landmark
Smithsonian's National Zoo
Free-admission zoo in Washington, D.C. that is part of the Smithsonian Institution, famous for its giant pandas.
49 km · about 55 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesVirginia
Leesburg
Virginia, United States · North America
About Leesburg
Leesburg sits on the route: 15 minutes from Belmont, 49km from Smithsonian's National Zoo.
Leesburg is in Virginia, United States, with about 51,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Belmont, about 7 km away.
Leesburg is a town in and the county seat of Loudoun County, Virginia, United States. It is part of both the Northern Virginia region of the state and the Washington metropolitan area, including Washington, D.C., the nation's capital.
European settlement in the area began around 1740, when it was named for the LeeRead more
family, early colonial leaders of the town. Located in the far northeast of the state, in the War of 1812 it was a refuge for important federal documents evacuated from Washington, D.C., and in the Civil War, it changed hands several times.
Leesburg is 33 miles (53 km) west-northwest of Washington, D.C., along the base of Catoctin Mountain and close to the Potomac River. The town is the northwestern terminus of the Dulles Greenway, a private toll road that connects to the Dulles Toll Road at Dulles International Airport. Its population was 48,250 as of the 2020 Census and an estimated 48,908 in 2021. It is Virginia's largest incorporated town within a county.
Like much of Loudoun County, Leesburg has undergone considerable growth and development over the last 30 years, transforming from a small, rural Piedmont town to a suburban bedroom community for commuters to the national capital. Growth in the town and its immediate area to the east (Lansdowne/Ashburn) concentrates along the Dulles Greenway and State Route 7, which roughly parallels the Potomac River between Winchester to the west and Alexandria to the east.
Leesburg is home to professional soccer team Loudoun United FC of the USL Championship division who play their home matches at Segra Field.
The Federal Aviation Administration's Washington Air Route Traffic Control Center is in Leesburg.
Where to Stay in Leesburg
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Leesburg?
Within an hour or so of Leesburg: Smithsonian's National Zoo (49 km), Vietnam Veterans Memorial (51 km), Lincoln Memorial (51 km), Jefferson Memorial (52 km).
Are there any good drives near Leesburg?
The nearest famous roads are Skyline Drive.
Where is Leesburg?
Leesburg is in Virginia, United States, about 7 km from Belmont.
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Quick Information
- Population
- 51,209
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- Virginia
- Timezone
- America/New_York
- Coordinates
- 39.1157, -77.5636
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from Leesburg
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Moving black granite wall inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 American service members who died in the Vietnam War.
51 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Lincoln Memorial
Neoclassical memorial honouring Abraham Lincoln, featuring a massive seated statue and the site of Martin Luther King's famous speech.
51 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Jefferson Memorial
Neoclassical domed memorial on the Tidal Basin dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, author of the Declaration of Independence.
52 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Powerful stone monument on the National Mall honouring the civil rights leader, featuring a 9-metre carved figure emerging from rock.
52 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
World War II Memorial
Grand open-air memorial on the National Mall honouring the 16 million Americans who served in the Second World War.
52 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
The White House
Official residence and workplace of the President of the United States since 1800, a symbol of American democracy.
52 km · about 60 min drive
landmark
Washington Monument
Towering 169-metre marble obelisk on the National Mall honouring America's first president, George Washington.
52 km · about 60 min drive
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