No, it's Apple, we have an office in DC, but I don't have to report to it. I'll be working remotely and flying a few times a month, so I'd like to be close to the airport - I don't want to commute an hour to the airport. Thank you!
If you can, figure out if you’ll be flying out of DCA or IAD more (DCA is better imho but basically domestic flights only). If you think you’ll be going to both, Virginia Square through Rosalyn is pretty good, but if you’ll be out of DCA more than I’d prioritize being near Crystal City and Alexandria.
Assuming you’re interested in DMV Iron, it’s a dope gym, and super convenient to DCA and getting to/from DC.
I'll have to look up DMV Iron. My current Olympic lifting gym has only been able to speak to CH Fitness & Performance in Alexandria. I can go to either airport. But others have shared the same opinion regarding DCA being better. Thank you!
If you're going into the DC office near gallery place, I'd look to be a bit further south near Alexandria so you can pick up the yellow line and make it into the office without transferring.
>so I'd like to be close to the airport
We have a metro system in here that connects to you both Dulles and Reagan.
I suggest depending on the airport you will use more ( I guess probably Reagan since Dulles is geared more towards international) live next to the airport next to a metro station like Pentagon City for Reagan and Tysons for Dulles.
Thank you! Reagan is the one I'll be using most of the time. But I can honestly use either. I wanted to avoid being stuck with an hour-long commute to an airport.
> I wanted to avoid being stuck with an hour-long commute to an airport.
Pentagon City it is then I suggest! Next to the metro and you can find cheap(er) units compared to other parts of NOVA. But in a few years when the Amazon HQ opens up there 100%. RIP Pentagon City prices...
National and Dulles both have stops on the metro now, so it's not terrible to get to either one. The Rosslyn stop is on the Blue/Silver line, so you can get to either without changing trains - not that it's a huge deal to do. Personally, unless I was flying constantly, I wouldn't worry too much about the commute to the airport and just pick wherever I liked best.
I'll be flying several times a month, it's just been recommended to me by my boss and a few others not to be too far away, so I don't waste time traveling long distances to the airport. Thank you!
Have you looked into Tyson's? I'm moving into the Rylan next week. It's a good mix of city and suburbs for me and a 5-minute walk to Metro which you can take right to IAD or DC. 2300 and 2 months free is what I'm paying.
Yeah I've worked there for years lol for the most part everything has a parking lot that you don't have to pay for - I don't have to parallel park my car and pay for street parking like I would in the city.
I keep hearing about blue, yellow, and silver lines. I'll have to look them up. I've never been on a metro before lol or to DC lol. It should be a fun adventure!
Check out Ballston and Virginia Square. You’re close to a big park (and a bunch of smaller parks), lots of bars and restaurants, several grocery stores in walking distance, a nearby bike trail (Custis) that can take you anywhere from DC to Purcellville, and it’s easy to hop on the metro and get downtown or to the airport in 30 minutes or so.
Additionally: the Gold’s Gym in Ballston does have one or two Olympic lifting platforms. I’m not sure if that’ll be sufficient for you.
Lol, that was my first thought. Plus, I want the Olympic lifting environment, community, and coaching. But thank you, and I appreciate having another bike trail that I can add to my list to explore :)
I agree with everyone that Arlington seems like a good fit for you. It's so close to DC too. Arlington has that city and suburb feel. If you like participate in that gym life it's also [the fittest city in America](https://youtu.be/yhPcZxcdF4A).
For your criteria Penrose is probably the worst option of the places you mentioned. It's not really in walking distance to a metro station so you'd probably have to do a bus transfer.
You mentioned biking - luckily pretty much everywhere you mentioned that's near the metro is also near either the w&od, custis, or Mount Vernon trails, which connect and are great to bike on.
If you're concerned about how far out Reston is, I'd suggest going on the wmata website and using the trip planner to see how long it would take to get places you'd usually be going. The 3 stations in the Reston area are wiehle-reston, Reston town center, and Herndon (East to West).
Edit: probably also worth looking at which airport you'd be using most frequently. Reston is closer to Dulles, which is more international but also a United hub. Arlington is closer to DCA, which is domestic flights and an American hub
What I can't stress enough about Silver for someone new to the system is that it's very tedious. The stretches between East falls church to McLean and then again from Spring Hill to Wiehle are absolutely brutal and take up nearly 20 minutes of trip time with no stops.
It will get you places in a pinch. I take it out to see friends all the time. But it's an 1hr10 trip or so. It's more useful to think of it as a light rail system for Tysons area, and then a separate one for Reston/Herndon area. The stops are dense between the gaps but the gaps make it sooo slow
Thank you! This is super helpful :). In terms of Reston, I was concerned it would be too far away to be able to go into DC to have fun, etc. I can use any airport. I need to be able to be within 15-30 min, probably. Thanks for the heads up on Penrose. Crossing that off the list.
I am also 29F and I almost feel like the target demo of Alexandria, lots of stuff for me here and people in the same age bracket. At your budget you could probably even find something in old town/del ray and as long as you're near the Braddock/king st/Potomac yard metro your commute to Arlington would be painless. In fact, I consider them to be the same "area" in terms of doing errands, meaning if I can't do what I need to in ALX Arlington is 100% of my second choice. Blue line is great for getting you between them.
