Anonymous wrote:This one in FCC is so cute:
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/900-Park-Ave-22046/home/12033554

Yes had seen that one!! Drooling over it!!

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 big difference between Alexandria (Del Ray or Old Town) and Vienna will be the yard size. In general the yards are going to be larger in Vienna than in the close-in city part of Alexandria. You have to decide if that is important to you. Some of us have big yards in Alexandria but it is not as common as it is in Vienna and you'll pay a premium. If you look in Del Ray or Old Town be sure that you have off-street parking or you will be miserable. If you look into the Fairfax County part of Alexandria then you'll find larger yards and a more suburban feel.

Commute time to DC is actually about the same. Yeah, I know that sounds weird but we have a real traffic problem in Alexandria. I drive carpools into DC daily to get our kids to school. It can easily take me 45 minutes to get from the 14th Street Bridge into Old Town after school during the week. Getting them to school is bad but not nearly as bad as the afternoons. Go figure. Anyway, check out NextDoor and FaceBook about it (#JustinsTrafficJam).

I don't know what the schools in Vienna are like.

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!

Also, there is some new mixed use area that is supposed to be going up near WFC metro. And proximity to parks, W&OD, etc. FCC is pricey, but nice.

Falls Church City

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Old Town Fairfax.

Used to live there and loved it.

I used to live near there too and it’s such a great little area that hasn’t become (completely) unreasonably expensive yet. I recommended it because OP already said she was considering Arlington, so I was trying to suggest something she may not have looked at yet. Hits the boxes with library, splash pad, restaurants, cute old town feel, etc. and you can still get a nice home with yard.

I live in Arlington now and love it here too. I’m close to EFC and can walk to a few parks, metro, and restaurants (Yayla Bistro, Yume Sushi, South Block, etc.). I think this is a great area too with nice homes and we love Westover as well.

This one in FCC is so cute:
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Falls-Church/900-Park-Ave-22046/home/12033554

Anonymous wrote:I live in Vienna and walk a lot of places. I used to live in Falls Church (near WFC starion) and I think it has more walkable destinations, especially now. However, it also has more residential streets without sidewalks. Lot size varies but in general is smaller than in Vienna. I lived there without a car, but also without kids.

Pretty much the only neighborhood I like better than mine in Vienna is the area near Cherry Hill Park in FC.

+1
We live in the town area of Vienna and walk regularly (before all of this happened with covid as most places are closed right now) to the Vienna Community Ctr., library, Town Green, Whole Foods, many food places (Starbucks, Taco Bamba and Cold Stone) and of course the W&OD Trail.

I love Westover. The people we know who live there definitely walk to the library, market, restaurants, CVS, etc. I think they go to a bigger grocery store too but do a good amount of shopping right there.

This one looks super cute and has great outdoor space.
https://www.redfin.com/VA/Arlington/5853-21st-St-N-22205/home/11238209

Fall Church City is also quaint. Great farmers market.

I like Vienna too but it’s more of a bike ride to places instead of walking (IMO).

Op, the City of Falls Church has everything you list in your last paragraph. From my house, I can walk to the library, community center, several nice parlks, grocery store and restaurants, and bike trail.

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?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Areas near Clarendon/Ballston: Lyon Village, Lyon Park, and Ashton Heights.

Yuck. Dont move there.

Green Valley is perfectly fine PPm

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?

No no no no. Vienna dies not look like New England.

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.”

It’s the biggest strip mall in North Arlington — come on, its got a Duck Donuts and overrated Chinese restaurant.

Anonymous wrote:That’s certainly correct considering the neighborhoods mentioned in this thread are not diverse at all. Owen and Maddie’s mom will call the cops on you even if you live on their street.

I think Vienna has a sizable number of Asians and mixed families. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much it diversity-wise.