What’s the allure of Fairfax County

[Anonymous]

I live in Annandale and my neighborhood is leafy, peaceful, and convenient. Fairfax County is typical suburbia and some may not like that. Get away from the interstates and it’s beautiful. Imagine if I based Arlington off of the areas around Columbia Pike?

Each part of Nova has great areas and horrible areas. Prince William County has mountains in the west and is very UMC, the eastern part is flat and lower class. Fairfax is more than Merrifield

[Anonymous]

Wow, this is a pretty insulting post. I live in Fairfax County and watched the sun rise over the Potomac as I took public transportation to work. I’ve also lived in Vienna/Oakton and you know what? It’s fine. 123 isn’t my favorite, but walk in either direction off of that street and you’ve got lovely neighborhoods.

Why do people live here? Decent schools, convenient to DC, lower taxes than Maryland and finally, a lot of jobs are located here. So we live here. End rant.

[Anonymous]

Why is OP getting car work done in FFX?
Can’t get it done in DC? Can’t get it done near your second home?

It clearly isn’t a big job if you’re just walking around until it’s complete. You went to FFX for an oil change? Are there no places in DC, Arlington, Silver Spring?

And why do you need a car anyway? I thought part of the perk of DC was all that walkability and public transport.

I can’t imagine living somewhere that doesn’t even have basic things like an auto shop. I guess I like living in my part of FFX because I can walk to metro, the bus stop, the grocery store, the library, my kids’ excellent public school, restaurants and coffee shops, and even the auto shop. Plus I have a garage for my car on my .30 acre property.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County is huge. Inside the beltway is of course very crowded for the most part. But there is also Burke, Clifton, GMU, Fairfax Station, and Old Town Herndon etc. You just can't paint the whole place with one wide brush.

This. What a stupid post.

Troll nonsense... walked into a leafy hood!... friggin' sidewalks. walked into a wall for I66... What empty nester talks like that? And if OP really lived in North Arlington and now lives in DC (though they are getting their car worked on in Merrifield?), they would have to be utterly clueless to not understand why Fairfax County would appeal to many, for a variety of reasons. I call shenanigans!

+1. If not a troll, OP is one of those types who visits France for a week and spends the rest of her life talking about how much higher the quality of life is in Europe than in the US.

OP here. How are empty nesters supposed to talk exactly? I have to say “friggin’” because this site won’t let me say what I really would say. 😊

You could say things that make sense? Like "I couldn't find anything to do while my car was worked on" would make sense (although it would remain unclear why you felt this worth sharing). "I dislike Fairfax County" does not make sense, in that same way that saying "I dislike things whose name contains the letter R" would make no sense.

I felt it “worth sharing” that I found it difficult to get a decent walk in - even on a beautiful day - in the largest suburban county in the region because there were so many missing sidewalks, so much insane traffic, and an incredible amount of ugly and boring monotony. I’ve seen far less important things shared on DCUM.

I'll say it again, the county is huge. The W&OD Trail goes across the whole thing and is a wonderful place to walk. I'm partial to Reston that has miles of trails intertwined through it. I'm guessing you are enjoying being a contrarian, which is fine, but it is coming off as really narrowminded.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax County is huge. Inside the beltway is of course very crowded for the most part. But there is also Burke, Clifton, GMU, Fairfax Station, and Old Town Herndon etc. You just can't paint the whole place with one wide brush.

This. What a stupid post.

Troll nonsense... walked into a leafy hood!... friggin' sidewalks. walked into a wall for I66... What empty nester talks like that? And if OP really lived in North Arlington and now lives in DC (though they are getting their car worked on in Merrifield?), they would have to be utterly clueless to not understand why Fairfax County would appeal to many, for a variety of reasons. I call shenanigans!

+1. If not a troll, OP is one of those types who visits France for a week and spends the rest of her life talking about how much higher the quality of life is in Europe than in the US.

OP here. How are empty nesters supposed to talk exactly? I have to say “friggin’” because this site won’t let me say what I really would say. 😊

You could say things that make sense? Like "I couldn't find anything to do while my car was worked on" would make sense (although it would remain unclear why you felt this worth sharing). "I dislike Fairfax County" does not make sense, in that same way that saying "I dislike things whose name contains the letter R" would make no sense.