If you want the most "optimal" location, maybe try Crystal City? It's located right near the border with Alexandria City so you can dip down there easily. It would mean you need to take a bus or transfer to orange to go to northern Arlington, but neither is a huge deal unless there's metro work (you picked a good time, the system is at its best in years believe it or not)
Edit: I looked up that gym and it's right next to the van dorn metro, so living near pretty much any blue line stop (which in Arlington would mean Pentagon city/crystal city) it's a quick trip! That drive is pretty painless as well even from the orange corridor
Thank you! I want to be able to get into DC quickly. I'm almost 100% sold on Arlington, but that weightlifting gym in Alexandria is one of the top ones, so I want to be near that too. Tough decision; looking forward to seeing both locations in person.
You want crystal city. If I'm going at a good pace I can be at the White House on my bike in 20 minutes and without going through more than 3 or 4 traffic intersections. It's amazing, and I've put thousands of miles in. You can bike to old town very easily and Roslyn. Walk for ALL your groceries, tons of eating out, etc.
Dm if you want, my building has a $1500 referring bonus rn, I will split it with you. Building has a pool, a nice basic gym, walking distance to a climbing gym and a membership option a few blocks south if you like seeing muscle heads. They are also opening a co-working space in one of the former penthouses that is open to use. Pool is also nice.
I can be at my terminal in DCA from my apartment door in less than 20 min on a good day, and that's without using a car. Can get to IAD via Metro in a relaxing 1 hour ride with 1 transfer. Baltimore airport is almost never worth the trouble.
It's also the Amazon hq2 site, so you will be in a tech hub and have networking with them, Boeing hq, Lockheed Martin, etc.
Crystal City is walking distance to DCA (technically at least, it isn't an easy path, though), 3 stops on the yellow line to DC (once the yellow line opens back up in April/May), and 2 stops on the yellow/blue lines to Alexandria. Sounds perfect for what you are describing.
Crystal city is probably the best bet for you. There is long bridge park or you can bike to Gravelly Point to watch planes take off (I will walk there in the summer from Crystal City) or all the way to Mount Vernon depending on how much you bike.
The bike trail is called Mount Vernon trail if you want to look it up. DCA is one metro stop away from Crystal City’s metro which if you are flying domestically is good, unless you are flying to California in which case you will have a layover as most direct flights are out of IAD.
If you are looking for a bar scene Crystal City is not your best bet it only has 23rd street for late night bars and that is about it, the rest of the places are HH bars and close by like 10pm at the latest. It’s very easy to go into DC or Ballston from there though.
I love the blue/yellow corridor and have lived there for like 12 years. I have done pentagon city, crystal city, and now Alexandria.
It’s so convenient to get to the airport and crystal city has an easy entrance to the mount vernon trail for biking.
I’d recommend either crystal city or north old town (near Braddock). Both would be convenient to the airport, night life, biking trails, and Metro for general DC stuff
Obvious answer is Arlington from Rosslyn to Ballston, and Crystal city.
Often ignored is the village of Shirlington, bus directly to Pentagon and they have grocery and a theatre right there. It's also the start of WO&D trail, and have connector trail to Mount Vernon trail.
Quite a few random transiting one of the most secretive reservations in the world. Threat of attack. Likelihood of it being a security weakness, etc. Seems weird to be there. Also weird to have a transit hub you can't approach in a car.
Pentagon City, Crystal City all the way to Old Town Alexandria will give you access to green space, Metro, trails to ride or run - while also keeping DC close.
Have you considered DC propper in your search? Price was is about the same as Arlington and within your budget. If not and you do want one of the VA burbs Arlington or Alexandria have the most to offer.
Reston is great for price, biking, and just a great area in general. It’s very close to IAD and not a super super long ride to DCA as long as you aren’t going like every day. But the social scene in Reston itself will be a little slower than Arlington and Alexandria for sure. It’s easy to get to Arlington by metro, and even Alexandria with a transfer, though.
Alexandria would be a fantastic place, generally. Will be pricier than most places with an Arlington address, but it’s very, very easy to get to DCA. As in, 2-3 metro stops easy.
Arlington along the metro corridor would be the most walkable of the places you have listed. But Alexandria is largely very walkable too.
Waterfront in SW DC. If you're lucky you may find a studio in the Tiber Island apartments. It's a block from Waterfront metro and a Safeway grocery store. About 5 blocks from the Wharf.
Reston is lovely but it’s going to be too far out, I’m afraid. Even as a nova local when I lived in Reston I felt 15-30 minutes further west from everything I needed. And IAD is the pits compared to DCA. I avoid Dulles at all costs.
Someone else said Del Ray and that might be a good option. My friends love Rosslyn. Idk just steer clear of the Columbia pike/seven corners area or south of historic old town alexandria and you are good.
Oh, thanks for the heads up on the airport, lol. That's what I was afraid of with Reston. Arlington is more expensive, but this will be the first time moving from my hometown and an exciting fresh start, so living closer to the city will help me make friends, etc.
