to be quaint.

Good luck!

I agree with E that there's nothing to occupy a visitor in the Lorton area over T-giving. It's all residential or commercial stuff. You're within spitting distance of DC so why not get closer to town?

Don't know for sure but I think the Lorton train station is a commuter stop so you might be looking at fast food for breakfast. Nearby Route 1 parallels Interstate 95 and is probably your best option for dining.

Not that it matters to the OP and I'm fuzzy on the details, E, but I think the development of Lorton was a 90s phenomenon, not 80s. Lorton prison closed only a couple of years ago for reasons you cited, McMansion Expansion.

You can take I-95 from Lorton, exit at rte 123 Woodbridge and go north to Occoquon, an old head of the river tourist town. Lots of shops and eateries. Hotels are in Woodbridge.

Lorton, as stated, was a federal prison complex, now closed. It is being developed into a county park, shopping center, and sub divisions. Moved from Fairfax Station (the real area) five years ago. The snobbery story is true. When builders were going crazy with the housing boom, they fought to get included in the Fairfax Station postal zone because no one wanted a Lorton address.

obxgirl, I think you're right, the boom out there didn't really start until the '90's. A former colleague of mine bought hers around '92, and the neighborhood was fully developed within about a year of that.