Moving to DC with many questions

[Anonymous]

Our family is relocating to DC from NYC. We have two DCs (8 DDand 5 DS) and are looking at private schools...same sex and coed. But the more immediate question is "Where should we live"? Which neighborhoods in the district have school age families and a good representation of SAHMs? We currently live in Manhattan. I know DC is very different and we won't be able to find exact neighborhoods. But i am hoping for an area with school age kids, some SAHMs, ideally walkable but not "too" urban or "too" suburban if that makes sense. I don't want to being an area too dense or too removed from things either. Although we don't want a "suburban" feeling, but is it worth exploring pars of MD and NoVa? If so, what areas? Is anyplace walkable? Have little "town" areas to stroll in? I'm a novice to the area. DH will work near Georgetown so he obviously plans on driving due to lack of metro. Any advice would be really appreciated. Also, what are the differences between nova and MD? And how different are they from the district? People I've met from each say they would never live in any of the others but I can't get a handle on "why". Thanks in advance so much for any insights.

[Anonymous]

Bethesda is your perfect match. A blend of working/home moms, lots of homes walkable to downtown bethesda (ESP if you buy on the crescent trail), we live 1 mile from the DC line, easy shot into grown (down mass avenue to dalecarlia parkway to reservoir), great publics, great privates, friendly people, lots of stuff to do... Diverse. I moved from manhattan to Arlington (hated it - moved out within months) to Adams Morgan to bethesda when I was pregnant.

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry that I don't have time to answer all of your questions, but I have lived in DC for 10 years and can comment on neighborhoods on DC. Based on what you'be described, I'd suggest you'd look into Cleveland Park, Chevy Chase DC (MD also has a Chevy Chase), Glover Park, AU Park, Cathedral Heights, Spring Valley and Friendship Heights. Granted, I don't know what your budget is, but those neighborhoods have what you're looking for and are close to Georgetown.

[Anonymous]

PP here - forgot to add Palisades. Love Palisades.

[Anonymous]

Boo to Bethesda. I vote for Cleveland park.

[Anonymous]

what's your house budget?

[Anonymous]

Great. Thanks for all that! I appreciate it. Is it easy to meet people? We have great friends here and don't really know people in DC. Also, does Bethesda seem like it's own thing or part of DC? Do you mainly stay in your area or do you spend more time in DC? Does one area have better activities for the kids?

[Anonymous]

OP, I moved here from NYC as well. All these are good suggestions. One thing to note - the good public schools in MoCo (all of them) and NW DC (which are known as the JKLMMs for the first letters of their names) are really excellent -- you might think about it.

Many people will tell you they are better than their privates. They are certainly better than most of the publics in NYC, including PS 6 and PS 234 from what I understand. (my kids are just entering PK.) It's worth thinking about them at least.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great. Thanks for all that! I appreciate it. Is it easy to meet people? We have great friends here and don't really know people in DC. Also, does Bethesda seem like it's own thing or part of DC? Do you mainly stay in your area or do you spend more time in DC? Does one area have better activities for the kids?

Bethesda is definitely isolated from DC. It might technically be walkable but not in the same way NW DC is. I only have an infant but I feel like if you're in DC proper it's that much easier to do all the free museums and other fun activities DC has to offer. You'd probably end up doing a fair amount of driving to places if you lived in Maryland.

Bonus is that your spouse could easily use public transport to get to Georgetown if you're as close in as Cleveland park. Bethesda would be a long commute and traffic is awful here. I know you're coming from manhattan but trust me, it's awful.

[Anonymous]

I think you'll prefer AU Park to Bethesda. And since you're doing private school, you don't need to be in MD. Look at 21:52's suggestions, based on the size of house and price you are looking at.

I'm sure you'll meet people through school.

[Anonymous]

Hyattsville

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hyattsville

*snort*

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. Thanks for all that! I appreciate it. Is it easy to meet people? We have great friends here and don't really know people in DC. Also, does Bethesda seem like it's own thing or part of DC? Do you mainly stay in your area or do you spend more time in DC? Does one area have better activities for the kids?

Bethesda is definitely isolated from DC. It might technically be walkable but not in the same way NW DC is. I only have an infant but I feel like if you're in DC proper it's that much easier to do all the free museums and other fun activities DC has to offer. You'd probably end up doing a fair amount of driving to places if you lived in Maryland.

Bonus is that your spouse could easily use public transport to get to Georgetown if you're as close in as Cleveland park. Bethesda would be a long commute and traffic is awful here. I know you're coming from manhattan but trust me, it's awful.

I don't find that at all. We live just over the line in Bethesda and can be in downtown or Georgetown very quickly. We are just as likely to go out in DC as in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the suggestions

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great. Thanks for all that! I appreciate it. Is it easy to meet people? We have great friends here and don't really know people in DC. Also, does Bethesda seem like it's own thing or part of DC? Do you mainly stay in your area or do you spend more time in DC? Does one area have better activities for the kids?

Bethesda is definitely isolated from DC. It might technically be walkable but not in the same way NW DC is. I only have an infant but I feel like if you're in DC proper it's that much easier to do all the free museums and other fun activities DC has to offer. You'd probably end up doing a fair amount of driving to places if you lived in Maryland.

Bonus is that your spouse could easily use public transport to get to Georgetown if you're as close in as Cleveland park. Bethesda would be a long commute and traffic is awful here. I know you're coming from manhattan but trust me, it's awful.

I don't find that at all. We live just over the line in Bethesda and can be in downtown or Georgetown very quickly. We are just as likely to go out in DC as in Bethesda.

Via car during very specific hours it might be an easy trip. I live in dup