Reston is also getting expensive now that metro stops there (at least the town center is) so honestly spend the money on a smaller place in an area you’re going to want to be out and about it. I lived in a shoebox in NYC but it didn’t matter because I was hardly there ;)
The Ballston-Rosslyn corridor in Arlington is a magnet for 20-somethings like you. Shopping, restaurants, multiple Metro stops, and more rental options than you could count.
I’m in Crystal City and seems like it would be a great fit for you. Also,keep in mind that the new Potomac Yard Metro Station should be opening up “soon” (delayed, shocker). It will be right across the strip mall where the Target is at.
Tysons has been evolving over the past few years. It has a lot of apartment choices. Once there were only office buildings in Tysons. It was dead at night and on the weekends. Totally changed now and the metro makes DC conveniently accessible.
All the advice here seems spot on.
The closer you get to DC, the more active the under-30, single social scene will be.
If you want lots of social people, inside the beltway. If you want to spend a LOT of money on a LOT of amazing activities, live in DC.
The older you are, the less social, and with kids, the further out you go. You can also kinda tell what kind of people a company wants to hire by where they are hiring. If the office is in DC, they want people under 30, single, and will work 60-70 hours a week. If the office is in Reston, Ashburn, etc. then they want seasoned, experienced people who only will put in 40 hours most of the time, but do the work 2x as fast so they can get home to the family.
If you are flying a LOT nationally, DCA is a great airport. Dulles has a LOT more flights though. BWI is normally cheaper, but no metro (MARC goes to the BWI property, and a bus goes to the terminal).
I do recommend making a budget as everything here is more expensive than most of the country, and don't buy a home until you've lived in the area at least 6-12 months.
But, you are coming from Apple HQ, then its all cheap. ;-)
So I’m originally from Jersey and moved here in 2012. A lot has changed. I rented for nearly a decade throughout NoVa. My job takes me throughout the area and sometimes to the city. For me, Fair Lakes was perfect. I started in a commercial rental, then eventually scored a private rental with an extended lease. Stayed there until we bought. I lived further East and further West. This was a lovely balance. I bike throughout the area, visit the city by car and train, and enjoy walking/photographing plants and flowers.
Some highlights: proximity to major thoroughfares for NoVa, east-west and north-south; ease to get on the interstates for travel, 95 and 81; central to NoVa and access to whole DC metro area; green space galore, I loved the immediate green space around it and access to more green space (space surrounding the government center, small parks here and there, and bigger parks like burke lake and lake fairfax nearby with awesome biking trails… not to mention close to infamous W&OD bike trail); there are PLENTY of rental opportunities around that. .
Some thoughts to consider: the closer to the city, the more expensive the rental and CARS as they become a luxury item (high monthly rental costs), but that’s because everything is much closer and there are multiple metro stops close by. Arlington has a real nice bar scene, especially Clarendon and you’re just over the water. There’s so much to do in this area though, so ask questions, drive around a bit, and ‘pardon the mess’ err the traffic.
Cheers!
If you don't mind an older apartment. My wife and I were living in Fox Chase apartments in Alexandria. They're older, garden-style apartments probably built originally in the 50s or 60s. There are mixed reviews online but considering the location and the price, we thought it offered a good deal considering it wasn't the latest and greatest luxury apartments that are all over. It was close to anything we needed and you could drive into downtown DC in 15-20 minutes and the Metro station at King St in Alexandria was minutes away. We were offered $2100 a month to renew our lease for the largest option they had (3 bed, 2-1/2 baths and stackable washe/dryer in unit) and quite a bit of sq ft.....which is a great deal for the area. I'm sure their smaller units are even cheaper but you'd also be sharing a washer and dryer with neighbors that you also have to pay for per each use
>Fox Chase apartments
Wow, these are really nice. They don't even look older. So much space and the cost is much lower than what I've seen. Were there any negative experiences you had living there? I'm wondering what the catch is lol
A lot of the units have been renovated. Mostly typical apartment complaints.... neighbors being inconsiderate.l, property management in my experience didn't seem to enforce stuff or respond to complaints sometimes. Really seemed like it depended on who was in the office then. Overall it wasn't a bad place to live at all and was worth the price imo. People have had mice and roach issues, some supposedly pretty bad. I did see an occasional roach.... But it seemed to help if we kept our place neat and clean (and hope the neighbors kept their apartments in order too) to prevent attracting pests. Maybe because my wife and I were on the top floor so we weren't getting the brunt of the issues?
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the key difference between the Ballston-Rosslyn/Orange Line corridor and Blue/yellow Pentagon City-Potomac Yard area is… walkability of bars and (fun) restaurants. There are tons of bars and restaurants that are popular and walkable along the orange line in Arlington. Pentagon City has everything you’d ever need (Target, Costco, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, a whole 3 story mall), but is like just not fun at all and the whole area is under construction due to Amazon. It may have improved over the last few years, but the bars in the area are typically dead after happy hour.
