Walkable Vienna vs. Walkable Falls Church City

[Anonymous]

Both areas are very walkable for small suburban towns. If you’re looking for downtown living, these areas are not for you. If you want to live in a single family/townhouse and raise a family, it’s hard to go wrong with either of these. Beyond walkability, you may also want to look into schools pyramids and long-term development plans for these areas. Vienna will be impacted by the development in nearby Tysons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the Town of Vienna, less than half a mile from Maple Ave, and I can and do easily walk to the following locations:

W&OD Trail

So you can walk to a place to walk?

Yes, I guess that is one way to look at it! But if you aren't using the Vienna area of the W&OD trail you may not understand how it actually is:

There is not one time when I was on the trail that I have not run into someone I know from Vienna. The W&OD trail cuts through the heart of town in Vienna (alongside the Vienna Community Center and right through the Town Green) and is extremely social. It is awesome to walk down the trail to the Caboose Tavern on a gorgeous night, which is literally feet off the W&OD, and meet friends for drinks.

This is what people who haven’t actually lived in Vienna don’t get. They think 123 is “Main Street,” because that is what -they- see out their car window.

The real walkable axis in Vienna is along the W&OD and includes the parks, farmers market, library, Whole Foods and everything along Church St.

I used to live just north of town and would routinely walk or bike in. It took less than 10 minutes and the only cars I would encounter would be at the 123 crossing where there is a light and well marked crosswalk.

You can walk to easily a couple dozen places without any real effort and for daily life it is plenty.

Nobody moves to Vienna thinking they are moving to some urban pedestrian Mecca. By Northern VA standards it is about as good as you can get.

[Anonymous]

I have lived in FCC for 20 plus years and am very happy here. I can also walk to the public library, community center, parks, restaurants, grocery store, and bike trail. My kids walked to school, and I see my friends and neighbors out and about all the time. I can walk to metro in about 15 minutes.

[Anonymous]

I live in FCC and my kids hate walking around town with me because wherever we are going, we’re bound to run into at least 2 people I know along the way. Which mortifies them because I have to stop, chat and generally have others acknowledge I exist. I’m sure life in Vienna is the same way.

[Anonymous]

I live in Arlignton so no skin in this game, but I I prefer Vienna. FCC is just too small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the Town of Vienna, less than half a mile from Maple Ave, and I can and do easily walk to the following locations:

W&OD Trail

So you can walk to a place to walk?

For me, this was on our list when buying a house. I walk daily for exercise (not necessarily "to" anywhere) so trails and sidewalks are important. I have lived in both Vienna and FCC and walked on the W&OD in both. And in both, it runs through downtown near retail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in the Town of Vienna, less than half a mile from Maple Ave, and I can and do easily walk to the following locations:

W&OD Trail

So you can walk to a place to walk?

Yes, I guess that is one way to look at it! But if you aren't using the Vienna area of the W&OD trail you may not understand how it actually is:

There is not one time when I was on the trail that I have not run into someone I know from Vienna. The W&OD trail cuts through the heart of town in Vienna (alongside the Vienna Community Center and right through the Town Green) and is extremely social. It is awesome to walk down the trail to the Caboose Tavern on a gorgeous night, which is literally feet off the W&OD, and meet friends for drinks.

This is what people who haven’t actually lived in Vienna don’t get. They think 123 is “Main Street,” because that is what -they- see out their car window.

The real walkable axis in Vienna is along the W&OD and includes the parks, farmers market, library, Whole Foods and everything along Church St.

I used to live just north of town and would routinely walk or bike in. It took less than 10 minutes and the only cars I would encounter would be at the 123 crossing where there is a light and well marked crosswalk.

You can walk to easily a couple dozen places without any real effort and for daily life it is plenty.

Nobody moves to Vienna thinking they are moving to some urban pedestrian Mecca. By Northern VA standards it is about as good as you can get.

+100 to this entire sub-thread from another Vienna resident. We love doing the Saturday morning W&OD / WF / library / Vienna ES playground / farmer’s market loop. And we are not long-time residents or super social, but also end up running into at least one person we know.