Fairfax County, VA - Just west of DC, neighboring Fairfax County has long offered world-class museums and historic sites, breathtaking natural wonders and some of the best shopping on the East Coast.

Now Visit Fairfax, the official visitors bureau for Fairfax County, is gearing up to spread the word this spring and summer. According to Mark Carrier, chairman of Visit Fairfax's Board of Directors and senior vice president of B.F. Saul Hotel Division, the organization is launching a new campaign inviting visitors (and local residents) to "Do West of DC," featuring special offers at Fairfax County hotels, restaurants and attractions.

To launch the campaign, Visit Fairfax teamed up with Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) which bought out all of the Metro Center advertising displays for the month of March to promote the state of Virginia. As part of VTC's "station domination" of Metro Center, Visit Fairfax is featuring 15 displays, including back-lit dioramas and banners, inviting visitors to "Do West of DC." Extolling the virtues of the county, one display showcases an image of a soaring SR-71 Blackbird, with the message, "Bird watching at the Smithsonian's Udvar-Hazy Center." Another features a shot of a kayaker on white water rapids, with copy that reads, "Get wet at Great Falls." Other messages ask metro-riders to "Get to know the real George Washington at Mount Vernon;" "Catch it live at Wolf Trap;" and "Shop til you drop at Tysons Corner." Metro Center was selected by VTC because is the largest and most heavily trafficked Metro station in DC.

According to Visit Fairfax's Director of Marketing Jackie Franchi, the Metro Center ads are designed to attract the attention of meeting planners, local residents who need a place for friends and family members to stay, and the wealth of visitors to the Washington area who ride Metro.

"In addition to promoting our world-class attractions, we want everyone planning a trip to the area to know about our great hotel rates, free parking, and easy access from major airports and highways," said Franchi.

All of the high-impact transit advertising displays invite readers to visit www.fxva.com, where Visit Fairfax is presenting special offers from hotels, attractions and restaurants as part of the "Do West of DC" campaign. Offers include discounted admissions to attractions, "buy one Imax ticket, get one free" at the Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center; complimentary appetizers at area restaurants and special room rates and offers at almost 40 hotels. New special offers will be added throughout the spring and summer, with most offers valid until September 7, 2008.

Visit Fairfax is a non-profit organization in charge of Fairfax County's tourism promotion and is directed by many of the County's top tourism and hospitality leaders. For more information, please visit www.fxva.com.