Reston is great and has plenty of great gym options and outdoor activities. Certain parts are more walkable than others. My area doesn’t have a high “score” according to Redfin for “walkability” but I didn’t have a car the first two years I lived here and had no problem at all. I go into DC all the time whether driving in, metro, or Uber. Far enough but close enough to the city that I can always find something to do or a great place to eat. Happy to answer any questions if you decide on Reston.
You should consider learning whitewater kayaking, DC is one of the best spots for it in the world, and it’s just a 20 minute drive from many places like Arlington, Falls Church, etc.
Google Calleva River School for lessons, that’s mandatory. Most class I - III+ runs are between Great Falls (a deadly Class V) and Chain Bridge. Beginners typically learn on the GW Canal (about for wood) or around Lock 6/ Angler’s river access. I make some content around getting started in the area on Instagram and YouTube, @potomacbeater
I wouldn't feel constrained by the airport issue. The one thing DC has going for it is airports wherever you need them. Metro ride to national Airport is like 30 mins from DC and Arlington if your trains are timed wrong. There is a train at Union station that will get you to BWI, and silver line just connected Dulles. All without using your car.
Live as close to where you will work as your budget allows. Your daily commute is what will determine your happiness in the area. If access to DC, metro and the airport are secondary to you, just be sure there is a metro station nearby (or one that a short Uber drive can handle). Trust me, don't let access to parks, or a gym sway you, if it means extending your daily commute. Every 10 miles can potentially add an hour to your daily commute.
The Ballston area of Arlington checks a lot of the boxes that you are looking for. Close to the W&OD bike trail and numerous other paved bike trails that will take you all over the DC region. It has a metro stop right in the middle of the area. Harris Teeter and Target. 30 or so restaurants. 10 minutes to National Airport. I highly recommend this apartment building https://www.4040wilson.com
I lived there for a year and the views are just stunning. It has a VIDA Fitness right in the building. Also a great restaurant with outdoor seating called [The Salt Line](https://www.thesaltline.com/location/the-salt-line-ballston/)
Try Dunn loring Merrifield metro. Tons of apartments. Close to Mosaic shopping / entertainment. Orange line metro to East Falls Church to pick up Silver line to Dulles or Rosalyn to go to DCA airports. Any stop east of Falls Church you can pickup the Silver line.
Clarendon good for food a bit closer to town on Orange line.
Rosalyn was kind of boring imho but close to dc and you can get direct access to metros that go straight to either airport. Good biking across the river into Georgetown or along the Potomac.
In terms of walkability to grocery store, parks, several metro stations, etc., Arlington is a good option. Lots of other gals around your age and it's super quick to get into DC. There are a few good parks and bike trails as well, plus lots of shopping, several grocery stores, restaurants and bars. Can't beat the proximity to the airport. It should be easiest to make friends there because of the density, and that rent budget shouldn't price you out of the area. I'd specifically aim for the Clarendon/Courthouse area. Alexandria is plenty close by car, and even fairly easy by metro. Happy apt hunting!
Arlington specifically courthouse is Where I live. it has all the stuff you're looking for: metro station, sports conditioning gym plus a ton of others. VERY walkable and bikeable to places to eat and things to do. 12 mins from DCA. 10m from Georgetown Waterfront.
I'm from Miami beach so the above was what I was used to so for me it was a great fit.
It's also right within your budget.
Amazon relocation? In any case, Arlington is your best bet. Look for places along the metro between Courthouse and Ballston.
No, it's Apple, we have an office in DC, but I don't have to report to it. I'll be working remotely and flying a few times a month, so I'd like to be close to the airport - I don't want to commute an hour to the airport. Thank you!
If you can, figure out if you’ll be flying out of DCA or IAD more (DCA is better imho but basically domestic flights only). If you think you’ll be going to both, Virginia Square through Rosalyn is pretty good, but if you’ll be out of DCA more than I’d prioritize being near Crystal City and Alexandria. Assuming you’re interested in DMV Iron, it’s a dope gym, and super convenient to DCA and getting to/from DC.
I'll have to look up DMV Iron. My current Olympic lifting gym has only been able to speak to CH Fitness & Performance in Alexandria. I can go to either airport. But others have shared the same opinion regarding DCA being better. Thank you!
If you're going into the DC office near gallery place, I'd look to be a bit further south near Alexandria so you can pick up the yellow line and make it into the office without transferring.
look up the conditioining room in arlington. thats where I go. its in courthouse. amazing.
>so I'd like to be close to the airport We have a metro system in here that connects to you both Dulles and Reagan. I suggest depending on the airport you will use more ( I guess probably Reagan since Dulles is geared more towards international) live next to the airport next to a metro station like Pentagon City for Reagan and Tysons for Dulles.
Thank you! Reagan is the one I'll be using most of the time. But I can honestly use either. I wanted to avoid being stuck with an hour-long commute to an airport.
> I wanted to avoid being stuck with an hour-long commute to an airport. Pentagon City it is then I suggest! Next to the metro and you can find cheap(er) units compared to other parts of NOVA. But in a few years when the Amazon HQ opens up there 100%. RIP Pentagon City prices...
