What can you tell me about Tenleytown / Friendship Heights?

[Anonymous]

We're moving to DC, and I've been told this neighborhood is great. Our kids are 2yo and 4yo. I'm happy to hear anything you'd like to tell me about it.

tia!

[Anonymous]

Great for metro access, shops, playgrounds. Houses are big enough for 2-kid families. Lots of families in the area. Add in AU Park to your search.

[Anonymous]

What do you want to know? There's lots of families, lots of shopping; lots of restaurants; easy Metro access from most points (except from the easternmost edges of AU Park); preschools, good public schools (Janney ES, Deal MS, even Wilson High works for a lot of kids); lots of parks (Turtle Park, Fort Bayard, Chevy Chase playground, Ft. Reno for green space only, playground behind GEICO on the Maryland side); movie theaters; big post office with good weekend hours; Wilson Aquatic Center; several grocery stores; etc.

The critics will say that it's "not hip" or "too suburban," or too far out on the Red Line, but it's really a very convenient and walkable area to live in and has the most complete, varied business area of the upper NW neighborhoods along the Red Line.

[Anonymous]

OP: Very helpful, thanks. Is there a "better" or worse" part? Are there houses for rent there? And how about things like kids' activities? tia!

[Anonymous]

PP 17:05 here: I meant to say "from the westernmost sections of AU Park," i.e., closer to Mass. Ave. than to Wisconsin.
Better parts?: Some streets have more traffic; some are more crammed; some blocks have smaller houses. It varies block by block, I don't think there's any "bad" part. For me, the best parts are those closer to the Metro and the businesses on Wisconsin Ave. I suppose some people may prefer the quieter areas farther from Wisconsin. And I personally like the area closer to Friendship Heights more than Tenleytown, but it's easy to walk from one to the other and there's a section that's equidistant to both. I've always seen SF houses for rent in that neighborhood.

Kids' activities: the various playgrounds already mentioned, two of which have rec centers and host summer camps, co-op preschools, family events, etc.; the public library at Tenley and the Borders at Friendship Heights have story times; there are places that offer kids' art lessons, music lessons, dance lessons, martial arts. There's a Gymboree a little further north in Bethesda (that would be driving distance). The new Wisconsin Place community center on the Maryland side has a tot playroom and a variety of kids' classes.

From many points you can walk to both Wisconsin and Connecticut Avenues, if you're not too far west. And then you have all the stuff on Conn. too, like the Chevy Chase Community Center (which has a library and kids' classes and a playroom), the Avalon theater, Child's Play toy store, and a few more restaurants and shops.

[Anonymous]

OP: Thx so much. I'm embarrassed to ask this but ... Is it in DC or MD? I thought it was DC, but I'm looking at a map, and it looks more like MD. tia

[Anonymous]

It's DC

[Anonymous]

The DC/MD border crosses Friendship Heights shops area, so not a silly question.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The DC/MD border crosses Friendship Heights shops area, so not a silly question.

Ahhhhh ... Confusing, right?

[Anonymous]

I think either is fine, but Friendship Heights has fancy shopping (and more shopping, period). Right around Tenley Circle there's not much.

[Anonymous]

Don't forget - we are getting a new library, opening in December!

[Anonymous]

Also at Friendship Heights is the new community center with a gym and an indoor play area (ball pit, slides etc.) There's also the park on Livingston/Western (Was that already called out?).

There really aren't any "bad" parts. That's one of the best things about the neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't expect a "bad" residential part of Tenleytown, but there's a good portion of Wisconsin Avenue there that's run-down.

[Anonymous]

You'd want to be a walking distance to the metro in these areas, it makes accessibility to everything much easier. There are a lot of resources in both places: community centers, parks, swimming pool (tenley town), and if you're on the metro then it's a 5-20 min ride to the zoo, dupont, and downtown.

[Anonymous]

I was hoping someone could expand on the classes available for kids (art, music) in tenleytown. We are new to the area and have two pre-k kids. Thanks so much!