Tell me about living in the Palisades

[Anonymous]

And don't bother mentioning the airplane noise-- we don't mind!

What's living there like? Nice sense of community and lots of kids? If you thought about moving but went somewhere else instead, where'd you go?

[Anonymous]

Think it really depends where you are in the Palisades. The southern part down by the resevoir and points south (basically, west of Georgetown) is pretty isolated. Further north up near Key Elementary is a lot better. It's not as neighborhoody and full of kids as Glover Park, which is its most common comparison point, but it's nice. One thing it definitely has over Glover is that there are definitely more big houses and diversity of types of houses, if that's what you're looking for.

[Anonymous]

I love it. I have lived here almost 12 years and I think it is an amazing place to raise kids. We have access to a beautiful hiking trails, a wonderful public elementary school, vibrant farmers market, a good library with really nice librarians, terrific rec center, a convenient grocery store, and a handful of restaurants ( some of which are very good). I think there is a very strong sense of community, especially for those families who send their kids to Key. We do live pretty near Key, and we run into Key families all the time in the neighborhood. Our kids are all growing up together, and it is a very warm and supportive environment. And it is a convenient distance to downtown. I can usually make it to my office 15 minutes after I leave the house. We thought about moving into Bethesda for the public schools, but we did not to leave the neighborhood and we also couldn't bear the thought of a much longer commute.

[Anonymous]

We have been here a decade. Live near key.

Likes:
-close to towpath and cap crescent trail to bike, run, hike etc
-we are only 3.5 and 4.5 miles from work, an easy bike or jog
-enough stores and restaurants nearby that we can walk
-great ES
-a neighborhood feel. We bump into lots of friends when we are walking around

Dislikes:
-Hardy. Went private for middle
-commuter pass through traffic, usually many mph above the speed limit

[Anonymous]

Beautiful neighborhood, great access to parks and recreation. As PPs note pretty much need to do private by at least MS if not earlier. And yes there is fairly significant noise but you do get used to it. Kind of like train noise in Kensington, or 66 road noise in Arlington.

Easy access to DC, at least the west side. East side is atrocious as it is from anywhere west.

[Anonymous]

We decided on a walkable part of Chevy Chase DC instead for three main reasons:

1. Better and more retail within walking distance. Palisades is losing their Safeway so will have no walkable grocery stores.

2. Better public transit options - there's no metro in the palisades.

3. The aforementioned airplane noise issue. We were visiting a house there and at least 10 planes flew over in the time we were there. I would think you get used it inside the house but it was pretty loud outside and we wanted to be able to enjoy the yard.

[Anonymous]

There was a massive thread last November 2016 called "Do people still like the Palisades" that would be education for you I think. You can find it using the search function. This is from that thread and gives an overview of the wonderful Palisades in NW DC:

Palisades -- Some of the great stuff, in no particular order (other than great neighbors being 1st):

- wonderful neighbors
- neighborly, community feel thanks to variety of houses, lots of porches, kids playing basketball in driveways, lots of people with dogs, sidewalks that encourage walking rather than driving, Palisades Park in the middle of it all, and a great public elementary school (Key) that is extremely popular in the neighborhood.
- Key Elementary School (public). Hardy Middle School is getting better every year too.
- Lab School, River School (both private) [GDS is too but leaving for Tenley Circle in a couple years], plus an easy 10-15 minute drive to Sidwell, Maret, STA/NCS, WIS. Potomac and Landon have bus stops in/near the Palisades too.
- Palisades Park (tennis courts, baseball field, soccer field, basketball courts, playground with water park, skateboard park, picnic tables (and the rec center about to get a giant renovation)); W Street park too
- Battery Kemble Park -- our own bit of wilderness in the heart of the Palisades, with a stream and wonderful trails running through it, not to mention the best sledding hill in the city
- Safeway, CVS, Palisades Pharmacy (excellent!), Mac Market, pet food stores, frame shops, hair cut shop, etc. -- great variety of retail!
- Bassin's wine and liquor gets its own shout-out -- the best wine store in DC.
- At least two yoga studios, plus a couple of fitness/gym businesses
- Excellent restaurants on just a 3/4-mile stretch of MacArthur - Blacksalt, 7th Hill Pizza, Et Voila, Bistroquet, Salt and Pepper, the Boathouse, Sur La Place, at least four Asian restaurants
- Parker's Exxon -- open even during blizzards and always have on hand mechanics who can repair flat tires, replace brake pads, or help with oil/filter.
- Fantastic farmers market btw Bassin's and the Safeway every Sunday.
- Palisades Community Church -- warm and welcoming church, a superb pre-school, and the home of local Cub Scout and Boy Scout troops
- Proximity to both Sibley and Gtown medical centers
- Our own neighborhood Post Office
- Walking/biking distance to Fletcher's Landing and C&O Canal (and Capital Crescent trail)
- Easy bike-commuting distance to downtown DC or to Bethesda along Capital Crescent trail
- Great public servants. The police, mail carrier, snowplow, trash, road repair, etc. crews who service the Palisades may be just as good as those who work in the rest of the city but they're great to us too.
- A dedicated bus line along MacArthur (which goes downtown)
- Proximity to both Georgetown Univ. and American Univ.
- Proximity to Georgetown, Glover Park, and (not to mention) Northern VA
- And on and on

