Most walkable neighborhoods in VA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Old Town! Just leaving our house and walking through our alley to walk to a King St restaurant to pick up dinner, we were stopped by two different sets of neighbors for a chat and catching up. Everybody looks out for each other here and there is a very strong community feel. From where we are we are walkable all the way to the water to take our dog to the park or a myriad of restaurants. You will likely sacrifice on yard space but it’s still worth a look! We have a small yard that is enough for our dog. He is very happy with Old Town too compared to our old apartment in NE DC!

We also love Old Town. Not a massive yard but prioritized living a short walk to the waterfront and all of its parks which I could never give up now.

Access to amenities like restaurants is good but the parking is horrible. You have to make sure that you buy a house that has off-street parking or you will be very, very unhappy. And unfortunately as has been pointed out by others, the traffic in Alexandria is really bad. Our city officials have done a great job purposefully mucking up the system so that it is impossible to get around the city, like to the doctor's office or the dentist or anyplace else, without it taking an extraordinarily long time. Driving the 2-3 miles from Alexandria Hospital and the medical building on Seminary to Old Town takes at least 45 minutes to an hour in the afternoons (I know because we've clocked it) because of the new traffic patterns. Somehow the city has lost its way. Maybe it will be better in November once the rascals are voted out and the new people clean house in City Hall but that turnaround will take time.

#JustinsTrafficJam

Yes, we get it. You toiled along in a meaningless job for years and now more than half of your life is behind you, but you’ve finally found your raison d’etre and will repeatedly post on DCUM about the addition of a bike lane in Alexandria.

Um, you're missing the PP's point. There are hundreds of homeowners in Alexandria who feel the same way. It is a thing. Living in Alexandria went from being pleasant to being a nightmare virtually overnight. Go to FaceBook and NextDoor to read about it. #JustinsTrafficJam is right on. I'll add another one: TakeBackSeminaryRoad.

Adding on: The changes are not simply the addition of a bike lane. It was the narrowing of King Street from 4 lanes to 2 with ludicrous turn lanes when there is nowhere to turn. Lowering the speed on King Street (Janey's Lane to Quaker Lane) from 35 to 25. Lowering the speed on Quaker Lane from 35 to 25. Narrowing Seminary Road from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. Lowering the speed on Route 1 from 35 to 25. It is the purposefully unsynchronized lights on Washington Street and on Patrick/Henry Streets. All changes made with trumped up (truly) "data" that doesn't withstand any scrutiny in the light of day. It is impossible to get around anymore, we're locked into our neighborhoods, and we are GREATLY UNHAPPY about it!!! #JustinsTrafficJam and #TakeBackSeminaryRoad

We get it. You’re unhappy. Stop littering thread after thread with your complaints and hashtags.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vienna is interesting. If you live near the metro, you can have a seriously easy commute to DC (length depending on your stop of course) and beautiful park, trails, and green areas close to home; there are some really lovely neighborhoods of both THs adn SFH's all super close to the metro. But, if you live by the metro its a longer trek to the main drag of town of Vienna - you are more likely to drive or bike to those areas. As a location though generally, it's really well situated between DC and jobs out West like in Reston, moving here gave us a lot more job options as we could go either direction to our works mulitple buildings. Something to consider depending on your work future expectations. Also re diversity - yes, NOVA In general is not super diverse, but south Vienna is waaaaaay more diverse then town of Vienna. Lots of international orgs have housed people close to the metro - IMF, World Bank, etc are common employers of neighbors. The neighborhoods in that part of Vienna are way more diverse (eastern euro, african, etc).

Vienna Metro is shut down through at least Labor Day and it’s just a hellish commute overall to DC, whether by Metro or car.

Overall people tend to exaggerate walkability in NoVa. Old Town and Del Ray in Alexandria are the best, but ACPS is not good. Clarendon and FCC have better schools, and OK walkability, but the retail is bland. McLean and West Falls have the best schools, but limited walkability and retail.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you to those with the helpful suggestions! Much to think about!

We always liked walking around old town Alexandria. Many ppl suggested del ray. What’s the school situation there? When searching on school rating websites (yes I know they’re flawed) the public elementary schools in Alexandria/ del ray didn’t seem to rank as high as Arlington or Fairfax? Am I missing something?

Vienna.... I guess I don’t know much about it except it’s the last stop on the orange line. It would be 45 mins at least into DC proper? I’m assuming we’ll end up in DC once or twice a week for meeting friends etc. A bit too far me thinks..?

For those families who live in westover - and also other parts of Arlington - do you walk to local things like little kids music class... the local library... stores/ restaurants/gyms?