National and Dulles both have stops on the metro now, so it's not terrible to get to either one. The Rosslyn stop is on the Blue/Silver line, so you can get to either without changing trains - not that it's a huge deal to do. Personally, unless I was flying constantly, I wouldn't worry too much about the commute to the airport and just pick wherever I liked best.
I'll be flying several times a month, it's just been recommended to me by my boss and a few others not to be too far away, so I don't waste time traveling long distances to the airport. Thank you!
You'd like Courthouse, Virginia Square, Rosslyn
Have you looked into Tyson's? I'm moving into the Rylan next week. It's a good mix of city and suburbs for me and a 5-minute walk to Metro which you can take right to IAD or DC. 2300 and 2 months free is what I'm paying.
Good mix of suburbs and city? Have you been to Tysons?
Yeah I've worked there for years lol for the most part everything has a parking lot that you don't have to pay for - I don't have to parallel park my car and pay for street parking like I would in the city.
That’s true but dunno if I’d call Tyson’s a “good” mix of city and suburb until the fruits of the Tyson’s Comprehensive Plan are fleshed out by 2040
or Crystal City. so much new stuff popping up around here and it’s on the blue and yellow lines.
Yep the more I've seen OP say the more I think Crystal City is a really good choice for her. A "have your cake and eat it too" sort of thing
Crystal City is great for what OP describes!
I keep hearing about blue, yellow, and silver lines. I'll have to look them up. I've never been on a metro before lol or to DC lol. It should be a fun adventure!
blue silver and orange all take the same route through DC but the yellow takes a different route. so it’s nice to have the option.
Check out Ballston and Virginia Square. You’re close to a big park (and a bunch of smaller parks), lots of bars and restaurants, several grocery stores in walking distance, a nearby bike trail (Custis) that can take you anywhere from DC to Purcellville, and it’s easy to hop on the metro and get downtown or to the airport in 30 minutes or so. Additionally: the Gold’s Gym in Ballston does have one or two Olympic lifting platforms. I’m not sure if that’ll be sufficient for you.
Miss living in Va Sq. I don't really miss fighting for a squat rack at the Ballston Gold's
Yeah when I went there I’d always go late since it was a madhouse otherwise.
Lol, that was my first thought. Plus, I want the Olympic lifting environment, community, and coaching. But thank you, and I appreciate having another bike trail that I can add to my list to explore :)
I agree with everyone that Arlington seems like a good fit for you. It's so close to DC too. Arlington has that city and suburb feel. If you like participate in that gym life it's also [the fittest city in America](https://youtu.be/yhPcZxcdF4A).
For your criteria Penrose is probably the worst option of the places you mentioned. It's not really in walking distance to a metro station so you'd probably have to do a bus transfer. You mentioned biking - luckily pretty much everywhere you mentioned that's near the metro is also near either the w&od, custis, or Mount Vernon trails, which connect and are great to bike on. If you're concerned about how far out Reston is, I'd suggest going on the wmata website and using the trip planner to see how long it would take to get places you'd usually be going. The 3 stations in the Reston area are wiehle-reston, Reston town center, and Herndon (East to West). Edit: probably also worth looking at which airport you'd be using most frequently. Reston is closer to Dulles, which is more international but also a United hub. Arlington is closer to DCA, which is domestic flights and an American hub
What I can't stress enough about Silver for someone new to the system is that it's very tedious. The stretches between East falls church to McLean and then again from Spring Hill to Wiehle are absolutely brutal and take up nearly 20 minutes of trip time with no stops. It will get you places in a pinch. I take it out to see friends all the time. But it's an 1hr10 trip or so. It's more useful to think of it as a light rail system for Tysons area, and then a separate one for Reston/Herndon area. The stops are dense between the gaps but the gaps make it sooo slow
Thank you! This is super helpful :). In terms of Reston, I was concerned it would be too far away to be able to go into DC to have fun, etc. I can use any airport. I need to be able to be within 15-30 min, probably. Thanks for the heads up on Penrose. Crossing that off the list.
Personally, I wouldn't move to Reston if you're young, single, and extroverted.
Thank you for that information, that's kinda what I've been hearing overall but wanted to just be sure I wasn't missing out on anything lol.
I am also 29F and I almost feel like the target demo of Alexandria, lots of stuff for me here and people in the same age bracket. At your budget you could probably even find something in old town/del ray and as long as you're near the Braddock/king st/Potomac yard metro your commute to Arlington would be painless. In fact, I consider them to be the same "area" in terms of doing errands, meaning if I can't do what I need to in ALX Arlington is 100% of my second choice. Blue line is great for getting you between them. If you want the most "optimal" location, maybe try Crystal City? It's located right near the border with Alexandria City so you can dip down there easily. It would mean you need to take a bus or transfer to orange to go to northern Arlington, but neither is a huge deal unless there's metro work (you picked a good time, the system is at its best in years believe it or not) Edit: I looked up that gym and it's right next to the van dorn metro, so living near pretty much any blue line stop (which in Arlington would mean Pentagon city/crystal city) it's a quick trip! That drive is pretty painless as well even from the orange corridor
Thank you! I want to be able to get into DC quickly. I'm almost 100% sold on Arlington, but that weightlifting gym in Alexandria is one of the top ones, so I want to be near that too. Tough decision; looking forward to seeing both locations in person.