I felt it “worth sharing” that I found it difficult to get a decent walk in - even on a beautiful day - in the largest suburban county in the region because there were so many missing sidewalks, so much insane traffic, and an incredible amount of ugly and boring monotony. I’ve seen far less important things shared on DCUM.

I'll say it again, the county is huge. The W&OD Trail goes across the whole thing and is a wonderful place to walk. I'm partial to Reston that has miles of trails intertwined through it. I'm guessing you are enjoying being a contrarian, which is fine, but it is coming off as really narrowminded.

Reston? No thanks.

[Anonymous]

I've lived in Fairfax County for a long time and have also lived in several other parts of the country. I like Fairfax. It has pretty good schools, good public services, lots of businesses, but also many quiet neighborhoods. I even like it better than Arlington because it's not as crowded and you can get more property for your money.

[Anonymous]

OP, if you were in Merrifield, you could have had a nicer walk through the nearby Mosaic District, a vibrant and walkable area with a town green, many shops, restaurants with outdoor seating, and the Angelika Film Center.

You could also have visited the Merrifield Garden Center. If you have an interest in gardening, you could spend a lot of time there looking at the vast offerings in both indoor and outdoor spaces.

Hope that your next visit will be more pleasant, if you'll be going to the same garage again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax/Arlington counties are much uglier than Montgomery County. It's not even a close call. Most people who live in NoVa choose to do so for lower taxes and/or commute reasons, not because it's pretty.

Disagree- Bethesda and CC have nice areas but parts of Rockville and Wheaton look awful and depressing.

[Anonymous]

OP, why were you getting your car fixed in Fairfax?

Do they not have that service in D.C.?

Damage from a car jacking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, I have to agree. Much of Fairfax County is soul sucking strip malls. The only reason people rave about the school system is because it is big - not that it is great or wonderful, or that the admin is caring, but the school system is big.

How can a strip mall suck your soul?

Apparently, the ones in Arlington are not soul sucking? What is the difference, OP?

[Anonymous]

I think the appeal was the public schools for us but it was all a big fat lie. The schools kind of stink.

I wish we had not moved here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Fairfax/Arlington counties are much uglier than Montgomery County. It's not even a close call. Most people who live in NoVa choose to do so for lower taxes and/or commute reasons, not because it's pretty.

Disagree- Bethesda and CC have nice areas but parts of Rockville and Wheaton look awful and depressing.

I agree. Used to live in Silver Spring before moving to Fairfax County (and now in Fairfax City). Parts of Silver Spring and Maryland were very nice and pretty and parts were awful. There are some truly terrible streets to try to walk down. Fairfax County also has good and bad parts to it. I happen to think the good outweighs the ugly, but to each their own, I guess.

[Anonymous]

Troll posts aside, I don't love Fairfax County. I would never choose to live there if I were independently wealthy (but I would never choose to live anywhere in the DC area if I were rich).

Still, when you consider just how affordable it is, it's a pretty good deal. You have decent but not great schools, one of the highest median income levels in well, the world, and housing that is relatively affordable for incomes (you can still buy a SFH in central Fairfax in a safe neighborhood with good schools in the $600s). Also, most chores are easily accomplished with a quick run. There's nothing fun to do anywhere in the DC area so don't tell me how exciting DC is in comparison. It isn't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Raised the kids in North Arlington and moved to downtown DC as youngish empty nesters. Bought a second home in the country about 90 minutes from the city when Covid started. None of our places is particularly fancy, and we’re well off but I wouldn’t say wealthy.

Was in Fairfax County today having car work done. Spent a couple hours walking around the area (more or less the between Vienna and Merrifield) while I waited.

I found it horrifying. Strip malls followed by town houses and single family homes hugging congested highways, no real sidewalks (mostly asphalt), and all the same in every direction. Walked into what looked like a quiet leafy ‘hood to get away from it and quickly found myself walking into a sound wall for I-66.

I’m sorry, but why does anyone with any other options choose to live in an area like that? It raised my blood pressure!!

Curious -- where is your 2nd home?

70 miles from the White House - as the crow flies.

And in which direction is the crow flying? What is the zip code?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP if you lived at my house in southern Fairfax County it would take you about 30 minutes to walk -- through leafy green neighborhoods on 1/2 acre lots -- to the nearest business of any kind ( a 7-11). Its a big county with lots of different types of areas.

That sounds dreadful.

Yeah sitting on my dock watching the sun set over the Potomac is dreadful.