We live in the Rosemont neighborhood of Alexandria. We walk to Del Ray and old town all the time. I teach in Arlington (APS) and used to teach in FCPS. The local elementary school, Maury, is absolutely on par with both other counties.

The important part of OP's question about the schools is what is the race of OP's children. If they're white then they will be fine. If they are COC, even if they are not low-SES, then a good education is doable but it will require a lot more vigilance to ensure that the kids are not tracked by their race.

+1 to the above post (and the posts about the traffic problems!). BTDT re the race & SES issue. Now we go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Old Town! Just leaving our house and walking through our alley to walk to a King St restaurant to pick up dinner, we were stopped by two different sets of neighbors for a chat and catching up. Everybody looks out for each other here and there is a very strong community feel. From where we are we are walkable all the way to the water to take our dog to the park or a myriad of restaurants. You will likely sacrifice on yard space but it’s still worth a look! We have a small yard that is enough for our dog. He is very happy with Old Town too compared to our old apartment in NE DC!

We also love Old Town. Not a massive yard but prioritized living a short walk to the waterfront and all of its parks which I could never give up now.

Access to amenities like restaurants is good but the parking is horrible. You have to make sure that you buy a house that has off-street parking or you will be very, very unhappy. And unfortunately as has been pointed out by others, the traffic in Alexandria is really bad. Our city officials have done a great job purposefully mucking up the system so that it is impossible to get around the city, like to the doctor's office or the dentist or anyplace else, without it taking an extraordinarily long time. Driving the 2-3 miles from Alexandria Hospital and the medical building on Seminary to Old Town takes at least 45 minutes to an hour in the afternoons (I know because we've clocked it) because of the new traffic patterns. Somehow the city has lost its way. Maybe it will be better in November once the rascals are voted out and the new people clean house in City Hall but that turnaround will take time.

#JustinsTrafficJam

Yes, we get it. You toiled along in a meaningless job for years and now more than half of your life is behind you, but you’ve finally found your raison d’etre and will repeatedly post on DCUM about the addition of a bike lane in Alexandria.

Um, you're missing the PP's point. There are hundreds of homeowners in Alexandria who feel the same way. It is a thing. Living in Alexandria went from being pleasant to being a nightmare virtually overnight. Go to FaceBook and NextDoor to read about it. #JustinsTrafficJam is right on. I'll add another one: TakeBackSeminaryRoad.

Adding on: The changes are not simply the addition of a bike lane. It was the narrowing of King Street from 4 lanes to 2 with ludicrous turn lanes when there is nowhere to turn. Lowering the speed on King Street (Janey's Lane to Quaker Lane) from 35 to 25. Lowering the speed on Quaker Lane from 35 to 25. Narrowing Seminary Road from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. Lowering the speed on Route 1 from 35 to 25. It is the purposefully unsynchronized lights on Washington Street and on Patrick/Henry Streets. All changes made with trumped up (truly) "data" that doesn't withstand any scrutiny in the light of day. It is impossible to get around anymore, we're locked into our neighborhoods, and we are GREATLY UNHAPPY about it!!! #JustinsTrafficJam and #TakeBackSeminaryRoad

We get it. You’re unhappy. Stop littering thread after thread with your complaints and hashtags.

No, dear, YOU don't get it. There is more than one of us posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Westover in North Arlington and the neighborhoods west of it toward rt29. Some are walkable to Westover and the Harrison Street shops.

Lee-Harrison shops are “a little strip mall.”

But Westover is not- it is nice to be able to walk to both. Harrison has the grocery stores- which (gasp) are almost always in a trip mall).

Westover is two strip malls.

I think Vienna is more New Englandish in looks. Where will you work?

LOL. NOTHING in this area is like New England, but most walkable would probably be Vienna.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Westover in North Arlington and the neighborhoods west of it toward rt29. Some are walkable to Westover and the Harrison Street shops.

Lee-Harrison shops are “a little strip mall.”

But Westover is not- it is nice to be able to walk to both. Harrison has the grocery stores- which (gasp) are almost always in a trip mall).

Westover is two strip malls.

I think Vienna is more New Englandish in looks. Where will you work?

LOL. NOTHING in this area is like New England, but most walkable would probably be Vienna.

Nope. “Walkable” in Vienna means walking along cracked sidewalks on Route 123 almost 20 miles from DC as one strip mall bleeds into the next with the cars pulling in and out of the parking lots. OP can do better.

[Anonymous]

The only really nice walkable neighborhood is old town Alexandria

[Anonymous]

If you don't have kids, that is. Terrible schools and terrible access to kids' activities and sports. You will be trapped in traffic as previous posters have described.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Op here. Thank you to those with the helpful suggestions! Much to think about!