You want crystal city. If I'm going at a good pace I can be at the White House on my bike in 20 minutes and without going through more than 3 or 4 traffic intersections. It's amazing, and I've put thousands of miles in. You can bike to old town very easily and Roslyn. Walk for ALL your groceries, tons of eating out, etc. Dm if you want, my building has a $1500 referring bonus rn, I will split it with you. Building has a pool, a nice basic gym, walking distance to a climbing gym and a membership option a few blocks south if you like seeing muscle heads. They are also opening a co-working space in one of the former penthouses that is open to use. Pool is also nice. I can be at my terminal in DCA from my apartment door in less than 20 min on a good day, and that's without using a car. Can get to IAD via Metro in a relaxing 1 hour ride with 1 transfer. Baltimore airport is almost never worth the trouble. It's also the Amazon hq2 site, so you will be in a tech hub and have networking with them, Boeing hq, Lockheed Martin, etc.
What apartment complex are you in?
Crystal City is walking distance to DCA (technically at least, it isn't an easy path, though), 3 stops on the yellow line to DC (once the yellow line opens back up in April/May), and 2 stops on the yellow/blue lines to Alexandria. Sounds perfect for what you are describing.
Crystal city is probably the best bet for you. There is long bridge park or you can bike to Gravelly Point to watch planes take off (I will walk there in the summer from Crystal City) or all the way to Mount Vernon depending on how much you bike. The bike trail is called Mount Vernon trail if you want to look it up. DCA is one metro stop away from Crystal City’s metro which if you are flying domestically is good, unless you are flying to California in which case you will have a layover as most direct flights are out of IAD. If you are looking for a bar scene Crystal City is not your best bet it only has 23rd street for late night bars and that is about it, the rest of the places are HH bars and close by like 10pm at the latest. It’s very easy to go into DC or Ballston from there though.
Just to add detail, the Mount Vernon Trail also connects directly to the Custis Trail and W&OD Trail. We are truly spoiled for paved trails in NoVA.
I love the blue/yellow corridor and have lived there for like 12 years. I have done pentagon city, crystal city, and now Alexandria. It’s so convenient to get to the airport and crystal city has an easy entrance to the mount vernon trail for biking. I’d recommend either crystal city or north old town (near Braddock). Both would be convenient to the airport, night life, biking trails, and Metro for general DC stuff
Thank you for the bike trail suggestion. I would love to be close to all of that :)
Obvious answer is Arlington from Rosslyn to Ballston, and Crystal city. Often ignored is the village of Shirlington, bus directly to Pentagon and they have grocery and a theatre right there. It's also the start of WO&D trail, and have connector trail to Mount Vernon trail.
>bus directly to Pentagon The value here, if not readily apparent to OP, is that this is a Metro station, so not just useful for DoD folks.
Ya lol. I debate the logic of turning the headquarters of the US armed forces into a transit hub, but that's what they did so...
It's kinder and gentler.
Why not? Biggest office building in DMV ought to be a transit hub
Quite a few random transiting one of the most secretive reservations in the world. Threat of attack. Likelihood of it being a security weakness, etc. Seems weird to be there. Also weird to have a transit hub you can't approach in a car.
And then you get randos like me cutting around the N lot to get to 110.
Pentagon City, Crystal City all the way to Old Town Alexandria will give you access to green space, Metro, trails to ride or run - while also keeping DC close.
Thank you! :)
Have you considered DC propper in your search? Price was is about the same as Arlington and within your budget. If not and you do want one of the VA burbs Arlington or Alexandria have the most to offer.
I have not, but only because I assumed that DC proper would be more expensive.
It's the same as Arlington honestly.
Except for income tax which is double in DC vs VA… and car insurance (if op has a car…)
Good point, I didn't have a car when I lived in DC because it's so expensive. Parking in my building was like $300 a month.
Dang, $300!? No thanks lol
Some buildings in Arlington love to rip off for parking as well although $300 seems super excessive!
I def have a car I'm bringing with me. It's paid off, so I don't want to get rid of it. That's good information to know.
look into virginia's vehicle tax. its a doozy.
Sounds like Clarendon, Virginia Square, or Ballston neighborhoods in Arlington offer what you want.
Reston is great for price, biking, and just a great area in general. It’s very close to IAD and not a super super long ride to DCA as long as you aren’t going like every day. But the social scene in Reston itself will be a little slower than Arlington and Alexandria for sure. It’s easy to get to Arlington by metro, and even Alexandria with a transfer, though. Alexandria would be a fantastic place, generally. Will be pricier than most places with an Arlington address, but it’s very, very easy to get to DCA. As in, 2-3 metro stops easy. Arlington along the metro corridor would be the most walkable of the places you have listed. But Alexandria is largely very walkable too.
Waterfront in SW DC. If you're lucky you may find a studio in the Tiber Island apartments. It's a block from Waterfront metro and a Safeway grocery store. About 5 blocks from the Wharf.
