Downtown Bethesda or Tenleytown (NW DC)??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, the area along Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness has more of what you are looking for than Tenleytown (basically the sweet spot is between Wisconsin and Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness). For your morning coffee alone you have Soapstone Market (brand new), Breadfurst, Little Red Fox, Politics and Prose. And there are a lot more apartments and condos along Connecticut to choose from.

We live in the middle of the area and have commuted to the same two locations you mention downtown and it is quick with lots of options, since you have immediate access to Rock Creek Parkway, Connecticut, Reno, or Wisconsin. Just check your phone to see which is moving best at the moment and hop on. The longest it took was 35 minutes, but normally 20 to my office. My colleague lived in a downtown Bethesda condo and it regularly took 50 minutes to an hour leaving at the same time. Plus you can walk to Van Ness and Tenleytown metros.

Bethesda is very nice and has better shopping options overall, obviously, but it is more congested, and it is further so you obviously will have a longer commute. I'd put daily commute over weekend shopping.

How long is your walk to metro?

To the PPs suggesting Logan area, we did check that out initially but found it too congested. Certainly seemed like driving out of that area would be a huge pain.

Depends on your address, of course, and it is triangle, but we are 8 blocks from one and 5 blocks from another. My friend is .7 miles from both, another is 2 blocks from one and 5 blocks from the other. So it varies, but you'd be well within a mile, most people within blocks.

[Anonymous]

Bethesda does have a ton of restaurants and I have eaten at several as I have a few friends who live there. They all seem mediocre. Wondering if there are ones people really like? Not saying that Tenley is an improvement though but at least it feels closer to Logan and downtown. I agree with some of the folks that Bethesda feels very congested. If OP found Logan area too congested, I think she will probably feel the same way about Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, the area along Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness has more of what you are looking for than Tenleytown (basically the sweet spot is between Wisconsin and Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness). For your morning coffee alone you have Soapstone Market (brand new), Breadfurst, Little Red Fox, Politics and Prose. And there are a lot more apartments and condos along Connecticut to choose from.

We live in the middle of the area and have commuted to the same two locations you mention downtown and it is quick with lots of options, since you have immediate access to Rock Creek Parkway, Connecticut, Reno, or Wisconsin. Just check your phone to see which is moving best at the moment and hop on. The longest it took was 35 minutes, but normally 20 to my office. My colleague lived in a downtown Bethesda condo and it regularly took 50 minutes to an hour leaving at the same time. Plus you can walk to Van Ness and Tenleytown metros.

Bethesda is very nice and has better shopping options overall, obviously, but it is more congested, and it is further so you obviously will have a longer commute. I'd put daily commute over weekend shopping.

How long is your walk to metro?

To the PPs suggesting Logan area, we did check that out initially but found it too congested. Certainly seemed like driving out of that area would be a huge pain.

I guess I don't follow your aversion to Logan. Yes, downtown congestion during the weekday rush is bad- but you'll be driving through that anyway because you work here. if you were working in Tysons or Bethesda or something, I'd agree that you're better off outside of this area - but you'll be here anyway. If you want the burbs maybe Clarendon in VA? Lots to walk to and a much better commute for both of you than Bethesda - and definitely better for Foggy Bottom than Tenley.

[Anonymous]

The burbs stop at the East-West Falls Church metro stops.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, the area along Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness has more of what you are looking for than Tenleytown (basically the sweet spot is between Wisconsin and Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness). For your morning coffee alone you have Soapstone Market (brand new), Breadfurst, Little Red Fox, Politics and Prose. And there are a lot more apartments and condos along Connecticut to choose from.

We live in the middle of the area and have commuted to the same two locations you mention downtown and it is quick with lots of options, since you have immediate access to Rock Creek Parkway, Connecticut, Reno, or Wisconsin. Just check your phone to see which is moving best at the moment and hop on. The longest it took was 35 minutes, but normally 20 to my office. My colleague lived in a downtown Bethesda condo and it regularly took 50 minutes to an hour leaving at the same time. Plus you can walk to Van Ness and Tenleytown metros.

Bethesda is very nice and has better shopping options overall, obviously, but it is more congested, and it is further so you obviously will have a longer commute. I'd put daily commute over weekend shopping.

+1 +1 we lived at Connecticut and Davenport for a long time and it was about 10-12 walk to metro. Giants, cvs, and now Breadfurst, the new gourmet market, new Italian restaurant etc. Are all in the way home. Plus Golds Gym. It's really convenient.

[Anonymous]

I've rented in both area, currently in Downtown Bethesda and I strongly prefer it to Tenleytown. It doesn't feel overly crowded to me and I love how much is here. There are tons of restaurants, grocery stores, you can walk to pretty much anything. I don't have a car at this point so I can't speak to how hard it is to get around the area, but walking around doesn't feel crazy. Tenley didn't offer quite as much and to be honest I didn't feel as safe being out late at night as a single woman.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, the area along Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness has more of what you are looking for than Tenleytown (basically the sweet spot is between Wisconsin and Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness). For your morning coffee alone you have Soapstone Market (brand new), Breadfurst, Little Red Fox, Politics and Prose. And there are a lot more apartments and condos along Connecticut to choose from.

