Most walkable neighborhoods in VA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Old Town! Just leaving our house and walking through our alley to walk to a King St restaurant to pick up dinner, we were stopped by two different sets of neighbors for a chat and catching up. Everybody looks out for each other here and there is a very strong community feel. From where we are we are walkable all the way to the water to take our dog to the park or a myriad of restaurants. You will likely sacrifice on yard space but it’s still worth a look! We have a small yard that is enough for our dog. He is very happy with Old Town too compared to our old apartment in NE DC!

We also love Old Town. Not a massive yard but prioritized living a short walk to the waterfront and all of its parks which I could never give up now.

Access to amenities like restaurants is good but the parking is horrible. You have to make sure that you buy a house that has off-street parking or you will be very, very unhappy. And unfortunately as has been pointed out by others, the traffic in Alexandria is really bad. Our city officials have done a great job purposefully mucking up the system so that it is impossible to get around the city, like to the doctor's office or the dentist or anyplace else, without it taking an extraordinarily long time. Driving the 2-3 miles from Alexandria Hospital and the medical building on Seminary to Old Town takes at least 45 minutes to an hour in the afternoons (I know because we've clocked it) because of the new traffic patterns. Somehow the city has lost its way. Maybe it will be better in November once the rascals are voted out and the new people clean house in City Hall but that turnaround will take time.

#JustinsTrafficJam

Yes, we get it. You toiled along in a meaningless job for years and now more than half of your life is behind you, but you’ve finally found your raison d’etre and will repeatedly post on DCUM about the addition of a bike lane in Alexandria.

Um, you're missing the PP's point. There are hundreds of homeowners in Alexandria who feel the same way. It is a thing. Living in Alexandria went from being pleasant to being a nightmare virtually overnight. Go to FaceBook and NextDoor to read about it. #JustinsTrafficJam is right on. I'll add another one: TakeBackSeminaryRoad.

Adding on: The changes are not simply the addition of a bike lane. It was the narrowing of King Street from 4 lanes to 2 with ludicrous turn lanes when there is nowhere to turn. Lowering the speed on King Street (Janey's Lane to Quaker Lane) from 35 to 25. Lowering the speed on Quaker Lane from 35 to 25. Narrowing Seminary Road from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. Lowering the speed on Route 1 from 35 to 25. It is the purposefully unsynchronized lights on Washington Street and on Patrick/Henry Streets. All changes made with trumped up (truly) "data" that doesn't withstand any scrutiny in the light of day. It is impossible to get around anymore, we're locked into our neighborhoods, and we are GREATLY UNHAPPY about it!!! #JustinsTrafficJam and #TakeBackSeminaryRoad

New poster to this but a lifelong Alexandrian (Titan class of '94). Just and his ilk have ruined the city.

The people acting like it was "just a bike lane" have an agenda to push and are almost never local. Cyclists nationwide have astroturfed this entire thing. I live in the south end of Del Ray and it can take me 45 minutes to get my kid to the Lee rec center for practice in non pandemic times. That's a distance of 1.6 miles.

It's not volumn. Its the intentionally mistimed lights you mention.

[Anonymous]

**Justin and his ilk have ruined the city.

[Anonymous]

Falls Church City, hands down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Maywood, Cherrydale, Clarendon

But not with kids

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church City, hands down.

I don't want to live anywhere where people use the expression "hands down." It screams arrogance and I don't want to be around people like this.

So now that FCC is out, where else do we look?

[Anonymous]

Just stumbled on this- looking for something very similar to the original post! We’re also from Boston area. Where did you end up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just stumbled on this- looking for something very similar to the original post! We’re also from Boston area. Where did you end up?

There is zero chance the OP sees this question after three years.

[Anonymous]

Not sure about OP but I live in Lyon Park and it is super walkable.

[Anonymous]

Virginia Square here - super walkable and we love it. Smaller older houses but my kid can take the metro to DC every week, walk to library, grocery stores, restaurants, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not sure about OP but I live in Lyon Park and it is super walkable.

Hey neighbor!

Lyon Park/Ashton heights are super walkable
Lyon Village is also walkable but more expensive (and more cars zipping around)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Falls Church City, hands down.

I don't want to live anywhere where people use the expression "hands down." It screams arrogance and I don't want to be around people like this.

So now that FCC is out, where else do we look?

I believe the "hands down" refers to how walkable it is, but your criteria is up to you. I'd say eliminating a place due to that expression screams a little arrogance as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you to those with the helpful suggestions! Much to think about!

We always liked walking around old town Alexandria. Many ppl suggested del ray. What’s the school situation there? When searching on school rating websites (yes I know they’re flawed) the public elementary schools in Alexandria/ del ray didn’t seem to rank as high as Arlington or Fairfax? Am I missing something?

Vienna.... I guess I don’t know much about it except it’s the last stop on the orange line. It would be 45 mins at least into DC proper? I’m assuming we’ll end up in DC once or twice a week for meeting friends etc. A bit too far me thinks..?

For those families who live in westover - and also other parts of Arlington - do you walk to local things like little kids music class... the local library... stores/ restaurants/gyms?

Lyon Park or Lyon Village are walkable to grocery stores, restaurants, a newly renovated (though small) library branch that includes a dedicated children’s room, several parks, restaurants, retail, and the metro and bus stops. I don’t know why another poster said “yuck” but if you lived in DuPont, I assume you would be fine with those areas. It’s pricey for a SFH though.

[Anonymous]

Capitol Hill (rowhouse)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check out Old Town Fairfax.

This.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you to those with the helpful suggestions! Much to think about!

We always liked walking around old town Alexandria. Many ppl suggested del ray. What’s the school situation there? When searching on school rating websites (yes I know they’re flawed) the public elementary schools in Alexandria/ del ray didn’t seem to rank as high as Arlington or Fairfax? Am I missing something?

Vienna.... I guess I don’t know much about it except it’s the last stop on the orange line. It would be 45 mins at least into DC proper? I’m assuming we’ll end up in DC once or twice a week for meeting friends etc. A bit too far me thinks..?

For those families who live in westover - and also other parts of Arlington - do you walk to local things like little kids music class... the local library... stores/ restaurants/gyms?

I am in Penrose and LOVE IT. yard size is hit or miss, but super walkable to most things you mention. I did have to drive to little kids music classes but that was the only one on your list I had to drive. I think Arlington or del ray would be a good fit for you. For my area south of 50 only some lots have large yards. courthouse to ballston corridor (and adjacent like lyon park/village ect) would also suit you. I can be at the Smithsonian museums in 10 minutes which was great when kids were little and I could get the 9:30 am parking as it opened up. I still have trouble visiting friends outside of the beltway, it just seems so far. City is easier