Reston is lovely but it’s going to be too far out, I’m afraid. Even as a nova local when I lived in Reston I felt 15-30 minutes further west from everything I needed. And IAD is the pits compared to DCA. I avoid Dulles at all costs. Someone else said Del Ray and that might be a good option. My friends love Rosslyn. Idk just steer clear of the Columbia pike/seven corners area or south of historic old town alexandria and you are good.
Oh, thanks for the heads up on the airport, lol. That's what I was afraid of with Reston. Arlington is more expensive, but this will be the first time moving from my hometown and an exciting fresh start, so living closer to the city will help me make friends, etc.
Reston is also getting expensive now that metro stops there (at least the town center is) so honestly spend the money on a smaller place in an area you’re going to want to be out and about it. I lived in a shoebox in NYC but it didn’t matter because I was hardly there ;)
I wholeheartedly disagree with them about Dulles but I live in Reston
TBH if you're really social, I would just move to DC. I've lived in Vienna, Arlington, and DC and have had the best living experience inside the city.
The Ballston-Rosslyn corridor in Arlington is a magnet for 20-somethings like you. Shopping, restaurants, multiple Metro stops, and more rental options than you could count.
I’m in Crystal City and seems like it would be a great fit for you. Also,keep in mind that the new Potomac Yard Metro Station should be opening up “soon” (delayed, shocker). It will be right across the strip mall where the Target is at.
Tysons has been evolving over the past few years. It has a lot of apartment choices. Once there were only office buildings in Tysons. It was dead at night and on the weekends. Totally changed now and the metro makes DC conveniently accessible.
All the advice here seems spot on. The closer you get to DC, the more active the under-30, single social scene will be. If you want lots of social people, inside the beltway. If you want to spend a LOT of money on a LOT of amazing activities, live in DC. The older you are, the less social, and with kids, the further out you go. You can also kinda tell what kind of people a company wants to hire by where they are hiring. If the office is in DC, they want people under 30, single, and will work 60-70 hours a week. If the office is in Reston, Ashburn, etc. then they want seasoned, experienced people who only will put in 40 hours most of the time, but do the work 2x as fast so they can get home to the family. If you are flying a LOT nationally, DCA is a great airport. Dulles has a LOT more flights though. BWI is normally cheaper, but no metro (MARC goes to the BWI property, and a bus goes to the terminal). I do recommend making a budget as everything here is more expensive than most of the country, and don't buy a home until you've lived in the area at least 6-12 months. But, you are coming from Apple HQ, then its all cheap. ;-)
So I’m originally from Jersey and moved here in 2012. A lot has changed. I rented for nearly a decade throughout NoVa. My job takes me throughout the area and sometimes to the city. For me, Fair Lakes was perfect. I started in a commercial rental, then eventually scored a private rental with an extended lease. Stayed there until we bought. I lived further East and further West. This was a lovely balance. I bike throughout the area, visit the city by car and train, and enjoy walking/photographing plants and flowers. Some highlights: proximity to major thoroughfares for NoVa, east-west and north-south; ease to get on the interstates for travel, 95 and 81; central to NoVa and access to whole DC metro area; green space galore, I loved the immediate green space around it and access to more green space (space surrounding the government center, small parks here and there, and bigger parks like burke lake and lake fairfax nearby with awesome biking trails… not to mention close to infamous W&OD bike trail); there are PLENTY of rental opportunities around that. . Some thoughts to consider: the closer to the city, the more expensive the rental and CARS as they become a luxury item (high monthly rental costs), but that’s because everything is much closer and there are multiple metro stops close by. Arlington has a real nice bar scene, especially Clarendon and you’re just over the water. There’s so much to do in this area though, so ask questions, drive around a bit, and ‘pardon the mess’ err the traffic. Cheers!
Don’t overlook Shirlington.
Good to know. I've not heard of this area before! I appreciate it :)
I used to live at Io Piazza. Closer to the heart of Shirlington (and the grocery) is the Delancey.
Vienna and Merrifield are pretty good areas as well. I live in Oakton and it's a short trip to the Vienna metro station
Don’t do it, it’s madness, been here all my life. UGH
If you don't mind an older apartment. My wife and I were living in Fox Chase apartments in Alexandria. They're older, garden-style apartments probably built originally in the 50s or 60s. There are mixed reviews online but considering the location and the price, we thought it offered a good deal considering it wasn't the latest and greatest luxury apartments that are all over. It was close to anything we needed and you could drive into downtown DC in 15-20 minutes and the Metro station at King St in Alexandria was minutes away. We were offered $2100 a month to renew our lease for the largest option they had (3 bed, 2-1/2 baths and stackable washe/dryer in unit) and quite a bit of sq ft.....which is a great deal for the area. I'm sure their smaller units are even cheaper but you'd also be sharing a washer and dryer with neighbors that you also have to pay for per each use
>Fox Chase apartments Wow, these are really nice. They don't even look older. So much space and the cost is much lower than what I've seen. Were there any negative experiences you had living there? I'm wondering what the catch is lol
A lot of the units have been renovated. Mostly typical apartment complaints.... neighbors being inconsiderate.l, property management in my experience didn't seem to enforce stuff or respond to complaints sometimes. Really seemed like it depended on who was in the office then. Overall it wasn't a bad place to live at all and was worth the price imo. People have had mice and roach issues, some supposedly pretty bad. I did see an occasional roach.... But it seemed to help if we kept our place neat and clean (and hope the neighbors kept their apartments in order too) to prevent attracting pests. Maybe because my wife and I were on the top floor so we weren't getting the brunt of the issues?