We live in the middle of the area and have commuted to the same two locations you mention downtown and it is quick with lots of options, since you have immediate access to Rock Creek Parkway, Connecticut, Reno, or Wisconsin. Just check your phone to see which is moving best at the moment and hop on. The longest it took was 35 minutes, but normally 20 to my office. My colleague lived in a downtown Bethesda condo and it regularly took 50 minutes to an hour leaving at the same time. Plus you can walk to Van Ness and Tenleytown metros.

Bethesda is very nice and has better shopping options overall, obviously, but it is more congested, and it is further so you obviously will have a longer commute. I'd put daily commute over weekend shopping.

+1

Also agree with the PP that compared the different vibe re: residents. There is a (noticeably) slight difference.

[Anonymous]

Tenley does feel very suburban, but in its favor, it is a quick drive down Wisconsin to the Friendship Heights Whole Foods and shopping and is also a fast 30-bus to Georgetown/Foggy Bottom and H bus to 14th Street area. If I had to pick between Bethesda and Tenley, I think I'd learn more to Tenley because it's so much easier to access the rest of the city.

[Anonymous]

Van Ness has that strip of stores but it's never been that pedestrian friendly.

[Anonymous]

I lived near Tenley--- closer to Cathedral Commons area. We went to Bethesda for so many thing- restaurants, shopping, we wanted a pediatrician with parking. Tenley is great bc its a nice residential vibe still in DC and with easy access to everything. Theyre so close to each other- Tenley and Bethesda- you cant go wrong. Really Depends on the feel of the neighborhood u like better I think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, the area along Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness has more of what you are looking for than Tenleytown (basically the sweet spot is between Wisconsin and Connecticut from Fessenden to Van Ness). For your morning coffee alone you have Soapstone Market (brand new), Breadfurst, Little Red Fox, Politics and Prose. And there are a lot more apartments and condos along Connecticut to choose from.

We live in the middle of the area and have commuted to the same two locations you mention downtown and it is quick with lots of options, since you have immediate access to Rock Creek Parkway, Connecticut, Reno, or Wisconsin. Just check your phone to see which is moving best at the moment and hop on. The longest it took was 35 minutes, but normally 20 to my office. My colleague lived in a downtown Bethesda condo and it regularly took 50 minutes to an hour leaving at the same time. Plus you can walk to Van Ness and Tenleytown metros.

Bethesda is very nice and has better shopping options overall, obviously, but it is more congested, and it is further so you obviously will have a longer commute. I'd put daily commute over weekend shopping.

How long is your walk to metro?

To the PPs suggesting Logan area, we did check that out initially but found it too congested. Certainly seemed like driving out of that area would be a huge pain.

I guess I don't follow your aversion to Logan. Yes, downtown congestion during the weekday rush is bad- but you'll be driving through that anyway because you work here. if you were working in Tysons or Bethesda or something, I'd agree that you're better off outside of this area - but you'll be here anyway. If you want the burbs maybe Clarendon in VA? Lots to walk to and a much better commute for both of you than Bethesda - and definitely better for Foggy Bottom than Tenley.

+1 I lived in the Dupont/Logan area for a decade and loved it. Can't beat it for downtown commutes and walkability and nightlife and there are parking lots there too. Live in Bethesda now for the schools (the reason we weren't so interested in Tenleytown).

[Anonymous]

What about friendship heights? The building on top of whole foods and right across from metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Tenley does feel very suburban, but in its favor, it is a quick drive down Wisconsin to the Friendship Heights Whole Foods and shopping and is also a fast 30-bus to Georgetown/Foggy Bottom and H bus to 14th Street area. If I had to pick between Bethesda and Tenley, I think I'd learn more to Tenley because it's so much easier to access the rest of the city.

Tenleytown also has its own Wholefoods (although I much prefer the one in Friendship Heights, which is more spacious).

[Anonymous]

If you work in Foggy Bottom and DH works near the Verizon Center, check the schedules/maps of the 30s buses that go down Wisconsin Avenue in Tenleytown. There are multiple routes on these overlapping lines, but some of them should work for both of you. You might like the chance to ride together either way and you spare yourself the stress of driving or the randomness of the subway. I also like having the option of getting off early on a nice day to walk the rest of the way.

And since you might be coming from out of town, remember that Tenleytown would let you get aclimated to the area, while being very central, to see how you would judge the trade offs between Bethesda's more hopping scene and being further from work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Tenley does feel very suburban, but in its favor, it is a quick drive down Wisconsin to the Friendship Heights Whole Foods and shopping and is also a fast 30-bus to Georgetown/Foggy Bottom and H bus to 14th Street area. If I had to pick between Bethesda and Tenley, I think I'd learn more to Tenley because it's so much easier to access the rest of the city.

Tenleytown also has its own Wholefoods (although I much prefer the one in Friendship Heights, which is more spacious).

I consider the Tenley Whole Foods to be more like a Whole Foods Express. Friendship's is so much nicer.