Put all this together and you have a neighborhood that appeals to people from all walks of life. There are small three bedroom houses up to huge 7 bedroom houses. Apartment buildings along lower MacArthur Blvd to assisted living facilities on the Sibley campus. Schools, doctors offices, restaurants, dry cleaners, liquor stores, etc. Truly a neighborhood!

[Anonymous]

Don't forget about the highway in the sky and the constant attendant noise from low flying planes every 90 seconds or so all day and night long. The neighborhood apologists don't mention this FACT, which is very strange.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget about the highway in the sky and the constant attendant noise from low flying planes every 90 seconds or so all day and night long. The neighborhood apologists don't mention this FACT, which is very strange.

Or maybe no one has mentioned it in this thread because OP said she already knows about it and doesn't care? Why is it so important to you that you need to raise it anyway?

[Anonymous]

Was part of this thread deleted? I reported peaceful skies from 7 to 8 yesterday from my porch then. Same today.

Or I am I feeding a troll?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget about the highway in the sky and the constant attendant noise from low flying planes every 90 seconds or so all day and night long. The neighborhood apologists don't mention this FACT, which is very strange.

Or maybe no one has mentioned it in this thread because OP said she already knows about it and doesn't care? Why is it so important to you that you need to raise it anyway?

a bunch of the airplane noise trolls were deleted. please go somewhere else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We decided on a walkable part of Chevy Chase DC instead for three main reasons:

1. Better and more retail within walking distance. Palisades is losing their Safeway so will have no walkable grocery stores.

2. Better public transit options - there's no metro in the palisades.

3. The aforementioned airplane noise issue. We were visiting a house there and at least 10 planes flew over in the time we were there. I would think you get used it inside the house but it was pretty loud outside and we wanted to be able to enjoy the yard.

Safeway is staying. There was some kind of agreement between Safeway and a developer but that fell through two years ago when Safeway ownership changed hands.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We decided on a walkable part of Chevy Chase DC instead for three main reasons:

1. Better and more retail within walking distance. Palisades is losing their Safeway so will have no walkable grocery stores.

2. Better public transit options - there's no metro in the palisades.

3. The aforementioned airplane noise issue. We were visiting a house there and at least 10 planes flew over in the time we were there. I would think you get used it inside the house but it was pretty loud outside and we wanted to be able to enjoy the yard.

Safeway is staying. There was some kind of agreement between Safeway and a developer but that fell through two years ago when Safeway ownership changed hands.

Many posters address the plane noise, there doesn't appear to be a "troll.'"

[Anonymous]

Chevy Chase, DC is far superior to Palisades - Sorry. We have better schools (especially middle school, Deal vs Hardy), tons of amenities (library, rec center, playground, post office, UPS, Safeway, gas, Starbucks, Jetties, farmers market, wine/liquor, nails, banks, stationary, gifts, hair salon, fish market, restaurants, Child's Play, Core 72, dry cleaners, CVS, etc. all on Connecticut with additional shops in Friendship Heights and Bethesda Row - only 5 mins away. Metro and buses, Rock Creek Park, and easy drive to downtown with easy access on Rock Creek Pkwy, 16th, Connecticut, etc. Tons of kids in the neighborhood playing outside and at Lafayette Park (new playground, tennis courts, basketball court, baseball field, turf field for soccer, etc. Also, Broad Branch Market can't be beat. Not to mention, we don't have constant airplane noise. Sorry, but no comparison. Choose Chevy Chase, DC!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't forget about the highway in the sky and the constant attendant noise from low flying planes every 90 seconds or so all day and night long. The neighborhood apologists don't mention this FACT, which is very strange.

There are NOT low flying planes every 90 seconds. There are only low flying planes when there is a low cloud cover. Yes, the planes still fly overhead with good weather but you don't even notice them. The air traffic is seriously not an issue.