We always liked walking around old town Alexandria. Many ppl suggested del ray. What’s the school situation there? When searching on school rating websites (yes I know they’re flawed) the public elementary schools in Alexandria/ del ray didn’t seem to rank as high as Arlington or Fairfax? Am I missing something?

Vienna.... I guess I don’t know much about it except it’s the last stop on the orange line. It would be 45 mins at least into DC proper? I’m assuming we’ll end up in DC once or twice a week for meeting friends etc. A bit too far me thinks..?

For those families who live in westover - and also other parts of Arlington - do you walk to local things like little kids music class... the local library... stores/ restaurants/gyms?

The public schools in Vienna are much better than Alexandria. Vienna is safer also. People move to Vienna because they are priced out of Arlington and McLean. It’s walkable but it’s not that near DC.

[Anonymous]

Vienna is diverse. The myth that it is all white is way out of date. Oakton the advance area is very diverse.

[Anonymous]

Vienna is having explosive growth along 123 and will look much more urban and upscale in 2 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vienna is having explosive growth along 123 and will look much more urban and upscale in 2 years.

Yes and Church Street is nice, lots of activities throughout the year for families where they close off the street.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We love Old Town! Just leaving our house and walking through our alley to walk to a King St restaurant to pick up dinner, we were stopped by two different sets of neighbors for a chat and catching up. Everybody looks out for each other here and there is a very strong community feel. From where we are we are walkable all the way to the water to take our dog to the park or a myriad of restaurants. You will likely sacrifice on yard space but it’s still worth a look! We have a small yard that is enough for our dog. He is very happy with Old Town too compared to our old apartment in NE DC!

We also love Old Town. Not a massive yard but prioritized living a short walk to the waterfront and all of its parks which I could never give up now.

Access to amenities like restaurants is good but the parking is horrible. You have to make sure that you buy a house that has off-street parking or you will be very, very unhappy. And unfortunately as has been pointed out by others, the traffic in Alexandria is really bad. Our city officials have done a great job purposefully mucking up the system so that it is impossible to get around the city, like to the doctor's office or the dentist or anyplace else, without it taking an extraordinarily long time. Driving the 2-3 miles from Alexandria Hospital and the medical building on Seminary to Old Town takes at least 45 minutes to an hour in the afternoons (I know because we've clocked it) because of the new traffic patterns. Somehow the city has lost its way. Maybe it will be better in November once the rascals are voted out and the new people clean house in City Hall but that turnaround will take time.

#JustinsTrafficJam

Yes, we get it. You toiled along in a meaningless job for years and now more than half of your life is behind you, but you’ve finally found your raison d’etre and will repeatedly post on DCUM about the addition of a bike lane in Alexandria.

Um, you're missing the PP's point. There are hundreds of homeowners in Alexandria who feel the same way. It is a thing. Living in Alexandria went from being pleasant to being a nightmare virtually overnight. Go to FaceBook and NextDoor to read about it. #JustinsTrafficJam is right on. I'll add another one: TakeBackSeminaryRoad.

Adding on: The changes are not simply the addition of a bike lane. It was the narrowing of King Street from 4 lanes to 2 with ludicrous turn lanes when there is nowhere to turn. Lowering the speed on King Street (Janey's Lane to Quaker Lane) from 35 to 25. Lowering the speed on Quaker Lane from 35 to 25. Narrowing Seminary Road from 4 lanes to 2 lanes. Lowering the speed on Route 1 from 35 to 25. It is the purposefully unsynchronized lights on Washington Street and on Patrick/Henry Streets. All changes made with trumped up (truly) "data" that doesn't withstand any scrutiny in the light of day. It is impossible to get around anymore, we're locked into our neighborhoods, and we are GREATLY UNHAPPY about it!!! #JustinsTrafficJam and #TakeBackSeminaryRoad

We get it. You’re unhappy. Stop littering thread after thread with your complaints and hashtags.

No, dear, YOU don't get it. There is more than one of us posting.

No, i still get it. One complaint per thread is enough. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Vienna is having explosive growth along 123 and will look much more urban and upscale in 2 years.

Nope. It’s as traffic-clogged as it gets in NoVa and there’s no consensus on what to do about it. Wouldn’t hold my breath thinking that will change any time soon.

https://www.insidenova.com/news/fairfax/local/vienna/vienna-to-take-another-crack-at-mac-in-june-public-hearing/article_beaeff86-895a-11ea-9e4a-fb0ea14fb267.html

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Vienna

+1

-1. Vienna is not walkable at all.