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what is the friendliest neighborhood in metro DC?
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Anonymous
| Arlington has friendly neighborhoods but is losing its diversity as low income rental housing continues to be torn down. If you are looking for more diversity in Virginia, try towns like Alexandria, south of Old Twon, Herndon, Reston, part of Vienna, such as Dunn Loring and Vienna Woods, Annandale, Fairfax, particularly near George Mason Univ. I think you will find friendly neighborhoods everywhere. When someone new moves into my Alexandria neighborhood, has a baby or dies (the reality of older suburbs), I always bring them some food, a small gift or other item to show care. Doesn't matter if they have blonde hair or blue eyes. I have noticed that some of the babies and older people have no hair -- so can't really discriminate on that count! |
Anonymous
| I live in Brookland, very friendly neighbors, The nuns are by far the friendliest! |
Anonymous
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These things can change so quickly - it just takes a few friendly households to set the tone. I grew up (80s) first in Woodacres, which I remember as kind of cold and insular, and then in Glen Echo Heights, which I remember as super-friendly, but that was probably because we happened to move next to some great friendly families with kids of compatible ages. On moving day my new neighbors came over to invite me to a birthday party! So nice of them.
(These are neighborhoods in 20816) |
Anonymous
| I'm the 14:39 PP. I live in Covington, a development of townhouses between route 50 and 29 in Fairfax. Houses sell in the $300's and generally have 3 levels and 3 bedrooms. (another reasonably priced development, Braxton, is even closer to metro.) You can walk to Metro (it's 1.3ish miles), there's a Safeway that's walkable (plus a CVS and other shops) and a park right next door. We're close to 66 and 495. Very diverse neighborhood, with lots of languages spoken. I've met a bunch of neighbors when I walk with my daughter in the warmer months. No pool, but the Camelot pool in nearby Mantua sells memberships, and Providence Rec Center is close. The HOA is active but not ridiculously power-hungry. The local elementary school (also walkable) is decent but the high school (Falls Church) doesn't have the greatest rep. I'm planning to move at some point, but hesitating because I'm kind of settled in my house and my neighborhood. |
Anonymous
Funny - we moved into Wood Acres a few years ago and 5 different sets of neighbors came over with welcome gifts. CRAZY. We also love the Palisades (DC, 20007) and Woodmoor (SS, 20901) as extraordinarily friendly places to live. |
Anonymous
| I used to think my Woodley Park neighborhood was friendly, until I had a child. Now, I realize that there's such a division between the spoiled rich kids (and their parents who don't actually raise them) and the middle-class families. We're planning on moving. : ( |
Anonymous
| I'll plug Woodmoor, too. Even when we were just house hunting, people would smile and say hi to us. It is a very family-oriented, friendly neighborhood. |
Anonymous
You plan on moving just because you don't like the kids in Woodley Park? Weird. Where do you plan to move to? |
Anonymous
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I live in Woodley Park and haven't met the "spoiled rich kids" or people who are leaving their children by the curb to fend for themselves. Or maybe I have, but I was fooled into thinking that they were just nice people with more money than I have.
In my experience, it has been friendly. I know my neighbors, we chat on the sidewalk, my child can and does walk to friends' homes, Halloween is one big block party. Any neighborhood can be friendly if YOU are friendly. If you rule out half of the residents because you don't approve of them, good luck. These these features make it easier to have a close community, wherever you are: (1) Sidewalks. You have to run into people on foot to meet them. Waving from your car won't cut it. (2) A common public space. Park, playground, local coffee shop, church, farmer's market, pool. You need an opportunity to get to know people. (3) Preferably a school that most local people send their friends to. THat brings people together like a park. (4) OLD PEOPLE. Senior citizens are the glue that binds a street togehter. They're mostly home, so you always run into them. They aren't competing with anyone because their grandchildren are obviously the smartest kids on Earth. They have a tendency to be generous with the information they glean from other neighbors. Something intangible, but I'll take it to the bank as a true and valid factor. (5) Street parking. You don't run into anybody if you go from garage to work to garage. |
Anonymous
Former Glover Parker here, and we loved it! Luckily we moved to another neighborhood listed here... |
Anonymous
I am a brunette with blue eyes...and I got the homebaked goods and booze in Arlington. |
Anonymous
What's "weird" about the PP's decision to move? I would move for my family's well-being. Let me guess...you live in Woodley Park or a similar neighborhood? |
Anonymous
| The Hyattsville Arts District!!!!!!! I LOVE MY NEIGHBORS!!!!!! |
Anonymous
Yeah but just imagine how much more you could have gotten if you were blond. 
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Anonymous
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When we moved to Falls Church City a month ago, most of our neighbors up and down the street immediately came over to introduce themselves; we me more folks when they stopped by during trick-or-treating. In the course of one afternoon at the playground I came away with the e-mail for the weekly park meetup, an invitation to a block party and some homemade muffins. When I stopped in at City Hall to pick up a permit I had called about, the guy said "Oh, the Smith family. I've got it right here."
It's either the friendliest place I've ever lived, or the cult indoctrination grooming effort is going swimmingly. |