Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:55     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
We loved raising our kids in Cleveland Park. It ticks most of your boxes and is walking distance to several in-demand private schools (Cathedral schools, Sidwell, Maret, WIS, GDS.) There are no dead-ends for bike riding, but there are playgrounds and parks, and it's close to metro and walkable to restaurants and retail on both Wisconsin and Connecticut.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:53     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
Anonymous wrote:Hello,

We are moving from Cambridge to the DC area for a work opportunity. I am looking for recommendations for DC neighborhood or nearby cities or towns. I would prefer not to be in Virginia but Maryland could be fine.

Budget: We can go up to 4 million for the perfect home. If we have to make a lot of concessions I’d rather go no higher than 3 if possible.

Preferences: Walkable neighborhood with sidewalks, family friendly, kid friendly, easy access to the train (ideally this means walking distance but could also be driving distance with parking). This is not a requirement but I also prefer established neighborhoods with mature trees.

I’d love to live in a place with a strong neighborhood association, and neighborhood events.

We will most likely do private schools regardless but a community with good schools is preferred.

I’d also really like easy access to restaurants and shops, and walkable proximity to a playground. I’m partial to neighborhoods with dead-ends or small parks that tend to accommodate kids riding bikes, neighbors being outside, etc.

Also, I understand that the higher income areas tend to lack racial diversity which is fine, but we are a mixed race family so I would prefer to not be somewhere people would call the police or post messages to next door over seeing a Black person jogging in the neighborhood.




Potomac Falls (Potomac MD)
Chevy Chase Village
Bethesda
Upper NW
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:51     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
Anonymous wrote:You almost described exactly what we were looking for when we moved here. We initially moved to NW but didn’t find a good sense of community or any diversity in our neighborhood. We sacrificed the single family home and big yard and moved to old town Alexandria, and it’s been wonderful. After the elementary school you would want to do private, but otherwise it’s pretty much perfect. One issue is that upper brackets houses don’t come on that frequently so you may need to be patient.
People on here rip apart Alexandria, but it has great traditions, fun restaurants, bike trails, parades, neighborhood playgrounds, sports, etc. Look for 22314, southwest quadrant (so bordered by the river to the east, Washington st to the west, king st to the north. It’s also a little democratic enclave in VA.


We used to live in Old Town Alexandria but we moved because the traffic was HORRENDOUS due to all the over development. Sure, it's walkable but the sitting in traffic factor is a killer. The old town metro on King Street is too far away so that's not an option for most people. We felt like we spent our life in the car, bumper to bumper. It was probably like Cambridge 25 years ago but not anymore.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:47     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
Anonymous wrote:When you say train, do you mean the train train, like the MARC in Kensington and Garrett Park? Or the Metro, which most of us call the subway?


I’ve lived in DC for 20 years and I’ve never heard anyone but out-of-towners call Metro the subway.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:38     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
You almost described exactly what we were looking for when we moved here. We initially moved to NW but didn’t find a good sense of community or any diversity in our neighborhood. We sacrificed the single family home and big yard and moved to old town Alexandria, and it’s been wonderful. After the elementary school you would want to do private, but otherwise it’s pretty much perfect. One issue is that upper brackets houses don’t come on that frequently so you may need to be patient.
People on here rip apart Alexandria, but it has great traditions, fun restaurants, bike trails, parades, neighborhood playgrounds, sports, etc. Look for 22314, southwest quadrant (so bordered by the river to the east, Washington st to the west, king st to the north. It’s also a little democratic enclave in VA.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:37     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
Ugh, Connecticut Ave is boring and not particularly safe. Wisconsin Ave is sooooo much better!
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:31     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
OP, Georgetown = mini-Cambridge. You want to live in the very eastern part of that neighborhood that is walkable to the Foggy Bottom metro. Ignore the posters recommending unwalkable suburban sprawl.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:19     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Cleveland Park --DC
Barnaby Wood--DC
Spring Valley--DC
Kalorama--DC
Chevy Chase--DC
Palisades--DC
Lyon Village, Arlington VA
Chevy Chase Village Bethesda (north of Bradley, west of Conn)


Barnaby Woods and Spring Valley are not generally walkable to retail or the metro. Palisades is not near the metro. Kalorama trends too old for what you're looking for--not many kids and no neighborhood events that I know of.

Based on your criteria, I would search the 20008, 20015 and 20016 zip codes in DC and 20815 in Maryland. (Not all of those zip codes are walkable, but if you stick to a house relatively close to Connecticut Ave or Wisconsin Ave it will be walkable.

Good luck with your search!


I can second the walkability factor of Connecticut Ave and Wisconsin Ave. However, you will find more diversity if you stay closer to Wisconsin Ave and American University. I have friends teach there and the surrounding neighborhood seems pretty diverse, to me. Not to mention American University always has tons of wonderful events going on of which I've been to many. Very cool location!
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 21:03     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
The metro is a great way to go if you live in DC. We have kids that have activities all over the area and we use a combination of both metro and car, depending on the location. I also live in in AU Park and I can tell you the neighborhood has a lot of diversity, which is one of my favorite things about it.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 20:55     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
OP again—

You all have given me a lot to think about. Thank you again.

PP 20:24 yes, we are moving from Cambridge, MA. We have been incredibly happy here. I appreciate you sharing your perspective. It definitely helps in terms of setting a reasonable expectation for what to look for in our housing search.

20:33 These are helpful considerations. Thank you.




Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 20:50     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
American University Park in DC would be perfect for your family. My sister lives there with her husband and 3 children and they all love it. They walk to the Tenleytown Metro, lots of grocery stores, parks, restaurants, etc. I'm pretty sure there are sidewalks on most streets because when I visit (which is often) I regularly see people walking and jogging. This house is within walking distance of the metro and Turtle Park, one of their favorite parks. It's slightly over your budget but you might want to check it out since it looks like it was recently reduced so they might be motivated to sell. Worth a look anyway. My husband and I live in Annapolis because my job is there but I'd love to live close to my sister and her family in AU Park if I could.

https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/4220-Van-Ness-St-NW-Washington-DC-20016/443171_zpid/?utm_medium=referral
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 20:38     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
Also Edgemoor neighborhood in Bethesda.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 20:33     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
I would figure out exactly what your commute will be and what private schools you want to target. A walkable neighborhood is useless if you’re spending a bunch of time driving back and forth to school or changing trains to get to work.

I would also think about your commitment to a metro commute because in a lot of the neighborhoods you’re targeting in upper NW and Chevy Chase, it doesn’t really save time over driving by the time you get yourself to the train and navigate our ailing system.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 20:24     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
OP if you are talking about Cambridge MA you will be disappointed by the “walkability” of all the above recommended neighborhoods. I live in CCMD in what DCUM would call a very walkable neighborhood, but it’s not even close to the density and walkability of Cambridge - not only sidewalks everywhere, but also many places to walk TO. Not just one strip mall or a couple of sad shops. Not just walking to the neighborhood park. Not just walking to a metro station.

Plenty of the recommended neighborhoods in CCMD and CCDC fit your other criteria, but as a former longtime Canterbridgian I miss the walkability of Cambridge everyday.
Anonymous
Post 05/26/2024 19:54     Subject: Recommendations for DC area neighborhoods or towns
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Town of Somerset in Chevy Chase MD is all of these things. Neighborhood pool with swim team, walkable to metro, mature trees, sidewalks. Local elementary Somerset in neighborhood but lots of kids go there or private. Very family friendly.


+1

And no a lot of kids do not go to private. My daughter lives there all her neighbors are MCPS>


There are plenty of Somerset kids that also go to private.