local area information
A high cost of living, lots of free entertainment, travel and adventure are all part of the lifestyle at Quantico. If you live on base, the high cost of living will be greatly minimized. But, if you choose to live in one of the surrounding communities, you may expect the cost of living to escalate for such necessities as shelter and utilities the closer you are to the metropolitan Washington, D.C. area. However, there is much to see and do; most of it is free or very reasonably priced.
Transportation:
Across the street from the Base Theater at Little Hall is the railroad station, a flag stop on the main North-South line from Boston to Florida. Civilian taxi service is available, and a bus terminal is located in nearby Triangle, Va. Also, the Virginia Railway Express, a commuter train, uses Quantico as one of its many daily stops. The line operates between Fredericksburg, Va, and Washington, D.C. A Base VRE Shuttle Service will pick up VRE morning commuters and drop off VRE afternoon commuters at the Little Hall parking lot. The Base Taxi Service provides a safe, on call, no cost transportation service for CAC card carrying Base employees on official business. It provides travel to Base to Base destinations that exceed the minimum walking distance (1 mile). It also reduces the number of vehicles traveling aboard Base and helps to alleviate parking space congestion. Call the taxi dispatcher at (703) 432-1615 to request a taxi. Commuter bus service is also available on base. Daily routes include Pentagon and community stops.
Dumfries and Triangle:
The towns of Dumfries and Triangle are just outside the main gate of the base. Two shopping centers and a number of small businesses make up the two communities. The Greyhound bus station is also located in Triangle. Prince William Forest Park is about one mile beyond the main gate through Triangle. It is a heavily wooded forest that provides pleasant scenery, hiking and picnic areas.
Fairfax:
The city of Fairfax is an independent jurisdiction in Northern Virginia located approximately 20 miles west of Washington D.C. Since the early 1800's, the city's location has contributed to its role as a government and business center. Fairfax was established as the town of Providence in 1805, incorporated as the town of Fairfax in 1859 and incorporated as an independent city in 1961. The form of government is council/manager. The legislative powers are vested in the mayor and six council members, elected at-large for two-year terms. The city manager directs day-to-day operations of the city with more than 300 employees. The land area occupies about 4,003 acres. Schools are owned by the city of Fairfax and operated by contractual agreement under the Fairfax County Public School System.
Fauquier County:
Located to the west of Quantico is Fauquier County, situated in the Northern Piedmont section of Virginia, bordered by the Blue Ridge Mountains to the northwest and the Rappahannock River to the southwest. Fauquier County, officially chartered in 1759, features beautiful countryside, historic old towns and villages, summer concerts on the courthouse lawn and horse sporting events of national significance.
Fredericksburg:
Fredericksburg, known as "America's Friendliest and Most Historic City," is 23 miles south of Quantico off either U.S. Route 1 or I-95. A charming community with many modern shopping and residential areas, it is the home of many Marines stationed at Quantico. There are 27 points of historic interest in the city, including the homes of George Washington's mother and sister, James Monroe's law office, Dr. Hugh Mercer's Apothecary Shop, The Rising Sun Tavern, Belmont, The Fredericksburg Museum, four major Civil War Battlefields and two Civil War visitor's centers. The 20-minute audiovisual presentation of the history of Fredericksburg is shown free of charge at the Bicentennial Visitors' Center where guests are also given area maps and brochures featuring information about restaurants, antique shops and gift shops.
Manassas:
Federal armies attempted twice to seize the strategic railroad junction at Manassas during the Civil War. The scene of these great battles is preserved at the Manassas National Battlefield Park. The battlefield, north of the actual town of Manassas, is within 45 minutes driving time of Quantico and features a visitors' center.
Occoquan:
Occoquan is a small town filled with food, shops and marinas, just off I-95 on the Occoquan River in Prince William County. It offers excellent facilities to both launch and store boats. The history of this small, but recently revitalized community predates the American Revolution and was even the site of a skirmish between American and Hessian mercenaries. A number of shops, in the Williamsburg tradition, ply crafts and sell plants and antiques. There are also some historic spots such as the Old Mill Museum.
Quantico National Cemetery:
The Quantico National Cemetery is located off I-95, on Route 619 west. It is a Veterans' Administration Cemetery, accommodating all eligible veterans, their spouses and children. The cemetery opened in May 1983. Annual ceremonies are conducted on both Memorial Day and Veterans Day. The "Avenue of Flags" features more than 150 flags donated to the cemetery by the deceased service members' next of kin. These flags are flown four times a year, on Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Flag Day and Independence Day.
Richmond:
Richmond, the former capital of the Confederacy, has more museums and memorials than any other city in the South. Civil War buffs will be interested in the "White House of the Confederacy" used by Jefferson Davis during the war. As the seat of Virginia state government, Richmond contains many stately government structures and a statehouse designed by Thomas Jefferson and used by the Confederate Congress.
Stafford County:
Thirty-seven years prior to the settlement of Jamestown, the first white men arrived on the shores of Stafford County. This became the site of the first Catholic settlement and church in Virginia, as well as the homes of the country's first commander-in-chief and first president, George Washington. Today, the small, quaint towns of Stafford County reflect their historic past and are the homes of many Marines and their families stationed at Quantico.
Town of Quantico:
The Town of Quantico is unique; it is bordered on three sides by the Marine base and on the fourth by the Potomac River. The Town of Quantico has shops and restaurants within easy walking distance of the mainside barracks. Also, laundries and dry cleaning establishments provide valuable after-hours service for Marines and their families. Limited living accommodations are available.
Washington, DC:
Thirty-five miles north of Quantico is the nation's capital. The White House, Capitol Hill, Lincoln Memorial, Pentagon and the Marine Corps War Memorial are all names that are synonymous with Washington, D.C. The federal city has been noted for its art galleries and museums, the most notable of which are the Smithsonian Institution, National Gallery of Art, Museums of American and Natural History and the Air and Space Museum. At night, parts of the city vibrate with top entertainment and shows while quiet, out-of-the-way nightclubs abound. During the summer, concerts are presented every Tuesday at the Marine Corps War Memorial and Friday evening at the Marine Barracks by the United States Marine Band and Drum and Bugle Corps. The Marine Barracks, 8th and I, is considered to be the oldest post in the Corps, and the Commandant's house is the oldest continuously occupied federal or public building in Washington, D.C.
Woodbridge:
Although unincorporated, Woodbridge remains a major business and shopping district in eastern Prince William County. Numerous shopping centers, new schools, churches and community recreation centers are present or are being built. A hospital serves the eastern part of the county. Many Marines who are stationed at Quantico and Headquarters Marine Corps live in Woodbridge and nearby Dale City.