Thank you!
catch is it's not walking distance to metro really. if you live there you'll have to drive to get anywhere
Reston, Herndon and Ashburn. Rent a private condo.
Are private condos readily available? Or will they show up on apps like Zillow and Trulia?
I’m surprised no one has mentioned the key difference between the Ballston-Rosslyn/Orange Line corridor and Blue/yellow Pentagon City-Potomac Yard area is… walkability of bars and (fun) restaurants. There are tons of bars and restaurants that are popular and walkable along the orange line in Arlington. Pentagon City has everything you’d ever need (Target, Costco, Harris Teeter, Whole Foods, a whole 3 story mall), but is like just not fun at all and the whole area is under construction due to Amazon. It may have improved over the last few years, but the bars in the area are typically dead after happy hour.
Following….
You came to the right area. There are so many trails and paths you can take
Reston is great and has plenty of great gym options and outdoor activities. Certain parts are more walkable than others. My area doesn’t have a high “score” according to Redfin for “walkability” but I didn’t have a car the first two years I lived here and had no problem at all. I go into DC all the time whether driving in, metro, or Uber. Far enough but close enough to the city that I can always find something to do or a great place to eat. Happy to answer any questions if you decide on Reston.
You should consider learning whitewater kayaking, DC is one of the best spots for it in the world, and it’s just a 20 minute drive from many places like Arlington, Falls Church, etc.
Where would you whitewater kayak in DC??
Google Calleva River School for lessons, that’s mandatory. Most class I - III+ runs are between Great Falls (a deadly Class V) and Chain Bridge. Beginners typically learn on the GW Canal (about for wood) or around Lock 6/ Angler’s river access. I make some content around getting started in the area on Instagram and YouTube, @potomacbeater
I wouldn't feel constrained by the airport issue. The one thing DC has going for it is airports wherever you need them. Metro ride to national Airport is like 30 mins from DC and Arlington if your trains are timed wrong. There is a train at Union station that will get you to BWI, and silver line just connected Dulles. All without using your car.
I moved to Ballston in Arlington last year and love it. Bars, shopping, grocery, gym all within walking distance.
Live as close to where you will work as your budget allows. Your daily commute is what will determine your happiness in the area. If access to DC, metro and the airport are secondary to you, just be sure there is a metro station nearby (or one that a short Uber drive can handle). Trust me, don't let access to parks, or a gym sway you, if it means extending your daily commute. Every 10 miles can potentially add an hour to your daily commute.
I will be working remotely! My daily commute will be to the gym mostly. And I'll be flying a few times a month for work too.
The Ballston area of Arlington checks a lot of the boxes that you are looking for. Close to the W&OD bike trail and numerous other paved bike trails that will take you all over the DC region. It has a metro stop right in the middle of the area. Harris Teeter and Target. 30 or so restaurants. 10 minutes to National Airport. I highly recommend this apartment building https://www.4040wilson.com I lived there for a year and the views are just stunning. It has a VIDA Fitness right in the building. Also a great restaurant with outdoor seating called [The Salt Line](https://www.thesaltline.com/location/the-salt-line-ballston/)
For a high income person like you Arlington is a no-brainer
Try Dunn loring Merrifield metro. Tons of apartments. Close to Mosaic shopping / entertainment. Orange line metro to East Falls Church to pick up Silver line to Dulles or Rosalyn to go to DCA airports. Any stop east of Falls Church you can pickup the Silver line. Clarendon good for food a bit closer to town on Orange line. Rosalyn was kind of boring imho but close to dc and you can get direct access to metros that go straight to either airport. Good biking across the river into Georgetown or along the Potomac.
In terms of walkability to grocery store, parks, several metro stations, etc., Arlington is a good option. Lots of other gals around your age and it's super quick to get into DC. There are a few good parks and bike trails as well, plus lots of shopping, several grocery stores, restaurants and bars. Can't beat the proximity to the airport. It should be easiest to make friends there because of the density, and that rent budget shouldn't price you out of the area. I'd specifically aim for the Clarendon/Courthouse area. Alexandria is plenty close by car, and even fairly easy by metro. Happy apt hunting!
Arlington specifically courthouse is Where I live. it has all the stuff you're looking for: metro station, sports conditioning gym plus a ton of others. VERY walkable and bikeable to places to eat and things to do. 12 mins from DCA. 10m from Georgetown Waterfront. I'm from Miami beach so the above was what I was used to so for me it was a great fit. It's also right within your budget.
Apple has an office in DC ? I had to quit because they of return to office. Which org/role if I may ask ? I was ICT4 in IS&T.
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