I'm from the same area--grew up in Clifton, live in Fairfax--and there is a lot of history. And not all the history is from the same era--sometimes, like archeology--there are multiple layers.

It also helps to shift your perspective from time to time, both figuratively and literally. My son takes jiu jitsu lessons in Woodbridge, and I used to drive him there--Clifton road through Clifton, up Henderson, Yates Ford, then Davis Ford, and onto Prince William Parkway. More recently, he's gotten a learner's permit, so--rather than driving--I'm sitting in the passenger seat. At first (don't tell him) it was sheer terror. You know those roads. But he's gotten better, so now I can actually sit back and (more often than not) enjoy the ride--gazing out at those small cemetaries, those historical markers, and so on.